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Vegan Gluten-free Lemon Donuts. Grain-free Baked Vegan Doughnuts
4.9 from 51 votes

Vegan Gluten-free Lemon Donuts. Grain-free Baked Vegan Doughnuts

These Vegan Gluten-free Lemon Donuts are baked grain-free doughnuts made with besan (gram flour), almond flour, and starch, flavored with fresh lemon zest and juice. The batter is light and frothy due to baking powder and baking soda reacting with the lemon juice, resulting in tender, subtly citrus-flavored baked treats with a raw sugar glaze.

Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
Total Time
25 mins
Servings: 8
Calories: 235 kcal
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Vegan, gluten-free

Ingredients

Dry:
  • 3/4 cup besan gram flour
  • 3 tbsp cornstarch or more besan, you might need an additional tbsp of water with besan, or potato starch
  • 2 tbsp almond flour or use more besan
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • Zest of half or whole for zestier a lemon, or whole lime
  • 1 tsp baking powder divided
  • 1/4 tsp baking soda
Wet:
  • lemon juice 2 to 2.5 tbsp, or lime juice
  • 1/3 cup sugar 1 tbsp more for sweeter
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • nutmeg a pinch
  • 1.5 tsp white vinegar or apple cider vinegar
  • 1/2 cup water scant
  • 1/4 cup neutral cooking oil generic cooking oil
Glaze:
  • 3/4 cup raw sugar or powdered
  • 1 to 2 tbsp non-dairy milk or lemon juice

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F / 200ºc. Grease the doughnut pan really well. Also keep 2 baking sheets (larger than the pan handy).
  2. In a blender, add the flour, starch, almond flour, salt, 1/2 tsp baking powder and zest.
  3. Add the wet ingredients and blend until the sugar is combined and the batter is smooth. you want to add not more than total of 2/3 cup liquid(water and lemon juice). You can also mix these in a bowl. The batter should be like a pancake batter on the thin side.
  4. Now, add the remaining baking powder and baking soda and pulse a few times to combine or use a spoon to mix in well. Let the mixture sit for a minute to get slightly frothy. The lemon and baking powder will react to make the batter frothy.
  5. Pour into prepared donut pan. Fill not more than 2/3 of the height. Place doughnut pan on a baking sheet. Place another baking sheet on top. This will create chamber where some of the steam will stay during baking instead of escaping.
  6. Bake for 11 minutes, them remove the top sheet and bake for another 4 to 5 minutes. total 15-16 minutes.
  7. Take the pan out and let it sit for a minute, then pat to remove the doughnuts. Let the doughnuts cool completely for 15 minutes. Then frost and let the frosting sit for a few minutes then serve. If not serving immediately, store in airtight container for the day.
Easy Glaze:
  1. Powder the sugar in a blender with 1 tbsp cornstarch. Add to a bowl and add 1 to 2 tbsp non dairy milk or lemon juice and a good pinch of salt. Mix until smooth. Dip donuts in the glaze or drizzle some on the doughnuts. I usually like to drizzle so there is just a bit of glaze and hence less sugar for added moisture.

Notes

  • Besan (brown chickpea flour) provides a milder flavor than chickpea flour and yields moister donuts.
  • If using chickpea flour, enhance lemon zest and consume the donuts within a few hours, as flavor intensifies over time.
  • To make muffins or cupcakes, pour the batter into a greased muffin pan, cover it with a baking sheet, and bake for 12 minutes at 400°F, testing doneness with a toothpick.

Nutrition Information

Calories 235kcal (12%) Carbohydrates 35g (12%) Protein 2.5g (5%) Fat 8g (12%) Sodium 119mg (5%) Potassium 163mg (3%) Fiber 1g (4%) Sugar 28g (56%) Calcium 40mg (4%) Iron 0.7mg (4%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 8 Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 235

% Daily Value*

Calories 235kcal 12%
Carbohydrates 35g 12%
Protein 2.5g 5%
Fat 8g 12%
Sodium 119mg 5%
Potassium 163mg 3%
Fiber 1g 4%
Sugar 28g 56%
Calcium 40mg 4%
Iron 0.7mg 4%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.