These baked gluten-free and paleo donuts taste like krispy kreme copycats! They are soft, tender, and melt in your mouth with the option of a classic paleo powdered sugar or chocolate glaze.
These baked paleo donuts have been calling my name ever since I bought a donut pan several months ago.
I kept wanting to make them but it just seemed like so much work. When I finally made them I was kicking myself that I waited so long. Not only were they super easy, but they're about the best thing ever!
To me, they taste just like a krispy kreme copycat! When you bite into them they are a little squishy but spring right back. Plus, they're topped with a rich glaze that melts in your mouth. I'm in love 💕💕
Frequently asked questions
Yes, you'll have to use a donut pan. The batter is really thin, so you will not be able to form it into a donut shape without a donut pan.
I think they taste like krispy kreme copycats! They are light and fluffy and topped with a rich glaze that melts in your mouth. But they're baked and waaayyyy healthier!
Easy instructions
Start by whisking together the dry ingredients. This includes blanched almond flour, tapioca or arrowroot flour, coconut palm sugar, sea salt, and baking powder.
In a separate bowl, whisk together some eggs, non-dairy milk, melted butter or oil, vinegar, water, and pure vanilla.
Stir the wet ingredients into the dry. The batter will be fairly thin, this is normal.
Pour the batter into a greased donut tin, filling each one about two-thirds full.
Bake the paleo donuts at 375 degrees for 15 - 18 minutes, or until the tops nicely browned and firm to the touch.
Allow to cool slightly. Then remove from the pan and dip the tops in either a paleo powdered sugar or chocolate glaze (recipes below).
Set aside on a cooling rack until the tops are slightly set and serve warm!
Paleo powdered sugar glaze
To make homemade powdered sugar:
- Blend preferred paleo granulated sugar in a very dry blender or coffee grinder until it is a fine powder.
- Mix in 1 Tbsp. arrowroot or tapioca flour per cup of sugar (after it's a fine powder).
I prefer to use xylitol or allulose when making paleo powdered sugar.
*Note- If using pure allulose and not an allulose blend, it's only 70% as sweet as other sweeteners so you'll need to add an additional ⅓ cup per 1 cup of sweetener.
I've tried this method with coconut palm sugar and we didn't really like it, but it could just be our taste buds! I know many people use coconut palm sugar all the time to make powdered sugar 😀
Or you can buy one of these allulose and monk fruit keto powdered sweeteners (Note- I don't recommend the erythritol or erythritol blends for frostings).
They are natural, acceptable on a paleo diet, have ZERO aftertaste, and dissolved beautifully!
Chocolate glaze
Or if you prefer a chocolate glaze, use this dairy-free chocolate ganache recipe I use on top of my flourless cake!
Looking for more recipes?
I think you'll also love these Almond Flour Gingerbread Men Cookies from Perchance To Cook!
Just be sure to use paleo-friendly chocolate chips and use any sweetener you prefer - if any at all!
If you’ve tried these Baked Paleo Donuts or any other recipe on the blog please let me know in the comments below!
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📖 Recipe
Paleo Donuts With A Classic Powdered Sugar Or Chocolate Glaze!
Ingredients
Donuts:
- 1 ½ cups Blanched Almond Flour - finely ground
- 1 cups Tapioca Flour or Arrowroot
- 1 ½ tsp. Grain-Free Baking Powder*
- 1 tsp. Sea Salt
- ¼ cup Coconut Palm Sugar - or granulated sugar of choice
- 3 large Eggs
- ¼ cup Unsweetened Non-Dairy Milk
- ¼ tsp. Vinegar - white or apple cider
- 2 Tbsp. Butter (can use non-dairy or ghee) - melted and cooled, OR avocado oil
- ½ cup Warm Water
- ½ tsp Pure Vanilla
Classic Glaze:
- 1 cup Paleo Powdered Sugar - see notes below
- 2 Tbsp. Butter (can use non-dairy or ghee) - melted
- ¼ tsp. Pure Vanilla
- 1 Tbsp. Non-Dairy Milk - or as needed to thin
Chocolate Ganache Glaze:
- Chocolate Ganache - click the link for the recipe (use paleo chocolate chips and any preferred sweetener - if any!)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees and lightly grease a donut pan. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together all of the dry ingredients in a large bowl until well combined.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together all of the wet ingredients.
- Then, stir in wet ingredients in the dry and mix well.
- Fill each donut tin about ⅔ full.
- Bake 15-18 minutes or until nicely browned and firm to the touch.
- Allow to slightly cool in the pan. Then, remove from the pan and dip the tops into powdered sugar glaze or chocolate ganache. Place on a cooling rack to let the topping slightly set and serve warm.
Classic Glaze:
- In a medium-sized bowl, mix together all of the glaze ingredients. Add additional non-dairy milk to thin as needed.
Notes
- Nutritional Information includes powdered sugar glaze using monk fruit/allulose powdered sweetener.
- For grain-free baking powder: combine 1 part baking soda to 2 parts cream of tartar and 2 parts arrowroot, tapioca, or potato flour.
- Blend preferred granulated sugar in a very dry blender or coffee grinder until it is a fine powder.
- Mix in 1 Tbsp. arrowroot or tapioca flour per cup of sugar (after it's a fine powder).
- I prefer to use xylitol or allulose when making paleo powdered sugar.
- If using pure allulose and not an allulose blend, it's only 70% as sweet as other sweeteners so you'll need to add an additional ⅓ cup per 1 cup of sweetener.
- I've tried this method with coconut palm sugar and we didn't really like it, but it could just be our taste buds! I know many people use coconut palm sugar all the time to make powdered sugar 😀
- Or you can buy one of these allulose and monk fruit keto powdered sweeteners (Note- I don't recommend the erythritol or erythritol blends for frostings). They are natural, acceptable on a paleo diet, have ZERO aftertaste, and dissolved beautifully
- *Note- As a special gift to my readers, I've teamed up with BESTI to give you guys 10% off! Simply use the code "CRAVEABLE" at checkout.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is approximate and may vary.
Looking for more information on the keto diet? Check out these resources:
Excellent, they are a Paleo Crispy Creme! Can’t wait to make them for my moms birthday and national donut day lol!
Thank you!!! I'm so happy you like them 😍😍
XO,
Cassidy
I just had to come back after having a couple more and say how awesome these donuts are, especially with coffee. I don’t know you got the recipe so perfect. Out of all of the paleo donuts I have made these taste the most like a real donut. My husband who can eat anything he wants loves them too. He says he thinks they’re better than the fried donuts. I love these donuts!!!
Oh my goodness, thank you SO much!!! This makes my day 😍😍
XO,
Cassidy
I need to find my donut pan! This looks awesome! ?
Thank you Ashley, I hope you like them as we do!!!
Cassidy I notice in some of your recipes you call for Earth Balance.I assume to avoid the dairy.If you are not totally avoiding dairy, as I notice Earth Balance has soy and I'm avoiding that, is butter/ghee or some other oil okay to use?
Hi Claudine! Yes, you can use butter or ghee. Earth Balance also has a soy free version if you're interested. Even though we still avoid most dairy, I switched over to grass-fed butter instead of dairy free butter. I need to go back and update all my recipes that call to Earth Balance butter and tell everyone that butter or ghee will also work. Hope that helps and you like the donuts!! Let me know how they turn out 🙂
-Cassidy
Made these today and my son ate almost the entire batch....he was SOOOO thrilled to get a yummy donut again since being gluten free.....the texture was SO similar to the Krispy Kreme original donut he was just freaking out EXCITED! Thanks for such an AWESOME recipe! For the icing I mixed Swerve (powdered) with a touch of International Delight Vanilla creamer 😉
I'm SO glad you like these, and you icing sounds delish!!!
-Cassidy
Hi! I love this recipe - it's so versatile. I added 1/2 c of pumpkin and dropped the tapioca starch to 1/2 c and eliminated the water. They are so sweet that I don't even need to put any icing on them. Thanks so much!
Thanks for the nice comment Naomi, and letting me know what substitutions you used, I'll have to try that!
xo,
Cassidy
Oh my gosh, this recipe is the BEST grain-free donut recipe I've ever had (and trust me when I tell you I've tried a bunch as I'm a huge donut lover)! Even my husband loved them and he's usually anti- grain-free baked goods. Keep sharing your amazing recipes!!!!!!
How many donuts does this yield? 6? 12?
Thanks!
Hi Sasha!
Sorry it's taken me so long to get back with you. This recipe makes about 12 donuts, I updated the recipe to include this information 🙂
Thanks,
Cassidy
I just made these this morning and my kids loved them! I dipped them in the chocolate ganache (minus the coffee) and threw some dye free sprinkles on top. Thanks for another great recipe!
Amanda-
Yes, I usually freeze all of my baked goods that we don't immediately eat. Hope you enjoy them!
CdnSKmom-
Sorry the texture didn't turn out well for you. Did you use the Honeyville brand? if you used a different brand that's probably what it was.
Thanks for the feedback,
Cassidy
I made this recipe today and maybe did something wrong because they weren't like a donut in texture or taste, more like a dense dough-y bread... It reminded me of paska at Easter growing up so I liked it, but my son only took a few nibbles.
Thanks for the recipe, it was a culinary return to my childhood!
Do these donuts freeze well?
Thanks,
Amanda
April-
I haven't tried these in a donut maker but I don't see any reason why it wouldn't work... except you will probably have to adjust the baking time. If you make 'em in the donut maker let me know how they turn out!
Thanks,
Cassidy
Do you think these would work in the little donut makers? (The ones that close like a waffle maker?)
Thanks so much for linking up to Allergy-Free Wednesday. Hope to see you next week.