Pumpkin spice flavor doesn’t actually taste like pumpkin, but I’ll still devour it. I love these pumpkin oatmeal cream pies, but this pumpkin spice keto donuts recipe might be my new favorite.
A Donut Horror Story
I used to get donuts from the gas station until one early morning I saw them get delivered. My husband works in construction and I was with him on a jobsite at the local gas station. Like most construction sites there was dirt, grout, and all manner of filth on the floor.
Before sunrise, the donut delivery man stopped by and threw the donuts into their display case with the speed of a rabbit being chased by a T-rex. In his hurry, a donut fell to the floor. Not missing a beat he quickly chucked the now fuzzy donut back in with the others.
No more gas station donuts for me.
Keto Pumpkin Donuts Without Pumpkin
Homemade baked donuts taste better and are way healthier anyways. There are so many delicious donut flavors out there I wanted to try a seasonal twist and go full out on the pumpkin spice. However, you may notice there isn’t any pumpkin in these donuts.
After 5 test batches, I concluded the pumpkin puree made the donuts too wet and more like pumpkin bread. I’m going for a donut here so I wanted it to look, taste, and feel like a donut. Pumpkin doesn’t have much flavor anyway. What we think of as pumpkin spice flavor is really just the spices, like cinnamon and ginger.
Keto Donuts Recipe with Almond Flour and Coconut Flour
Coconut flour and almond flour can be tricky to work with. Almond meal can add too much moisture to baked goods and if it’s not finely ground throws off the texture too. I use it in my dark chocolate salted cookie dough bites and my chocolate biscotti recipes., but it’s not always good on its own.
Coconut flour soaks up liquid like a sponge and can taste too… coconutty. However, then you combine the two and add a little arrowroot for smoothness, this pumpkin spice keto donuts recipe tastes like the real deal.
Baked Keto Donuts
Krispy Kreme may have a cult following, but I’ve never been a fan of fried yeast donuts. Please don’t hate me. They’re heavier on the grease, they take more time, and they lack the dense texture I crave in a donut. Plus I find it’s way easier to make healthy pumpkin donuts when they’re baked.
The Best Sweetener for Keto Donuts
There are so many sweetener options it depends on what you like.. Almost any granulated sweetener will work, so use what you have/like best. Here are the sweeteners I’ve used that will work and their pros and cons.
Coconut sugar – Made from evaporated coconut flower sap, this is a natural, practically unrefined alternative. It has a buttery caramel flavor and is more natural than sugar alcohols, but it is higher in carbs and not keto. Get coconut sugar here. Get coconut sugar here.
Erythritol – This sugar alcohol doesn’t raise blood sugar levels and is a healthier alternative to artificial sweeteners. It has a cooling sensation, is often GMO, and can cause digestive issues like stomach cramps, so it’s not for everyone. Get non-gmo erythritol here.
Xylitol – It’s found naturally in some foods and can have a positive effect on gut bacteria. It does raise blood sugar a little, is often GMO, and is very toxic/deadly to dogs. As long as it’s from a non-GMO source and kept away from pets it’s a healthier option. Get non-gmo xylitol here.
Other sweeteners – Since this isn’t a keto sweeteners post I won’t go into tons of detail, but here are some more healthier low carb sweetener options.
- Swerve – (erythritol with natural flavors)
- Monkfruit
- Coco Monkey (Organic inulin, freeze-dried organic coconut water, monk fruit.)
Personally, I used coconut sugar in the donuts and erythritol for the cinnamon sugar topping.
Low Carb Donuts
I’m not sure if these are 1000% keto or not, but they’re at least keto friendly. Coconut flour has some carbs and the arrowroot is nothing but carbs. However, this recipe comes out to 4 grams of carbs per donut. As long as you don’t eat 4 donuts at once … ahem… you should be good on the carb factor. And they’re definitely 1000% better than a fuzzy gas station donut.
Keto Pumpkin Spice Donuts
Ingredients
- 2/3 cup almond flour
- 1/4 cup coconut flour
- 6 Tbsp granulated sweetener (coconut sugar, xylitol, monk fruit, erythritol, etc.)
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp clove
- 1/2 tsp ginger
- 2 Tbsp arrowroot powder
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1/4 cup melted coconut oil or butter
- 1/2 cup water
- 2 eggs
- Donut pan
For the coating:
- 2 Tbsp granulated sweetener (xylitol, erythritol, etc.)
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
Instructions
- Use an electric mixer to whip the eggs until foamy, about 2 minutes
- In a separate bowl combine all of the dry ingredients and whisk together.
- Add the oil, water and vanilla to the dry ingredients and stir to combine.
- Add the eggs and use a spatula to gently fold them in, just until combined. Don't overstir or you'll lose the air from the eggs!
- Pour the batter into a donut pan and bake at 350 for about 25 minutes.
- Allow to cool a little before removing from the pan or they'll fall apart.
For the coating:
- Combine the sweetener and cinnamon together in a bowl.
- Roll the donuts in the sugar/cinnamon mix. Use your fingers to sprinkle some over any bare areas.