Gluten Free Boston Cream Doughnuts Recipe
These Gluten Free Boston Cream Doughnuts offer a fluffy, tender texture made without gluten, filled with smooth vanilla pastry cream and topped with a luscious dark chocolate ganache. Perfectly fried to a golden brown with a rich, creamy filling and glossy chocolate glaze, they make an indulgent treat suitable for gluten-sensitive folks and anyone craving a classic dessert remake.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes (excluding pastry cream preparation and chilling time)
- Cook Time: 15 minutes (for frying doughnuts plus ganache preparation)
- Total Time: 3 hours (including chilling, proofing, and cooling time)
- Yield: 8 doughnuts 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Gluten Free
Ingredients
Scale
Vanilla Pastry Cream Filling
- ½ batch vanilla pastry cream recipe (see detailed recipe)
Gluten Free Doughnuts
- 10 g (2½ tsp) active dried yeast (If using instant yeast, use 8g.)
- 50 g (¼ cup) caster/superfine or granulated sugar, divided
- 90 g (⅓ cup + 2 tsp) whole milk, warm
- 10 g (2 tbsp) whole/rough psyllium husk (If using psyllium husk powder, use only 8g.)
- 140 g (½ cup + 4 tsp) cold water
- 160 g (1⅓ cups + 1 tbsp) tapioca starch (or arrowroot starch, cornstarch, or potato starch)
- 130 g (¾ cup + 3½ tbsp) millet flour, plus extra for flouring surface (or finely milled brown rice flour)
- 25 g (3 tbsp) sorghum flour (or light buckwheat flour, white teff flour, or oat flour if tolerated)
- 5 g (2 tsp) xanthan gum
- 5 g (1 tsp) salt
- 8 g (2 tsp) baking powder
- 1 US large/UK medium egg, cold from the fridge
- 35 g (2½ tbsp) unsalted butter, softened
For Frying
- Oil for frying (neutral flavour, high smoke point, e.g. sunflower oil)
Chocolate Ganache Glaze
- 80 g (2¾ oz) dark chocolate (60-70% cocoa solids), chopped
- 120 g (½ cup) double/heavy cream
Instructions
- Prepare Vanilla Pastry Cream: Make the vanilla pastry cream following your recipe, using half the usual quantity. Chill it in an airtight container covered with plastic wrap directly on the surface to prevent skin formation. Bring to room temperature and whisk until silky smooth before using.
- Activate Yeast: Mix yeast, 10 g sugar, and warm milk. Let rest 10-15 minutes until frothy. If using instant yeast, add directly to dry ingredients without activating.
- Make Psyllium Gel: Combine psyllium husk with cold water until gel forms (about 30-45 seconds).
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a stand mixer bowl, whisk tapioca starch, millet flour, sorghum flour, xanthan gum, salt, baking powder, and remaining sugar.
- Add Wet Ingredients: Create a well in dry mix; add egg, activated yeast (or instant yeast mix), and psyllium gel.
- Knead Dough: Knead about 5-10 minutes using dough hook until smooth and homogenous, scraping bowl sides as needed. Add softened butter and knead until fully incorporated. Dough will be very soft and sticky.
- Chill Dough: Transfer dough to lightly oiled bowl, cover, and chill for 1-2 hours or overnight to firm up.
- Shape Doughnuts: Divide dough into 8 equal 88 g pieces. On floured surface, shape each into a flattened ball about 7.5 cm diameter and 2.5-3 cm thick at center, sealing seams underneath for a smooth shape.
- Proof Doughnuts: Place dough balls on individual parchment squares on a baking sheet. Cover lightly and proof in a warm place (around 26ºC) for about 1½ hours until doubled in volume.
- Heat Oil: Fill pot or deep pan with neutral-flavored oil 5 cm deep. Heat to 320-330ºF (160-165ºC) and maintain with a thermometer.
- Fry Doughnuts: Carefully lower doughnuts (with parchment paper) into hot oil. Remove parchment after 10-15 seconds. Fry each side 2½ minutes until deep golden brown. Do not crowd pan.
- Drain Doughnuts: Remove with slotted spoon onto paper towels to drain excess oil. Cover with paper towels to absorb remaining oil if desired.
- Fill Doughnuts: Let cool to warm/lukewarm. Make a hole with a thin knife or skewer. Whisk pastry cream if needed and fill each doughnut about 45 g using piping bag.
- Make Chocolate Ganache Glaze: Heat cream just to boiling. Pour over chopped dark chocolate and let sit 2-3 minutes. Stir until smooth and glossy.
- Glaze Doughnuts: Dip top of each filled doughnut into ganache. Let set for 10-15 minutes at room temperature before serving.
Notes
- Using a stand mixer with a dough hook makes kneading gluten free dough easier and ensures a smoother dough.
- Chilling dough firms the butter and hydrates the flours, making dough easier to handle.
- Proof doughnuts on parchment squares to help transfer to hot oil easily and safely.
- Maintain oil temperature between 320-330ºF to ensure golden crust and minimal oil absorption.
- Do not overcrowd the frying pot to avoid temperature drops and uneven cooking.
- Allow doughnuts to cool slightly before filling to prevent filling from melting.
- Store doughnuts covered at room temperature for up to five hours for best texture and flavor.
- Variations in gluten free flours can affect dough texture; millet and sorghum blends yield fluffier doughnuts.
Keywords: gluten free doughnuts, Boston cream doughnuts, vanilla pastry cream, chocolate ganache, fried doughnuts, gluten free dessert
