The Most Delicious Gluten-Free Old-Fashioned Sour Cream Doughnut Recipe
Hello, friends. It’s been a while. And in that time, I’ve been busy–busy living, and working and raising teenagers. And sometimes baking something delicious. You know how it goes. Some weekend mornings I wake up so exhausted from the past week, that I only manage to make a few uninspired omelets while my husband cooks some bacon in the microwave. But sometimes on Sundays, I wake up hungry….so hungry for things I never used to eat before I had to give up gluten. Hungry for doughnuts, like this (old fashioned and fried) gluten-free doughnut recipe.
Jump to RecipeThe gluten-free doughnut recipe you’ve been looking for!
I used to fantasize about having a local place to go and pick up gluten-free bakery items. But now, I am that place. Which means that most weekends I am baking for everyone else’s family, instead of my own. My kids have gotten used to asking, “Is this for us?” And they are even more used to the typical answer, “No.”
But selfishly, when I saw a recipe for real, old-fashioned, sour cream doughnuts in last month’s issue of GFF Magazine, I knew I had to make them for my much-neglected family first.
They were so good I cried.
I haven’t had a REAL doughnut in five years. Five. In that time, my oldest has started and finished high school. My youngest has gone from being a baby, to being a gorgeous young woman. And I, inexplicably, and rather too swiftly for my liking, became a middle-aged crazy cat lady requiring reading glasses.
Five years is a long time, yes? But now that the secret code for this gluten free doughnut recipe has been cracked, I’ve had doughnuts 3 times in the past month. THREE.
Here’s the recipe for the most glorious FRIED (not baked) Gluten-Free Sour Cream Old Fashioned Doughnuts
I’ll be the first to admit that I usually prefer baked, not fried, doughnuts. But let’s be honest, nothing beats the flavor and texture of a fried doughnut, and gluten free fried doughnuts that are SAFE are really hard to find. This recipe is adapted from one by Circa Doughnut in GFF Magazine’s Spring 2016 issue. I used my own flour blend, plus the addition of xanthan gum, to much satisfaction. This is my variation, a marriage of the tiny sugar coated fried doughnuts we’d eagerly buy at a Christmas Fair in Sonora, California many moons ago, and the buttery, cardamom-scented Dirt Bomb Muffins from my favorite (glutenous) bakery in Cape Cod.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup cane sugar
- 2 tablespoons vegetable shortening
- 4 egg yolks
- 2 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 1/4 cups sour cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 1/2- 3 3/4 cups all-purpose gluten-free flour blend
- 1/2 cup gluten-free cornmeal
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon xanthan gum (omit if your flour blend already contains it)
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
- Canola oil, for frying
Directions:
In a stand mixer, fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the sugar, shortening, and egg yolks until smooth and light in color, about 2-3 minutes. Next, add the salt, sour cream and vanilla and beat until smooth.
Mix 3 1/2 cups of flour, cornmeal, baking powder, nutmeg, cardamom, and xanthan gum in a medium bowl until combined.
Add the flour mixture to the sour cream/egg mixture and beat until it comes together. It should be slightly tacky to the touch. If it’s very sticky still, add more flour by the tablespoon until it is the consistency of cookie dough.
Lightly flour a parchment lined baking sheet. Scoop the dough, about 1/3 cup at a time and roll it on the floured surface into a snake, about 6-inches long. Form the snake into a ring, pressing the ends together to seal. Repeat with the remaining dough.
Fill a large sauce pan with 3 inches of canola oil (or other frying oil). Heat oil to 350 degrees (test with a candy thermometer). Gently drop a few rings into the oil. They will sink to the bottom, then bounce to the top of the pan. Let them cook for about 20 seconds, or until lightly golden brown. Flip over and let cook for 90 seconds. Flip again, and cook for another 30 seconds. The doughnuts may crack open a little.
Remove the doughnuts from the oil with a slotted spoon and transfer to a cooling rack. Cool for at least 10 minutes.
Mix the sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Turn each doughnut over in the sugar until well coated. Serve immediately.
Real doughnuts can be yours too. Go get, ’em, kiddo! You’ve got this!
Love doughnuts (who doesn’t)? I’ve got you covered!
- Strawberry Shortcake Buttermilk Doughnuts
- Baked Gluten-Free Apple Cider Doughnuts
- Gluten-Free Baked Maple Glazed Doughnuts
- Recipe for Gluten Free Doughnuts That’s Perfect for Spring
If you make this or any other of our recipes be sure to leave a comment and star rating below and post a picture and tag us on Instagram using the hashtags #agirldefloured #deflouredrecipes!
Gluten-Free Old-Fashioned Sour Cream Doughnuts
Ingredients
FOR THE DOUGHNUT DOUGH:
- 1 cup cane sugar
- 2 tablespoons vegetable shortening
- 4 egg yolks
- 2¼ teaspoons kosher salt
- 1¼ cups sour cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3½- 3¾ cups all-purpose gluten-free flour blend
- ½ cup gluten-free cornmeal
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1½ teaspoons ground nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon xanthan gum omit if your flour blend already contains it
- ½ teaspoon ground cardamom
- Canola oil for frying
FOR THE TOPPING:
- 1 cup cane sugar
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
- In a stand mixer, fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the sugar, shortening, and egg yolks until smooth and light in color, about 2-3 minutes. Add the salt, sour cream and vanilla and beat until smooth.
- Mix 3½ cups of flour, cornmeal, baking powder, nutmeg, cardamom, and xanthan gum in a medium bowl until combined.
- Add the flour mixture to the sour cream/egg mixture and beat until it comes together. It should be slightly tacky to the touch. If it’s very sticky still, add more flour by the tablespoon until it is the consistency of cookie dough.
- Lightly flour a parchment lined baking sheet. Scoop the dough, about ⅓ cup at a time and roll it on the floured surface into a snake, about 6-inches long. Form the snake into a ring, pressing the ends together to seal. Repeat with the remaining dough.
- Fill a large sauce pan with 3 inches of canola oil (or other frying oil). Heat oil to 350 degrees (test with a candy thermometer). Gently drop a few rings into the oil. They will sink to the bottom, then bounce to the top of the pan. Let them cook for about 20 seconds, or until lightly golden brown. Flip over and let cook for 90 seconds. Flip again, and cook for another 30 seconds. The doughnuts may crack open a little.
- Remove the doughnuts from the oil with a slotted spoon and transfer to a cooling rack. Cool for at least 10 minutes.
- Mix the sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Turn each doughnut over in the sugar until well coated. Serve immediately.
Nutrition
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These look wonderful! I can’t wait to make them. I found your blog about a year ago when my son was diagnosed with celiac disease, and have made many of your recipes. I am excited to see a new one! Happy baking!
This sounds easy to make! Which could be dangerous. I know what you mean by craving things, you would have never eaten before. I never ate dessert. I’m a salty gal! Now I find myself dreaming about desserts, hence the extra 10 lbs!
Hi, I was wondering if there is anything I could substitute for the corn meal? I am allergic to corn but these sound wonderful!!
Thanks for the info:)
Just omit it….it will lack the crunch but will still be good. You might need to add a little more gf flour so that you can handle it.
Can these be baked instead of fried?
I am dying over this.
I prefer yeast doughnuts to cake doughnuts. Do you have a recipe for that?
Thank you,