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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
Cassandra
0AMAZING!!!! I MADE THESE IN MY MINI CAKE POP MAKER. TURNED OUT AWESOME!!!! HIGHLY RECOMMEND. THANK YOU FOR SHARING THIS❤
Rowena Espina
0I tried it today with my mini donut maker I got from Christmas. The outcome is so cute. Mini donuts. It’s very delicious
Jacqueline
0I loved this recipe…I did use silicone molds, it was all I had and they came away fine. I gave them a good spray of coconut oil. These are delicious….very satisfying indeed. I used 3 tsp of monk fruit sweetener and i find them sweet enough, especially with the coating and i made my own pumpkin spice to coat them. I’m going to double batch next time… hahaha, can’t see this lot lasting long.
Jenni
0BEST KETO CINNAMON SUGAR MUFFINS EVER!! Oh my lord, these were so good. I didn’t have a donut pan so I made mini muffins using parchment paper liners and baked for 18 minutes at 350. It made 24 mini muffins. Only changes were I used ghee instead of butter to make them non-dairy and I used brown sugar Swerve as the sugar. When they came out I just dropped a bit more brown sugar Swerve on top to give it a crunchy top. Everyone devoured them. I making my third batch in a week now. 🙂
Magè
0These are awful. Absolutely do not recommend. Total waste of ingredients and time.
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Magè, I am sorry this recipe didn’t turn out as expected. What was your experience baking these donuts? Maybe I can help you troubleshoot the issue.
Lina
0Hello, can coconut sugar be used as a replacement of the monk fruit Eyretherol? Or possibly maple syrup?
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Lina, The recipe would no longer be low carb or keto if using real sugars. If that is not an issue to you, then I recommend using coconut sugar over the maple syrup. Liquid sweeteners will not work well in this recipe. Enjoy!
Kelly
0These are fantastic! The entire family loved these donuts. Note… make a double batch, you will happy you did!
Marjolijn
0Made these into adorable mini muffins. They were delicious and husband and 5yo made them magically disappear…
Thanks for the tip about letting then get properly browned, it really was what they needed and made sure attempt 1 was successful. Very tasty, muffin-like structure and super cute.
Julie
0Highly Recommend!! These little donuts are moist and hold together nicely! My husband and I both enjoyed them very much!!
Dani
0So good! And very easy to follow recipe. I’m diabetic and it didn’t spike my numbers. Thank you for sharing!
Ashley
0Hey there!
I only have monk fruit but not the blend is there something else I can use as a substitute for the blend?
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Ashley, This recipe needs the bulk from the sweetener. You can get Besti Monk Fruit Allulose Blend here.
Barbara Gander
0LOVE! Made them today, using heavy cream instead of Almond Milk (that’s what I had). I made mini donut size so literally 1.5 net carbs – so amazing. I brought some over to a friends for coffee when they were still warm (coffee & donuts!). I’m ready to adapt and try different variations – it was exactly what I needed.
Loren
0Thank you for this, so good!
MrsFlorida
0The recipe turned out amazingly, I got gorgeous little cake type donuts that, for someone on keto, were mouth magic!
I used a non-stick donut pan, resisted the urge to try to pop out of the molds early, and the only ingredient adjustment I made was upping the amount of cinnamon.
LOVE someone else’s suggestion to make pumpkin spice donuts because, you know, tis the season! Seems like a very adaptable recipe, I’m going to try to make a blueberry version.
Michele
0This recipe saved me from messing up my WOE. Every Wednesday one of the drs I work with brings in 2 dozen donuts from DD. I started making these tasty donuts every Wednesday morning to take to work. Many coworkers loved them so much that I had to start doubling the batch. I have even make some minor change and added pumpkin, allspice and nutmeg to the recipe to make pumpkin donuts. Huge hit during this autumn season. One person makes these and freezes them to give to his son who also follows a keto WOE.
Rie
0Super delicious!
Donna
0I do not have a donut pan so I used the dash mini waffle maker, I did add an extra t. of cinnamon to the batter and the dusting sugar (I used just under 1/3 C swerve granular for the batter) and used the powder sugar (swerve/cinnamon to the tops….I didn’t have any almond milk so I used heavy whipping cream, my batter was thick, when they came out of the waffle maker they were very soft like a pancake, but once on the cooling rack they totally firmed up, then brushed with melted butter and face down into the finishing sugar….they are very good and I would definitely make these again, I stored in air tight container in fridge, they are good cold, this made 10 mini waffles using 1/8th cup batter for each one.
emmajune
0Very helpful tips ! Thank you. I do have silicone donut molds but love the idea of waffles from my Mini Dash. Brilliant !
Cyndi Johnson
0LOVE this recipe SO MUCH!! We have a local bakery that sells protein donuts for $5 each, and I love to support them. HOWEVER, it gets very expensive when I buy them for an event (or when I need more than one!!). This recipe can be modified for special flavors…..lemon, orange, almond, chocolate…it’s a great base. So thankful I found this donut recipe for my keto diet. It has been my go-to for my special treat!
Angie
0Hi!!! I would really love it if you could please share with me how you modified your special flavors. I’m also going to add a unflavored vegan protein powder. The plan is to use erythritol. I have seen in the comments that people have used it and liked it. I have never used it, only allulose. I would love any feedback you have and any and all flavor combinations. Thank you.
Chelsie
0Awesome recipe! I didn’t have a donut pan so I made muffins. I used silicone muffin cups and they popped out effortlessly. Cooked 22 minutes and made 8 muffins from the batter. Loved how they weren’t overly sweet, almost like a coffee cake!
McKayla Dow
0The keto donuts are the best. I really think you should try them out.
Samantha
0What would the difference be if I used salted butter instead of unsalted?
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Samantha, Using salted butter means you have less control over the amount you can add to the recipe. I would omit the additional salt in the recipe if you decide to use salted butter.
Shaun
0Hello,
Can I use ghee instead of butter?
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Shaun, Yes that will work just fine.
marie
0I haven’t tried the recipe yet but definitely will, sounds yummy. My question is can I use xanthan gum so it holds together better as in my experience almond flour since it doesn’t contain gluten can be crumbly. What do you think?
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Marie, Yes, you can add a small amount of xanthan gum if you like. Sprinkle in a pinch (1/8th of a teaspoon or less) into the batter.