Gluten-Free Funnel Cake

Get a taste of the fair any time of year with this easy, gluten free recipe! Homemade gluten-free funnel cakes are shockingly easy, and taste just like the real thing.

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 2

Total Time 17

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword gluten free, vegetarian

Method fry

Servings

Calories 191kcal

Ingredients

2 cups gluten-free flour blend see notes
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1-1/2 cups milk 2% or higher milk fat recommended, see notes
2 large eggs
vegetable or canola oil or other neutral-tasting high heat cooking oil
For serving: powdered sugar or cinnamon-sugar

Instructions

Line a half sheet pan with paper towels then set it aside.
Attach a deep fry/candy thermometer with a clip to a 9-10” heavy-bottomed pot like cast iron. Be sure the tip of the thermometer is not touching the bottom of the pot to ensure an accurate temperature reading.
Add 1” of high-heat cooking oil to the pot (I place my fingertip on the bottom of the pot then add oil until it reaches my first knuckle joint) then heat over medium until the oil reaches 370 degrees, 10-12 minutes.
Meanwhile, to a large mixing bowl add the gluten-free flour blend, sugar, baking powder, and salt then whisk to combine.
To a medium-size mixing bowl, or a large glass measuring cup, add the milk, and eggs then whisk to combine. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients then whisk until smooth. The batter should be slightly thick but still pourable. If it’s too thick, whisk in 1 Tablespoon milk at a time until the batter reaches a pourable consistency. Let the batter sit in the mixing bowl until it’s time to fry the funnel cakes then check the consistency again and add more milk if needed. Transfer the batter into a 12oz squeeze bottle - you will need to do this in 2 batches. See notes if you don't have a squeeze bottle.
Once the oil is hot, squeeze the batter into the oil in a spiral, swirling from the outside in, then criss-cross the batter over the circle, and then spiral again over the funnel cake. Fry until the funnel cake is light golden brown on the bottom,1 minute, then flip using tongs and fry until the second side is golden brown, 1 minute. Tip: if the funnel cake threads are too skinny, trim the squeeze bottle tip to make it wider.
Transfer the funnel cake to the prepared sheet pan then let it drain and cool slightly before dusting with powdered sugar, or dunking into a wide, shallow dish of cinnamon-sugar for a more churro-like dessert. Serve immediately.
Let the oil come back up to 370 degrees before frying a new funnel cake. Fill the squeeze bottle with the remaining batter when needed.

Notes

I tested this recipe with Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour and King Arthur Measure for Measure Gluten-Free Flour. I found Bob’s to yield a more moist funnel cake. Your results may vary depending on what GF flour blend you use. Whatever blend you use, ensure it has a binder such as xanthan gum.
The total amount of milk needed for this recipe will depend on how “thirsty” your gluten-free flour blend is. If the batter is too dry after adding 1-1/2 cups milk stir in 1 additional Tablespoon milk at a time until the consistency is right. Alternatively, if your batter is too runny, let it sit for 5 minutes then, if it's still too runny, whisk in a little bit of additional flour.
If you don’t have a squeeze bottle, pour 1/3 cup of the batter into a funnel with your finger over the opening. Remove your finger then swirl the batter into the hot oil as described above.
Estimated nutritional information does not include any oil absorbed during the frying process.

Nutrition