Keto Apple Cider Donuts
Published October 16, 2025 • Updated February 28, 2026
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I can't stop making these keto apple cider donuts: soft, buttery, rolled in cinnamon "sugar," with just 1 net carb each. I use apple extract to nail that cider-shop flavor without the carbs from real apples.
I’ve made a lot of keto donuts over the years, from Krispy Kreme copycats that can fool your local donut shop to cinnamon-coated churro bites I eat straight off the pan. But these apple cider donuts are my new favorite. They’ve got that classic apple orchard vibe: warm, buttery, and coated in cinnamon “sugar.” And unlike most versions that lean dry or crumbly, these are soft, fluffy, and hit that sweet spot between sweetness and spice.
I originally created this recipe for ChocZero and coated the bites in their sugar-free white chocolate, but they turned out so good that I knew I had to share the recipe with you too. The cinnamon “sugar” coating is my favorite version though. Something about butter plus cinnamon plus a warm donut that just works.
What sets this recipe apart
- No apples or apple juice: I recreated that nostalgic cider flavor without apples or juice (which would spike the carbs). Instead, I use apple extract. It’s the secret ingredient that gives these donuts their cozy, cider-like aroma. I’ve tried a few different brands over the years and LorAnn’s is the one that actually tastes like real apples without any weird chemical aftertaste. A teaspoon is all you need.
- Fluffy, puffy and perfect texture: The dough includes a mix of almond flour and unflavored whey protein isolate (I use Isopure Zero Carb), which helps them puff up like traditional cake donuts while keeping them gluten-free and high in protein. Each one has about 1 net carb and 5 grams of protein, so yes, you can totally have seconds.
- No coconut flour: Most low-carb versions rely on coconut flour or dense nut-based batters that end up feeling more like muffins than donuts. These bake up light and tender thanks to the whey protein and a touch of xanthan gum, which mimics the structure you’d get from gluten. Once they’re brushed with melted butter and rolled in a cinnamon-sweetener blend, they hit that balance of crisp outside, soft inside.
Whether you’re missing your annual pumpkin patch donut fix or just need something warm with your morning coffee, these have you covered. They’re sturdy enough to toss in a lunchbox or bring to a friend’s house, too. One reader, Hannah, brought a batch to a brunch potluck and three people asked for the recipe before they finished eating. I make these almost every weekend in the fall, and my kitchen smells like an apple orchard the rest of the day. If you love fall baking, try my apple fritters, pecan pie muffins, or almond flour pancakes with a little cinnamon on top.
Tips before you start
Explore 683+ keto recipe videos with step-by-step instructions, tips, and tricks to make keto easy.
Keto Apple Cider Donuts Ingredients
1 cup almond flour -
1/2 cup whey protein powder
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1 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
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1 teaspoon xanthan gum
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1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
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1/2 teaspoon salt
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1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
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2 tablespoons sour cream
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2 tablespoons hot water
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1 teaspoon apple extract
Sugar-free Cinnamon Coating Ingredients
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2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
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1/4 cup sugar-free sweetener
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1 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Step by Step Instructions
Step by Step Instructions
Preheat oven and mix dry ingredients
Preheat oven to 325°F. In a large bowl, mix together almond flour, protein powder, baking powder, xanthan gum, cinnamon and salt.
- 1 cup almond flour
- 1/2 cup unflavored whey protein powder
- 1 ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon xanthan gum
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Add wet ingredients
Add in melted butter, sour cream, hot water and apple extract. Mix until combined.
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 2 tablespoons sour cream
- 2 tablespoons hot water
- 1 teaspoon apple extract
Roll the donut holes
Pinch off a small amount of dough and roll between the palms of your hands to form a ball about 1 inch in diameter. Place on a parchment lined baking tray. Repeat with remaining dough.
Bake the donuts
Bake in a 325 degree oven for 6-8 minutes. Let cool completely before rolling in the coating.
Cinnamon 'sugar' mixture
While the donuts are cooling, prepare the coating. In a small bowl, mix together sugar-free sweetener and cinnamon.
- 1/4 cup sugar-free sweetener
- 1 ¼ teaspoons ground cinnamon
Nutrition disclaimer
The nutrition information provided is an estimate and is for informational purposes only. I am a Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.); however, this content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your physician or other qualified health provider before making any lifestyle changes or beginning a new nutrition program.
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Get My Macros + Recipes →Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use a different protein powder or skip it entirely?
I use Isopure Zero Carb whey isolate and it gives the best puff and texture. I use the same protein in my instant pot donuts too. I've also tested egg white protein, which works but makes them a little softer and denser. If you want to skip protein powder entirely, try coconut flour, but cut the amount to about 1/4 cup since it absorbs way more liquid. The texture will be heavier, closer to a muffin than a donut.
Do I need to use apple extract?
I tried making these without it once, and they just tasted like cinnamon donuts. Good, but missing that fall orchard flavor. The apple extract is what makes the whole recipe work. A little goes a long way. I use about a teaspoon and it's enough to perfume the whole batch.
Can I make these without xanthan gum?
I've made them both ways. Without xanthan gum, they hold together but they're more fragile and tend to crumble when you coat them in butter. The xanthan gum gives that slightly chewy, soft bite that makes them feel like a real donut. If you skip it, just be extra gentle when rolling them in the coating.
Can I bake these in a mini donut pan instead of making donut holes?
I use a mini donut pan all the time. It cuts the bake time to about 8 minutes and gives you that classic ring shape. Grease the pan with butter first, then a light spray of oil. The biggest tip: pop them out while they're still slightly warm. If they cool completely in the pan, they can stick. My chocolate glazed donuts use the same pan if you want another recipe to justify buying one.
What sweetener works best for the cinnamon coating?
I typically use a monk fruit blend for the coating, but I've also tested allulose. Allulose gives the smoothest texture because it doesn't have the cooling effect you sometimes get with erythritol. If you go with erythritol, the coating is slightly crunchier, which some people actually prefer. Any granulated sweetener that measures 1:1 with sugar works here.
Can I make these nut-free?
I haven't tested a nut-free version of this exact recipe myself, but I've had readers swap the almond flour for sunflower seed flour with good results. You'd use the same amount. The flavor changes slightly (sunflower flour has an earthier taste), but the cinnamon coating covers most of that. If you try it, I'd love to hear how yours turn out.
How many net carbs per donut?
I calculated about 1 net carb per donut hole using Isopure whey isolate and a monk fruit sweetener. Your count will vary a little depending on which protein powder and sweetener you use. Each one also has about 5 grams of protein, so I grab 3 or 4 without thinking twice. A full batch gives me around 24 donut holes.
Batch six and I finally figured it out: roll them while they're still warm, not fully cooled. The cinnamon sticks so much better and you get this thick, even shell that actually lets the apple extract come through. Repeat offender reporting in.
Growing up we went to this cider mill every October, the kind where you watch them press apples through a window and the whole building smells like warm cinnamon and fresh-pressed cider. I haven't been back in years and hadn't really let myself think about it since going keto. Made these Tuesday on a snow day and when the apple extract hit the warm dough in the bowl, I just stopped and stood there for a second. The bake was spot on for me at exactly 7 minutes, edges barely golden and pulling just slightly away from the pan. Rolling them while still slightly warm let the cinnamon coating stick way better than waiting for a full cool (learned that by accident with batch one). Four stars only because I want a stronger apple hit next time, which honestly just means an extra half teaspoon of extract. Already planning batch two for this weekend.
The warm rolling thing is real, I should have put that in the recipe. Half tsp more extract will do it, just go slowly, it flips to artificial pretty fast.
Browned the butter instead of just melting it and it completely changed the depth on these. That nutty layer against the apple extract is something else. Also threw a pinch of cardamom into the cinnamon coating and now they read so much more like an actual cider mill donut. One more tip: pull them right at 6 minutes if your oven runs hot, the texture is way better than going the full 8.
Browned butter is better here, I just never wrote it that way. Cardamom in the coating is a nice call for that actual cider mill effect.
Brought these to a brunch potluck last weekend and three people asked for the recipe before we even finished eating. I used a mini donut pan and the apple extract really does make them taste like the real thing. One friend said she couldn't believe they were low carb until I showed her the recipe on my phone.
Mini donut pan cuts the bake time down to like 8 minutes too. The apple extract is what makes it actually taste like fall instead of just cinnamon.
The apple extract really comes through without tasting artificial.
Right? I've tried a few different brands and LorAnn's is the one that actually tastes like real apples. Some of the cheaper ones have that weird chemical aftertaste.