These pillowy keto donuts taste almost like the real thing. The moist, delicate crumb and luscious chocolate glaze are delightful!
These keto donuts are soft, moist, and chocolatey. Their texture and flavor remind me of chocolate cake donuts. They're delicious with just the glaze, but it's also fun to use toppings like crushed nuts and shredded coconut. You'll need a donut pan to make them, but other than that, making them is a straightforward affair and not particularly challenging.
Ingredients
The full list of ingredients and exact measurements are listed in the recipe card below. Here are my comments on some of the ingredients.
- Sweetener: I use stevia glycerite.
- Coconut flour: Measure it by weight if you can. Each gram makes a difference in this ultra-dry ingredient.
- Cocoa powder: You should use natural unsweetened cocoa powder in this recipe.
- For the glaze: Only two ingredients are needed - dark chocolate chips and avocado oil.
Variations
- You can use heavy cream instead of milk. I tried both versions, and both are delicious.
- You can use baking powder instead of baking soda (gluten-free if needed). You'll need 1 teaspoon of baking powder.
- Not a fan of stevia? Replace it with a granulated sweetener to equal ⅓ cup of sugar.
- I use extra-dark chocolate chips (85% cacao) in the glaze. You can also use extra-dark chocolate such as Lindt 85% or Lindt 90%.
- I like to top the donuts with shredded coconut and chopped nuts, as shown in the photo below. Another tasty option is to drizzle them with melted peanut butter, almond butter, or walnut butter.
Instructions
The detailed instructions for making this recipe are included in the recipe card below. Here's an overview of the steps:
You start by whisking all the ingredients (except for the glaze ingredients) in a single bowl. Add the batter to a greased silicone donut pan. Bake the donuts in a 350°F oven for about 17 minutes.
The donuts are perfect at this point! But we want to glaze them. So your next steps are to completely cool them, then carefully remove them from the pan and glaze them. You can also sprinkle them with toppings like crushed nuts or coconut flakes.
Allow the glaze to set, then dig in! Look at that gorgeous crumb!
Recipe Tip
The baking soda in this recipe needs an acid to react with. The milk provides some via lactic acid. But for best results, please use natural cocoa powder and not Dutch-processed cocoa powder. Natural cocoa powder is acidic and will react with the baking soda to produce fluffy donuts.
Recipe FAQs
It's important to use a silicone donut pan. These donuts are made with coconut flour and stick to metal pans, even nonstick ones. They sometimes very lightly stick even to silicone. So when it's time to release them from the pan, do so very slowly, using a knife or a small rubber spatula to gently separate them from the pan.
They can be made with any low-carb flour. Two popular choices are almond flour and coconut flour. In this recipe, we're using coconut flour, which is highly suitable for donuts because it produces baked goods with a slightly spongy texture.
Unfortunately, you can't. This recipe was written for coconut flour, which is highly absorbent and needs extra eggs and liquids to prevent baked goods from being too dry.
Serving Suggestions
These keto donuts are very rich and are best served as dessert. However, I occasionally serve them for an indulgent breakfast or brunch. They're perfect with a cup of coffee, a glass of cold almond milk (as shown in the photo below), iced coffee, or iced tea.
Storing Leftovers
Once completely cool, you can keep the leftovers in the fridge, in a single layer in an airtight container, for up to four days. Remove them from the fridge 30-60 minutes before eating them. Chocolate always tastes best at room temperature.
You can also freeze the completely cooled donuts in a single layer in freezer bags for up to three months. Thaw them overnight in the fridge and remove them to the counter an hour before enjoying them.
Recipe Card
Keto Donuts with a Chocolate Glaze
Video
Ingredients
Donuts:
- Nonstick oil - for pan
- 4 large eggs
- ½ cup unsalted butter - melted; 4 ounces
- 3 tablespoons whole milk
- 1 teaspoon stevia glycerite - equals ⅓ cup of sugar
- ¼ cup coconut flour - 1 ounce
- ¼ cup cocoa powder - not treated with alkali, unsweetened
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
Glaze:
- ¾ cup dark chocolate chips - 4.5 ounces
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease 10 silicone donut pan cavities.
- Whisk the eggs, melted butter, milk, and stevia in a medium bowl using a hand whisk.
- Whisk in the coconut flour, cocoa powder, salt, and baking soda.
- Fill the pan cavities ¾ full. Bake the donuts until they are set and a toothpick inserted in them comes out clean, about 17 minutes.
- Place the pan on a cooling rack and allow the donuts to cool for 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, in a shallow bowl, melt the chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl in 30-second intervals, stirring after each session. Stir in the avocado oil.
- Gently run a knife around the edges and center of each donut. Carefully release them from the pan. Dip each donut into the glaze.
- If desired, sprinkle the donuts with toppings such as shredded coconut or chopped nuts or drizzle them with melted peanut butter.
- Cool the donuts until the glaze sets, about 30 minutes, then serve.
Notes
- The baking soda in this recipe needs an acid to react with, and cocoa powder treated with alkali will not provide that acid. That's why I recommend using natural cocoa powder.
- The nutrition label includes the donuts and glaze but no toppings.
- Once completely cool, you can keep the leftovers in the fridge, in a single layer in an airtight container, for up to four days. Remove them from the fridge 30-60 minutes before eating them.
- You can also freeze the completely cooled donuts in a single layer in freezer bags for up to three months. Thaw them overnight in the fridge and remove them to the counter an hour before enjoying them.
Nutrition per Serving
Save this Recipe!
We'll email this recipe to you, so you can come back to it later!
We will also add you to our weekly newsletter. Unsubscribe anytime. See healthyrecipesblogs.com/privacy/ to learn how we use your email.
Disclaimers
Most recipes are low-carb and gluten-free, but some are not. Recommended and linked products are not guaranteed to be gluten-free. Nutrition info is approximate. Please verify it independently. The carb count excludes non-nutritive sweeteners. Please read these Terms of Use before using any of my recipes.
Karen says
May i know calorie count without the glaze? And whats the diameter if each donut?
Vered DeLeeuw says
Hi Karen,
The diameter of each donut cavity is about 3 inches. Without the glaze, the approximate calorie count per donut is 127.
Patti M Kallerud says
Can I use a nonstick donut pan?
Vered DeLeeuw says
Hi Patti,
It's important to use a silicone donut pan. These donuts are made with coconut flour and stick to metal pans, even nonstick ones.
Danielle Freeman says
Are the net carbs zero?
Vered DeLeeuw says
Hi Danielle,
There are eight grams of carbs and three grams of fiber in each donut. So, five grams of net carbs.
Ted says
I'm going to try this recipe today, but I have a comment. When you encourage us to use weight rather than volume, you should include those numbers. You mention 1/4 cup of coconut flour, yet you encourage the use of grams. I'm sure I'll love this recipe, but please consider what I've said. Thank you.
Vered DeLeeuw says
Hey Ted,
You're absolutely right! I'm sorry about the omission. I edited the recipe card to add the coconut flour's weight measurement.
Alba says
Great snack for when you’re craving something healthy and good, thanks a lot!
Vered DeLeeuw says
You're very welcome, Alba! Glad you liked them.