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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
Teresa
0Hi! I have a 12 count mini donut pan. Could you let me know how much the baking time would be reduced to?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Teresa, I know it would work but have not tested in a mini pan to say how long it would take. You’d have to check on it for signs of doneness. They should turn pretty dark golden brown.
Cleny Cruz
0Can you please recreate these for the fall holidays – pumpkin donuts?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Great idea! Thank you!
Jade
0These are so delicious but mine won’t rise to be rounded like donuts. I even bought new baking powder. They come out round on the bottom and flat like a cake on the top.
Tammy
0These donuts were moist and tasty! But mine did not rise on the one side- they were flat like a bagel.. I was kinda depressed 🙁 What did I do wrong? I used new everything- I even bought the pan you suggested. When you say fill up the donut pan 3/4 to the top- is that almost to the top of the donut pan? Maybe I didn’t put enough in each of them? Thank you for any suggestions you may have.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0They don’t rise as much as regular wheat flour would, but do rise a bit. You can definitely fill them a bit more, but it’s a balance between overflowing and not rising enough. I’m glad you liked the taste!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Jade, You’re right that they don’t rise as much as regular donuts, but if you flip them over you basically get the rounded donut shape from the mold – see the pictures. I’m glad you like the taste!
Annette Pearce
0These are amazing! I only had almond meal instead of almond flour and didn’t have a donut pan so I used a muffin pan. I was surprised at how light and fluffy they were, and the taste! Oh my!! I was so wrapped I made another batch today but just left them plain with no coating and they were divine. I also froze some yesterday and thawed one and they freeze excellent. Thank you Maya!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Yay, so glad that worked for you, Annette!
MJM
0Really yummy.
I replaced Almond milk with equal part sour cream & added maple extract in place of vanilla. Also used half whey protein & 1/2 almond flour & half of the Swerve.
Came out super good with a crumb as good as any wheat based recipe.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0I am so happy you liked them! Thanks for stopping by!
Denise Siri
0I am allergic to almonds, sensitive to coconut flour…vegetarian, keto, any thoughts on using sesame flour? Have you used this before as a swap? Thank you! Love your recipes!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Denise, I have used sesame flour but not for this recipe. I’d love to hear if it works for you!
Kevin H
0I just made these and was blown away. I did not grease the pan (oops), and I only had salted butter (kerrygold) which made the coating slightly salty. I purchased the pans off amazon as recommended. They came out of the teflon pans easy. I used swerve (granular).
They came out very dark and I was worried, but they were delicate and sweet and awesome. I actually kind of enjoyed the menthol-esque cooling effect of the swerve on the outside of the donuts.
When I first smelled them I got pretty excited and just wanted to eat them up, but just one was perfectly filling.
This is the second sweet recipe I’ve tried from wholesome yum and I’m so glad I have. Thank you!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0I am so happy you liked it, Kevin! Have a great day!
Sarah Wilson
0Just wanted to post in case others share my initial trepidation about trying the recipe. I avoid anything super high maintenance, but was intrigued by the positive reviews, so I gave it a try. Success! I did everything the recipe said not to (used a silicone pan and almond flour that was definitely not ultra fine, and I have no idea how old my baking powder is), and they still turned out great! I did liberally butter the silicone pan to make sure I could get the donuts out and also added a smidge of xanthan gum to help hold them together.
Ps- my pan is actually a muffin pan, so I rolled up bits of tin foil and stick them in the middle of each before baking to make a hole. It wont win any beauty awards, but my kids gobbled them up anyway 😉 .
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0I am so happy to hear that, Sarah! Have a great day!
Christina
0Another amazing recipe!! I made these this morning and they came out great. I baked for 28 minutes. Mine didn’t rise very much, I used brand new baking powder but I must have measured something incorrectly. I used your knife method when taking out of the pan and then turned my pans upside down and tapped them and the donuts fell right out. I also bought the pans you suggested. They were a huge hit. Thank you!!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0I am so happy you liked the donuts, Christina! Have a great day!
Tami
0My batter is a lifting thicker than what’s in the video
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0You can try thinning it out with a bit of almond milk to make it similar to the video.
Joe Gattis
0Thank you!!! These are incredible! We just finished having them for breakfast and even my partner, who isn’t doing keto, liked them.
I had to make a few changes though. First, what makes a donut taste like a donut is nutmeg. I added a few gratings and cut the cinnamon down to about half. Second, I live in South Korea and almond milk almost always contains sugar. I used heavy cream and then added a splash of water when the batter was very thick. Third, I don’t have erythritol, but I do have a stevia and erythritol blend so I used that.
The cream made them a little denser, but I expected that. All in all though they are remarkably like my regular cake donuts.
And finally, my pan must be smaller than yours because I got 12 donuts out of the recipe. Which means each one has about 2.5 grams. So I had three, hehe, and count that as 7.5 grams. Still not bad for a meal!
Thanks again!!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0I am so happy you liked the donuts, Joe! Thanks for stopping by!
Rosalie
0I made them and love them. They are easy and make such a nice treat for breakfast. Thanks.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0I am so happy you liked the donuts, Rosalie! Have a great day!
Louise
0Hello,
Can it be just regular baking powder? Will there be any difference in how the donuts come out other than the bp wasn’t gluten free?
Thank you
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Louise, Yes, any baking powder is fine. Most are actually naturally gluten-free, but not all, so I mention it for those that want to be gluten-free. You can use any kind you have, just make sure it’s fresh.
Maria
0I have a couple of questions…
My donuts came out not tasting sweet. I didn’t put the glaze on. It was pretty flavorless. What can I do? I added extra Erythritol and cinnamon.
I used canola oil to keep them from sticking to the silicone donut mold. Is there a better thing to grease with?
I substituted heavy cream for almond milk. Is that okay? I didn’t have almond milk on hand and I wanted to try this recipe so bad.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Maria, Did you use all the same ingredients and amounts? If you did they should be sweet, but I do think they need the coating for the best flavor and sweetness on the outside. That being said, everyone’s sweet tooth is different so you can add more sweetener next time if you want to. I usually don’t recommend canola oil – use butter, coconut oil, or avocado oil instead to grease. Heavy cream should be fine to sub for almond milk, but you might need a tad more since it’s thicker.
Cindy
0Hi, can you substitute ghee for butter in the recipe?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Cindy, Yes, you can. The flavor/texture will be just slightly different, but it will definitely work.
CC
0Excellent product from this recipe. Best texture, I tried many recipes but this is my family’s favorite!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0I am so happy that you liked the donuts! Have a great day!
Cheryl
0I just finished eating my first “muffin”. Delicious. I made 6 muffins and they rose beautifully and came out the pan easily. This was my 2nd attempt at baking a Keto dessert. The first one required confectioners erythritol, so that’s what I used. The texture of the cupcakes seemed fine, but the topping was not the same.
How can I tell if a recipe requires confectioners or granulated erythritol?
Thank you for this yummy treat.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Cheryl, I’m glad you liked the muffins! If it just says “erythritol”, you can always assume it’s granulated. If confectioners is needed, it will say “powdered erythritol” on my site. Some other sites call it confectioners, which is the same thing.
Cheryl
0I don’t have the donut pan, but I’m anxious to make this recipe. Have you ever tried to make a coffee cake using an 8 or 9″ square cake pan?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Cheryl, I haven’t tried but I’m sure you could do that. The baking time would increase.
Cheryl
0Thank you. I saw some of the other comments and may try a cupcake pan (I must have missed that before). I also like the idea of cream cheese frosting. Can’t wait to try them.
Tiffany
0I have a diabetic son. Would these freeze well so I could bring them to his school on donut day?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Tiffany, Yes, you can freeze them. I haven’t tried freezing with the coating though, so you may want to add that right before.
helen
0how many carbs per donut ?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hello Helen. There are 5 grams of carb and 3 grams net carbs in each donut. I hope that helps!
Tracey
0Thanks for the yummy donut recipe. I have an electric Dutch pancake cooker and thought I’d never use it again but I tried your recipe in it and wella! They only take 4-5 minutes each side and turn with two toothpicks. Perfect little round balls. Rolled in Nat via and cinnamon. Might prefer a different sweetener but yum all the same!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0I am happy to hear that, Tracey! Thanks for stopping by!