Baked Blackberry Jam Donuts (Gluten Free, Dairy Free)

Upgrade your donut game with these Gluten Free Blackberry Donuts filled with a homemade blackberry jam and topped with a blackberry glaze. Made dairy free and refined sugar free, there is pure blackberry flavor in every bite. Blackberries are wildly underrated and this donut is proof. Baked not fried, allergy friendly, and one of the most unique donuts you'll make all summer.

Blackberries are seriously one of the most underrated summer berries and I'm on a mission to change that. They're so sweet and flavorful when in season, plus they're packed with antioxidants, vitamin C, fiber, and vitamin K. More antioxidants per serving than blueberries! They're also a natural source of melatonin just like cherries, making these donuts a surprisingly good evening treat. Bake them, eat them, sleep well. You're welcome. 

Love blackberries too? Try my Vegan Blackberry Ice Cream or Gluten Free Blackberry Ice Cream Sandwiches

Why You'll Love These Blackberry Jam Donuts:

• Allergy friendly: made with wholesome ingredients, these blackberry donuts are completely gluten free, dairy free, nut free, and can be made refined sugar free.
• Baked not fried: these homemade donuts contain no yeast and no hot oil. They are lighter than a fried donut with that tender cake donut texture.
• Real blackberries: this blackberry donut recipe uses real blackberries for all that fresh blackberry flavor in both the filling and glaze, no fake flavorings or colors here! 
• Homemade blackberry jam filling: homemade blackberry jam fills these donuts for a fruity, jammy explosion in every bite! 
• No lemon juice: yes, lemon can enhance the flavors of berries in baked goods, but sometimes it just adds an extra lemon/citrus flavor. I wanted these donuts to be pure blackberry flavor!

Gluten Free Blackberry Donut Ingredients

• Gluten free flour: these gluten free baked donuts are made with a mix of flours for the best texture and flavor, including a 1:1 gluten free all purpose flour blend. 
• Tigernut flour: I love using tigernut flour because it adds sweetness without added sugar, this way we can cut back on the sweetener in the recipe. You can also use almond flour if you tolerate nuts.
• Olive oil: the main fat in this donut recipe.
• Maple syrup: an unrefined sweetener, just be sure to use pure maple syrup.
• Yogurt: any variety of yogurt will do, stick to a dairy free version.
• Egg: adds fat and fluff to our donuts.
• Blackberries: fresh blackberries are used to make the homemade jam that goes in the center of these donuts and we use the juice of the berries for an easy icing.
• Coconut sugar: the unrefined sweetener for the jam.
• Tapioca starch: this helps bind the jam so it's not too runny.
• Powdered sugar: this is for the blackberry glaze. You can make a homemade, refined sugar free variety with coconut sugar, like in this recipe.
• Salt, Baking powder, and vanilla extract

How to Make Blackberry Donuts

1. First combine all ingredients for the blackberry jam filling in a small saucepan and cook on medium heat for 5-10 minutes, stirring frequently, until you reach a thick jam consistency. The blackberries will start to break down so you have more of a blackberry puree that thickens into a jam. Set aside to cool then pop in the fridge until needed.
2. Preheat oven to 350F.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients.
4. In a large mixing bowl, beat together the wet ingredients.
5. Add the dry mixture to the wet mixture and stir to combine. Add the donut batter to a piping bag.
6. Grease a donut pan then pipe the batter into the pan. Add a dollop of batter to the center of the donut hole (so there is not hole through the middle like traditional donuts)
7. Bake the donuts in a preheated oven for 14-16 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool for 10 minutes in the pan before flipping the donuts out onto a cooling rack.
8. Once donuts are fully cooled, mix together the powdered sugar and blackberry juice in a small bowl that is wide enough to fit a donut.
9. Dip donuts in the icing then place them back on a wire rack to set. 
10. Add a dollop of blackberry jam to the center of the donuts.

Substitutions and Variations

• Flours: you can use almond flour instead of tigernut flour, but I have not tested any other flour combinations for the donut dough. You can use arrowroot powder instead of tapioca starch for the jam.
• Olive oil: I have not tested another fat like melted coconut oil or melted butter. I think either would work, although coconut oil may make the donuts more dense. Make sure your ingredients are at room temperature.
• Yogurt: I use a plant-based coconut yogurt to keep this recipe dairy free, but any vegan yogurt or dairy-full yogurt will work. If you tolerate dairy, use Greek yogurt for a protein boost!
• Egg: I have not tested a vegan version of this recipe so I'm unsure if a flax egg would work. If you try it, let us know how it went!
• Blackberries: although using fresh, in season blackberries is the best, you can use frozen blackberries in this recipe. Just thaw some blackberries and pour off the juice to use for the blackberry frosting.
• Fruit: if you aren't a blackberry fan or want variation, try using another berry like blueberries or raspberries. Baked blueberry donuts would also be lovely!

Baked Donut Tips for Best Results

• Oil your pan well: even if it's nonstick make sure to oil your donut pan really well so the donuts release easily.
• Piping bag hack: if you don't have a piping bag, the easiest way to fill your doughnut pan is by using a ziplock bag with the tip cut off to pipe the dough.
• The no-hole technique: unlike traditional donuts, we fill the center hole with extra batter before baking. This creates a solid base that holds the blackberry jam perfectly without it falling through. Pipe the batter around the ring then add a small dollop in the center.
• Don't over bake: bake until the tops of each donut are almost golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean. Don't over-bake to achieve that great fluffy texture.
• Cool the jam completely: the jam must be fully cooled before adding to the donuts or it will be too runny and spread everywhere.
• Cool donuts completely:​ you also want to make sure the donuts are completely cool before icing them so that the icing sticks and doesn't run off of them.

How to Serve and Store Gluten Free Donuts

These gluten free blackberry jam donuts are perfect as part of a brunch spread or even make for the perfect sweet treat at night. I love them for dessert in the summer as is.

You can store these donuts in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, but if it's quite hot where you are, I suggest storing them in the fridge so the glaze doesn't melt. You can store them in the fridge for up to 5 days. Donuts are, of course, always best fresh within the first 2 days, but these keep pretty well for up to 5.

​Although technically you can freeze them, they just taste best fresh. If freezing, I suggest freezing them without the jam and glaze then adding those components before eating.

FAQ

More Summer Berry Recipes

Gluten Free Berry Crumble Cake

Gluten Free Strawberry Bread

Paleo Fruit Crumble

Gluten Free Blueberry Crumble Cookies

If you try these delicious blackberry donuts, be sure to leave a review and share a photo on social media and tags me! If you have any questions, leave them in the comments below.