Celebrate fall with these easy sugar-free keto pumpkin donuts. Enjoy them plain or topped with cinnamon sugar or a sweet glaze. Give them a try and you'll see why they are one of the best low-carb pumpkin recipes!
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Want a cozy fall treat to serve with your first daily cup of coffee or tea? These easy baked donuts add the sweet taste of pumpkin spice to your morning routine.
Donuts are usually made by deep frying a sweetened flour dough in hot oil. Between the sugar and flour, most donuts have well over 20 grams of net carbs each. But it doesn't have to be that way!
Each large sugar-free keto pumpkin donut made from this recipe has just 5g net carbs. And there's no frying so it's much easier to prepare!
Ingredients
The original recipe used peanut flour, but I've modified the recipe to use more neutral tasting flours.
A blend of almond flour and coconut flour allows a cleaner pumpkin spice flavor to come through. However, the donuts didn't hold together as well and tended to crumble so I had to add in some xanthan gum.
The recipe can also be made with Keto Wheat Flour. Since the wheat flour contains gluten, xanthan gum isn't needed.
A pre-made pumpkin spice blend can be used instead of individual spices. The sweetener can also be adjusted to taste.
How to Make Keto Pumpkin Donuts
There's only a few simple steps to make the recipe. Just prepare the batter, divide into donut pan molds, then bake until done.
- Prepare dry mixture. Mix almond flour, coconut flour, salt, baking powder, and spices in a medium bowl.
- Prepare wet mixture. Blend oil, almond milk, sweetener, eggs, and pumpkin with a hand mixer or whisk until smooth.
- Stir dry mixture into wet mixture to form the batter.
- Spoon or pipe batter into donut pan molds. Smooth the tops if needed.
- Bake until cake tests done. A toothpick inserted near center should come out clean.
- Transfer to a cooling rack and cool slightly before removing donuts from pan.
If adding the cinnamon sugar topping, it should be rubbed or shaken on while the donuts are still warm. The pumpkin donuts can also be glazed with a mix of almond milk, vanilla extract, and powdered sweetener.
Tips For The Best Donuts
- The easiest way to get the batter into the molds is to use a piping bag to squeeze it into the donut shapes. You can also place the batter into a large plastic zipper bag and cut a small hole in one corner for piping.
- Although xanthan gum is optional, it's recommended for binding and adding elasticity when using almond flour. If you don't want to use xanthan gum, you could try adding in an additional egg.
- To get the right shape, you'll need a good non-stick donut pan. If using a silicone mold, place it on a large cookie sheet for stability and prevent cracking. You can also bake the batter in muffin molds.
Notes On The Recipe
The keto pumpkin bread batter can be divided between six molds instead of seven. But that would make each pumpkin donut have a higher carb count. You can also make mini donuts or muffins for bite-sized treats.
The donuts were moist and dense. The batter may also work for a delicious cake for the holidays or special celebration.
I typically like to use 3 to 4 parts almond flour to 1 part coconut flour as a low-carb flour substitute. So it might work out better to use 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons almond flour along with 6 tablespoons coconut flour.
Sugar-Free Breakfast Treats
This keto pumpkin donuts recipe is a perfect sweet low-carb breakfast option in fall. For more low-carb pastries to start the day, try some of these favorites:
- Keto Blueberry Donuts are another tasty baked donut flavor to enjoy with a cup of coffee or tea.
- Fathead Cinnamon Rolls have a soft and pillowy texture that's often missing in gluten-free baked goods.
- Coconut Flour Donuts are iced with a chocolate glaze to bring two fabulous flavors together in each bite.
- Cheese Danish Keto Pastry have a cloud bread base making them super light and ultra-low in carbs.
- Sugar-Free Donuts are lightly spiced cake donuts that taste great plain but look prettier dusted with cinnamon sugar or topped with glaze.
Follow us on FACEBOOK, PINTEREST, and INSTAGRAM for even more tasty keto-friendly recipes!
Recipe
Low-Carb Sugar-Free Keto Pumpkin Donuts
Video
Ingredients
DONUTS:
- 1 ¼ cups finely ground almond flour
- ¼ cup coconut flour finely ground or sifted
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
- ¼ teaspoon xanthan gum optional, but recommended
- 2 Tablespoons coconut oil
- 2 Tablespoon unsweetened almond milk
- ½ cup Baking Sugar Alternative
- 3 large eggs
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
CINNAMON SUGAR
- ¼ cup granulated sugar substitute
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cinnamon
GLAZE
- 2 Tablespoons water
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup powdered sweetener
Instructions
DONUTS:
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease 7 molds in a donut pan.
- In a medium bowl, combine almond flour, coconut flour, salt, baking powder, and spices.
- In a separate bowl, mix coconut oil, almond milk, sweetener, eggs and pumpkin until smooth.
- Stir dry ingredients into wet mixture.
- Grease donut pan. Spoon batter into the donut molds.
- Bake about 20-25 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean.
- Rub on cinnamon sugar while still warm or cool and top with donut glaze.
GLAZE:
- Combine all the glaze ingredients in a small bowl and whisk with a fork until smooth.
- Drizzle over donuts or brush on. Use glaze immediately as it will harden as it sits.
CINNAMON SUGAR
- Combine sweetener and cinnamon in large shallow bowl.
Notes
Low Carb Sweeteners | Keto Sweetener Conversion Chart
Nutrition
Additional Info
Notes on Nutritional Information
Nutritional information for the recipe is provided as a courtesy and is approximate only. We cannot guarantee the accuracy of the nutritional information given for any recipe on this site. Erythritol carbs are not included in carb counts as it has been shown not to impact blood sugar. Net carbs are the total carbs minus fiber.
Copyright
© LowCarbYum.com - Unauthorized use of this material without written permission is strictly prohibited unless for personal offline purposes. Single photos may be used, provided that full credit is given to LowCarbYum.com along with a link back to the original content.
First Published: October 30, 2010... Last Updated: October 23, 2020
Tommy
These are amazing!!!! Thank you for the recipe
Heather P.
Great way to use up the leftover pumpkin from thanksgiving day pies. I made mini donuts. I did a cream cheese icing with them. Very yummy as are all of your recipes.
Sharon
Very delicious!!
Sabrina Sells
I used 1/3 c each of brown and granulated swerve and veg oil vs coconut oil. They are marvelous.
Lorrie
These sound amazing! And with all the sugar saved in the donut recipe, I may splurge with maple sugar! Thank you!
Candace Foster
I had a paleo baking mix with ingredients that you used in this so went ahead and used that(nuts.com). no xanthum gum, let mix sit for about 20 minutes and that worked. used pumpkin pie spice and it was perfect. Oh yes all I had was monk fruit golden sweetner, so I used that. They are wonderful. AND filling. Great fall taste. This is my first time, trying to go very low carb. Will do way more experimenting. Hubby loved them.
Robyn
Made these today. So yummy for Fall and National Doughnut Day.
They turned out perfectly.
I love how your recipes are so dependable! I hadn't made these before and wanted to take a couple to a non-keto friend. They turned out perfect and she loved them as much as I did.
Alice
These donuts look and sound delicious. I'm going to try the almond flour and sweetener that pulled up in your links.
When I asked the recipe to print, the preview page that function brought up shows peanut flour instead of almond flour. I double checked and the recipe to print shows to be gluten-free pumpkin donuts instead of this one showing sugar-free pumpkin donuts on the recipe page titling.
Just wanted to pass this on.
Thank you.
Alice
Lisa MarcAurele
Thanks for the head's up. I think it's a caching issue as it's showing up fine here. I'll clear the cache on my end.
Alice
Thank you, Lisa! The recipe printed fine just now. Can't wait to try it!
Alice
Keegan
These were really tasty. But when I put the ingredients into MFP, I didn't get anywhere near your calorie counts (even leaving out the steviva completely to avoid messing things up).
Lisa MarcAurele
Recalculated the numbers. Hopefully, it's closer now.
Sarah
These were so good! I didn't even frost mine and they really hit the spot. This is the first time I used only peanut flour in a baked goods recipe and am pleasantly surprised at the nice texture. Paired with the pumpkin, all I can say is - delicious! Thank you for posting this recipe; a new staple for me!
Lisa
Peanut flour does give a nice texture like real flour in baked goods. I'm glad you enjoyed these.
Anays
What is the amount if I substitute with pumpkin spice instead?
Lisa
I'd use about 1 1/2 to 2 teaspoons.
Sarah
Would almond or coconut flour do the same as peanut flour?
Lisa
Almond flour might work, but it's a bit different. A mix of almond and coconut flour might work better.
Jenna Krueger
These were definitely yummy, if a little confusing to my palate. The peanut smell was strong so I omitted the spices and figured I'd make them into chocolate peanut butter flavor (frosted with chocolate ganache) but then when they were done I decided you really can taste the pumpkin better than I thought. They probably would have been yummy with the spices as written with some chai icing or something. Anyway, the texture came out great which was important to me so I am happy and will definitely be making them again!
Lisa
This was kind of an experiment that I did with peanut flour. The pumpkin does cover up the peanut taste well, especially with the spices.
Kbeiter
I did not get 5.5 carbs when I added up the numbers. I made the donuts then added the recipe into my fitness pal and it looks like 15.5 carbs each 🙁 what a waste
Lisa
MFP does not calculate low carb sweeteners correctly. Since erythritol has no impact on blood glucose, it should not be included in the total count.
Audrey
We have severe nut allergies in our family, could regular whle wheat flour work?
Lisa
Regular wheat flour will work. If there is no allergy to coconut, you can use coconut flour instead. When using coconut flour, less is needed but it requires adding more egg.
Melissa
How much less when using coconut flour?
Lisa
I'd say 1/2 to 3/4 cup of coconut flour and increase eggs to 5. If too thick, you may need to add a liquid like almond milk.
LCDC
I made these and had pretty low expectations (so many bad experiences with low carb baking) but was really pleasantly surprised.
I have a food sensitivity to Thanksgiving spices, so I left those out and the peanut flavor was very prominent, but that was a really GOOD thing. Mine were not really the consistency of a donut, and not a muffin either, but more like a brownie, kind of dense. I will be trying these with a chocolate glaze next for a peanut butter cup take on the recipe.
Bonus: these are filling - I made mini donuts and one was very satisfying.
Thank you so much!
Heather MacDonald
In Canada, Peanut Flour can be found at The Low Carb Grocery Store... And now I have another recipe to try...Yahoo!!!
fooddreamer
Fantastic recipe, Lisa. I don't own a donut pan, I really do want to get one. I've never seen peanut flour, but they make "flour" out of everything, so it makes sense. I like your review of it.
Funny, I was thinking about pumpkin donuts because I keep seeing them on foodgawker and such. But now my attention has been turned to pumpkin fritters, I may give that a go with a low carb makeover!
Lucy
I love me some pumpkin! I'm thinking of a pumpkin cheesecake this afternoon..but these look tempting! I haven't worked with peanut flour - hmmm, wonder where I could find it.
If I don't make these this afternoon, I will definitely be making them in the future!
Lisa
Sifted almond flour should work fine in these donuts if you don't have peanut flour. I know that Trader Joe's sells peanut flour, but I haven't seen it in any of the other natural food stores.