In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the brown sugar, coconut sugar, and melted butter. Beat on medium speed for about 2 minutes, until the mixture is smooth, light, and slightly fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed to ensure even mixing. This helps incorporate air for a tender donut crumb.

Add in the pumpkin puree, yogurt, and vanilla extract, mixing on low speed just until smooth and fully combined. The mixture may look slightly thick or curdled at first — that’s okay! It will come together once the dry ingredients are added.

In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the gluten-free flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves until evenly distributed. This step helps prevent clumps and ensures your spices are well balanced throughout the dough.

Add the dry mixture to the wet ingredients in two additions, mixing on low speed with the paddle attachment just until no streaks of flour remain. Avoid over-mixing — that can make the donuts dense.

The dough should be soft but easy to scoop. Using a 2-tablespoon cookie scoop, portion the dough into even balls and place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Chill them in the fridge for 10–15 minutes while you heat the oil — this helps them hold their shape during frying. You could also roll out the dough and using these biscuit cutters, shape donuts instead of donut holes (my crew just prefers donut holes).

In a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot, heat tallow over medium heat until it reaches 325–350°F. Use a deep-fry or candy thermometer to monitor the temperature — consistent heat is key for evenly cooked donuts. If the oil gets too hot, lower the heat slightly.

While the tallow heats, whisk together the maple glaze ingredients in a small bowl until smooth and glossy. Adjust thickness by adding a splash more milk (for a thinner glaze) or powdered sugar (for a thicker one).

In another bowl, mix the cinnamon sugar until well combined. Having both ready makes it easy to coat the donuts while they’re still warm. (I love doing half glazed, half cinnamon sugar for variety!)

Place a cooling rack over a parchment-lined baking sheet to catch any oil drips. This setup keeps the donuts crisp on all sides while they cool.

Once the tallow is ready, gently drop in 4–5 donut balls at a time — don’t overcrowd the pot or the oil temperature will drop. Fry for 1–2 minutes per side, turning once with a slotted spoon or tongs, until the donuts are golden brown and slightly puffed.

Use a slotted spoon to lift them out and transfer to the prepared cooling rack to drain excess oil.

Allow the donuts to cool for about 5 minutes — they should be warm to the touch but not hot. This helps the glaze or cinnamon sugar stick without melting off.

For glazed donuts: Dip each donut halfway (or fully!) into the maple glaze, letting the excess drip off before placing it back on the rack.

For cinnamon sugar donuts: Roll each warm donut in the cinnamon sugar mixture, coating evenly on all sides.

Let the donuts set for 5–10 minutes on a cookie sheet or on the cooling rack. It's best to serve these delicious, gluten free pumpkin donuts warm or at room temperature.