Sweet Tooth Sunday: Pumpkin Spice Doughnut Holes (Gluten-free & Dairy-free)

These pumpkin spice doughnut holes are an incredible dessert especially around the holidays to satisfy your sweet tooth cravings.  They would also be a delicious recipe to share Christmas morning with your family.  I wonder if these doughnut holes could be converted into cake pops...?

I made these (and an egg-free version) for Friendsgiving, and the crowd went wild!  I had several friends asking for the recipe so here it is:

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

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Ingredients

For the doughnuts:

1 3/4 cups all-purpose gluten-free flour blend (I used Silvana Nardone's blend - it's the best!)

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice

1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum (omit if your flour blend already contains it like in Silvana's)

1/3 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 egg

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

3/4 cup pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)

1/2 cup rice milk (or almond milk)

For the sugar coating:

1/2 cup (which equals 8 Tablespoons) soy-free Earth Balance 

2/3 cup granulated sugar

2 teaspoons cinnamon

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Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350º, and spray a 24 count mini-muffin tin with gluten-free cooking spray. Set aside.

2. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, spices and xanthan gum in a large bowl. Add the oil, brown sugar, egg, pumpkin puree and milk.  Whisk until smooth.

3. Using a small scoop or tablespoon, fill holes in pan about 3/4 full.  Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of one comes out clean.  Let cool in the pan for 5 minutes.  You will probably need to bake 2-3 batches, depending on how big your pan is.

4. Place half of the sugar and cinnamon blend in a large, zip-up bag and the other half in another bag.  Dip the doughnut holes on all side in the melted earth balance; then place one dozen in the first bag and the second dozen in the other bag (I actually had enough dough for three dozen so I doubled the blend and added a third bag). Seal each bag and shake to coat with sugar-cinnamon mixture.  Serve immediately or let cool like I did.  These are best when eaten the same day.

*** To make my second batch of pumpkin spice doughnuts egg-free, I replaced the egg with 2Tbsp. water, 1Tbsp. oil and 2 tsp. baking powder.***

Happy Holiday baking!  I hope you enjoy these pumpkin spice doughnut holes as much as my friends and I did! xx

Dipping the freshly baked doughnut holes in the melted soy-free Earth Balance. 

Sitting pretty in their sugar-cinnamon coating. 

Ready to taste test with a glass of yummy rice milk. 

Sub Santa's usual milk and cookies with these delicious pumpkin spice doughnut holes (that happen to be gluten-free and dairy-free, and there's even an egg-free option)!