Introduction

These gluten free Boston cream doughnuts offer a delightful twist on a classic treat, combining a soft, fluffy dough with rich vanilla pastry cream and a smooth chocolate ganache glaze. Perfect for home bakers looking for a dairy and gluten-friendly indulgence that tastes just as good as the original.

A woman's hand is holding a round pastry broken in half, showing two main layers: the outer golden-brown bread layer with a soft, airy texture, and a thick, glossy yellow custard filling inside, which looks smooth and creamy. The top of the pastry is coated with a dark chocolate layer that is shiny and slightly textured. In the background, more whole pastries with the same chocolate tops rest on a white marbled surface. photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Ingredients

Vanilla pastry cream filling: ½ batch vanilla pastry cream recipe
10 g (2½ tsp) active dried yeast (or 8g instant yeast)
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 (or 8g psyllium husk powder)
140 g (½ cup + 4 tsp) cold water
160 g (1⅓ cups + 1 tbsp) tapioca starch (or arrowroot, cornstarch, or potato starch)
130 g (¾ cup + 3½ tbsp) millet flour, plus extra for flouring surface (or brown rice flour)
25 g (3 tbsp) sorghum flour (or light buckwheat, white teff, oat flour)
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
Oil for frying (neutral flavor, 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 the vanilla pastry cream filling: Follow your vanilla pastry cream recipe, using half the quantities. Make ahead and store in an airtight container with cling film touching the surface to prevent skin. Bring to room temperature before filling and whisk until smooth.
Activate the yeast: In a small bowl, mix yeast, 10g sugar, and warm milk. Let sit 10–15 minutes until frothy. (If using instant yeast, skip activation; add yeast with dry ingredients.)
Make psyllium gel: Combine psyllium husk and cold water; let gel form in 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: Make a well in dry ingredients. Add egg, yeast mixture, and psyllium gel. Knead with dough hook 5–10 minutes until smooth, scraping sides as needed.
Add butter: Incorporate softened butter fully into dough. It will be soft and sticky—that’s okay.
Chill dough: Transfer dough to a lightly oiled bowl, cover with cling film, refrigerate 1–2 hours or overnight for easier handling and hydration.
Shape doughnuts: Divide dough into 8 equal 88g pieces. On a floured surface, shape each into a flattened ball about 3 inches in diameter and 1–1¼ inch thick in the center, using folding and rolling techniques for a smooth round shape.
Proof doughnuts: Place shaped doughnuts on parchment squares on a baking sheet. Cover lightly and proof at 79ºF/26ºC or warm place for 1½ hours until doubled in volume.
Heat oil: Fill a deep pot with 2 inches of neutral high-smoke-point oil. Heat to 320–330ºF (160–165ºC), maintaining temperature with a thermometer throughout frying.
Fry doughnuts: Using parchment squares to lower doughnuts gently into oil, fry 2½ minutes per side until deep golden brown. Avoid crowding. Drain on paper towels.
Fill doughnuts: Cool until lukewarm. Make a hole with a skewer or long knife. Fill using a piping bag filled with pastry cream until it oozes out of the hole (about 45g cream each).
Make chocolate ganache: Place chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Heat cream until boiling, pour over chocolate, let sit 2–3 minutes, then stir until smooth.
Glaze doughnuts: Dip the top of each filled doughnut into the ganache, shake off excess, and let set at room temperature for 10–15 minutes before serving.

Tips & Variations

Use a digital scale for dividing dough evenly to ensure consistent cooking.
Chilling dough overnight improves texture and makes handling easier.
Substitute flours like brown rice or light buckwheat if millet or sorghum are unavailable.
Maintain oil temperature carefully for best color and minimal oil absorption.
Cover pastry cream tightly with cling film to prevent skin from forming.

Storage

Store doughnuts covered lightly with paper towels or in a container for up to five hours at room temperature. They are best enjoyed warm or within an hour of frying. Reheat gently if needed, but the fresh texture is ideal shortly after cooking.

How to Serve

The image shows several round pastries with three distinct layers. The bottom layer is a golden brown choux pastry that looks light and slightly rough in texture. The middle layer is a creamy yellow custard filling that peeks out slightly from the sides of each pastry. The top layer is a thick, shiny, dark chocolate glaze that smoothly covers the top of the pastries with some swirl patterns. The pastries are placed close together on a baking sheet with a beige parchment paper, all set on a white marbled surface. photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.

FAQs

Can I use instant yeast instead of active dried yeast?

Yes, if you use instant yeast, add it directly with the dry ingredients without activating it first. Adjust the amount to 8g for best results.

How do I prevent the pastry cream from forming a skin?

Cover the surface of the pastry cream directly with cling film (plastic wrap) when storing to prevent a skin from forming.