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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
Kora
0Can coconut flour be substituted for the almond flour?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Kora, No, unfortunately they are completely different. You’d need to make multiple other changes to the recipe.
Michele Horn
0Wondering if a high protein powder could be added. I’ve had sleeve surgery and these would be great to have if they were 20g protein or more!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Michele! You can add a protein powder or collagen powder to add protein. I wouldn’t add too much so that the consistency doesn’t change much. Come back and let me know how you liked them!
John
0Would these fry well if formed into donut holes?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi John, I haven’t tried it but think the batter might be too runny to hold up as donut holes without a mold. Let us know how it goes if you try!
NANCY
0Five stars! It is a gorgeous, white-out snow day here today…perfect morning for a donut and a steaming cup of coffee. Low carb? No problem. These were awesome and satisfied keto and non keto people around the table. Perfect texture, taste and presentation. Thank you!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Nancy! I am so happy you liked them! What could be better than a homemade donut and coffee?
Kathy Pratt
0Hey there! Tried these today and they are awesome. I did change a couple of things…I used Fairlife Milk instead of Almond milk and used real sugar instead of a sweetener. The crazy thing is…I ran the ingredients through my recipe calculator and with my ingredients there is 11.6 carbs per donut (and I got 8 instead of 6) and with your ingredients, there were just over 13 carbs. This confused me. Whatever the carb count, they are great!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Kathy, I’m so glad you liked the donuts! I think the difference in carb count is because calculators don’t recognize that erythritol should be excluded from the carb count.
Theresa
0Made these last night they were amazing. I accidentally left out the almond milk but it didn’t matter! Still great. Thank you for helping make low carb fun and delicious!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0I am so happy you liked the donuts, Theresa! Have a great day!
Mark
0Can I use coconut flour instead of almond?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Mark, No, sorry, they are not interchangeable. They interact with other ingredients very differently.
Amber
0I just made these and they were amazing! Very light and airy…they reminded me of the texture of a churro! I used the same donut pans as you and followed the ingredient list for 6 donuts, but came out with 9! Can’t wait to make these again and experiment with different topping variations!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0That’s fantastic, Amber! Have some fun and get creative next time!
Tracey
0The donuts are definitely a big success, very easy to make. Great recipe. Thank you Maya.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Thank you, Tracey!
Tammy
0How do you get 3g net carbs? Every recipe importer (MFP & Chronometer) and they are telling me 19.1 total carbs with 2.2g dietary fiber = a whopping 16.9g carb!! HELP!! These were great but not good enough to use all my carbs for the day.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Tammy, The difference is probably due to the sweetener. Most calculators do not exclude erythritol as they should, since it does not get metabolized.
Tammyz
0The net carbs were per serving, not for total recipe. 🙁
Gizelle
0Thank you so much for everything. Awesome site, awesome recipes, great information, love you!!!! Haven’t made anything I didn’t like.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Thank you, Gizelle! That means a lot!
Julie
0Why do I get a higher carb count when I plug the recipe in my logging app? I tried 2 different apps and still get the higher carb count, plus I made 8 donuts rather than 6.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Julie, It’s probably because of the sweetener. Most apps do not exclude erythritol from carb counts, even though they should because it does not get metabolized.
Ashley
0You nailed this recipe! My non-keto boyfriend thought the the texture and flavor were spit on. I ate mine without a glaze, but made a peanut butter one for him. (2t PB and a tiny bit of coconut oil. Microwave for ten seconds, mix in some powdered swerve, then drizzle on.)
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Thank you, Ashley! That peanut butter drizzle sounds amazing!
Melissa
0Thank you for sharing this! Accidentally, I used almond extract instead of vanilla & they taste so good! Also, I used mini bundt cake pans & they came out perfect. Thanks again.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Thank you, Melissa! I’m glad the extract mix-up worked out.
Christilyn
0Can this recipe make a cake?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Christilyn, I haven’t tried it but it would probably work. Baking time will probably vary. Let me know how it turns out if you try it!
Melissa England
0I work at a chiropractic clinic and once a month we make a recipe to share with our patients to show them that good food tastes good. Everyone loved them! I used monk fruit instead of the erythritol. Absolutely delicious!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Thank you, Melissa!
Fabyenn
0Hi,
I just made those ones this morning, YUM-MY! I had a hard time stopping at 3, lol. I replaced half the almond flour by barley flour and substituted the sweetener by fructose and it still worked.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Thank you!
Lisa
0Since I don’t have almond flour you had suggested above to use ground sunflower seeds. Do they change the taste a lot? Would it be the same measurement as the almond flour?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Lisa, The taste would be somewhat similar but you’d be able to taste the flavor of sunflower seeds. The measurement would be the same as almond flour.
Nicole
0Hi Maya,
I really enjoy your recipes and make them quite often. Thanks for sharing!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Thank you, Nicole!
Robin Taylor
0Can you use coconut milk instead of almond?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Robin, I haven’t tried that yet but it would probably work. Let me know how it goes if you do!