Happy National Doughnut Day! To celebrate, I’m sharing a recipe for Vegan Gluten-Free Speculaas Doughnuts!
That’s right, June 7 is National Doughnut Day in both Canada and the United States (and maybe elsewhere!)
As a vegan and celiac, I always thought doughnuts would be out of my life forever. But that was so untrue! And these sweet, dough-y treats are delicious!
What is Speculaas?
Speculaas, or speculoos, is a spice blend known for its use in a traditional Dutch cookie of the same name! If you didn’t know, I was born in the Netherlands! Every year in December for Sinterklaas, my family and I make something called Gevulde Speculaas, which is kinda of like a cookie bar with almond paste sandwiched in between speculaas cookie dough. It is SO GOOD.
Speculaas spice is often a blend of things like cinnamon, nutmeg, mace, ginger, cardamom, white pepper, anise, and clove. There are many recipes online to make your own blend, or you might be able to find a pre-made version at a speciality European or Dutch food store.
If you can’t find the spice and don’t want to make your own — have no fear! You can easily use cinnamon sugar for the doughnuts!
Making Vegan Gluten-Free Speculaas Doughnuts
These doughnuts are SO EASY to make!
The dough comes together so quickly and in 1 bowl!
The dough does need to rest for 30 minutes, but that give you time to clean that bowl and prepare everything for frying!
To shape these vegan gluten-free Speculaas Doughnuts, take a couple tablespoons of dough and roll it out. Then, attach the edges. The dough is sticky, so that isn’t too difficult!
Then, fry them up! The oil should bubble around the dough. You don’t want the oil too cool, but you also don’t want it too hot or the doughnuts won’t cook through.
The best thing is to test one before cooking the rest.
You can definitely change the “coating” up if you’d like. Try some cinnamon sugar, or a chocolate glaze maybe? Mmmm….
I hope you enjoy this recipe, and Happy National Doughnut day!
Want more vegan gluten-free sweets? Check out these recipes!
- Jumbo, Bakery Style Cookies with chocolate, oats, and coconut!
- Apple Tart
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Fudge Oat Bars
4.89 from 9 votes
Vegan Gluten-Free Speculaas Doughnuts
These vegan and gluten-free doughnuts are a delicious treat! I roll them in a speculaas spiced sugar, but you could easily do cinnamon!
Course:Dessert
Keyword:Donut, doughnut, Gluten Free, Vegan
Ingredients
- 2tbspaquafaba
- 1tbspvegan butter, melted
- 1/2cupnon-dairy milk
- 1/4cupsugar
- 1 1/4cupsBob's Red Mill 1-1 Gluten Free Flour Blend
- 1/2tspbaking soda
- 1/4tspbaking powder
- 1/2tspsalt
- Vegetable or Canola Oil, for frying
For the Speculaas Sugar Coating
- 1/4cupsugar
- 1 tbsp speculaas spice (can sub cinnamon!)
Instructions
In a medium sized mixing bowl, combine the aquafaba, butter, milk, and sugar.
Mix in the flour, baking soda and powder, and salt. The dough will be a bit sticky and it will firm up a bit in the fridge. But, add an extra tbsp or two of flour if you need.
Cover and let the dough sit in the fridge for about 30 minutes.
When you're ready to fry your doughnuts, heat a couple inches of oil in a deep pot (like a dutch oven) or I have even used a cast iron pan. I tend to heat mine a little above medium heat and that seems to work as a temperature for me. But this will vary depending on your stove and the pot you use.
The oil will take a bit of time to heat. You want the oil to be at the right temperature when you start frying your doughnuts.
Prepare a baking sheet with paper towel to place the donuts after they have fried.
In a shallow bowl, combine the sugar and speculaas spices (or cinnamon).
The dough will be a bit sticky, so I use use slighty damp hands when I shape mine. Take a couple tbsp of dough and roll it out and then combine the ends. The size should be in between a mini donut and a normal size donut. You don't want them to be too thick, or they won't properly cook inside. Alternatively, you can make small donut holes.
Fry the donuts until golden brown, a couple minutes on each side (unless you've used enough oil to submerge them) -- about 5 minutes total. If they're browning too quickly, your oil may be too hot so turn it down a bit.
Place the donuts on the baking sheet and let cool for 30 seconds before rolling them in cinammon sugar.
These donuts are best eaten fresh!
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