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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
Natalia
2Thank you! Finally I could have a low carb option for the “dougnut” days at work. I don’t have a doughnut pan so used my Dash mini. It worked great Also, no sticking at all! I made it twice already. Second time I mixed 1/2 cup of almond flour with 1/4 of the coconut flour and used 2 tablespoons of erythritol (I always use less sugar than listed in the recipe), just as an experiment. The doughnuts (or waffles?) still were great!
JL
0How many donuts did you get from your dash mini? I would like to try them.
Rosa
1Thank you ! They are perfect! No issues following the recipe.
Maria Hebert
1Hi Maya. Thank you for all your recipes! My question is about almond milk vs fresh cows milk. We get our milk from a local farmer. I’ve used almond milk in the past, but we get cream off the top for the price of a gallon of milk in the store. Would my fresh milk work where the recipes call for almond milk? (I’m cooking KETO for my hubby who has cancer.)
Haven
0I absolutely love this recipe!! One of the thing I missed most during my keto journey was sweet treats, but this recipe was amazing as tasted just like donuts, and although I didn’t have a donut pan I used a muffing pan and they turned out amazing still with around a minute more in the oven!
Regina
0Absolutely delicious and very quick to make. I already had silicone pans so I used those and had a couple break but it’s not a problem. They also taste good frozen in the summer heat.
Wholesome Yum D
0I’m so glad you enjoyed them, Regina! Silicone pans can definitely make them a bit more delicate, but I’m happy they still turned out delicious. I love that you discovered they’re tasty straight from the freezer, too. Thanks for sharing!
Wholesome Yum D
0Haven, I love this! Using a muffin pan instead is a great workaround, so helpful to know it still turned out amazing. So glad you enjoyed them!
Derene
0Do you have a recipe for a maple glaze. That’s what my husband craves
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Derene, You can make the glazed version above, except do 1/2 tablespoon heavy cream and 1/2 tablespoon using my keto maple syrup.
Karen
0I’ve made these twice. They taste very good, but they came out too “wet”. Seemed greasy to the touch, and the powdered sugar disappeared into the grease right away. The second time I decreased the butter by a couple of teaspoons and increased the almond flour just a tad. Again, they came out way too greasy. They have a nice crumb and taste good, but the greasy wet feel is a turn off for us.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Karen, It might be that they’re left in the pan too long. I would remove them sooner next time. Or it could be that they needed to bake for longer if they feel wet.
Mohammed
0Excellent, I like this recipe.
Wholesome Yum D
0I’m so glad you liked it, Mohammed! Thanks for giving it a try.
Mary
0Just made this recipe for the first time along with using my new Dash mini doughnut maker. I was able to make 24 donuts. It came out fantastic!
Wholesome Yum D
0That sounds like such a fun combo, Mary! I’m thrilled the recipe worked so well in your mini doughnut maker!
Lauretta
0Where can I find the recipe.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Lauretta, The recipe is on the recipe card above.
Patricia
0These doughnuts are soooo good. I made them for the first time and put them in a butter chocolate glaze dip. They are my new favourite after your “healthy pumpkin squares” and “blueberry muffins”. You have many great recipes here. Thank you! 🙂
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Thank you so much, Patricia! I’m so glad you liked my keto donuts, healthy pumpkin bars, and keto blueberry muffins. Enjoy!
Mari-Elain Ebitz
0Like a lot of folks, I’m really trying to watch my carbs. This recipe simply hits the spot. Now I don’t have to walk by Entenmann’s donuts in the grocery store and have my mouth water. They are very easy to make and I can make these anytime I choose. I love them!!! Thanks Maya for helping me reduce my carb intake!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0I’m so glad these hit the spot for you, Mari-Elain! Enjoy!
Kelly
0I made these for my husband since he likes sweets for breakfast but is trying to cut back on carbs and sugar. The flavor was good, but they are very soft and fell apart easily. I made the powdered sugar glaze for them, and it seems like the glazed softens when I store the donuts. Would I be better of making the glaze and keeping it separate, then adding it to each donut right before it is eaten?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Kelly, Yes, these are fairly delicate which I think gives them a really nice texture when eating them. You can add the powdered topping right before serving if it’s not the texture you want after storing. Hope you liked them otherwise!
Soul
0Why unsalted butter, instead of salted butter?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0I almost always use unsalted butter to control the salt content separately, and because the quality of salt in salted butter is typically not as good as sea salt (or Himalayan salt) that you can get separately. You can make these with salted butter if you like, and just omit the added salt in the recipe. Hope this helps!
Rachelle Wilfong
0Thank you! My husband is always doing keto. He loves something sweet after dinner, but there aren’t many sugar-free low carb options that taste good! I just made the donuts, and changed it up a bit and used my spice cake spices along with the cinnamon. They turned out amazing! I melted sugar-free chocolate chips, and dipped half in that, and half in your powdered sugar. My only complaint is that, because I only had a pan for six donuts I cut the recipe in half, thinking I would get 6 donuts, but It only made 5. I’m excited to try more recipes!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0You’re very welcome, Rachelle! Thank you for sharing your variation, that sounds delicious. The exact amount of donuts you get can vary depending on the pan you have, since there doesn’t seem to be a standard size for donut cavities in my experience (annoying, I know!).
Jostes Jerome
0These were easy and delish!! Thank you for the video it was extremely helpful =)
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0I’m so glad you liked these, Jostes! And happy to hear the video was helpful. Enjoy!
Nancy
0Mine did not come out cake like at all…they were crumbly…not sure why?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Nancy, When you say crumbly, do you mean like dry? Or were they still moist but just crumbled when trying to eat them? I would agree that these aren’t super sturdy, but they should be pretty moist like cake donuts. Did you make any substitutions such as the sweetener?
Anne
0Hi! Did you change this recipe? I remembered not coating it with powdered sugar. If I’m not mistaken, I dipped it in a melted butter and coat with the cinnamon and sugar combo.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Anne, I changed the coating because I thought it was better this way, but the rest is exactly the same. Feel free to dip these keto donuts in a combination of Besti and cinnamon if you prefer!
Gina
0How do I store the donuts?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Gina, I have storage instructions above. You can keep them at room temperature for a few days or longer in the fridge.
andrew
0I made my first batch (of many to come, I think) a few days ago. I am type 2 diabetic, so that was my motivation. I ate one doughnut and my wife ‘demanded’ to try one as well. That suddenly became two! I have a few friends who are either coeliacs or just feel better when they eat like a coeliac, so two friends got one each to try. And then my wife took the last one to one of her work colleagues who is a coeliac. Everyone loves their doughnuts – thank you!
I faced a few challenges along the way. Firstly, I couldn’t find a fine almond flour in any of my usual shopping places. So I bought one of my regulars and put it in the food processor to make it finer. I checked it after about a minute. It looked good, but I thought I could get it a bit finer, so I put it on again for another minute. It was not a good idea. The texture was something like brown sugar and it had the same properties – it began absorbing all of the moisture from the air and forming clumps. I tried sifting and using a sieve, both of which were only way too much work and only marginally successful at removing the lumps. Eventually it was back to a spoon pressing out individual lumps!
I can’t buy your brands in Australia (as far as I can tell), so I have made substitutes. I used a straight monk fruit sweetener.
And finally the pan. Yes, I did find it in Australia. And I’m glad that I looked when I did because it was on sale at 50% off. But it still cost me $52 Australian dollars, including delivery. As one of my friends said, these are very expensive doughnuts!
Marilyn Kiesling
0I just bought your The Wholesome Yum Easy Keto Cookbook.
Terri
0YUM! A friend told me she making choc chip banana muffins and suddenly I NEEDED something. These totally met the craving! I used monk fruit sweetener bc that’s what I had and added a handful of Lilly’s choc chips. They didn’t rise much but they were light and fluffy and soooo good. Thank you.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Thank you for the support, Marilyn! Hope you love it.