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Donuts were never a food my parents had around the house growing up, but I’d happily eat donuts elsewhere whenever given the chance. Years later, when I started making low carb recipes, I felt like I was missing out on all those donuts at the office, so I created my own keto donuts with almond flour. And as I’ve tweaked the recipe over the years, they’ve only gotten better with time. If you miss them too, make these healthy sugar free donuts with me and you don’t have to anymore!
Why You Need My Keto Donut Recipe
- Soft and cake-like texture – Whether you call them “keto donuts” or “keto doughnuts”, these taste a lot like regular cake donuts. They’re moist, fluffy, and everything you want in a donut. Perfect with a keto coffee, creamy keto hot chocolate, or your fave keto drink from Starbucks!
- Multiple flavor options – The recipe card has the “powdered sugar” coated version I love the most, but you can switch it up with different flavors or glazes, too! See my variations below. 👇
- Quick to whip up – You might think making sugar free donuts would be a hassle, but they’re done in just 30 minutes. Including baking time!
- Very keto friendly – With just 3g net carbs each, these are easy to fit into your macros. They’re also gluten-free, with options for paleo or dairy-free.
Ingredients & Substitutions
Here I explain the best ingredients for my keto donuts, what each one does in the recipe, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card.
- Wholesome Yum Blanched Almond Flour – Gives these low carb donuts their perfect cakey texture. I use this brand because it’s super fine—most brands are too coarse (even ones labeled fine) and will leave your donuts gritty. Plus, it’s perfect for baking so many other goodies, like my keto cookies, almond flour bread, almond flour pancakes, and almond flour pie crust.
Can’t have almond flour?
If you need a nut-free option, sunflower seed flour will work. The flavor will be a little different and they might turn green, but it’s just a reaction with baking powder. Don’t use coconut flour, because it’s too drying.
- Sweeteners – I highly recommend Besti Monk Fruit Allulose Blend for the batter and Besti Powdered for the coating. This sweetener locks in moisture and has no aftertaste. Virtually every other brand of monk fruit and stevia contains drying erythritol. And unlike other sugar substitutes, it won’t crystallize. The closest alternative is plain allulose, but increase the amount to 1/3 cup.
- Unsalted butter – You can swap it with melted coconut oil for dairy-free or ghee for paleo.
- Keto Milk Of Your Choice – I use unsweetened almond milk, but coconut milk beverage or heavy cream diluted with water will work, too.
- Eggs – Flax eggs or other egg alternatives that are binding should work if you need a substitute.
- Baking Powder – To help your keto donuts rise. I like this non-GMO brand. Don’t mix it up with baking soda!
- Flavor Boosters – Cinnamon, vanilla extract, and sea salt.
Free Printable: Low Carb & Keto Food List
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How To Make Keto Donuts
I have step-by-step photos here to help you visualize the recipe. For full instructions with amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card.
- Mix the dry ingredients. In a large bowl, stir together the almond flour, Besti, baking powder, cinnamon, and sea salt.
- Whisk the wet ingredients. In another bowl, whisk the melted butter, almond milk, eggs, and vanilla.
- Combine the wet and dry. Whisk until combined.
- Fill the pan. Scoop the batter evenly into your donut pan cavities. I love this pan because it never sticks and the lighter color doesn’t burn the outside. Fill each about 3/4 full.
- Bake until golden. Your healthy sugar free donuts are done when an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely in the pan before removing.
- Remove from the pan. Use a mini silicone spatula (I love these!) to loosen the edges, then gently twist to release the donuts from the pan.
- Add the coating. Pour powdered Besti in a shallow bowl and dip the keto donuts in, coating both sides.
My Recipe Tips
- Use room temperature ingredients. Bring your eggs and almond milk to room temperature before you mix them with the melted butter, to avoid solidifying the butter when whisking them together.
- I repeat: your almond flour needs to be super fine. Use this one to avoid a grainy texture.
- Your donut pan makes a difference. Lots of delish donuts didn’t make it when I tried using a silicone donut pan. Darker colored pans will bake more quickly and may burn the outside before the inside is done. This is the pan I recommend — it released the donuts effortlessly and didn’t brown them too much.
- Grease the pan very well. Even with a great pan, this batter is sticky. Grease the cavities really well, especially around the edges.
- Transferring batter is so much easier if you pipe it in. Just snip the corner off a zip-top bag and squeeze it into the pan in circles.
- These keto donuts don’t rise as much as traditional ones. I recommend filling the cavities about 3/4 of the way. Too much, and you’ll get overflow; too little, and your donuts will be flat.
- Make sure they’re fully baked. The donuts should pull away from the pan and turn a deep golden brown underneath. Silicone pans will need about 5 extra minutes.
- Resist the urge to take them out right away. Let them cool completely in the pan, or they’ll crumble and stick.
- Remove carefully. Run a mini spatula around the edges and the hole first. If there’s any batter over the center, remove it before twisting as you lift the low carb donuts. If they don’t budge, they might need a little more baking time.
Recipe Variations
Just like regular donuts, you can dress up this keto donut recipe with different flavors and fun toppings!
Toppings:
- Glaze – Mix 1/4 cup powdered Besti, 1 tablespoon heavy cream (or coconut cream), and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Add more cream as needed for the consistency you want, then pour over the donuts.
- Chocolate Glaze – Whisk 1/4 cup powdered Besti, 1 tablespoon cocoa powder, 1 teaspoon vanilla, and 1 1/2 tablespoons water or cream. Dip the donuts for a rich, chocolaty finish!
- Sprinkles – Top glazed donuts with sugar free sprinkles for a fun, festive touch!
Flavors & Types:
- Apple – For a cozy fall vibe, swap the vanilla for apple extract and the cinnamon for apple pie spice.
- Blueberry – Fold in up to 1/2 cup of fresh or frozen blueberries before baking.
- Chocolate – If you want the donut itself to be chocolate, try my chocolate protein donuts or find classic keto chocolate donuts in my Wholesome Yum app.
- Donut Holes – Just use this batter in a donut hole pan! They’ll bake faster, so keep an eye on them.
- Pumpkin Spice – Use pumpkin pie spice instead of cinnamon and add 1/4 cup of canned pumpkin puree. Reduce the amounts of butter and milk to 2 tablespoons each. It’s like fall in every bite!
Prefer a pillowy, chewy keto donut recipe?
These are the best sugar free cake donuts I’ve ever had, but my Easy Keto Carboholics’ Cookbook has a pillowy, chewy version that reminds me of Krispy Kreme. I can’t decide which I like more. Try both and tell me your favorite!
Keto Donuts (Sugar Free & Easy)
By
These 30-minute keto donuts taste like regular cake donuts coated in powdered sugar. An easy, sugar free breakfast with just 2.8g net carbs!
Instructions
[ See step photos See my tips ]Tap on the times in the instructions to start a kitchen timer.
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Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C). Grease a nonstick donut pan well.
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In a large bowl, stir together the almond flour, Besti, baking powder, cinnamon, and sea salt.
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In a small bowl, whisk together the melted butter, almond milk, egg, and vanilla extract. Whisk the wet mixture into the dry mixture.
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Transfer the batter evenly into the donut cavities, filling them 3/4 of the way. Bake for about 15 minutes (longer for a silicone pan, possibly less time if your pan is dark – but this lighter nonstick pan works best), until golden brown.
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Cool completely in the pan. Run a mini silicone spatula along the edges of the donuts (a knife also works, but may scratch your pan), then twist and gently release.
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Pour Besti Powdered into a small, shallow bowl. Press both sides of the donuts into the powder to coat. (You can also use a different frosting or glaze if you prefer.)
Did you make it? Leave a review or tag me @wholesomeyum on Instagram!
Maya’s Recipe Notes
Serving size: 1 keto donut
- Tips: Check out my recipe tips above to to help you get the right texture in your keto donuts, prevent sticking or crumbling, and tricks for the batter.
- Flavors and glazes: See my recipe variations above to make apple, blueberry, chocolate, or pumpkin flavors, donut holes, or different topping options.
- Store: Keep in an airtight container for up to 2-3 days at room temp, or up to 1 week in the fridge.
- Freeze: Freeze on a lined sheet pan until solid, then transfer to a bag and store in the freezer for up to 6 months. I recommend freezing without the powdered coating and adding it fresh after thawing.
📖 Want more recipes like this? Find this one and many more in my Keto Cheat Sheet System!
I provide nutrition facts as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see my nutrition policy.
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Keto Donuts
846 Comments
Ann Boyer
0I tried this once. If you read the directions right they turn out wonderful.
Corie
0These were so easy and my kids ate them up!
Caroline
0These were yummy! I didn’t have almond milk so I used coconut cream (using the liquid and not the thick cream) and granular Swerve. It was perfect. So yummy and sweet. What a treat!!!
Carol
0Great! One of the first LC recipes I tried and it’s one of my favorites.
juli c. ferrando
0The flavor was really good however I tried two different times and could not get these out of the pan I did them exactly as recipe and used teflon donut pan and greased the heck out of them i was so bummed because i wasted so much product. I could not have oiled them more. Truly sad
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Juli, It sounds like these donuts were slightly underbaked. They will separate from the pan easily when they are fully cooked. Don’t be alarmed, they will turn a dark golden color when they are done.
Cristen
0I honestly do not know how to thank you. I wanted you to know that I’m a huge fan of this recipe. I can finally eat donuts again minus the guilt . Thank you :).
Cristen from Orlando
Beverly J Flynn
0I got bustling around in the kitchen and my husband asked me what I was doing. “Making donuts” I replied. “Keto?” he asked. “Of course” I replied. I followed the directions EXACTLY. I had a bit left over in the bowl. I used a silver Nordicware donut pan and greased it with unsalted butter. It covered over the center hole while baking, but I let them cool completely in the pan then flipped them out onto a plastic cutting sheet without trying to cut out the center. I had no issues with them releasing. I gently rolled each one in monkfruit/erythritol and cinnamon mixture. When I brought one out to him, he gave me a funny look like he wasn’t sure, and said “This is going to be interesting.” He took a bite, his eyes got big, and he said “If you hadn’t told me these were Keto, I’d have never known.” These are awesome! Next time I’ll try glazing. I was out of heavy cream. Can’t wait!
Nikki
0Wanted to make this but didn’t have a donut pan so managed to turn these into muffins, absolutely delicious. My expectations were low since most of the keto desserts I’ve made were dry & crumbly but the muffins turned out nice & moist. Couldn’t even tell they were keto.
Lourdes
0Amazing recipe! I used the Besti Sugar blend and it was delicious!! I’m baking the recipe as a cake!! Let’s see how it goes!!!
Susan
0Hi, I would really like to try this recipe but my husband is allergic to almonds. Is there other things that I could use in place of the almond flour and almond milk for this recipe and others?
Melissa
0Hi Susan, I have not tested this, but the recipe will probably still work with sunflower seed flour. The almond milk can be replaced with coconut milk. Best wishes!
Katie
0What would be a good dairy free substitute for butter?
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Katie, Coconut oil will work great for this.
Carol L
0Fantastic! This is one of the first recipes I tried and it’s one of my favorites! I only put the sweetener/cinnamon coating on top.
Ann
0Very good! I prefer them without the sugar coating. Great with cold brew coffee!
Baker Judy
0Hi Maya,
Just curious, would this recipe work in an 8”x8” pan?
I realize it won’t be donuts, but I’m short on time and want a quick coffee cake.
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Judy, Yes, that should work just fine! The baking time will take longer, though.
Shannon Keenan
0My family and I absolutely love these!! Even my husband will eat them and he’s not keto at all! I have to hide them from the kids they’re so delicious. Thank you for such an amazing recipe!
Janell
0Great recipe! Mine didn’t rise as much as yours in the photo, so I think I’ll try replacing my baking powder before I try this again. The flavour is excellent. Thank you.
sabharwal.akhilesh@gmail.com
0Simply awesome and quite impressive! Thanks for the recipe!
Rebecca
0Amazing! They are even better on 1 or 2 days after baking. I’ve made these twice and they were a hit. People are so surprised to find out how truly “guilt-free” these donuts are. The second time I coated them with a bit more butter, and oh man they were good. I’m wondering if the butter has a chance to soak in after a day or two to make them extra good. Highly recommend!
Lo
0Delicious! I had a problem with them sticking to the pan, but that didn’t prevent me from trying. What type of grease is used to coat the doughnut pan? I used Avacado spray….I will definitely try these again with the right type of grease. The flavor is very good.
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Lo, Avocado spray should work fine. Alternatively, you can rub the pan down with cold butter or solid coconut oil. Enjoy!
Nina
0Hello from Panama, Central America. Hope you are well! Just made half a batch for 12 mini donuts, they were amazing! It is only me on Keto at home, but they just disappeared! My hubby and kids loved them as well! I used a babycakes donut maker: 6 in 5 minutes. Full batch next time!! Thanks again!
Karyel
0Hi Nina! I’m from Panama but live in Germany. Can you please tell me about your experience with the donut maker. Did you follow the recipe to a T and did you grease the plates? Id love to make these for my family too. Just got a mini donut maker 🙂 lots of love and strength!
Nina
0Hello Karyel! As far as the recipe, I followed it exactly, just half of everything. Then I preheated the d-maker and sprayed just a bit of coconut oil. When ready I followed the rest of the instructions to cover with the cinnamon sugar and took pictures, as they looked sooo good. Moments later, they were gone! Hehehe Hope this was helpful! God bless!
Brianna
0Can I substitute normal sugar instead of using the sweetener?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Brianna, Yes, you can, but they would no longer be low carb.