Gluten Free Donut Muffins

Donuts, but in Muffin Form!

If you love the taste of donuts (my vegan baked donuts are a favorite), you'll love it turned into nutmeg-scented muffins! These gluten free muffins are incredibly delicious, with the perfect balance of almond and oat flour to make a fluffy, plush crumb. The homemade cinnamon sugar and melted butter topping gives them the extra oomph to make these muffins unforgettable. We love them because:

• They taste like donuts! They honestly do ... and my oldest daughter seriously can't get enough of these muffins slash donuts.
• Packable. Donut muffins are nice and sturdy, perfect for tucking into lunchboxes or to take along on a picnic.
• No frying is needed. Unlike with many donut recipes, you don't need to dry the batter to get that classic donut taste.

Ingredients Needed

Here's an overview of the components that go into these scrumptious muffins, along with some notes. Make sure to scroll down to my recipe card at the bottom of this post for the full ingredient amounts and instructions.

• Butter - Unsalted butter is best in these muffins. Bring it to soft-ish room temperature before adding the sugar.
• Vegetable oil - Any neutral oil will work here, like avocado oil, or you could also use coconut oil.
• Sugar - A combination of granulated and light or dark brown sugar sweetens the muffins.
• Eggs - Use large eggs at room temperature.
• Oat flour - Learn how to make oat flour easily at home, or pick up a package at the store. If you can't eat oats, sorghum flour or brown rice flour are great substitutes.
• Almond flour - Protein-packed almond flour adds protein and moisture to the muffins. Try a swap of gluten free all purpose flour or another nut flour if you can't have almonds.
• Leavening - Baking powder baking soda
• Nutmeg - A good amount of ground nutmeg gives these muffins their classic donut flavor!
• Salt - Fine sea salt or table salt works.
• Milk - I prefer to use whole milk to add richness to the muffins, but 2% works well, too. I don't recommend using fat-free milk.
• Topping - Melted butter and homemade cinnamon sugar.

Variation Ideas

• Ginger-sugar: Instead of cinnamon in the topping, use ground ginger.
• Pumpkin spice muffins: Add 1 teaspoon of pumpkin spice instead of the cinnamon to the topping.
• Nuts: Stir in 1 cup of chopped walnuts to the batter.

More Muffin-Making Tips

• Swap gluten free flour - If you want, try my homemade gluten free flour blend in place of the oat and almond flours, or use your preferred gluten-free flour.
• Rest that batter! Gluten free batter needs a little rest before baking, so make sure to let it sit while the oven preheats, or for up to 20 minutes.
• Use fresh ingredients. These muffins have a lovely, high rise that's best accomplished by using fresh baking powder and baking soda. Check to make sure your boxes are still relatively fresh before adding the leavening to the batter.

Proper Storage

• Counter - Place the muffins in an airtight container and keep them on the counter for up to 3 days.
• Fridge - Store the muffins in their airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
• Freezer - Transfer the cooled muffins to a freezer-safe container or sealable bag, then store them in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw the muffins in the fridge completely before eating them.