Sugar-Free Powdered "Sugar" Mini Donuts. Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Baked to perfection - no donut maker needed! (Keto, Paleo & Vegan) Jump to Recipe
Powdered Sugar DONUTS: A HEALTH FOOD?!
If you thought you couldn't eat powdered sugar donuts again since changing your diet (to keto, gluten-free, paleo, clean-eating or whatever it may be), THINK AGAIN.
This guilty pleasure is about to have all the guilt wiped away cuz now they're so much HEALTHIER.
If you like GUILT-FREE Treats, you've just hit the jackpot, friends.
These powdered sugar donuts have NO gluten, grains, refined oils, deep frying, additives, junk, or SUGAR.
POWDERED SUGAR WITHOUT THE SUGAR. HECK YESS. I'll show you how.
Let's get started! And in about 20 minutes, these babies can be in your belly 😉
Disclosure: this post contains affiliate links. If you click through and make a purchase, I may earn a small percentage at no additional cost to you.
Donuts for all: Keto - Paleo - Vegan
This recipe idea came from the OVERWHELMING response I've had to my previous donut recipes (5 Minute Cinnamon Sugar Donut Holes & Blueberry Donut Holes)
I've gotten a record amount of feedback for those recipes.. People have called them "Mind blowing," "Deliciously dangerous," & "SO GOOD." Aahhh I'm SO HAPPY you guys are loving them! 😀
So let's not stop a good thing! We've gotta have MORE donut flavors, right!?
These donuts they share the same simple ingredients that fit Keto, Paleo, and Vegan lifestyles:
- Almond flour - the best flour for grain-free/low-carb baking! (If you're allergic, try pumpkin seed flour)
- Coconut oil (but any neutral oil works)
- Monk fruit - my favorite sugar-free sweetener! (Use coconut sugar for non keto)
I get this question a lot: What is monk fruit? It's an actual fruit grown in Southeast Asia thats juice is 100-250 x sweeter than sugar. It has zero calories and zero carbs and is absolutely delicious! No weird aftertaste.
Powdered "SUGAR" - Sugar-FREE!
How can we make that heavenly powdery sugar coating without using sugar? Powdered monk fruit and tapioca flour!
I made my own powdered "sugar" by blending granulated monk fruit in a small blender for about 10 seconds. Boom, powdered sugar!
But when I coated the donuts in JUST the powdered monkfruit, I found it was a little too sweet.
Solution? Tapioca!
Did you know conventional powdered sugar often contains corn starch? It does! But for grain free baking, corn is off the table. But the perfect alternative is tapioca flour (also called tapioca starch).
It's a great flour to mix with sugar to cut the sweetness without adding a strange texture or flavor. (**I don't recommend coconut or almond flour for the coating. Alternatives are arrowroot or maybe cassava)
Tapioca is great to add to baked goods when you're using almond flour to have a fluffier/lighter texture.
I buy my tapioca from Thrive Market cuz it's super inexpensive there. $2.99! (Don't forget you can save an extra 25% off your entire order using my affiliate link)
Baked, Not Fried
Let's get baked, not fried. There's no frying for these healthy donuts.
And there's NO need to use a donut pan OR a special donut maker! Just a regular baking sheet.
Simply scoop balls of dough using a cookie scoop, poke a hole using a chopstick or small dowel, and flatten them slightly between your palms.
The result is the cutest little donut shape when they're baked! (They will crack a little as they puff up due to the baking powder. Don't worry, it's ok. The powdered sugar fills the cracks haha)
UNDER-Bake These!
These only need about 11 minutes in the oven. And you've gotta pay close attention.
After 11 minutes, you're going to think these donuts aren't done yet, but you need to underbake them.
*THIS IS IMPORTANT* They will continue to firm up/cook after you take them out of the oven to cool. If you cook them too long, you'll have cookies, not donuts! lol. Trust me, I did this on 3 of the batches I tested 🙂
I recommend opening the oven at the 10 minute mark and gently touching one of the donuts. When they're done, it should feel like the sides are cooked, but it's still soft inside. There's a little bit of "springing back" to the touch.
Undercooked is better than overcooked here. Once cooled, they will have a yummy dense cake-like texture.
Who's ready to make GUILT-FREE mini donuts?? Yasss.
With ZERO added sugar and just 2.6 net carbs, you can totally enjoy these heavenly powdered sugar donuts on a keto/low-carb diet!
If you try these, be sure to leave a comment below 🙂
Happy baking!
Powdered Sugar Mini Donuts (Keto, Paleo, Vegan)
Ingredients
Donuts
- 1 ¼ cup fine almond flour
- ¼ cup homemade powdered monkfruit - or powdered coconut sugar
- 2 Tbs tapioca flour - or arrowroot or almond flour
- 2 Tbs coconut oil - (or other neutral oil) melted
- 2 Tbs water
- 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder - (homemade for Paleo)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- Dash of pink salt
Powdered "Sugar" Coating
- 1 ½ Tbs homemade powdered monkfruit - or powdered coconut sugar
- ½ Tbs tapioca flour - or arrowroot or more powdered sweetener
Instructions
To make the donuts:
- Preheat oven to 350. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine dry ingredients (almond flour, sweetener, tapioca, baking powder and salt.)
- In a small glass dish, melt coconut oil and mix in water and vanilla.
- Pour wet over dry and mix into a dough.
- Use a cookie scoop to form balls. Roll smooth in your hands, Use a chopstick or dowel to make a hole in the center of each donut. Then flatten slightly (I pressed them between my palms after I took this photo)
- Bake for 10-12 min until donuts spring back slightly when pressed (**they will still seem undercooked inside but they firm up once cooled. Do not cook longer or they will be too hard)
- Allow donuts to cool for about 5 minutes to firm up, then dip in sugar coating.
To make the coating:
- Combine powdered sweetener and tapioca in a small bowl. Dip each donut in powdered "sugar." Double dip for extra powder if you like. ENJOY 🙂
Notes
Disclosure: As an Amazon affiliate I may earn a small commission from qualifying purchases made through referral links in this post (at no additional cost to you).
Lakanto Monkfruit from:
- Thrive Market ><< use my referral link to save an extra 25% on your first order
- Amazon
- Lakanto.com Click here {use code PRETTYPIES to save 20% on your order}
To store: Keep in an airtight container at room temp for 5 days. May be frozen for 2 months.
Macros via Cronometer for 1 donut:
- Cal 102
- Fat 8.9
- Total Carb 9.8
- Fiber 1.4
- Sugar Alcohol 5.85
- Net Carb 2.6
- Protein 2.7
Holly
Hi! Looks delicious! How do you store these? Thank you!
Emily
Thanks! Store at room temp for about 5 days or so in an airtight container
Janice Patterson
Can you use a mini muffin pan to make these?
Emily
Sure! Just keep an eye on them since they may need a different cook time.
Julie
Hi, love to try the recipe I think it would be good to specify when you're talking about monk fruit that it is the lakanto brand. Because I have a container of straight monk fruit and if I used that straight in a recipe it would be tasting way too strong.
Lakanto is a blend.
Emily
That is a valid point. However I am not using Lakanto powdered. But I am using Lakanto classic - blended into a powder. They are different strengths. I try to specify when I use Lakanto powdered fort that reason. Otherwise in all my recipes, monkfruit means Lakanto classic. 🙂
Marya
Wow these look delicious, do you think you could bake them in a donut pan?
Emily
Thanks! A mini donut pan might work (although it’s a lot easier to just place balls of dough on a cookie sheet)
Let me know if you try them
Jessica
Looks delish! Can you make powered coconut sugar using that method too?
Emily
Thanks!
You sure can! It’s magical, isn’t it?
Cheryl
Hi! If Monkfruit is 150x sweeter than sugar, how much would you recommend adjusting the amount of sugar if using coconut sugar instead?
Emily
Only the pure monkfruit extract is 150x sweeter. This one measures like sugar 🙂
Also, you can make your own powdered coconut sugar by blending it in a small blender.
Heather
Delicious! Thank you!!!
Emily
So glad you liked them! You are welcome 🙂