I never would have imagined that making donuts could be so easy.
Granted, these donuts aren’t deep-fried. Frying them probably would prove to be a more challenging task!
These Pumpkin Spice donuts are baked, rather than fried, and can be ready to eat in just about 30 minutes. Made with coconut flour, pumpkin puree, and naturally sweetened with honey, they are definitely a lighter alternative to Krispy Kreme!
Try topping them with granulated coconut sugar, or a homemade glaze, for an extra-special treat.
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Pumpkin Spice Donuts (Grain-Free, Nut-Free)
makes 6 standard donuts
Adapted from Elana’s Pumpkin Muffins
Ingredients:
1/4 cup coconut flour
1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 tablespoons pumpkin pie spice
2 large eggs
1/2 cup pumpkin puree
1/3 cup honey
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Optional: Coconut sugar, for dipping
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350F and grease a standard donut pan generously with coconut oil. In a medium bowl, whisk together the coconut flour, salt, baking soda, and pumpkin pie spice. Add in the eggs, pumpkin puree, honey and vanilla, and mix well. I found that using a wire whisk worked best for creating a smooth batter– it helps break up any coconut flour clumps.
For easy piping, transfer the batter to a plastic storage bag and cut off the tip to make a piping bag! Pipe the batter into each donut well, being careful to not overfill. You don’t want the donut batter to overflow and ruin their shape!
Note: You may have a little extra batter leftover after filling the 6 donut wells. You could bake this excess batter in a ramekin or muffin cup for an extra treat!
Bake at 350F for about 20 minutes, or until golden.
Allow the donuts to cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool.
If you’d like a sugar-coated treat, dip each donut (while they’re still slightly warm) into a dish of granulated coconut sugar.
They are quite delicious this way.
Austin requested a “chocolate glaze” on his pumpkin donuts, so I improvised using the chocolate base from my No-Bake Cookies. (I used maple syrup instead of honey, and omitted the nut butter.)
It probably needs a few more tweaks, but this chocolate glaze did the trick. Coconut butter would probably also make a delicious topping!
However you prefer your donuts and toppings, I hope you’ll enjoy these!
Pumpkin Spice Donuts (Grain-Free, Nut-Free)
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup coconut flour
- 1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 tablespoons pumpkin pie spice
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
- 1/3 cup honey
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Optional: Coconut sugar , for dipping
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F and grease a standard donut pan generously with coconut oil.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the coconut flour, salt, baking soda, and pumpkin pie spice. Add in the eggs, pumpkin puree, honey and vanilla, and mix well. I found that using a wire whisk worked best for creating a smooth batter-- it helps break up any coconut flour clumps.
- For easy piping, transfer the batter to a plastic storage bag and cut off the tip to make a piping bag! Pipe the batter into each donut well, being careful to not overfill. You don't want the batter to overflow and ruin the donut-shape!
- Bake at 350F for about 20 minutes, or until golden. Allow the donuts to cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool.
- If you'd like a sugar-coated treat, dip each donut (while they're still slightly warm) into a dish of granulated coconut sugar.
- Serve warm or at room temperature, and store leftovers in the fridge for best shelf life.
Notes
Nutrition
Calories per donut: 115, Fat: 2g, Carbohydrates: 21g, Fiber: 2g, Protein: 2g
Substitution Notes:
- Do not attempt to substitute any other flour for coconut flour– it is uniquely absorbent! The recipe will not work with any other type of flour.
- Flax eggs will most likely NOT work in this recipe. The result will probably be mushy.
- Maple syrup could be substitute for the honey, but if you’d like to try a sugar-free option, like stevia, you’ll have to experiment. Try adding a bit of extra moisture to compensate for the lack of liquid sweetener.
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Reader Feedback: Have you tried making donuts before? What’s your favorite flavor? I used to LOVE the Pumpkin Spice Donuts from Krispy Kreme! Now, I actually like this recipe better.
yumm i always make my nieces n nephews pumpkin spice donuts that they love just have a lot of ingredients, these look so easy cant wait to try!
I’m definitely making these tonight!! They look delicious.
Wow, you have outdone yourself with these! I wish I had a donut pan!
These look amazing and I love how you dunked them into granulated sugar. What a great idea!
Totally meant coconut sugar 😉
I have been wanting a Pumpkin Doughnut. Can’t wait to try this!
I will be making these tonight 🙂
OH MY GOD. Your recipes never cease to amaze me!! YUM :))
Thanks, Tommy! Hope you enjoy them!
oh my gosh, yum!! i need to get a donut pan asap!
This was a fun recipe to try. My boys love donuts, but I’m not a fan of giving them the ones from the “donut store”, as they call it. I was so glad to have a baked recipe as opposed to fried.
I didn’t have a donut pan, so I used small, round glass Pyrex dishes and used my finger to shape a hole. I used coconut oil to grease the dishes, so they’d slide out easier. They kept their shape and turned out really well. The only thing I’d change is the amount of pumpkin pie spice. It’s a bit much; kind of like a punch to the face, lol!
I made the chocolate glaze per the boys request and they gobbled it up telling me they liked my donuts better than the ones from the store.
I think these would be great with your Maple-Pecan Glaze!
Thanks for the recipe 🙂
I’m so glad your boys enjoyed them! A few people mentioned that they wanted MORE pumpkin spice in my Pumpkin Spice Muffins posted last month, so I did increase the spice in these donuts– we loved ours this way, but maybe my brand of pumpkin spice is less potent than yours!
Glad they worked out, even without the donut pan!
Hi, Megan!
Thanks soooo much for the donut recipe!! We are very much looking forward to healthy donuts!
Do you think I could substitute apple sauce and cinnamon for the puree and spice? Or how about apple sauce and cocoa? I have a large family, Thank G-d, and, you know, variety is the spice of life 🙂
Thank you again for opening the door to healthy treats! We are all enjoying your recipes (even my teenagers!).
All the best,
Faigy
Hey Megan! Thanks for all your yummy recipes! I was wondering if you know of a healthy granola/snack bar. I always give them to my kids when we travel for convenience (and to keep less healthy foods away). I used to buy Larabars, but then I found out they are against labeling GMO’s. I make pretty much every food we eat, but need something in a package while we are away from home. So, if you have any suggestions, I’d love to hear. Thanks!!
Dr Oz no bake energy bars are so good and so easy to make. Enjoy.
Ingredients
1 cup quick-cook oats, uncooked
1/3 cup dried tart cherries
1/2 cup all-natural peanut butter
3 tbsp honey
1 tsp vanilla
Directions
Mix the ingredients together in a bowl.
Spread the mixture in a pan and refrigerate for 2 hours.
Wow! These sound totaly amazing! I really want to get a donut pan now!!! I miss Holey Donuts ever since I found out I was allergic to everything 🙁
We just made these. We made them with flax eggs before I saw the notes about them being mushy. I wouldn’t call them mushy, but they were too soft to get out of the pan looking like a donut (most of them, anyway). I will say, however, that we made a double batch and they were gone in a few minutes with everyone asking for more. Great recipe!!!
I just made these tonight (spent an hour this evening tracking down a donut pan, finally found one at target). They’re awesome. Honestly I’m not a huge pumpkin fan, but the pumpkin flavor doesn’t really come through. I fed them to my mother and she thought they were gingerbread. Anyway, they come out with this perfect most, heavy cake donut texture. I recommend letting them cool before eating!
Also, I melted some white chocolate chips (not exactly “healthy”, I know) and added a teaspoon of half and half to make it thinner, and then dipped the tops of the donuts in that for a very thin coat on top. I’m very pleased with it.
I like it so much, I’m trying to think of a more spring/summer appropriate version… (pumpkin spice doesn’t really seem right in the warmer months)
Hi Megan!
I was wondering if you’ve tried this using stevia??
I’m going to try this over the holidays and I can’t wait! I don’t have a donut pan and am toying with the idea of putting the batter in my waffle make. I’ll post a follow-up if it turns out well. Yummmmm!!!!
Hi Shirlrey, did it work on the waffle maker?
I just made these for the first time today, and loved them!! Just the recipe I have been looking for! The rating button wouldn’t let me select a rating, but this one is definitly worth all 5 stars!! Thank you!! 😀
Megan,
I’m wondering if I could use a muffin tin instead of the donut pan? Would I need to change the time/temperature? Thanks!
You can definitely use a muffin pan, but you’ll have to guess on the baking time since I haven’t tried it myself. I wouldn’t change the oven temp, I’d just extend the time a bit, until the muffins look firm in the middle.
This recipe looks great, however, do you have a healthy substitute for the eggs?
Hey Megan,
I am currently in the process of baking these but they did not come out as a wet batter like pictured above. Instead they came out more like a very moist and firm sponge. I have them in the oven baking now. I’m not sure where I messed up because I didn’t substitute any ingredients and I followed the recipe exactly. Hopefully it works out because it smells amazing!
I hope they worked out for you!
These donuts are divine! I used your maple glaze and crumbled pecans as the glaze, and they were a HUGE hit with my hubby. I will definitely be making these again, and bringing them to social gatherings.
I used the exact ingredients listed above and directions but my batter came out very thick! HELP!
My family and I were just recently put on a grain and sugar free (including honey and maple syrup) diet, Recently meaning 2 days ago. I am thankful I found some good blogs including yours to help through this CRAZY new way of life. Every year I throw a huge Harvest Day Festival at my home for around a 150 people and have a donut tree where the kids “bob” for donuts. I have spent the last several hours looking for a donut recipe that is both grain and sugar free for my 3 kids so they don’t feel left out from the activity. Not ever having worked with liquid stevia (the only sweetener we can have) I was wondering if you knew if there was a way you can substitute that for honey or maple syrup?! I would greatly appreciate any ideas. Thanks again for all the recipes you have blogged it has already been a help
I just made these and they were perfect!! I love the recipe because of the solid REAL ingredients ~ so thank you! I stumbled upon this recipe and began to make them right away…..assuming I had all the ingredients(oops!!) I found no pumpkin in my pantry(how could this be its october??) so I subbed unsweetened applesauce. No honey….so I quick soaked 5 dates and squished to a paste and then had to transfer everything to the food processor for a better blending…in my haste I forgot the vanilla! I have one of those mini donut makers – popped the batter in there and wow!! They were yummy warm and cooled, no frosting needed for me! Very much like a muffin texture…which I love!! It made 10 mini’s, I just ate 5 – I’m stuffed 😉 best breakfast ever! looking forward to using the pumpkin and vanilla next time!
Hi Megan!
This recipe looks superb. I am looking to buy a donut pan, and was wondering if you have experience using this recipe for mini donuts? How would you alter the cooking time or temperature? I am gluten and dairy free but would love to bring these into work!
I love your recipes! Can the eggs be substituted with flax eggs to make this a vegan recipe?
Can you use almond flour in place of coconut flour?
Has anyone made these with a successful substitution for the eggs? How about an egg replacer like ener-g? Would love to make these for the kids, but can’t use eggs 🙂
Hello, I was wondering if I could use this recipe on my blog if I added the link to your blog. Thanks!
-Genevieve
I ask that people don’t re-post my recipes on other sites, but you are welcome to share one of my photos on your blog with a link back to the full recipe on my site.
I’m wondering about the eggs sub as well?? Just found out my little man is not supposed to be eating eggs or wheat (he has a low allergy to eggs. but better safe than sorry). I have a sensitivity to pumpkin, but I love it anyway, lol! In my bread baking, I can usually sub in applesauce for the eggs, but not sure for doughnuts.
After seeing this recipe, I’ve obsessed about finding a donut pan, which I finally found today. I did substitute flax eggs for the eggs and increased the coconut flour 2 more tablespoons….Fantastic!! Thanks so much…wish I could post a photo of them here before they are all gone. Making another batch for my mom who has recently gone gluten free…
I actually bought a donut pan after seeing this recipe. I just made them this morning and they are delicious. I dipped them in a mix of coconut sugar and cinnamon. Yum!
I just made these as a muffin version with your cashew frosting, and my fiance and I were so impressed. I’ve been fiddling with coconut flour but never seem to get it right in recipes so far, but these were a success! The muffins came out so moist!
I made these with quinoa flour, doubling the amount of flour. They rose nicely and tasted great, though I suspect coconut flour would taste better.
These were awful….I should have followed my gut and not used the 2Tablespoons Pumpkin Pie Spice!!!! Taste like I used Cayenne!!! Not enough liquids either since I’m following THM. Used almond milk and water, and Stevia…otherwise, they may have been delish but my nose is running and my mouth is on fire!!!!
Well….I take it all back!! I just made a different recipe using my Pumpkin Pie Spice (1 t) and it’s hot too… I got out another Pumpkin Pie Spice I had and…..it was Cayenne I had used!! Someone, or me, had put it in a Pumpkin Pie Spice container and not re-labelled it!!! Sooo, I take it all back and will try these again! Not right now, but later….I’m too mad since my Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal Bake is not pumpkiny but hot.. 🙁
I made these yesterday, and they were wonderful! They were the perfect weight and texture, and the balance of sweet and spice was exactly the way that I like it. I only got 5 donuts and not 6 so I was a little worried, but they turned out delightfully good. The perfect way to remind myself that fall is coming during the 100+ heatwave. Will definitely make them again soon.
I made these this morning for breakfast and they were amazing! Perfect amount of sweetness, spice, and surprisingly moist! Only change I made was I swapped out the honey for maple syrup for a few less grams of carbs per serving, and I left them plain. Absolutely delicious with my cup of coffee. Thank you for sharing!
I was curious if you have the nutritional information
This cannot be considered nut free. It has coconut. Nut is in the word.
“Coconut is not a botanical nut; it is classified as a fruit, even though the Food and Drug Administration recognizes coconut as a tree nut. While allergic reactions to coconut have been documented, most people who are allergic to tree nuts can safely eat coconut. If you are allergic to tree nuts, talk to your allergist before adding coconut to your diet.” – From the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology http://acaai.org/allergies/types/food-allergies/types-food-allergy/tree-nut-allergy
Hey Amanda, coconut allergies are on my radar, too. Maybe buckwheat flour?
Thank you for a wonderful recipe to pass on to people who would love a no guilt donut! After two batches I used up all my pumpkin pie spice. I decided to also try using 2 Tablespoons of unsweetened cocoa powder in place of the pie spice. This chocolate version was also delicious. For sweetener in both I used 1/4 c. maple syrup plus 1 T. water. Imade the chocolate donuts late at night. After removing from the pan I left them on the cooling rack till the next morning. They were perfect–not dried out at all.
After making a few more batches of these donuts, I have found a couple more ways to form them in the donut pan–because I don’t care for washing or tossing the corner cut used baggies. A regular sized ice cream scoop works good to get donut batter evenly distributed–just plop a mound on each space, use finger or spatially to spread a bit (but to too much), then run a finger around the little center area. I happened to have a Pampered Chef Easy Accent Deorator gadget (that I never used until now). I inserted the largest decorator tip, filled the tube and easily piped the batter in the donut forms. Both of these methods made for easier cleanup and did not waste a bit of batter as with the baggie.
Right after turning the chocolate version out on cooling rack, I put 2 chocolate chips on each warm donuts–the smooth side which was on bottom of donut form. A few minutes later the chocolate chips were melty and easily spread with finger or small spatula to make a quickie frosting. At this point could dip in sprinkles if desired.
Have been making both the pumpkin pie spice and chocolate versions a couple of times a week ever since I happened onto your wonderful recipe. I often double or triple the recipe–grandkids love them! Mini non-stick bundt pans make the donuts look like fancy french donuts–and since they are little individual pans I can use one or more as needed for extra batter. I also acquired a stoneware Pampered Chef mini-bundt pan with six “donut wells”. I brush the stoneware pan with coconut oil (as I do the other pans). The metal non-stick variety eventually lose their non-stick quality. The stoneware on the other hand will last forever and just gets more and more non-stick!. The donuts always tip right out–no sticking at all. I use different size ice-cream scoops–depending on size of donut and just trace around the center with my finger to clear the middle.
My batter was not liquidy at all. Not sure what happened.
LOVE! My oldest is allergic to cinnamon so we used other spices.Currently enjoying one with some chamomile tea <3
Glad you’re enjoying them!
Is it really 2 tablespoons of pumpkin spice or should it be 2 teaspoons
Can you freeze them after they are baked?
Just discovered your blog. Omg these are delicious!!! Officially a fan!