Donut Holes

These Cinnamon Donut Holes are soft, light, melt-in-your mouth delicious and easy to make with just a few simple ingredients with a sweet cinnamon sugar coating. The perfect healthy breakfast or no bake afternoon treat! Paleo, gluten-free, vegan, and can also be baked in the oven or air fryer.  

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No Bake Donut Hole recipe

Craving some donuts but don’t feel like using the deep fryer? These Cinnamon Donut Holes are easy to make in just one bowl and bake up in under 10 minutes in the oven or air fryer.

Made with wholesome paleo-friendly ingredients and healthy enough for breakfast or any time you’re craving a donut. They’re soft, light and coated in a delicious cinnamon sugar topping and melted coconut icing.

Why we love this easy donut hole recipe

• gluten-free, dairy-free, paleo and grain-free
• easy to make and customize with low carb or keto sweetener options
• perfect for breakfast on the go or an after dinner dessert
• can enjoy as a no bake treat
• includes instructions for oven and air fryer

Ingredients you need

Wet Ingredients

• Flax Egg: you’re going to combine one tablespoon of ground flaxseeds plus 2 1/2 Tablespoons water. Let the mixture sit for 5 minutes, or until thickened. You can also sub with a chia egg (one tablespoon ground chia seeds plus 2 1/2 Tablespoons water) or 3 Tablespoons unsweetened applesauce or mashed banana (this will change the flavor though)
• Softened Coconut Oil: be sure to use refined coconut oil if you don’t want any coconut flavor. You could also use vegan butter or ghee if not dairy-free or vegan.
• Granulated Maple Sugar: a lower glycemic sweetener that mimics the taste of brown sugar. To make this pumpkin cake keto, simply swap with another brown sugar substitute. We like Lakanto Golden Monk Fruit Sweetener but Swerve or erythritol will work as well.
• Pure Vanilla Extract: balances out the sweetness and adds amazing flavor.

Dry Ingredients

• Super fine blanched almond flour + Coconut flour: our favorite paleo and low carb flours we like to use for the right structure in place of white wheat flour

• Cinnamon and Fine Grain Sea Salt: balances out the sweetness and adds amazing flavor.
• Baking powder: helps the donut holes rise. Leave out for the no bake version

For the Cinnamon Sugar Coating:

• Maple sugar OR coconut sugar – for low carb donut holes, sub with Lakanto monk fruit sweetener or other granulated sweetener
• Ground cinnamon
• Refined coconut oil OR vegan butter

For the Icing

• Coconut butter (coconut manna)
• Maple syrup

How to make Donut Holes

1. Make the Flax Egg: In a medium mixing bowl, combine ground flaxseeds with water. Allow the mixture to sit for 5 minutes, until thickened.
2. Cream coconut oil and sugar together: Add the softened coconut oil and granulated maple sugar and use a fork to mix everything together until combined.
3. Add remaining ingredients: Then, add vanilla, cinnamon, salt, almond flour, coconut flour. Continue mixing until the dough is well combined.
4. Roll into balls: Use a small cookie scoop (or 1 1/2 Tbsp) to scoop batter and roll into 7-8 balls. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

For No Bake

1. Freeze: Place in freezer for 10 minutes to harden.

For Baked or Air-Fried Donut Holes

1. Oven: Bake in preheated oven at 350F for 12-15 minutes, or until golden. Allow to cool.
2. Air Fryer: Air Fry at 315F for 6-7 minutes or until golden. Allow to cool.

Make the Cinnamon Sugar Coating

1. Meanwhile, combine the cinnamon and coconut sugar together. Spray donut holes with avocado oil spray or coconut oil spray or roll each donut hole into melted coconut oil or vegan butter. Then immediately roll in the cinnamon sugar mixture, coating well.
2. Drizzle on “icing”
   1. Melt the coconut butter until it resembles an “icing” consistency. Whisk together with maple syrup. Use a spoon to drizzle over the donut holes or transfer to a piping bag and pipe the “icing” in a circle on top of each donut hole.
      Place back in the freezer for 5 minutes to harden

Donut Hole Variations

• Craving some chocolate? Drizzle over some melted chocolate.
• Swap out the vanilla extract with maple extract and add some chopped walnuts

Storage and Freezer Tips

Storage: Store paleo donut holes in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.

To freeze: Allow the baked donut holes to cool them transfer to an airtight freezer bag and freeze for up to three months.

To thaw: Thaw them on the counter for 2-3 hours or overnight in the refrigerator, then bring the muffins to room temperature or warm them up in the microwave.

More donut recipes you will love:

Apple Cider Donuts

Donut Muffins

Pumpkin Donut Holes

Lemon Donuts

5 from 3 votes

Print

Donut Holes

Prep Time

10 mins

Cook Time

8 mins

 

These Cinnamon Donut Holes are soft, light, melt-in-your mouth delicious and easy to make with just a few simple ingredients with a sweet cinnamon sugar coating. The perfect healthy breakfast or no bake afternoon treat! Paleo, gluten-free, vegan, and can also be baked in the oven or air fryer.  

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: cinnamon donut holes, donut holes, no bake donut holes

Servings: 10 donut holes

Calories: 188 kcal

Author: Kelly

Ingredients

Flax Egg

• 1 tbsp ground flaxseeds , You can also sub with a chia egg (one tablespoon ground chia seeds plus 2.5 Tablespoons water) or 3 Tablespoons unsweetened applesauce or mashed banana (this will change the flavor though) 
• 2.5 tbsps water

Donut Holes

• 1/4 cup refined coconut oil softened like butter. We are using refined for no coconut flavor or sub with vegan butter or ghee if not dairy-free
• 1/4 cup granulated maple sugar or sub with coconut sugar - the color will be much darker. For low carb / keto - use Lakanto monk fruit sweetener or preferred sweetener of choice
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp fine sea salt
• 1/4 tsp baking powder , leave out if you are making the no bake version
• 1 cup superfine blanched almond flour
• 2 Tbs coconut flour , if there are clumps, use a fork to fluff out first or sift

Cinnamon Sugar Coating

• 3 Tbsp coconut sugar
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tbsp refined coconut oil OR vegan butter , melted

Optional "Icing"

• 2 Tbsp coconut butter (coconut manna) , melted
• 1 tsp pure maple syrup or preferred liquid sweeter of choice

Instructions

1. Make the Flax Egg: In a medium mixing bowl, combine ground flaxseeds with water. Allow the mixture to sit for 5 minutes, until thickened.

2. Add the softened coconut oil and granulated maple sugar and use a fork to mix everything together until combined.

   Then, add vanilla, cinnamon, salt, baking powder (leave out for the no bake version), almond flour, coconut flour. Continue mixing until the dough is well combined.

   

3. Use a small cookie scoop (or 1 1/2 Tbsp) to scoop batter and roll into 7-8 balls. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

   

For the No Bake Version

1. Place in freezer for 10 minutes to harden.

For Baked or Air-Fried Version

1. Oven: Bake in preheated oven at 350F for 12-15 minutes, or until golden. Allow to cool.

   Air Fryer: Air Fry at 315F for 6-7 minutes or until golden. Allow to cool.

Make the Cinnamon Sugar Coating and "Icing"

1. Meanwhile, combine the cinnamon and coconut sugar together. Spray donut holes with avocado oil spray or coconut oil spray or roll each donut hole into melted coconut oil or vegan butter. Then immediately roll in the cinnamon sugar mixture, coating well.

   Melt the coconut butter until it resembles an "icing" consistency. Whisk together with maple syrup.

   

Decorate and freeze

1. Use a spoon to drizzle over the donut holes or transfer to a piping bag and pipe the "icing" in a circle on top of each donut hole.

   Place back in the freezer for 5 minutes to harden.

   

2. Store in the fridge up to 4 days!

Nutrition Facts

Donut Holes

Amount Per Serving (1 donut hole)

Calories 188 Calories from Fat 135

% Daily Value*

Fat 15g23%

Carbohydrates 14g5%

Fiber 3g12%

Sugar 8g9%

Protein 3g6%

* Nutrition facts are provided as a courtesy using the WPRM recipe calculator. It is best to make your own calculations to ensure accuracy. We expressly disclaim any and all liability of any kind with respect to any act or omission wholly or in part in reliance on anything contained in this website. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.