The Instant Pot's steam gives these keto donuts a spongy, moist texture baking can't match — 4.6g net carbs each. Each one gets dipped in a sugar-free chocolate glaze that snaps when you bite through it.
I started making these in the pressure cooker because I was curious whether the steam would give them a better texture than baking. It does. The inside stays soft and spongy in a way that oven-baked donuts just don't. I've since tested the oven method too (350 degrees, about 18-20 minutes), and those come out a little more set, a little drier on the edges. Not bad, but if you have a pressure cooker sitting on the counter, the difference is worth it.
The batter is straightforward. Almond flour and protein powder handle the structure since there are no eggs in this recipe. I tested a version with eggs early on and the texture was too cakey, more muffin than donut. Without them, you get something lighter. Monk fruit sweetener keeps the carbs low without the aftertaste you get from some sugar alternatives. Any low carb protein powder works here as long as it's unflavored or vanilla.
One thing that will seem wrong the first time: the donuts come out wet. Like, visibly moist on the surface. That threw me off too. But within a few hours they dry to a spongy, cake-like texture, and by the next day they're exactly where you want them. Wrapping each mold with aluminum foil before cooking helps reduce that initial moisture if it bothers you.
The chocolate glaze is my favorite part. It's just sugar free chocolate chips and coconut oil melted together, but it sets into a shell that actually snaps when you bite through it. That snap is what makes these feel like real donuts to me. I let the dipped ones sit on a wire rack for about 10 minutes and the coating firms up completely.
I always keep a batch in the fridge. They hold up for a full week, and honestly they're better cold. The glaze firms up completely and the inside gets denser in a good way. If you're into keto baked goods, I've tested a lot of donut variations on this site. My classic glazed version is the closest I've gotten to a Krispy Kreme. The churro donut holes are what I make when I want something cinnamon-coated. And the jelly donuts are surprisingly good once you get the filling technique down.
The recipe makes 9. I usually double it because they go fast, especially when the kids see the chocolate glaze come out. Just use two sets of silicone molds and run two batches back to back.
How to Make Keto Donuts in the Instant Pot
I use the pressure cooker instead of a deep fryer or oven because the steam keeps these donuts soft and spongy without drying them out. The texture is more like a steamed cake than a typical baked donut, which is exactly what I want from something that doesn’t use regular flour.
I love having a batch in the fridge for when a sweet craving hits. The recipe makes 9, but I usually double it because they don’t last long. Monk fruit sweetener is my go-to here since it doesn’t spike blood sugar, which matters when you’re eating low carb.
What is an Instant Pot?
If you haven’t used your pressure cooker for baking yet, this is a great place to start. I was surprised how well the steam environment works. These come out lighter and fluffier than anything I’ve pulled from my oven, and you don’t have to worry about over-browning or checking them every five minutes. If you like this method, my Instant Pot egg bites use the same silicone mold setup.
Protein Powder
I use protein powder in these to handle the structure since there are no eggs. Without it, the batter is too loose and the donuts collapse in the center. ZeroCarb Protein Powder by IsoPure is what I reach for because it’s genuinely zero carb and doesn’t add flavor. Any low carb protein powder works, though. I’ve also used the same flour blend in my almond flour pancakes, and it performs the same way: tender crumb, holds its shape.
Silicone Donut Molds
I press the batter into silicone donut molds, filling each one about three-quarters full so the batter doesn’t overflow during cooking. The molds sit on the trivet inside the pot, which keeps them off the bottom and lets heat circulate evenly. Silicone molds make popping the donuts out effortless, especially once they’ve cooled for about 10 minutes. I tried metal pans once and spent more time prying them out than it took to make the batter.
Sugar Free Chocolate
The glaze is just ChocZero sugar free chocolate chips and a tablespoon of coconut oil, melted together. The coconut oil thins the chocolate enough to dip easily, and it sets into a smooth shell that actually cracks when you bite through it. I heat mine in 30-second bursts in the microwave, stirring between each round. Over-melting makes the chocolate seize up, so go slow. If you want another chocolate-dipped option, my chocolate glazed donuts use a similar technique with an oven-baked base.
Tips for Best Instant Pot Donuts
A few things I’ve learned from making these over and over:
If you don’t have whey protein powder, coconut flour works as a substitute. You’ll get the same fluffy, moist texture with either one.
Let the donuts cool for at least 10 minutes before you try to remove them from the molds. They’re fragile when hot.
They will look wet when you pull them out. That’s normal. The moisture evaporates within a few hours, and by the next day the texture is spongy and cake-like. Wrapping each mold with aluminum foil before cooking helps reduce that initial wetness.
To a medium bowl, whisk together almond flour, protein powder, sweetener, baking powder, xanthan gum and salt.
2
Add wet ingredients
Pour in melted butter, sour cream and hot water. Mix until just combined.
3
Fill donut molds
Spray each silicone donut mold with cooking spray. Grab a ball of dough and press it into each mold, filling it about 3/4 of the way.
4
Set up pressure cooker
Place a trivet into the liner of the pressure cooker. Pour 1 cup of water into the liner. Place the molds on top of the trivet.
5
Pressure cook
Pressure cook high for 12 minutes. Allow pressure to release naturally for 2 minutes before venting to release the remaining pressure. Once cool enough to touch, remove the donuts from the silicone molds and let cool on a wire rack. Donuts will still be moist, but will firm up once they dry.
6
Coat with chocolate glaze
To make the chocolate glaze, melt the keto chocolate chips and coconut oil in a small bowl using a microwave. Cook at 30 second intervals, stirring in between, until melted. Dip each donut into the melted chocolate and let sit on a wire rack to set the chocolate glaze. Top with nuts, sprinkles or more chocolate.
Nutrition
Per serving: 1 donut
Calories
365
Fat
33.6g
Protein
7.8g
Total carbs
18.9g
Net carbs
4.6g
Nutrition is an estimate calculated from the ingredients listed. Brands vary, so check labels if you track closely.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I bake these in a regular oven instead of the pressure cooker?
I've done it both ways. Set your oven to 350 degrees and bake in the silicone molds for 18-20 minutes. The oven version comes out a little more firm and set, while the pressure cooker gives a softer, spongier center. Both taste good, but I prefer the pressure cooker texture. If you're making these for someone who likes a denser donut, the oven is actually the better call.
Why are my donuts wet when I take them out?
This is totally normal and it freaked me out the first time too. The steam inside the pressure cooker leaves the surface damp. I let mine sit on a wire rack for a few hours and the moisture evaporates on its own. By the next morning, they have a spongy, cake-like texture that's actually better than right out of the pot. If you want to reduce the wetness from the start, wrap each filled mold with aluminum foil before cooking.
Can I use a different flour instead of almond flour?
I've tested coconut flour as a swap, and it works, but you need way less of it. Coconut flour absorbs a lot more liquid, so I use about a third of the amount. The texture comes out slightly denser but still good. I wouldn't use oat fiber or flax meal here since they change the crumb too much.
What can I use instead of monkfruit sweetener?
I've used erythritol and it works fine, though I find it has a slight cooling aftertaste that monkfruit doesn't. Allulose is another option I like because it browns a little and keeps the batter moist. I'd stay away from liquid stevia for this one since the batter needs the bulk that a granulated sweetener provides.
How should I store these, and can I freeze them?
I keep mine in an airtight container in the fridge and they hold up for a full week. For freezing, I separate them with parchment paper, drop them in a freezer bag, and they're good for about two months. When I reheat from frozen, I microwave for 20-25 seconds. The glaze gets a little soft but firms back up once it cools.
Can I make these dairy-free?
I've swapped the butter for coconut oil and it works well. The coconut oil adds a subtle flavor that pairs nicely with the chocolate. For the sour cream, I've used coconut cream as a substitute and the texture stayed the same. Just make sure your protein powder is dairy-free too if you're going fully plant-based.
How do I make a double batch?
I double this all the time. Just use two sets of silicone molds and run them through the pressure cooker in two rounds. The batter holds up fine while the first batch cooks. I also double the glaze and melt it all at once since it's easier to dip that way. If you want the opposite (just one for yourself), try my single serve version instead.
Can I make different flavors with this base recipe?
I've tried a few variations that work well. Adding a teaspoon of cinnamon and a sprinkle of granulated sweetener on top gives you a cinnamon sugar version. For a pumpkin spice twist, I mix in a tablespoon of pumpkin puree and half a teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice. My apple cider donuts use a similar base with a completely different flavor profile if you want something seasonal.
Three years keto and I’d basically written off donuts after too many dense, disappointing batches. The steam in the Instant Pot is what makes this different. You get that spongy pull inside instead of the heavy crumb that usually means something went wrong. First bite and I actually stopped moving. 4.6 net carbs, and the glaze snaps the way it should. Didn’t think I’d ever say that about a keto donut.
Protein powder in a donut recipe is usually my cue to close the tab. Read the headnotes anyway. Annie tells you the actual why, not just what to do. The sour cream does more work in this dough than I expected.
The Foodi runs at the same psi so 12 minutes should work. What I’d watch is the release, not the cook time. Natural for 5 minutes then quick release, straight quick release can deflate them before the texture sets.
Steam is the argument I didn’t know I needed. Baked keto donuts always end up dense or falling apart, nothing in between. Twelve minutes in the pressure cooker and you get that spongy center that actually holds its shape. The chocolate glaze snaps when you bite through it. Doesn’t feel like settling.
Made these last weekend, good, but way denser than I expected. Followed the 12-min cook and 2-min natural release exactly. Wondering if I used too much xanthan gum or overworked the dough?
Both of those can do it, but my first guess is the xanthan gum. Two teaspoons is already on the higher end, so even a little extra tips them from spongy to dense. Mix just until the dough comes together and stop there.
Took three batches to sort out the protein powder situation. Vanilla versus unflavored isn’t a minor swap, it changes the whole dough. Vanilla’s sweet enough that you can pull back on the monkfruit a teaspoon or so, and it handles the almond flour chalky aftertaste that was driving me nuts in the early rounds. The wet-hands thing came later, by accident basically. Dry hands and half the dough sticks to your fingers. Wet hands and it drops right into each mold and holds the ring shape through pressure cooking. Fourth batch was where both things clicked and I finally got donuts that actually looked like donuts.
The chalky almond flour thing is real, and vanilla protein powder is exactly what fixes it. Wet hands should probably be in the recipe notes, and now I have a reason to add it.
Made these specifically because I didn’t want the oven running in this heat. They came out good, though I think I’ll scale back the xanthan gum a touch next time because mine were denser than what the photos show. The chocolate glaze sets up nicely after a few minutes in the fridge, that part worked perfectly.
My daughter is dairy-free, so I’m trying to swap both the sour cream and butter without wrecking the texture. Coconut cream seems like the obvious sub for sour cream since the fat is similar, but I’m less sure about the butter — steam cooking might behave differently than regular baking. Would vegan butter hold up in the Instant Pot?
Coconut cream for the sour cream works, I’ve done that swap and the texture holds up. For the butter, I’d use coconut oil instead of vegan butter. More reliable in the Instant Pot, and the coconut flavor actually pairs well with the chocolate glaze.
My son walked in, saw the Instant Pot, and immediately started explaining why donuts don’t come from a pressure cooker. He stopped mid-sentence when he bit through the chocolate glaze. Next batch I’m doubling it, nine is not enough.
Used vanilla protein powder and threw in a teaspoon of cinnamon with the dry ingredients and the dough smelled so good before it even went in the Instant Pot. The glaze still snapped and there was this warm spice underneath I wasn’t expecting at all. Still getting my natural release timing right but these are going in my spring rotation.
Cinnamon straight into the dry mix is the right call. For the release, I do 3 minutes natural then flip to quick. Longer than that is usually why they come out wet.
Made these yesterday and they were pretty good but mine came out a little denser than I expected (thought the steam would make them fluffier). Is that the xanthan gum amount or did I maybe overmix the dough?
Overmixing is usually it. Once the wet hits the dry I barely stir, just until it comes together. Lumps are fine. If you also packed the xanthan gum into the spoon that could push it dense too, but I’d check the mixing first.
Third time through and I finally stopped rushing the mold-filling step. Chilled the dough for about 10 minutes before pressing it in and the rings held their shape so much cleaner going into the Instant Pot. The chocolate glaze snapped on every single one instead of that soft pull you get when they’re still warm. Worth the wait.
