Unbelievably soft and at just 2g net carbs (!!), these baked keto apple cider donuts will give you true fall flavors with a couple simple tricks! Easy-peasy and all sugar free.
Keto Apple Cider Donuts
Baked & pillowy-soft!
Who said you couldn’t indulge in your favorite fall flavors while on keto?! These little beauties are proof that you surely still can, but without breaking the carb count that is.
They’re so (soooo!) soft, beautifully spiced and with just the right amount of ‘apple’ coming through. For real, this is one of those recipes on the site that will truly make you question “if its keto”.
i.e. an absolute must-make!
For The ‘Apple Cider’
This is the natural apple extract I found to result in incredibly believable results (!!). It’s pretty much like apple juice; and tbh I’m fairly excited to try it in my keto ‘apple’ pie and muffins (even though you don’t technically need it in those, I’m sure it’ll make them even more believable!).
During my trials, I found the optimal quantity of apple extract to be 2 teaspoons. You probably could get away with 3 if really into apples… but definitely don’t go as high as 4 or it’ll taste medicinal (trust me!).
And do keep in mind that regular apple cider donuts are more subtle than ‘in your face’, so resist the temptation to overdo it ;)!
Deets ‘N Tricks
In order to get your donuts looking all nice and neat, I’m going to highly suggest you use a pastry bag (such as these) or simply use a thick plastic bag.
You also don’t need a pastry tip here. Simply cut a 1 inch opening on the bag, pipe it out onto a donut pan as smoothly as you can, and seal the edges gently with a wet fingertip (so the dough doesn’t stick and they rise evenly).
The Sweetener
You’ve got good options here! Allulose is my favorite for best texture and no aftertaste now (you do need to add 30% more though), Lakanto Golden (baked goods with erythritol can have a slight hard texture, still not big deal here though), xylitol (non-corn though to avoid tummy troubles!).
Pyure (an erythritol and stevia blend) is also a good one for muffins and quick breads, particularly if you’re trying to limit your sugar alcohol consumption (it’s added stevia makes it twice as sweet as sugar… i.e. you add half!).
Oh, and if not restricted by sugars, simply sub 1-to-1 with coconut or regular sugar.
And if using xylitol, make sure to be careful if you have a pup (or kitty!) around the house, as it’s highly toxic to the little guys! 
The Flours
These keto apple cider donuts use a mix of super fine almond flour, psyllium husk, golden flaxseed meal and a touch of xanthan gum. (See links for specific brands I use and love).
Just keep in mind that for best texture and rise, you’ll always want to regrind your golden flaxseed meal in a dry blender or bullet. And be sure you’re either using either very finely ground psyllium powder or to regrind your husks!
Oh, and golden flaxseed isn’t the same as normal flaxseed (which results in gummy and dense baked goods).
Looking for more keto donuts? Check out our classic glazed donuts, the pillowy-soft chocolate ones… or how about some donut holes even!
(Baked!) Paleo & Keto Apple Cider Donuts
Ingredients
For the apple cider donuts
- 128 g almond flour
- 44 g golden flaxseed meal
- 18 g psyllium husk powder
- 2 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum or 4 tsp golden flaxseed meal
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2/3 cup allulose or 1 cup xylitol or erythritol
- 1 teaspoon blackstrap molasses totally optional (or use a brown sugar replacement)
- 4 eggs
- 2 teaspoons apple extract *
- 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
- 84 g unsalted grass-fed butter melted and cooled
- 120 g sour cream or coconut cream + 1 TBSP apple cider vinegar (at room temperature)
For the cinnamon 'sugar' coating
- 3 tablespoons unsalted grass-fed butter melted
- 1/4-1/2 cup allulose xylitol or sweetener of choice, to taste
- 1-2 teaspoons ground cinnamon I use 2 tsp!
Special equipment
- donut pan or muffin pan (think donut holes!)
- pastry bag or plastic bag
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F/180°C. Grease and flour (with coconut flour) a donut or muffin pan.
- Add almond flour, flaxseed meal, psyllium husk, baking powder, xanthan gum and salt to a medium bowl. Whisk until thoroughly combined, set aside.
- Add sweetener, molasses (optional) and eggs to a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer for 3-5 minutes until airy, thicker and lighter in color. With the mixer on, add in the apple extract, apple cider vinegar and butter.
- Add in the dry flour mixture in two parts, alternating with the sour cream. Continue to mix for a minute or two until fully incorporated and elastic (the batter will thicken as you mix!).
- Transfer the batter into a piping bag or plastic bag (no tip needed). Cut out bottom of piping bag roughly 1 inch wide. Pipe out dough onto donut pan, wet your finger tip and smooth out where the ends meet (for a more even rise).
- Bake for 23-27 minutes, until golden and a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Watch out after minute 15, and tent with aluminum foil if they begin to overbrown. The donuts will collapse a tad post bake bit, but don't sweat it.
- Allow to rest in pan for 10 minutes before removing. Brush with melted butter and sprinkle with cinnamon 'sugar' coating.
- Store them at room temperature in an airtight container for 3 days.
Question… In the blog you wrote that you love Allulose but you have to use 30% more. In the recipe, you have 2/3c allulose and 1 cup lakanto. Should those be switched?
Love your recipes! Your recipes are the only that I’ll use for baked items <3
I did leave a reply and 5 star review over a wk ago when I made these lil bits of heaven!!! They were AMAZING of course Paola!! Like all You do!! I added some nutmeg, cinnamon and allspice to bring up the apple spice quality and did purchase the apple extract. They were SO DELICIOUS!! No one would ever complain regardless of their dietary proclivities!! I shared with several people and reviews across the board were 5 star!! YOU ROCK!! TY for Your kindness and generosity to share all Your hard work and triumphs with us all!! I sure pray this review actually makes it :-/ I hope to get the money to be able to send for Your pasta wheels!! I want them so bad!! I know if You had anything to do with them, they are amazing!! Maybe some of my Xmas money if I can’t before!! HUGS
OMG, these are phenomenal.
Thank you for another great recipe.
These donuts were incredibly delicious!!!! I love your recipes, so please don’t be mad that I “tweaked”, lol. However, I added a little bit of Oat Fiber and Whey Protein Isolate Powder which gave me a little more lift and I was able to make a batch of donut holes in addition to the donuts. 🙂
I also made a maple glaze instead of dipping butter (using Lakanto maple syrup and powdered sweetener).
Seriously! These are the BOMB! 🙂
QUESTION: I would LOVE to make this into a bundt cake. I’m wondering if I went with 24 servings if that would give me the right amount of batter and not sure how long to bake that…any suggestions that may help? 🙂
WOW!! Outta the park AGAIN Paola!! YOU ROCK!! These are exquisite!! I added 3/4 t each nutmeg & cinnamon & 1/4 t allspice but all else was as directed!! PERFECTION!
Next time I will follow advice You gave some one else about replacing the flax with psyllium to see if they will be a bit less cakey & more dense.
Divine! Just like You Grrrl!! TY & Bless You for all Your hard work You give so freely to all!!
Oooh, these are good! I made half in muffin molds and half in mini-bundt pans. I’m thinking a maple favored frosting would be good!
These were so delicious! I first made them as muffins. Now that I have my donut pans, I made them as donuts. The allulose on the topping is much better!
Fabulous with ricotta cheese and berries for breakfast
Absolutely delish!! Everyone loved them:))
I have a question. I used Carb Manager APP. It tells me that total carbs on Erythritol was 192 grams. Carb Manager does not minus out sugar alcohols. This is a problem. Do you know how to solve this? Maybe another APP?
Need help.
Thanks, Hope
Awesome to hear Hope! And tbh I just leave out the sugar alcohols from the carb count, as nutrition calculators always include it (then I just add the calories). xo!
Another winner from Paola! I actually made these into muffins and they came out perfect! It isn’t fall without apple cider donuts. ❤️
I made these delicious donuts and my family loved them! I do think I will add a little apple pie spice (WITH the extract) next time, for that extra kick. I just have a quick question: I followed the instructions and stored them in an airtight container at room temperature. They were completely cooled before I put them in the container, but by the next morning they were “wet” and a bit soggy. We still ate them, but I’m wondering if I should’ve waited to butter and “sugar” the donuts until we were ready to eat them, instead of doing it all at the same time? Would love your suggestions!
One more note: I did line the bottom of the container with parchment paper for storage.
I use a lot of your recipes and don’t usually post comments but by and large have always been so impressed with the detail of the recipes and the excellent results. But this donut recipe compels me to comment — you are a miracle worker! I made these donuts last week and they came out perfect! Delicious taste and fabulous consistency. I followed the recipe to the “t”, except I added maybe an extra 1/2 tsp of the apple extract. I served them for dessert for two different groups of non-keto friends and everyone was incredibly impressed. Thank you for all the hard work you put into perfecting these recipes and expanding our range of keto options!
Any replacement for flaxseed?
Psyllium works quite well (NOW psyllium powder is the best imo), just expect a bit more dense results xo!
Hi Paola these look fantastic! I’m wondering: is the texture as cakey and dense as “regular” cider donuts?
I like to think so…! But yes, they are tender, moist and cakey 😉
YUM!!! Made these this morning and they came out perfect. I cooked mine for 25 minutes. I didn’t have the sour cream so I used the coconut cream substitute. I also didn’t have apple extract, so I used apple pie spice which worked fine. Highly highly recommend!! Thank you!!
My pleasure Christina, thanks for sharing your subs always love to hear what you guys are up to! 😉
Thank you so much for creating this fabulous taste of fall! Your recipes have allowed me to stay true to this way of eating by allowing me to make the foods I crave!
It’s my absolute pleasure Carol, happy you’re enjoying 😉
Amazing apple cider recipe. Really great recipe, awesome work, thanks for sharing.
By coconut cream are you talking about the fat on the top of the can or melted together? I need to keep this dairy free. Also, can coconut oil or ghee be used in place of butter? Thanks!!
You can indeed use ghee instead! And regarding the coconut cream, yes cream! Think roughly the consistency of actual sour cream, as canned milk will be more water than fat and you’ll offset the balance 😉 xo!
Thank you! I made them before I got your answer. I used the cream on top and used 1/2 ghee and 1/2 coconut oil! They are great.
This looks yummy! I have used this apple extract & did not like it all. It’s flavor overpowered my apple donuts. Can you suggest something else that could be used instead of the Apple extract? I was so disappointed that it did not taste like apples.
Oh no I’m sorry to hear you didn’t enjoy the extract previously Dawn! It’s funny, because another reader commented earlier that she loved it :-S
If anything, I’ve learned that with some of these things it comes a bit to personal taste… but its honestly the best one out of the three I tried (and its also the only one which is natural?).
Given that you didn’t enjoy it though… may I suggest you check out my apple muffins? They don’t use extract at all and you guys rave about them all the time 😉 xo! https://www.gnom-gnom.com/keto-apple-muffins/
I used McCormick Apple Pie Spice & it was MARVELOUS 😁
How much of the apple spice did you use? 2 teasp?
🤯🤯🤯 This just might be my birthday treat!!! I’ve been looking longingly at apple cider donuts for more than two seasons. PAOLA! You’ve went and done it again!!! Have I told you lately how much I love you??? 🥰
Lol Lisa!! I feel like I need to know what your favorite dessert is and see if I can keto-fy it in time for your birthday…!! So do tell me 😉 Big kiss my friend!
I really wish I could tell you! My best guess is whatever dessert I’m eating 😂 I’ve spent so much energy over the course of my life avoiding desserts and feeling guilt-ridden when I did eat them, I’m just having a ton of fun preparing whatever you are posting. I love learning new desserts and techniques. I sincerely value being able to recreate your hocus pocus in my kitchen. That’s at least 50% of the dessert enjoyment for me.
If there’s one thing I would love to have again that I’ve not seen, it would be authentic French macaroons — or maybe chocolate or almond croissants. Of course, I don’t know that I would have the patience to make any of those things. So much work in their original form. Can’t imagine what it would take to keto-fy those.
I’m sure you understood that I was talking about macarons, not macaroons (oops). Big difference 😊
Looks good! Anything I could substitute for the flax seed?
That apple extract is really good! I’ve used it in your apple muffins before and couldn’t tell the difference
Good to hear Mary Anne! 😉
How did you know I was craving apple cider donuts this morning Paola?!!! I can’t even…
Loooool! Hope you love Erica 😉
Do u prefer this donut recipe rather than the pate au choiz chocolate dipped recipe
I totally love the pate au choux one. So light & airy . I like to crush toasted hazelnuts & sprinkle over chocolate before it hardens ..
Hi Karina! They’re two different types of donuts tbh. The others are more like the light and airy classic glazed donuts (like the fried ones!)… while these are more like soft and cakey baked donuts. I hope this helps?