The minute you sink your teeth into one of these mouth-watering Paleo donuts you'll be in absolute heaven. No need to worry about the hassle of frying; these tender almond flour donuts are baked, and utterly irresistible.
Traditional donuts are beloved by everyone, but making them from scratch and frying them is often a pain, and very time consuming. That's where this handy recipe comes in.
You can enjoy delicious Paleo donuts in a short amount of time. They bake quickly, and the batter is effortless to whip up. In fact, no electric mixer is required, so grab your favorite mixing bowl and spatula, and let’s get to it!
Paleo Donuts
Not only are these almond flour donuts grain-free and low-carb, but they are entirely honey sweetened, and high in protein and healthy fats. So you can enjoy them at breakfast or as a quick snack and rest assured they are on the healthier side of indulgence.
The texture of the donuts are akin to what I remember a cake donut tasting like. Cake donuts are much more tender, where fried donuts have a bit more chew to them.
If you’re looking for a superb gluten-free fried donut, check out my recipe in my e-book, Gluten-Free Baking From Scratch.
Almond Flour Donut Ingredients and Substitutions
- Blanched Almond Flour- Blanched almonds have had their skins removed, so blanched almond flour contains no almond skins. I prefer to bake with finely ground blanched almond flour, as it provides a lighter, tender crumb. There is no substitute for the almond flour in this recipe.
- Arrowroot Starch- Starch lightens up the texture of the blanched almond flour, so it’s important not to leave this ingredient out. Tapioca starch is also an excellent substitute.
- Baking Powder- Baking powder is what gives these donuts their loftiness.
- Sea Salt- You can substitute with regular table salt or Himalayan salt.
- Nutmeg- This spice gives this recipe an added flavor profile that compliments the chocolate.
- Coconut Oil- Coconut oil gives these donuts an incredible rich flavor, all while keeping it dairy-free. That said, ghee, butter, or even vegan butter can be used as a substitute.
- Eggs- This recipe needs eggs, otherwise the texture will be too dense. If you need an egg-free recipe, try these gluten-free vegan donuts instead.
- Honey- Honey adds a wonderful, rich sweetness. Substitute with pure maple syrup if necessary.
- Unsweetened Almond Milk- If you don’t have almond milk on hand, feel free to use your favorite dairy-free milk.
- Vanilla Extract- I recommend using real vanilla extract in this recipe, vs. the artificial stuff!
Top Tips For Making Gluten Free Donuts
- Make sure you grease your donut pans liberally (I like to use coconut oil, palm shortening, or ghee), and then dust each donut cavity with almond flour. This will prevent the donuts from sticking when you try to remove them. These are the donut pans I use.
- Sift the dry ingredients together using a fine mesh sieve. Blanched almond flour can be really clumpy because of the natural oils. The overall texture of the donuts will be lighter if the dry ingredients are sifted.
- Use a pastry bag or a resealable bag to pipe the batter into each donut cavity.
- When the donuts are finished baking, the tops of the donuts will feel spring to the touch (like a muffin or cake) or when a toothpick, poked into the donut, comes out mostly clean (a few loose crumbs are okay).
- Let the donuts rest for at least 5 minutes before removing from the pan. I like to use this small offset spatula to carefully go around the edges of the donuts to gently ease them out. It works better than a butter knife because it's thinner and flexible.
- Cool completely before glazing.
- When I glaze the donuts, I like to have a piece of parchment paper handy to place the glazed donuts on. It catches the excess glaze, and also provides easy clean up.
- The chocolate glaze will take a while to dry on the donuts. If you need to speed up the process, pop the donuts in the freezer for 5-10 minutes. The cold will set the chocolate.
Almond Flour Donut Toppings
You can either leave these chocolate glazed donuts free from toppings, or you can sprinkle toppings on them. Just make sure you sprinkle the toppings on when wet, otherwise they won't stick. These are our favorite topping options:
- Shredded coconut, sweetened or unsweetened
- Chopped nuts (peanuts, walnuts, pecans, etc.)
- Mini chocolate chips
- Sprinkles, either naturally dyed or artificially dyed
Storage and Shelf Life
Store at room temperature in an air tight container (not unless you used dairy as a substitute somewhere in the recipe - in that case, please store in the refrigerator). Consume within 3 days.
Freezing
These donuts freeze well. To freeze, wrap each donut individually and place in a freezer safe bag. Consume within 30 days.
More Almond Flour Recipes
Almond Flour Chocolate Cake
Almond Flour Muffins
Almond Flour Banana Muffins
Almond Flour Tortillas
Paleo Chocolate Chip Cookies
This recipe was originally published July 2013. Photos and blog post updated March 2022. Slight measurement changes were made to the chocolate glaze, and recipe directions were rewritten for clarity.
Paleo Donuts
The minute you sink your teeth into one of these mouth-watering Paleo donuts you’ll be in absolute heaven. No need to worry about the hassle of frying; these tender almond flour donuts are baked, and utterly irresistible.
Ingredients
For the Donuts
- 1 ½ cups blanched almond flour, gently packed + more for dusting the donut pans
- 2 tablespoons arrowroot starch
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ cup coconut oil, melted
- 2 large eggs
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 2 tablespoons almond milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the Chocolate Glaze
- ¾ cup dairy free chocolate chips
- 2 teaspoons palm shortening
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees (F) and generously grease 8 donut cavities (see below for link to the donut pans I use). Dust the cavities with almond flour, and knock off the excess into the sink or a trash can.
- In a large mixing bowl, sift together the blanched almond flour, arrowroot starch, baking powder, sea salt, and nutmeg, using a fine mesh sieve.
- Mix in the eggs, almond milk, honey, and vanilla extract.
- Add the coconut oil and mix until well blended.
- Transfer the batter to a piping bag or a plastic storage bag (snip off one corner for piping) and pipe into the prepared pan, dividing the batter equally between the 8 donut cavities.
- Bake for 13 - 15 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean when poked into one of the donuts (a few loose crumbs are okay). Cool for 5 minutes before removing from the pan and placing on a wire rack to completely cool (I use a small offset spatula to loosen the edges of the donuts from the pan).
- For the Chocolate glaze, place the chocolate chips and the palm shortening in a small microwavable bowl, and microwave on high in 30 second increments, stirring each time, until the chocolate chips and palm shortening are melted and mixed until smooth.
- Place donuts, one by one, upside down half way into the chocolate glaze. Remove and place right side up on a piece of parchment or waxed paper to set. If toppings are desired, sprinkle the donuts with desired toppings immediately while the glaze is wet.
Notes
- There is no substitute for the almond flour in this recipe. This recipe is written with the almond flour as the star of the show. If you need an almond-free recipe, try these gluten-free cinnamon sugar baked donuts.
- The chocolate glaze will take a while to dry on the donuts. If you need to speed up the process, pop the donuts in the freezer for 5-10 minutes. The cold will set the chocolate.
- Store at room temperature in an air tight container (not unless you used dairy as a substitute somewhere in the recipe – in that case, please store in the refrigerator). Consume within 3 days.
- These donuts freeze well. To freeze, wrap each donut individually and place in a freezer safe bag. Consume within 30 days.
Recommended Products
We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
-
Wilton 6-Cavity Donut Baking Pans -
Ateco Ultra Offset Spatula -
Cuisinart Fine Mesh Sieve -
Enjoy Life Baking Chocolate Semi-Sweet Mini Chocolate Chips -
Nutiva Organic Cold-Pressed Virgin Coconut Oil -
Anthony's Organic Arrowroot Flour -
Anthony's Almond Flour Blanched -
NATURAL Rainbow Sprinkles - No Artificial Dyes
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 349Total Fat: 26gSaturated Fat: 11gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 13gCholesterol: 49mgSodium: 268mgCarbohydrates: 26gFiber: 4gSugar: 18gProtein: 7g
Did you make this recipe? If you did, please give it a star rating and leave a review or comment below! And remember to take a pic and share it on social! Tag @allergyfreeak or #allergyfreealaska on Instagram!
Adrienne @ Whole New Mom says
Oh my - you shouldn't have. 🙂
Adrienne @ Whole New Mom says
BTW, do you really like those pans? We bought a mini doughnut maker and I like it but they are tiny! Maybe that's a good thing :).
Megan says
I do like them! Granted I don't use them that often, but the handful of times I have used them they have worked well (generously greased in palm shortening). Yes - tiny isn't always a bad thing! 😉
Davina Stuart says
hrm.. i don't have any doughnut pans right now... this is a shame.. they are getting added to my list.. i do, however, have one of those little mini doughnut cookers... like a waffle iron, but for mini doughnuts... wonder if these would work with that for the time being... made cookies today, so we will have to wait until those are gone, as we don't need that many sweets in the house right now.. but I will soon be giving this a try with that.. until such time as I can get some new pans... 🙂
Megan says
Let me know if you try this in your mini doughnut cooker. I don't have one of those, but have wondered about them!
🙂 M
Heather says
These look soooo good!!! They look summer picnic perfect and I haven't used my donut pan in ages so... 🙂
Megan says
Thank you, Heather! I hope you enjoy them! 🙂
Shirley @ gfe & AGFD says
Oh my goodness, Megan!! I admit that my faves varied between plain glazed to chocolate doughnuts. I know I would love these for sure!! Will make this recipe when life settles down and it's not so hot. You say room temp coconut oil. Is that solidified? All my coconut oil is liquefied these days as we keep our thermostat set at 77. Hate running that AC! Anyway, I bet your girls were the stars of that party for sure! 😉
Off to share ...
Shirley
Megan says
Hi Shirley,
HA! Living here in Alaska, my coconut oil is always solidified, and I forget that's not the case in other parts of the country! 😉 And yes, I do mean solidified. Thank you for asking - I will clarify my directions. Thank you so much for sharing!
xoxo,
Megan
Shirley @ gfe & AGFD says
Thanks for clarifying, dear! Always happy to share your great recipes ... sharing this one has definitely brightened the day of many. 😉
Edonna says
Thanks for clarifying this. I'm in Mesa AZ (Phoenix) and it doesn't matter what the AC is set to, EVERYTHING is liquid in my kitchen now! I'll go put the oil in the fridge now 😛 I'm dying for doughnuts!
Megan says
We live in such a different world up here because of the weather (and it's so easy for me to forget that!). 🙂 I can't wait to hear how you enjoy them!
Laura says
OH la la, I want these now Megan!!! We have a 2006 Subaru and I have been dealing with car repairs for the last 2 weeks and we finally got most of them resolved yesterday. But we only have 95k on the car so we gotta keep it for quite awhile longer 🙂 Hugs and this recipe looks out of this world good-those pictures are gorgeous!
Megan says
I'm sorry to hear you've had car problems the last few weeks! Those are no fun. 🙁 Fingers crossed this is the last of the repairs for a good long while! And thank you! Hugs to you too. 🙂 Hope you enjoy the rest of your week!
xo
Emily says
Thanks for posting these - I've been watching for the recipe since I saw the pic on Facebook a few days ago! 😉
I was never big on donuts prior to becoming gluten free, but then I missed them when I couldn't have them! There was a coffee shop down the street from an office I used to work at and when I needed a morning pick me up and I was feeling naughty I liked their old-fashioned cake donut with chocolate frosting and coconut - worth every calorie! Now I can try to recreate them. I haven't had a donut since doing gluten free almost 5 years ago, so it'll be a treat! Thanks again! 😀
Megan says
You're so welcome! I hope you enjoy them, Emily, and are able to recreate that chocolate covered coconut-sprinkled doughnut you used to love! 😉
Esther says
I"m thinking I could pour the batter onto a cookie sheet then use the glaze after baking...not as much fun though...want those donutS!!
Megan says
Hi Esther,
I've wanted to try this recipe in a mini muffin tin - I think that would work well (but haven't tried it). I'm not so sure about a cookie sheet though...
🙂 Megan
Amber says
Um, okay girl...these are freaking gorgeous girl!!!! Oh my!! Love your pictures and love everything about the recipe. Sharing this one ASAP!!!!
Thank you for such a great recipe.
xo,
--Amber
Megan says
Thank you, sweet thang!! 😉 And thank you for sharing! Hugs to you!
xo
Kate {Eat, Recycle, Repeat} says
These look incredible! You are so right - doughnuts beat cupcakes any day. And these are so darling with the mini chips too. Enjoy the rest of your summer!
Megan says
Thank you, Kate! And ditto!! 😉
GiGiEatsCelebrities.com says
These look PHENOMENAL!! Dunkin Donuts, WATCH YOURSELF 😉
Megan says
HA!! Thank you! 😉
Staci boggs says
Do you have to use palm oil to make the glaze or can you use coconut oil instead?
Megan says
You can use coconut oil, but it is thinner than palm shortening, so your glaze will be thinner. I've also found the glaze doesn't set up quite as much when coconut oil is used vs. palm shortening.
Brooke says
Oh sad. I just went to the only 4 stores in my city and couldn't find palm shorting, only palm oil. Just found out today that my 6 year old is having doughnuts for snack at school tomorrow. Since she is gluten free I have to make her some tonight. 🙁 The life of a mom I guess.
Megan says
Hey Brooke! I hear you - I know how that goes. 🙁 On the flip side though, you can sub coconut oil for the palm oil. The glaze just might be a little thinner than it would be if using the palm shortening.
Hugs!
Megan
Tina says
Can't wait to try these! Thanks so much for sharing! Hopped over from Allergy Free Wednesday.
Tina @ Mommynificent
Megan says
Hi Tina - thanks!
Vicky says
I don't usually like doughnuts but I must say these look outstanding and very delicious! Well done for creating such a luxurious treat! Yum!!!
Megan says
Thank you, Vicky! 😉
Katie @ Produce On Parade says
Argh, we are in the same boat with needed another Subie! I hope things settle down for you! These donuts look amazing 🙂
amber says
Featuring on AFW!!! 🙂
Karen says
Would coconut oil work in the place of palm shortening for the chocolate glaze?
Megan says
Hi Karen, yes, it will work. It just might be slightly thinner than using palm shortening.
Karen says
Thanks Megan! These do sound delish -- I just don't have any palm shortening and want to make them pronto!!
Megan says
You're so welcome! I can't wait to hear how you like them! 😉
karen says
Hi! Wondering if I can deep fry these? Any tips on that? - I don't have a donut pan. thank you.
Megan says
Hi Karen,
I don't recommend deep frying these. The batter is more the consistency of a muffin batter, rather than that of a gluten-filled doughnut dough. If you don't have a doughnut pan, I think a mini-muffin tin would work just fine as an alternate. 🙂
Megan
Jen Smith says
Hello! I made these beauties this morning! I wish I could post a picture. I live in Minnesota so I'm not sure, but it may have something to do with the fact that I only needed one donut pan for this. Not sure why, it only made 6! But the 6 it made were delicious. Thank you!
Megan says
You're very welcome, Jen! My doughnut pan makes what I refer to as "skinnier" doughnuts (they aren't very thick), so I suspect it probably was the pan. 😉 I'm glad you liked them!
Cassy says
Hello!!! These look absolutely incredible - I'm planning to make these for my boyfriend this weekend, because he's gluten-free and got super excited when I showed them to him. 🙂 Quick question though - do you think it would work to use a gluten free flour mix that I've used successfully for other recipes, or does the almond flour etc play a specific and integral role in this recipe?
Thank you so much!!!
Megan says
Hi Cassy,
🙂 How sweet of you to make something for your BG! What a lucky guy!!
I don't recommend using a gluten free flour mix in this recipe. Blanched almond flour is very moist because it is high in natural fats; if you replace it with a GF mix, you'll most likely end up with a very dry doughnut. ;(
You're welcome!
Megan
Mariah says
Yummy! I didn't have a donut pan, mAde cookies.. they came out yummy, very donut texture, can't wait to get a donut pan
Kathy says
Oh my, those look amazing! If only licking the screen worked. I'm definitely going to have to try these, pronto!
Nancy Summers says
Look so yummy. But my 8-yr-old grandson is also allergic to eggs. Could I substitute "chia eggs"? Thanks!
Megan says
Hi Nancy,
I don't think chia eggs would work in this recipe. 🙁 I'm sorry!
Connie says
Can I substitute oat or sorghum floral for the almond flour (allergic to nuts).
Megan says
Hi Connie, No, that won't work. This recipe was written specifically for the use of almond flour. If you're looking for a recipe without almond flour, try searching for, "gluten-free doughnuts (or donuts)."
Taylor Miller (HaleLife) says
I seriously can't wait to give this a try for breakfast one morning!
Megan says
Thanks, Taylor! I wish I could make you a batch!
Heather says
I made these with my boys today and they tasted amazing! Thanks for sharing the recipe!
Megan says
Oh fun! YAY! You're welcome, Heather. So happy you enjoyed them!
Albert Bevia says
Does it get any better than this? wow what an impressive recipe, these doughnuts look absolutely delicious! I will take a pink box with 12 please 🙂 seriously, thanks for the recipe
Megan says
Hahaha! Absolutely - coming right up! Thanks Albert!
Suzanne says
Megan ,
I love your recipes - thank you!
I made Chocolate Chip Donuts for my son’s birthday - they were delicious .
And I just made your GF Coconut Cake - also delicious - dense, moist & very rich. Funny mine came out brown inside as I didn’t have sorghum flour and used Almond instead. . Adding in the medium brown organic coconut palm sugar. & vanilla started it brown . Doesn’t look same, but still very yummy.
Suzanne
Megan says
Hi Suzanne,
Thank you so much!
Coconut sugar will do that - color your baked goods brown. 😉 It's super delicious though!
Moriah says
These look amazing! I’m so making them this week...for me ?
Megan says
You totally should! 😉
Cassidy @ Cassidy's Craveable Creations says
WOW these look amazing!!! My kids have been begging for donuts, I'll have to make these for them!!! Thanks so much 🙂
Megan says
You're such a great mom, Cassidy!! 🙂
Susan says
Sorry to say, I'm thinking it's been awhile since you had gluten donuts as these really don't come close. they are dense cakes. I'm willing to use dairy and grains so I'm wondering if I can get a bit closer to the real thing by including those ingredients. They are good for what they are. 🙂 I feel awkward saying that since there is a love fest in the comments. No disrespect intended. I love your pie crust and especially your bread!!! I make it every week for a year and I feel healthier for it.
Megan says
Hi Susan,
I'm sorry to hear you were disappointed in the recipe. Most grain free recipes made with almond flour are heavier than grain-filled recipes. These are definitely not the fried donuts one may be used to, as they are also baked. A healthier alternative, but yes, not a true replacement for the airy fried donuts we all know and love (and miss!). Regardless, thank you for your comment and feedback. I might consider updating this post with that information for future readers/recipe makers. I'm glad to hear you're a big fan of my other recipes!
Cora Whitmoyer says
I haven’t tried these yet, but are you able to use a different flour instead of the almond flour? Could I make a chia egg or flax egg instead of the actual eggs?
Mēgan says
Hi Cora, this recipe is written specifically with almond flour in mind, so I wouldn't sub it out or omit the eggs. Almond flour is its own beast so to speak. Almonds have a lot of natural fats in them, so the flour does in turn. If you remove that flour and replace it with something else, you're completely changing the fat content.
Maryanne Johanson says
LOVE many of your breads and especially bagels, but these don't taste anything like donuts. Followed your recipe exactly. So disappointed. If you get a chance to re-look, maybe there is some type of error?
Mēgan says
Hi Maryanne,
There is no error in this recipe, I can assure you I've made it several times. My family and friends love these! This is a donut made from almond flour that is baked. It absolutely will have a different taste and texture than that made with grains and fried. I'm sorry you were disappointed with it.