Keto Krispy Kreme Donuts

by KetoFocus.com

Fried keto donuts with a tender cake like center

4.7 Stars (20 Reviews) 35 Comments

Tasting just like a Krispy Kreme donut, these glazed keto donuts are cake based, fried and coated with a sweet vanilla glaze.

This is the BEST recipe for keto donuts. I’ve tried many low carb donut recipes but this is by far the recipe that tastes the closest to an actual donut. These glazed keto donuts are perfect in the morning paired with a cup of coffee.

The dough for these almond flour donuts involves simple ingredients to yield a tender, cake like texture. Frying them gives them a crispy crust similar to an actual yeast based donut. However, you can bake these donuts in the oven. It’s a sweet way to start off your morning.

The glaze on these low carb donuts is sugar-free and is very similar to the same glaze you would see on a Krispy Kreme donut. But if you are more of a chocolate glazed donut like Homer Simpson, then coated in a sugar free chocolate glaze. Both are easy recipes to make so can easily satisfy your donut cravings!

How to make keto donuts

  1. Whisk together dry ingredients – almond flour, protein powder, sugar free sweetener (like monk fruit or erythritol), baking powder, xanthan gum and salt.
  2. Mix in remaining ingredients – melted butter, sour cream and hot water.
  3. Mold into a donut shape or press into a donut pan.
  4. Fry in lard or avocado oil until golden brown or bake in the oven.
  5. Make sugar free Krispy Kreme glaze, chocolate glaze or cinnamon sugar powder and dip or dust your keto donuts.

Loving keto pastries?? Try making keto cinnamon rolls or low carb apple fritters

glazed donuts in a loaf pan lined with a towel next to two donuts stacked and a creamer jar

Key ingredients & substitutions

For this recipe, I like using the combination of almond flour and protein powder. It produces a texture and flavor closest to a traditional cake donut. However, I understand some don’t have access to the ingredients required or may be allergic to nuts. Here are some ingredient substitutions you can make for this recipe:

  • Almond flour – The keto flour to give our low carb donuts substance. Coconut flour could be used instead; however, you will need to decrease the amount used. Use 2/3 cups coconut flour as a substitute. Sunflower seed flour can also be used if allergic to nuts. Sunflower seed flour measures cup for cup with almond flour so you will add the same amount in this recipe.
  • Protein powder – Works to for a protein matrix and works similar to gluten in all-purpose flour. Will form a spongy texture in this keto donuts recipe. Look for low carb or zero carb protein powder. Unflavored or vanilla flavor.
  • Sugar free sweetener – Can use monk fruit/erythritol blend like Stevia, Lakanto or even Truvia Sweet Complete. Any will work as long as it measures cup for cup with sugar.
  • Xanthan gum – Since this donut recipe is egg-free, we use xanthan gum as a “glue” to hold the donut together as it bakes or fries. Don’t want to use xanthan gum? You can add an whole egg. Just omit the hot water as well.
  • Melted butter – Gives flavor; however melted coconut oil can be used if dairy free.
  • Sour cream – Provides that slight tangy flavor that is iconic in traditional cake donuts.

Keto Krispy Kreme Donuts Recipe Video

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Keto Cake Donuts Ingredients

Krispy Kreme Glaze Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup confectioners Swerve or use sweetener of choice
  • 2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Keto Krispy Kreme Donuts Directions

  • Keto Krispy Kreme Donuts
  • Fried vs baked donuts

    These low carb donuts can either be fried or baked. I prefer to fry these donuts.

    Frying the keto donuts gives them an authentic flavor that is very similar to traditional donuts. I recommend using pork lard to fry these donuts in but you can use other oils too like avocado oil or coconut oil as long as you use an oil that has a high smoke point.

    If you don’t want to fry your donuts, you can bake them in the oven. You can mold them in a donut baking pan or just roll them in to snakes and pinch the ends together to form a donut shape and bake on a parchment lined baking tray.

    donuts tucked into a baking dish over a gray striped towl

    Krispy Kreme glaze

    Krispy Kreme donuts have a characteristic vanilla glaze coated on their donuts. These keto glazed donuts have a copycat Krispy Kreme glaze. This glaze is sugar-free and made using Confectioner’s Swerve, heavy cream and vanilla extract. You want to use a powdered sweetener in this recipe because granulated sweetener will not dissolve as good.

    Microwaving the glaze will help it thin out so you can easily dunk your donuts for frosting.

    Make them dairy free

    To make dairy-free keto donuts, there are a couple of substitutions that can be made.

    • Butter – Use melted coconut oil or ghee.
    • Sour cream – Look for a non-dairy yogurt like one made from almonds.
    glazed cake donuts on a wire rack cooling next to a cup of black coffee

    Variations

    Chocolate glaze donuts

    Want to make chocolate glaze donuts instead of traditional glazed? Just dip each donut in a mixture of sugar free chocolate chips and 1 tablespoon of coconut oil. Let set on a wire rack or pop in the refrigerator to set faster.

     

    Cinnamon donuts

    If you favorite donut is one dusted with a cinnamon sugar mixture, brush 1/4 cup melted butter on the top of your cooked donut. Then dip in a mixture of 2 teaspoons cinnamon and 1/3 cup sugar free sweetener.

    Storage information

    Leftover keto donuts can be stored at room temperature either in an air tight container or ziploc bag. You can leave them on the counter but they may dry out after a few days. However, the donut batter should be used right away.

    Keto Krispy Kreme Donuts: FAQS

    How many carbs are in a donut?

    It depends on the type of donut, but generally a plain donut has around 22-25 grams of carbohydrate.

    My donuts fell apart when frying. What happened?

    If your keto donut starts to fall apart or flake off when frying, your oil is too hot. Ideally, the best temperature to fry a low carb donut is at low-medium to medium heat.

    My donut isn't cooked all the way in the center. What happened?

    You didn't let the donut cook long enough if it is still doughy in the center; however, these donuts will continue to dry as they sit out - especially the next day.

    Nutritional information & Macros

    Nutrition Information

    Keto Krispy Kreme Donuts

    Servings: 8

    Amount Per Serving
    Calories 301
    Fat 27.9g
    Protein 8.8g
    Total Carbs 7.3g
    Net Carbs 3.5g

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    35 Comments

    1. I was SO excited to try this recipe and followed it to a T. Unfortunately, my dough was super soft and didn’t cook on the inside by either frying in lard, or by baking in the oven. After the lard failed, I tried the oven and baked for 10 minutes. Nothing. I added 6 minutes. Nothing. I added an additional 10 minutes and the outside browned but the inside was raw. I had thermostats in my oven, so I know it wasn’t my oven temperature that failed. Do you have any suggestions as to what might have gone wrong? I’m a long-time baker who regularly tries new recipes. What might have gone wrong?

      1. I’m sorry you are having trouble with this recipe. Maybe the donut is too big or thick? These donuts do continue to cook and solidify after they sit and cool for a while. By the next day, they should be set.

      2. JP Momma, you could have had your oil at too high of a temp, I am also a passionate cook and I have found when something turns golden but still uncooked in the middle, the oil needs to be turned down. I am trying these tonight and I will let you know how I do. Oh yes, your living location (altitude) plays a big part. Hope this helps.
        M

      3. I wanted to mention I added 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese and additional sweetener, as I tasted a pinch and felt it needed it. I baked mine first, then fried it in avocado oil and it came out perfect. I was able to make ten using my donut mold. Used the glaze for a few and chocolate iced several then used Cinnamon sugar for the last two, my hubbys fave.
        Very rich.

      1. Wow..your doughnuts look amazing. Did you follow the recipe exactly? I am curious about what protein powder you used. I grew up making the fried cake doughnuts so I am very very interested in making these since I am a keto gal now.

    2. I don’t know what went wrong. I followed the directions, using the coconut flour because I didn’t have protein powder. It stayed crumbly and fell apart when I tried rolling it and forming a ring. I even added more water and it didn’t work. I have the worst luck with coconut flour, lol.

    3. Cool, there are no eggs so this recipe can be easily scaled to make fewer than 8 donuts! Saving them for weekend treats, I’m not sure they would keep long enough to eat them all. I can hardly wait to make them.

    4. Sounds wonderful. Why only post NET CARBS?
      Could you please start posting the TOTAL CARB count for those of us that count total carbs?

    5. These are amazing. My batter/dough was the perfect consistency to fill a piping bag and pipe to fill a 7 donut mould tray then baked for 14mins. Perfect. Also love that they don’t contain eggs.

    6. This was AMAZING!!!!!! This recipe was exactly what I was looking for!!!!!
      I divided each ingredient by 4 and it yielded 2 donuts. I used why isolated protein and air fryer.
      I loved the moist, buttery texture and my sour cream donuts craving were instantly fulfilled without any guilty!!!!!!!!!
      I usually don’t comment on anything, but I just wanted to show how much I appreciate you, Annie! This is super easy, quick, healthy, just perfect recipe!
      Thank you!

    7. The taste of the one that didn’t burn was good, the donuts were quite oily. My oil was too hot at the beginning. I started frying them at 180°F but they got burned within a minute. I know you said to fry on medium heat but what temperature should the oil be at when using a cooking thermometer?
      Thanks for sharing your recipes!

      1. I don’t know the exact temperature. Just like with anything that you fry, the first donut is usually a test to see how hot the oil is. If it looks like it starts to burn, then turn it down.

    8. I made these subbing coconut flour for the protein powder and Ratio keto yogurt for the sour cream. I found the dough was too dry to roll to make loops. Made tasty donut holes though. I did it a second time and increased the yogurt slightly and added a t of vanilla to the dough. Still too crumbly to roll. I suspect the coconut flour simply sucks uo way more moisture than the protein powder. Flavors great thought! I dipped the holes in the icing and rolled in unsweetened coconut. My wife and I had them for snacks every evening. Im going to keep playing with the fat and liquid with coconut flour until I can roll donuts. Im going to use sour cream next time.

    9. These donuts were phenomenal!! They were so easy to make and tastes amazing! The entire family loved them, including my non keto 16 year old son. These will forever be my go to donut recipe. Here’s the finished product. I actually baked them in a donut pan for 15 mins and also deep fried them in lard for a few seconds to get a little deep fried crispness. I used Lily’s white choc chips and added a little maple extract to it before dipping them into the icing . I added some pecans and cinnamon sprinkle to some , used some sugar free sprinkles on a few and then switched it up to Lily’s milk choc chips for the rest. https://photos.app.goo.gl/6km5f5wAerKZYBRw5.

    10. These look SO amazing, I definitely have to try them! I was just wondering, is there a different oil that works well for frying these donuts?

    11. Thank you very good. I even added apple cider flavoring seasonings too a few so delicious especial when it cooled!!!!

    12. I have made these many times, and even shared the recipe with my brother and sister-in-law who are doing keto. We eat them almost every week. I have perfected the recipe with other add ins, like ooo donut flavor extract and a dash of nutmeg. I also use egg white protein powder instead of whey protein powder. My relatives have offered to pay me to continue to make these for them.

      However, if I wanted to make these pumpkin flavored, how would you recommend adding a little pumpkin purée? And would that change any of their other liquid ingredients? I know you have a pumpkin donut recipe, but I want to stick with this base recipe because it works so well:)

      THANK YOU!!!! I love recipes that are not just almond flour only. Almond flour only is just bleh.

      1. I would omit the water and use 1/4 cup pumpkin instead. Maybe even drop the butter down to 1/3 cup and use 1/2 cup pumpkin puree

    13. I clicked on the print, and it doesn’t work. I’d like to make these donuts.
      Can someone send me the printable copy please.

      1. If you are directed to the website from Facebook, it won’t let you print. It’s something Facebook blocks, you have to open the web page in a browser like crome or internet explorer.

    14. Omg… im so angry at idk what! I followed every step to the tieee and the donuts dissolved in the pan when frying them. I used the exact same ingredients but idk what went wrong. I also felt the dough was a bit too sandy and hard to work with..

      1. I’m sorry for your frustration. The problem your having is from the temperature of your oil. Your oil was too hot. It needs to be a medium heat, maybe even low medium depending on your source of heat. But if the dough dissolves, the oil is too hot. The dough is sticky, but shouldn’t be gritty unless your almond flour is too coarse. They fry into a perfect cake texture.

    15. As good as any all purpose flour donut but I found it too crumbly I added an egg and that took care of it plus I made mine in a circle like a biscuit and stuck my finger in the middle and used my thumb and fingers to make hole worked great

    16. Same thing happened to me, but I used almond flour. It just disengaged into crumbles when I fried it. Had to make the rest as donut balls in the oven.

      1. Your oil is too hot. It will fall apart if your oil is too hot. Test a piece of dough in the oil before frying, if it starts to fall apart, lower the temperature of the oil.

    17. Great recipe!

      First round, I fried the donut. It came out ok, but it absorbed too much oil.
      Second round, baked them (325) for 11 minutes and then air fried them for 5 minutes (390.) Really good, almost perfect.

      Tomorrow morning, I believe 10 minutes baked (325) and then 5 minutes in air fryer (390) will be perfect.

      Thanks for the recipe.

    18. I wouldn’t say these are reminiscent of a Krispy Kreme donut, but as keto donuts go these are really good.
      I tried the oil method, but they were too well done on the outside and undercooked on the inside. The baking method had a much more predictable outcome. Rather than “medium” heat could you possibly say how hot the oil should be? I would like to try that method again.

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