Delightful Adventures

Easy Vegan & Gluten-Free Recipes

  • Home
  • Recipes
  • About
  • Contact
  • Newsletter
  • E-Book

Home » Recipes » Chai-Spiced Baked Vegan Doughnuts

Chai-Spiced Baked Vegan Doughnuts

By: Gwen Leron Published: June 29, 2018 Last Updated: November 6, 2020 6 Comments

This page may contain affiliate links. Click to learn more. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

SHARE THIS:

Jump to Recipe
Baked Vegan Doughnuts flavoured with warm chai spices are the perfect treat to make and serve as snacks or to enjoy with your afternoon chai tea.

Baked Vegan Doughnuts flavoured with warm chai spices are the perfect treat to make and serve at breakfast or brunch, to enjoy as snacks, or to have with your afternoon coffee or tea. They can also be made gluten-free!

Chai-Spiced Baked Vegan Doughnuts on plates, more doughnuts sits to the the right of the plates.

This recipe for baked chai doughnuts brings the doughnut recipe count on this site up to FIVE.

If it wasn’t already clear, doughnuts of all types, especially baked vegan doughnuts, are one of my favourite things to make…and eat 🙂

Based on a few requests, I decided to go with chai doughnuts this time. If you aren’t familiar with warm chai flavours, you’re in for a treat with this recipe.

What is Chai?

I thought I knew, and after reading about it, it turns out, I didn’t! I read up a bit about it, if you’re interested, have a read through this article, but in a nutshell, what you will learn is this:

Technically, the word “chai” refers to any type of tea in India. The spiced tea that we refer to as chai, is actually masala chai or spiced tea, a tea made with a blend of spices commonly used in Indian cooking.

There are many ways to make chai, but the one thing in common is that the blend of spices used, go together nicely, they’re warm, and they work well outside of tea…like in desserts and treats!

Overhead shot of the dry ingredients for Chai-Spiced Baked Vegan Doughnuts in a glass bowl, bowl is sitting on a wood table.

For my version of chai doughnuts, I used cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cardamom. That blend may not be the traditional spice blend, but like the article said, there are many ways to make chai.

This is my take and I like it a lot (and I hope you will too!)

For the doughnut toppings, I tested with two types: A chai glaze:

Chai-Spiced Baked Vegan Doughnuts being dipped in chai flavoured sugar glaze.

And a chai sugar glaze:

Chai-Spiced Baked Vegan Doughnuts being dipped in chai flavoured sugar.

When it came time to decide which one to use for the recipe, I couldn’t decide, so lucky you, I decided to share both!

Both include the same blend of spices and both complement this baked vegan doughnut perfectly.

What is the doughnut’s texture like?

For the pictures you see on this page, I made both the vegan gluten-free version and the vegan version of the doughnuts.

In the picture below, you can see the inner texture of both. The vegan version (using all-purpose flour) is on your left, and the vegan gluten-free version in on your right.

The vegan doughnut rises a tiny bit more, making it a little fluffier than the vegan gluten-free doughnut. The vegan gluten-free doughnut is still fluffy, just a little more dense than the vegan doughnut.

And both taste amazing.

Inside shot of two Chai-Spiced Baked Vegan Doughnuts to show how fluffy they are.

Can I use a different flour to make these baked vegan doughnuts?

Maybe 🙂

I don’t have a solid answer to that question because the flours listed in the recipe are the only ones I have tried, however, I do know that coconut flour will not work in this recipe.

I can take a guess, based on my baking experience, about some others I feel may work well, but since I have not tested with them, I don’t want to lead you astray.

What I can tell you is that this recipe was tested several times with the flours I ended up using, so if you follow the recipe exactly as it is written and make no substitutions, your doughnuts will end up looking like the doughnuts here.

Chai-Spiced Baked Vegan Doughnuts on a table, two doughnuts are on small white plates.

What kind of chai should I use?

In addition to the spices, I also use chai tea in this recipe to infuse even more flavour. I used chai tea bags that come in a box, they’re inexpensive and after you make the doughnuts, you’ll have tea to drink with them!

And any brand will work! And once the tea has been brewed, don’t add anything to it, use it just as it is for the recipe.

What doughnut pan do you recommend?

I get this question a lot! There are many out there, and all will work fine, but the one I own, love, and highly recommend is this one by USA Pans.

It’s a good, heavy-duty, teflon-free, non-stick pan. I’ve had it for quite a while now and it gets used A LOT! The non-stick coating still works perfectly after all this time.

If you like this recipe for baked vegan doughnuts, you may also like these! Each of these recipes also contain instructions on how to make them vegan and vegan + gluten-free.

  • Baked Chocolate Doughnuts
  • Baked Lemon Doughnuts
  • Baked Chocolate Mint Doughnuts
  • Baked Maple Doughnuts
  • Baked Cinnamon Sugar Vegan Doughnuts
  • Baked Pumpkin Doughnuts
  • Baked Apple Cider Doughnuts

So many of you have shared pictures with me of my doughnut recipes that you have made…and I love it, so please continue!

If you make these chai doughnuts, please share a pic with me on Instagram! (my IG handle is @delighfuladventures)

Chai-Spiced Baked Vegan Doughnuts on a wood table, two doughnuts are on white plates and the rest are on parchment paper.
Print Recipe
5 from 3 votes

Chai-Spiced Baked Vegan Doughnuts

Baked Vegan Doughnuts flavoured with warm chai spices are the perfect treat to make and serve at breakfast or brunch, to enjoy as snacks or to have with your afternoon chai tea. They can also be made vegan and gluten-free!
Prep Time:15 minutes
Cook Time:10 minutes
Total Time:25 minutes
Author: Gwen Leron
Course: Dessert, Snack
Cuisine: Gluten-Free
Diet: Vegan
Servings: 6

Suggested Equipment:

  • Doughnut Pan
  • 12" Reusable Piping Bag
  • Glass Mixing Bowls
  • Wooden Spoons

Ingredients:

For the Doughnuts:

  • 1 tablespoon ground flax seeds
  • 3 tablespoons water
  • 1 cup gluten free flour OR all-purpose flour (see important notes about flour below)
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
  • 1/2 cup brewed, unsweetened chai tea
  • 2 tablespoons melted coconut oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the Chai Glaze:

  • 3/4 cup powdered sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom
  • 1 tablespoon + 2 teaspoons brewed, unsweetened chai tea

For the Chai Sugar Topping:

  • 3 tablespoons sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom
  • 2 teaspoons melted coconut oil

Instructions:

  • Preheat oven to 375°F.
  • Grease your doughnut pan (if needed).
  • Prepare your flax egg by whisking together ground flax seeds and water. Set aside to thicken.
  • In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, sugar, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cardamom.
  • In a small bowl, mix the chai tea, melted coconut oil, vanilla extract, and flax mixture together.
  • Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and mix well to combine. Don't over mix.
  • Using a piping bag or a large Ziploc bag (see note below), pipe the mixture into each cavity of your doughnut pan.
  • Bake for 10 minutes.
  • Remove from oven and let the pan sit for a few minutes before removing the doughnuts.
  • Remove the doughnuts from the pan and place on a cooling rack.

While the doughnuts are cooling, make the chai glaze or the chai sugar topping:

    For the Chai Glaze:

    • Add the powdered sugar to a small bowl, add cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and cardamom and mix together.
    • Add the chai tea and mix until everything has combined into a liquid glaze.
    • When the doughnuts have fully cooled (they don't take long!), dip the tops of each doughnut into the glaze. Repeat with all the doughnuts.
    • Place the doughnuts back onto the cooling rack for the excess glaze to drip off and for the glaze to firm up. (Place a piece of parchment paper under the rack to catch the drips!)

    For the Chai Sugar Topping:

    • Add the sugar to a small bowl, add cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and cardamom and mix together.
    • When the doughnuts have fully cooled, one at a time, brush the tops with a little of the melted coconut oil and dip each one into the sugar topping until the top is coated. Repeat with all the doughnuts.

    Recipe Notes:

    • If you are making the vegan gluten-free version, it's important to know that every gluten-free flour blend uses different ingredients and ratios. Results will always vary when different flours are used. I have never used any other brand of flour to make these doughnuts, other than Bob's Red Mill 1 to 1 Baking Flour in the blue bag, NOT the red bag, so please know that your results may not be the same as mine if you substitute with a different gluten free flour.
    • Coconut flour will NOT work in this recipe.
    • If you are making the vegan gluten-free version, the batter will be very thick. That's OK! Just pipe it into the pan as-is.
    • Coconut sugar can be used instead of regular sugar in the doughnut batter, they will just be a little darker.
    • A piping bag is recommended for getting the batter into the pan. If you don't have a piping bag, use a large Ziploc bag and snip off the end to stand in for a piping bag. If you don't have either, carefully spoon the batter into each doughnut cavity.
    • It's best to eat the doughnuts the same day they were made. The glaze does not hold up well. If you have leftovers, refrigerate them but know that the glaze may melt into the doughnut if kept for too long!
    • Nutrition info is based on 1 vegan gluten-free doughnut with chai glaze and is only to be used as a rough guide. Calorie count for 1 doughnut using the vegan only recipe is 194 calories. Click to learn how nutrition info is calculated on this website.

    Nutrition Info:

    Serving: 1doughnut | Calories: 215kcal | Carbohydrates: 41g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 136mg | Potassium: 14mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 20g | Calcium: 10mg | Iron: 0.4mg
    Did You Make This Recipe?If so, please share a picture with me on Instagram! Tag @delightfuladventures and hashtag #delightfuladventures. I can't wait to see!

    Filed Under: Dessert, Diet, Doughnuts, Gluten-Free, No Nuts Added, Recipes 6 Comments

    Comments

    1. Steph says

      February 27, 2019 at 11:58 am

      5 stars
      Love these, easy and delicious!

      Reply
      • Gwen says

        February 27, 2019 at 2:10 pm

        Happy to hear you loved them, Steph! Thanks very much for your note 🙂

        Reply
    2. JE says

      July 4, 2018 at 6:18 pm

      5 stars
      Made these today and CAN’T stop thinking about how soon is too soon to make them again. Moist, light and incredibly flavorful!

      Reply
      • Gwen @ Delightful Adventures says

        July 5, 2018 at 10:14 am

        It’s never too soon 😉 We just finished off a batch yesterday, and I want to make some more already! I’m so glad you like them, thanks for your note 🙂

        Reply
    3. Lisa Viger is Planted365 says

      July 2, 2018 at 9:59 pm

      5 stars
      Pretty! And they sound delicious!

      Reply
      • Gwen @ Delightful Adventures says

        July 3, 2018 at 11:45 am

        Hi Lisa! Thanks so much…I’m a little biased, but I do think they are delicious, and pretty too! 🙂 Thanks for your note.

        Reply

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Photo of G. LeronHi! I’m Gwen and if you’re looking for easy-to-make, delicious plant-based and gluten-free recipes you’ll want to make over and over again, you’ve landed in the right place! Read more…

    • Breakfast
    • Lunch
    • Dinner
    • Snacks
    • Dessert

    Reader Favourites

    Vegan Baked Lemon Doughnuts on a blue plate int he background, one lemon doughnut sits in the foreground.

    Vegan Baked Lemon Doughnuts (GF)

    Close up shot of Vegan Gluten Free Baked Chocolate Doughnuts.

    Vegan Gluten Free Baked Chocolate Doughnuts

    Vegan Breakfast Burrito on a small white plate, fried potatoes and avocado slices sit on the side of the burrito and a cup of salsa sits to the left of the plate.

    Vegan Breakfast Burrito

    Chocolate Banana Coconut Chia Pudding in a glass with sliced bananas on top for garnish, two spoons and two bananas sit to the left and another glass of pudding is behind.

    Chocolate Banana Coconut Chia Pudding

    This is How to Make Homemade Pumpkin Puree so you can save money and make plenty of delicious recipes!

    How to Make Homemade Pumpkin Puree (It's Easy!)

    A close up shot of a bunch of Old Fashioned Cake Doughnut Mini Muffins

    Old Fashioned Cake Doughnut Mini Muffins (Vegan + GF)

    Have you hit an afternoon slump? You'll be energized to keep going after making yourself a glass of this refreshing beet carrot apple juice.

    Beet Carrot Apple Juice

    Easy Vegan Gluten Free Waffles on a white plate, a green cloth napkin sits to the right with a fork on top of it, waffles are garnished with fresh blueberries, and a container of blueberries sits behind the plate.

    Easy Vegan Gluten Free Waffles

    Lentil Sweet Potato Chili in a white bowl on a dark wooden table.

    Slow Cooker Lentil Sweet Potato Chili

    • About
    • Contact
    • Disclosure & Policies
    • Privacy
    • CCPA Policy
    • Do Not Sell My Personal Information

    Copyright © 2014–2021
    Delightful Adventures.

    All images and content on this website are copyright protected. Do not republish any recipes or text.

    Click for copyright & image sharing info.

    Delightful Adventures is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and links to Amazon.com, Amazon.ca, and Amazon.co.uk. As part of this Amazon Associates program, this website will post customized links, provided by Amazon, to track the referrals to their website. This program utilizes cookies to track visits for the purposes of assigning commission on these sales. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates. Click to learn more.