This soaked and baked donuts recipe is probably my family's favorite whole grain recipes of all time.

Did I say, "probably"? Silly me. I made two batches yesterday, and there are very few left. This time, it was my oldest son who was mainly guilty of over-indulgence. Typically, however, I share that "honor" with him.

soaking dough for vegan whole grain doughnuts

Soaking the dough

We took this gluten and sugar-free version (see notes following the recipe) to a doughnut-eating contest at a homeschool gathering recently. Somehow, we were able to suspend this treasure on a string between the other store-bought doughnuts without it falling apart into crumbly nothingness.

dough for vegan cinnamon baked whole grain doughnuts

Doughnut dough ready to be flattened and cut

My daring husband entered himself in the contest and there he was, coming in second amongst a crowd of men eating those lightweight, devoid of all nutrients, processed rings of nothingness. Yes, in my humble opinion, he should have won. One of my doughnuts clearly by weight and amount-of-chews-needed-to-make-before-you-swallow equalled 2-3 of theirs. But then, I'm really not that competitive :-).

dough for gluten-free baked donuts being cut with donut cutter

Cutting out the donuts--this cutter works great!

Ah Well, Back to the Baked Doughnuts.

I have had this recipe for a long time and it is adapted from one by Sue Gregg in her Breakfasts cookbook. They are easy to make, don't require any special pan, are not deep-fried, and are coated with just a slight bit of oil, milk, or water to make the delicious sweetened cinnamon topping stick. And they have a wonderful hearty texture and flavor to them.

putting cinnamon sugar topping on gluten-free baked donuts

Topping the whole-grain doughnuts with some water and cinnamon sugar

Non-soaking Method:

Just mix the dry ingredients in one bowl and the wets in the other. Then add the dries to the wets. Continue with the recipe directions. But you can really step things up a bit in the health department by soaking the grains for at least 12 hours. You really will get a serious workout for your arms with the soaking method, but then you'll get two health benefits at once :-)! Let me know how they turn out!

Recipe Notes

Flour Choice: You may find that you need to be flexible with the amount of flour that you use for this recipe depending on the grain that you choose. You will want a very stiff dough that is not wet at all, like a shortbread. For spelt (if you are eating gluten), you will probably need about 5 1/2 cups. For other grains, you will have to play with it to see what works, but you do not want a runny gooey dough. You want it to be thick.
For gluten-free flours, use 25% more baking powder and soda. I typically use whatever I happen to have on hand. Yesterday I used 3 cups sweet brown rice flour with 1 1/2 cups sorghum with success. I had to increase the liquid to about 1 1/2 cups to make it pliable, however.
For a sugar-free version, a mixture of 1/2 xylitol and 1/2 erythritol for the granulated sweetener works great.
Egg Alternative: An alternative can be used instead of eggs - see Homemade Egg Replacer. Also a flax, chia, or gelatin egg could be used. I haven't tried those with this recipe, however.
Sweetener Options: You can substitute any healthy sweetener for the xylitol in the doughnuts, but if you use a liquid sweetener you may need to use a different amount, so read Substituting Sweeteners. For the topping, any healthy granulated sweetener can be used.
Homemade Dairy-free Milks: Here are homemade versions of both coconut milk and almond milk, which will both work great as a milk substitute.
Lemon Juice: Here is a great brand of organic lemon juice.
Grain-free Option: This recipe should work with a grain-free / low-carb flour like almond flour by increasing the baking soda by 50% and reducing the coconut oil by half. I haven't tried it yet but it should work.

whole-grain doughnuts in pan with parchment paper

Ingredients

Cinnamon Baked Doughnuts

4 1/2 cups whole grain flour (I use a gluten-free blend--see notes for how much to use)
4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp cinnamon
2 eggs (or alternative--see notes above)
1 cup granulated sweetener (See Recipe Notes)
5 Tbsp coconut oil (melted)
15/16 cup coconut milk (1 cup minus 1 Tbsp; or milk substitute)
1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar (or lemon juice)

Topping

3 Tbsp granulated sweetener (See Recipe notes)
1 tsp cinnamon

Instructions

For soaking

Combine the flour, sweeteners, fats, and liquids together (excluding the eggs. However, if you are using a powdered egg replacer, you can add the liquid that you would add to the recipe at this point in order to make the dough easier to handle). Let dough rest for 12-24 hours. Add remaining ingredients and mix well.
Roll out dough to approximately 1/2" thickness. Cut with doughnut cutter (this one is really nice). Or alternatively, shape into desired shapes. Brush tops with melted coconut oil, milk, milk substitute, or water. Sprinkle with topping.
Bake at 425 degrees for 8-10 minutes.
Try not to eat them all in one sitting! 🙂

Tried this recipe?Mention @wholenewmom or tag #wholenewmom!

Interested in other Gluten-Free Yummy Treats? How about:

- "Almond Joy" Bars
- Grain-Free Coconut Macadamia Cookies
- Soft Pumpkin Cookies (taste like store bought)
- Pumpkin Snickerdoodles

Have you ever made Homemade Doughnuts before?

Cinnamon Whole-Grain Baked Doughnuts {gluten-free and vegan option}