(1/2g net carb!) Baked Keto Donut Holes

(1/2g net carb!) Baked Keto Donut Holes

Unbelievably soft, incredibly tasty and just 0.5g net carb a pop! These are the tastiest gluten free and keto donut holes you’ll ever make, guaranteed!

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword dairy free donut holes, gluten free donut holes, keto donut holes, keto doughnut holes

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 35

Resting Time 15

Total Time 40

Servings donut holes

Calories 38kcal

Ingredients

For the keto donut holes

64 g almond flour
28 g coconut flour
1 tablespoon psyllium husk very finely ground
1 teaspoon xanthan gum
240 ml water
57 g grass-fed unsalted butter or coconut oil/ghee
3 tablespoons erythritol or xylitol*
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
3 eggs lightly beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon baking powder

For the glaze

1/2 cup powdered erythritol or powdered sweetener
1 teaspoon heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
water as needed (about 1 tablespoon)

For the cinnamon 'sugar' coating

2 tablespoons grass-fed unsalted butter or ghee/coconut oil, melted
1/2 cup allulose xylitol or sweetener of choice, to taste
2 teaspoons cinnamon to taste

Special equipment

pastry bag or plastic bag
donut hole pan optional

Metric - US Cups

Instructions

See recipe video for guidance!
Preheat oven to 425°F/220°C. Grease and flour (with coconut flour) a donut hole pan. Alternatively, line a baking tray with parchment paper or a baking mat (see reference pictures in post).
Whisk together in a medium bowl almond flour, coconut flour, psyllium husk and xanthan gum. Set aside.
Heat up water, butter, sweetener and salt in medium pot (or Dutch oven) until it just begins to simmer. Lower heat to low and add in flour mixture, mixing constantly to incorporate. Continue to cook and stir until the dough pulls away from the pan and forms into a ball, 1-3 minutes.
Transfer dough back to the bowl and allow to cool for 5-10 minutes. The dough should still be warm, but not hot enough to scramble the eggs. And if you have an instant thermometer, temperature should be below 125°F/52°C.
Add in one egg at a time, mixing with an electric mixer at medium/high speed until fully incorporated (if using a stand mixer, use the paddle attachment). Be sure to mix the dough for 2 minutes after adding in the last egg; the final texture should be very elastic. Mix in vanilla extract and baking powder. .
Allow the dough to rest until it comes to room temperature (about 15-20 minutes). I've come to realize this is a very important step to keep your donut (holes) from deflating post bake; the donuts will rise a bit less but hold their shape.
Spoon dough into a piping bag or plastic bag (no tip needed). Cut out bottom of piping bag 1.5 cm (1/2 inch) wide. Pipe out dough onto donut hole pan, or onto prepared parchment paper. Wet your finger tip slightly and smooth out the top (for a more even rise).
Bake for 15 minutes at 425°F/220°C, lower temperature to 350°F/180°C and continue to bake for 17-20 minutes until deep golden. Do not open your oven door before the first 20 minutes (or at all if possible!), as choux pastry is notoriously sensitive to drafts. Allow to rest in pan for 10 minutes before removing.

For the glaze (or coating!)

Sift powdered sweetener onto a bowl. Whisk in the heavy cream, vanilla extract, and water (a teaspoon at a time!) until desired consistency is reached. The glaze should be thick, but pourable (I like to use my fingertip here to test for thickness!).
Alternatively, feel free to brush with melted butter and roll in the cinnamon 'sugar'.
These are best enjoyed still warm and freshly glazed, but they keep quite well for a day or two stored in an airtight container at room temperature.

Video

Notes

As many of you seasoned bakers know, the batter for these keto donut holes is inspired by a traditional choux pastry. It's light, fluffy, absolutely delicious, and honestly very easy... but it is a bit finicky and known to deflate under certain circumstances, so be sure to check out these tips!

The most common reason for deflating choux pastry is excess liquid. This can come in the form of too large eggs (just try using 2 rather than 3!), be sure you're cooking your dough long enough that it actually forms into a ball (see video), and make sure your oven is calibrated to the correct temperature (or just get a cheap oven thermometer- like most pros do anyways!).
You also want to be sure your dough is below 125°F/52°C before beating in the eggs. It can take anywhere from 5 to 10 minutes, depending on your room temperature. Otherwise you could be curdling your first egg (or two), leading to a lack of structure = deflating donuts.
Allow your final choux dough to come to room temperature before transferring to a piping bag. I've come to realize this is a very important step to keep your donut (holes) from deflating post bake; the donuts will rise a bit less but hold their shape great.
And last, but not least, be gentle! Refrain from opening your oven for the first 20 minutes... and if possible don't open it at all! Definitely be careful to not slam your oven door (I know mine has a tendency to do that), and be gentle when taking them out of the oven. Don't have your A/C blasting, keep doors closed, etc... i.e. ensure there are no drafts!

What to do if yours deflate?! Turn them into French toast (for real!). During my latest experiments to see what was causing the pastry to deflate, I ended up with a lot of 'mistakes'... and it turns out that they make the most delicious French toast bites ever (and you'll come back raving about it either way lol!).

Please note that nutrition facts were estimated for the donut holes only at 0.5g net carbs (so you accommodate for your topping of choice). I found a batch to yield 30. Still, most toppings add very little (i.e. negligible) carbs.

Nutrition