Black Raspberry Jelly Doughnuts

Are you ready for Gluten Free Jelly Doughnuts?

They are soft and pillowy with the perfect combo of sweet and tart.

I got an itch to make something indulgent the other day. My diet had become strict, as I've cut out dairy and upped my veggie intake, and it's been taking it's toll. I wanted something naughty, something that was a treat, even with my dietary restrictions.

These doughnuts are everything I remember about real doughnuts. Soft,  yeasty,  sweet, and  satisfying. I worked at a local bakery for a few months, just before I found out I was Celiac, and everyday I would have a chocolate bar or jelly doughnut on my break.  I missed yeast doughnuts until this recipe.

How to make gluten free jelly doughnuts

It all starts with heating cashew milk and coconut oil together in the microwave for a minute. Then I pour in some sugar and instant yeast and let it sit for 2-3 minutes to let the yeast get all bubbly.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl I mix together the flours. salt, baking soda and baking powder and set it aside.

Why the trifecta of yeast, baking soda and baking powder? Because we want to give these doughnuts every advantage to rise and get fluffy. The lack of gluten makes it hard for yeast to do it all on it's own. By adding the baking soda and baking powder it helps insure a fluffy doughnut.

Next, I egg the eggs to the yeast mixture and whisk lightly to incorporate them. Then it's slowly poured into the flour mixture and mixed till it comes together as a wet dough. It's pretty sticky at this point so I let it sit for 5 to 10 minutes to allow the flours to absorb more moisture.

Roll on out...

I then use corn starch to heavily dust my work surface and I turn the dough out onto it. I'll dust the top of the dough as well, just so my hands don't stick, and I'll shape it into a large disk. Then I roll it out to about ¼" with my rolling pen. You might have to divide the dough in half or in thirds before rolling it out, depending on how large your work surface is.

Using a large biscuit cutter or overturned drinking glass, cut out the doughnut rounds. At this point I use a bench scraper (like this one, or you can use a flat spatula) to move the rounds to a lightly greased baking sheet. The scraper helps keep the doughnuts in shape as the dough is very fragile and just picking up with your hands will tear or deform them.

Once the baking sheet it full I cover it with cling wrap and place it in a cold oven. This helps keep the temperature stable and allows the doughnuts to rise better (not to mention giving more counter space). If you can't put them in a cold oven then place a kitchen towel over the cling wrap and leave on the counter. They might take longer to rise if the ambient temperature is cool.

I leave them to rise for 45 minutes or so (in the oven, it might be an hour on the counter). At this point I prep the jelly and the powdered sugar.

The wait is over

10 to 15 minutes before they are done rising I start heating my oil. I've used both a deep cast iron pan and a counter top fryer to fry doughnuts. Work with what you've got. You just want to make sure the oil is deep enough to fully submerge the dough without it sticking to the bottom.

The oil needs to be heated to 325F, which is on the lower side when frying something, but it works wonderfully for these doughnuts. The lower temperature insures that they cook all the way through but are still a nice golden brown on the outside. Unlike their gluten counterparts they don't soak up a lot of oil when cooked at a lower temp.

Once the oil is to temp, use the bench scraper or flat spatula to transfer the doughnuts to the oil. Don't overcrowd the doughnuts in the oil and just cook a few at a time. It will take less than a minute per side to become golden brown and fully cooked. I use a metal mesh ladle and a single chop stick to help turn the doughnuts and to get them out of the oil when they are done.

Once all the doughnuts are cooked and cool to the touch, I use a pairing knife to make a hole in one side and I wiggle it around in the center of the doughnut to make room for the jelly. I then insert the piping tube into the hole and fill each doughnut with jelly. Then they get a bath in the powdered sugar before being ready to serve.

How long to Gluten free Jelly Doughnuts last?

Like their gluten counterparts they are best when eaten the day they are made but are also enjoyable as day old doughnuts. I would not keep them past 2 days because they become dry.

I do not recommend freezing this recipe at any point. The dough it very delicate and doesn't' take to freezing well. The cooked doughnuts will loose their texture if froze.

These Doughnuts are definitely best to eat within 2 days of making.

If you enjoy this recipe you can also check out my Chocolate Yeast Doughnuts and my Cinnamon Twist Doughnuts.

Print