Vegan Soft Baked Lemon Donuts with Lemon Glaze (GF): this vegan gluten free donuts recipe yields soft and fluffy donuts with easy homemade lemon glaze! Healthy Doughnuts, Dairy-Free, Refined Sugar-Free.
Hooray for May!! <– There’s nothing quite like starting the day with a little rhyme-time to get the easy giggles going, is there? 😉 I’m a big fan of being as goofy as possible to get a smile out of loved ones. I mean… life is too serious as is, right?
Anywho, I’m super excited about sharing today’s recipe because: we’re gonna be making DONUTS!! Make that vegan gluten free donuts! My vegan Soft Baked Lemon Donuts recipe will be the second-only-ever donut recipe on Beaming Baker.
Shocked?!? Or you really don’t care because: just hand me the donuts!!! Or is it doughnuts? Meh! Anyway, since my first go at a vegan donut recipe was ALL about the chocolate, I figured it would be a fun change of pace to share a zesty, fruity and perfectly lemon-y donut recipe.
Btw, if you have a specific vegan donut recipe request, let me know in the comments below! That way, I have ample time to get to testin’ on it.
Vegan Soft Baked Lemon Donuts with Lemon Glaze! (Gluten Free)
Without further ado, let’s dive into today’s baked lemon donut recipe. This vegan soft baked lemon donuts recipe comes with a deliciously easy homemade lemon glaze… and it yields wonderfully soft and fluffy donuts!
Best of all, these baked lemon donuts are dairy-free & refined sugar-free, and made with healthy ingredients. Woohooo!!! But how easy is it to make these vegan gluten free donuts? Read on below to find out. 🙂
How to Make Soft Baked Vegan Lemon Donuts w/ Lemon Glaze
- Step 1: Sift together all the dry ingredients.
- Step 2: Whisk together all the wet ingredients.
- Step 3: Combine the wet and dry ingredients to create your vegan donut batter.
- Step 4: Spoon donut batter into prepared donut pans.
- Step 5: Bake for about 12 minutes.
- Step 6: Cool donuts, then remove from pan.
- Step 7: Glaze your baked lemon donuts with homemade lemon glaze & enjoy!
Easy Homemade Glaze Options for your Vegan Gluten Free Donuts
These vegan gluten free donuts come with a delicious, easy homemade lemon glaze, but if that’s not your thing, try the following vegan, dairy-free glaze options:
- Orange Glaze: swap the lemon juice for orange juice to make orange glaze. Garnish with orange zest!
- Plain Glaze: swap the lemon juice for your favorite non-dairy, vegan milk. Skip the lemon zest as garnish.
- Chocolate Ganache: try topping your baked lemon donuts with a vegan chocolate ganache glaze. Here is the chocolate ganache recipe I use. If you prefer chocolate vegan donuts, try my vegan gluten free Soft Baked Chocolate Donut Recipe.
Q&A for Soft and Fluffy Baked Lemon Donuts Recipe
- How do I store these baked lemon donuts? Store vegan donuts in an airtight container at room temperature, or in the fridge. Glaze before serving.
- Can I freeze these vegan lemon donuts? Yes! Store unglazed lemon donuts in a freezer-friendly container for up to 2 months. Thaw, then top with easy homemade lemon glaze before serving.
- Where do I find the donut pan you use to make baked donuts? Here are the exact donut pans that I use.
- Can I grind my own oats to make oat flour for this soft baked vegan donuts recipe? Yes! Using gluten free oats, follow this homemade oat flour recipe. Just make sure to grind the oats until very fine, without coarse bits in it.
Did you have fun learning how to make baked lemon donuts with me today? I bet it’s gonna get WAY more fun once the baking begins! 😉 It’s always a joy sharing in these kitchen adventures with you. I can’t wait to hear what you think! ‘Til then…
Sending you all my love and maybe even a dove, xo Demeter ❤️
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Vegan Gluten Free Donuts Recipe & Healthy Lemon Recipes! (Dairy-Free)
- Soft Baked Chocolate Vegan Donuts Recipe (Gluten-Free)
- Healthy Lemon Raspberry Muffins Recipe (Dairy-Free)
- Easy Vegan Lemon Almond Poppy Seed Bread Recipe (GF)
- Lemon Coconut Macaroons Recipe (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free)
- Healthy Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins Recipe (GF, Vegan)
Vegan Soft Baked Lemon Donuts with Lemon Glaze! (Gluten Free)
- Prep Time: 25 mins
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Total Time: 37 minutes
- Yield: 12 donuts 1x
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Pin RecipeDescription
Vegan Soft Baked Lemon Donuts with Lemon Glaze (GF): this vegan gluten free donuts recipe yields soft and fluffy donuts with easy homemade lemon glaze! Healthy Doughnuts, Dairy-Free, Refined Sugar-Free.
Ingredients
VEGAN SOFT BAKED LEMON DONUTS
Dry Ingredients
- 2 ¼ cups gluten free oat flour – if using homemade oat flour, make sure it’s very finely ground, not coarse*
- ½ cup finely ground, blanched almond flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients
- ½ cup + 2 tablespoons water
- ½ cup non-dairy milk
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- zest of 1 lemon (2 tablespoons)
- 3 tablespoons melted coconut oil
- ¼ cup coconut sugar
- ¼ cup pure maple syrup
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
LEMON GLAZE + GARNISH
Lemon Glaze
- ¼ cup organic, unrefined confectioners’ sugar** (sugar-free substitute in notes)
- 1 ½ teaspoons lemon juice (start with less, make sure it’s white and thick, not too translucent)
Lemon Garnish
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon zest
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat two 6-donut pans with nonstick spray or coconut oil. If using a non-stick donut pan with the non-stick coating intact (fairly new), do not spray. Set aside.
- Make the Lemon Donuts: In a large bowl, sift together all the dry ingredients. Set aside.
- Add water and milk to a microwave-safe bowl. Heat in 10-second increments until just warm. This will prevent the melted coconut oil from solidifying once mixed with these liquids.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together all wet ingredients: water, milk, lemon juice, lemon zest, oil, sugar, maple syrup and vanilla. Whisk until well incorporated.
- Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients. Whisk until just incorporated, making sure no flour patches remain.
- Pour or spoon batter evenly into prepared donut pans. Tap the pans several times to even out the batter and release bubbles that have formed. Bake for 10-14 minutes. Mine took 12 minutes. Test for doneness with a toothpick—it should come out clean when done.
- Place pans on a cooling rack to cool for 10 minutes (or longer cool time to allow it to come out cleanly). Tap the pan several times on a flat surface to loosen donuts—you’ll see a donut or two jump up when they’re loose. Flip pan upside down onto the cooling rack to remove donuts. Allow to cool until completely cool.
- Make the Lemon Glaze: In a small bowl, use a fork to stir together Lemon Glaze ingredients until thickened: confectioners’ sugar* and lemon juice. Glaze donuts. Optionally, top with lemon zest. Return to cooling rack to allow glaze to firm up. Enjoy! Storing instructions below.
Adapted from my Healthy Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins Recipe.
More Lemon Vegan Gluten Free Recipes
Notes
- Storage notes: Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week in the refrigerator, or in a cool, dark environment. Glaze when ready to eat, or day of.
- To Freeze: store in an airtight container or bag, unglazed, in the freezer for up to 1-2 months. Allow to thaw for about 30 minutes at room temperature before enjoying. Or, heat in the microwave in 10 second increments until just warm.
- *If using homemade oat flour, make sure to sift the flour to remove coarse bits of oats that could create grainy donuts.
- **Powdered sugar substitutes: Swerve is a good sugar-free, low carb substitute. You can also grind the sweetener of your choice, such as Xylitol, in a coffee grinder or small blender until you get a powder. Since Swerve is a bit drier, use about 2 ½ teaspoons lemon juice to make the glaze.
- **You can also add more powdered sugar if you’d like a thicker glaze.
- Category: Breakfast, Vegan Donuts, Healthy Doughnuts
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: vegan donut recipe, baked lemon donuts, vegan gluten free donuts, soft and fluffy donut recipe, easy homemade lemon glaze
© beamingbaker.com. All content and images are protected by copyright. Please do not use my images or recipe without my permission. Please do not republish this recipe, instead, include a link to this post for the recipe.
Tools for Best Healthy Gluten Free Baked Lemon Donuts
Click on the links below to see the exact tools & ingredients I used to make this gluten free vegan donut recipe!
- Donut Pan – Such a great pan to use when making baked vegan donuts. Wonderfully non-stick!
- Lemon Zester – Erik’s favorite zester. Easy to use, and comes with a nifty protective cover to keep it safe and clean. 😉
- Almond Flour – Light, fluffy and tastes amazing. A great gluten free flour option.
- Coconut Oil – An absolute must in my kitchen. One of my biggest vegan baking essentials!
- Cooling Rack – Great, reliable cooling racks that have helped me cool soo many yummy baked goods. 😋
- Swerve Confectioners Sweetener – If you’re looking for a low carb sugar-free substitute for the powdered sugar in the homemade lemon glaze, Swerve is a great choice!
Sarah says
May 17, 2019 at 7:51 amThese donuts look so dreamy! Love that they’re made with oat flour – I can feel even better about eating them!
★★★★★
Demeter | Beaming Baker says
May 21, 2019 at 11:09 amThanks Sarah! 😊 Yep, these donuts bring all the good feels!
Krista says
May 8, 2019 at 11:07 amI want these for breakfast! I love the flavors!
★★★★★
Demeter | Beaming Baker says
May 13, 2019 at 10:56 amThey’re he best! The perfect vegan breakfast treat! 😊
Melanie Bauer says
May 7, 2019 at 11:35 pmLooks spectacular! This is my kind of donut and I’m looking forward to trying this!
★★★★★
Demeter | Beaming Baker says
May 13, 2019 at 11:00 amExcellent! Hope you enjoy them Melanie!
Erin Dee says
May 7, 2019 at 8:48 amLove everything about these donuts!! They look so delicious!
★★★★★
Demeter | Beaming Baker says
May 8, 2019 at 10:23 amThanks Erin! 🙂
Chrissie Baker says
May 7, 2019 at 2:20 amOh my. These look SO fantastic!! You know how much I love lemon!
★★★★★
Demeter | Beaming Baker says
May 8, 2019 at 10:23 amHaha yes! Thought you might be a fan of these! 😉
Allison says
May 6, 2019 at 9:16 pmI had made many donut recipes, but never lemon! Love these! Thanks for sharing.
★★★★★
Demeter | Beaming Baker says
May 8, 2019 at 10:22 amWoohoo! Lemon donuts are the best. 😋 Thanks Allison!
Bonnie says
May 6, 2019 at 6:49 pmThis recipe sounds delicious…could I substitute coconut flour for the oat flour?
Demeter | Beaming Baker says
May 10, 2019 at 5:14 pmHi Bonnie! Unfortunately, that sub won’t work because coconut flour is way more absorbent than oat flour. You could use a GF all purpose blend though. Hope this helps! 🙂
Vik says
May 6, 2019 at 5:29 pmThese donuts sound like the perfect breakfast for my family! Incredibly tasty, too
★★★★★
Demeter | Beaming Baker says
May 8, 2019 at 10:21 amOh yeah, these are a wonderful breakfast treat! Happy baking Vik! 😊
Heidy L. McCallum says
May 6, 2019 at 12:19 pmYour lemon doughnut recipe came out perfect. The family loved them.
★★★★★
Demeter | Beaming Baker says
May 6, 2019 at 3:29 pmWoohoo! So glad to hear that they were such a hit! 😊
jules says
May 6, 2019 at 11:43 amcan’t wait to try this out! if i use regular dairy milk, should i adjust the amount?
what about a flavored almond milk, like perhaps matcha?
Demeter | Beaming Baker says
May 7, 2019 at 4:11 pmThanks Jules! Hmm… I haven’t tried it, but it should be the same amount—for either kind. Enjoy!
Sharon Chen says
May 6, 2019 at 11:05 amMy latest recipes are made with lemon, too! I love lemons <3 this is surely delicious!
Demeter | Beaming Baker says
May 6, 2019 at 3:28 pmAren’t lemons the best! 😋 Thanks Sharon!
Jessica Formicola says
May 6, 2019 at 10:42 amI absolutely love lemon this time of year, so I can’t wait to try these donuts! They look so amazing!
★★★★★
Demeter | Beaming Baker says
May 6, 2019 at 3:27 pmI know, this time of year it’s the best! 😋 Hope you enjoy them Jessica!
Edyta says
May 6, 2019 at 9:35 amThese are incredible. I never thought I could make healthy donuts. This is a keeper.
★★★★★
Demeter | Beaming Baker says
May 6, 2019 at 10:34 amWoohoo! So happy to hear it Edyta!
Claudia Lamascolo says
May 6, 2019 at 9:12 amWe love lemon this just may my new favorite donut ever! Never had a lemon one! and baked is a bonus!
★★★★★
Demeter | Beaming Baker says
May 6, 2019 at 10:34 amOh Claudia, lemon donuts are the best! 😋 I think you’ll really enjoy this one!