Paleo Pumpkin Donut Holes
These paleo pumpkin donut holes are soft, moist, and full of cozy fall flavor. They’re baked, not fried, making them a lighter option, and they can also be made as regular muffins if you don’t have a mini muffin pan. This recipe was originally posted in 2015 and updated in 2025 with new photos and tips.
Linda said, “Oh my… these are the best ever… could have eaten the whole batch. They turned out perfectly. This is the best paleo dessert I have made so far.”
If you don’t have a mini muffin pan, these can be made as 12-16 regular-sized muffins. You can check out the directions in my Paleo Pumpkin Muffins recipe.
This recipe doesn’t work in bread form. It rises nicely and then collapses, so please don’t try that.
If you’re not quite in a pumpkin mood yet, I also have recipes for Paleo Apple Crisp, Paleo Apple Cake and Paleo Apple Muffins.
- No funky texture – many grain-free muffins can turn out dense, eggy, or overly coconutty, but these are soft and moist.
- Easy to make – no frying, no yeast, and ready in under 30 minutes.
- Quick and easy – no mixer required, and the batter comes together in minutes.
Ingredient Notes
Please scroll to the recipe card for the full recipe. These are just some notes on key ingredients.
- Almond flour – make sure to use finely ground blanched almond flour for the best texture. Please don’t use homemade! It’s not fine enough. Your donut holes will almost certainly come out greasy or underbaked.
- Coconut flour – highly absorbent and balances the almond flour. Don’t substitute or omit this.
- Maple syrup – honey can be used, but the flavor will change slightly.
- Coconut sugar – deepens flavor and helps with texture. Brown sugar also works if you’re not following a paleo diet.
- Eggs – subs unfortunately don’t work well in this recipe.
If you’re paleo, make sure to use the coconut oil and coconut sugar options listed in the recipe!
How to Make Them
- Whisk together the dry ingredients. In another bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients. Stir the wet mixture into the dry ingredients until just combined. Don’t overmix.
- Spoon the batter into the pan, filling each cavity almost to the top.
- Bake for 11–13 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Cool completely, then roll each donut in cinnamon sugar. I’ve seen a lot of recipes where you dip the donut holes in butter first before dipping them in the cinnamon sugar, but when I tried this, the donut holes sucked up so much butter and were so wet that I had to use a ton of sugar to get them properly rolled. It tasted amazing, so feel free to do that if you don’t mind a ton of extra sugar. :)
- Cool the donut holes completely before rolling in cinnamon sugar so they don’t break apart.
- If the coating dissolves, re-roll them shortly before serving.
- Check doneness carefully. Almond flour desserts and muffins can look done on the outside before the inside is set.
Make Ahead
You can bake the donuts a day in advance and store them uncoated in an airtight container at room temperature. Coat with cinnamon sugar just before serving.
How to Store and Freeze
- Room temperature – store in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
- Refrigerate – if your place is especially humid, this is a good idea. You can refrigerate them for up to a week.
- Freezer – freeze uncoated donuts for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature and roll in cinnamon sugar before serving.
I know there are plenty of disappointing paleo pumpkin desserts out there, but these are definitely not among them. They all have an amazing texture. Even gluten-eaters love them!
- Vegan Pumpkin Cheesecake – a no-bake, ultra creamy cheesecake with a nutty crust and pumpkin filling that firms up in the fridge. Perfect when you don’t want to turn on the oven. Still one of my favorite recipes ever!
- Vegan Pumpkin Pie – creamy and rich, this pumpkin pie uses cashews for a dessert that’s both vegan and paleo. I prefer this filling over the traditional one.
- Paleo Pumpkin Cake with Maple Cream Frosting – a fuss-free cake made with paleo flours and topped with creamy maple frosting. Perfect for gatherings when you want a showstopper dessert without grains.
Troubleshooting
- Donuts too wet – your pumpkin puree may have had too much water. Drain it before use or bake a minute longer.
- Falling apart – let them cool completely before handling, and don’t skip the eggs or coconut flour (or anything else for that matter!).
- No rise – check that your baking soda is fresh.
- Sticking to the pan – use liners or grease well. Almond flour batters can stick more easily. If your donuts stick to the pan, grease it more thoroughly next time and let the donuts cool slightly before removing.
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Paleo Pumpkin Donut Holes
Servings 24 donut holes
These gluten-free pumpkin donuts are paleo, grain-free and dairy-free. Can also be made as regular muffins and are coated in cinnamon sugar.
Ingredients
For the donut holes:
- 3/4 cup (75 grams) finely ground blanched almond flour
- 1/2 cup (66 grams) coconut flour
- 3 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 4 large eggs 50 grams each out of shell, room temperature
- 7 tablespoons (98 grams) refined coconut oil or unsalted butter, melted
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons coconut sugar or brown sugar
- 1/2 cup (120 grams) canned pumpkin puree
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
For the cinnamon sugar:
- 1/3 cup (67 grams) coconut sugar or granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 °F. Line a mini muffin pan with 24 muffin liners.
- In a large bowl, mix together the dry ingredients (almond flour through salt).3/4 cup (75 grams) finely ground blanched almond flour, 1/2 cup (66 grams) coconut flour, 1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda, 3 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice, 1/4 teaspoon salt
- In a separate medium bowl, mix together the wet ingredients (eggs through vanilla).4 large eggs, 7 tablespoons (98 grams) refined coconut oil, 1/2 cup (120 ml) maple syrup, 2 tablespoons coconut sugar, 1/2 cup (120 grams) canned pumpkin puree, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Add the dry mixture to the wet mixture and stir just until combined.
- Pour the batter evenly into the muffin liners, filling each liner until almost completely full. You’ll likely have enough batter for another six donut holes.
- Bake for 11-13 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely. These need to rest for at least an hour before serving, both because of taste and texture.
- When ready to serve, mix the cinnamon with the sugar in a small bowl. Remove the liners and roll the donut holes in the cinnamon sugar. As these donut holes are quite moist, the cinnamon sugar tends to liquify overnight, which is why it’s recommended to roll the donuts in the sugar no more than 8 hours before serving.1/3 cup (67 grams) coconut sugar, 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- Store in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
Notes
- For paleo, use coconut sugar and coconut oil.
- For dairy-free, use coconut oil.
- The nutrition information provided is calculated as a courtesy and is only an estimate. I am not a licensed nutritionist or dietitian. For the most accurate nutritional data, consult a professional or use your preferred calculator.
- Source: My post on My Baking Addiction – Gluten-free Pumpkin Donut Holes.
Nutrition
Calories: 107.6kcalCarbohydrates: 10.4gProtein: 2.1gFat: 6.9gSaturated Fat: 4.1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.2gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.5gTrans Fat: 0.003gCholesterol: 27.3mgSodium: 104.4mgPotassium: 38.7mgFiber: 1.5gSugar: 6.7gVitamin A: 835.1IUVitamin C: 0.3mgCalcium: 23.4mgIron: 0.5mgNet Carbs: 9
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I love donut holes. We have a donut store/coffee shop here in Canada called Tim Hortons. They sell donut holes in every conceivable flavour, but call them Timbits. I went in one day to order one for my dog (she loves the plain ones) and said “I’ll take one plain donut hole please”. She was so confused and had no clue what I meant. Um, Timbits are donut holes. Funniest thing ever. There’s a whole generation of youngsters in Canada that have no clue Timbits are actually donut holes. Cracks me right up for some reason.
I dig them covered in cinnamon sugar. I make apple ones but I think hubs would like your pumpkin ones better.
Haha. I love that you order your dog donut holes. :D And that’s so funny that she had no idea what a donut hole was! Crazy.
These look delicious! I’ve been looking for a gluten-free pumpkin donut to share with my blog readers, so I’m excited to find this one. Sharing!
Thank you so much for sharing! :)
I love this grain free recipe for using pumpkin. It is my new favorite and I think you have outdone yourself. Love it!
Thanks so much! :)
Your cinnamon sugar pumpkin donuts have me licking my lips. That outside coating is making me crave these donut holes!
I’m so happy to hear that! :D
Holy buckets these look incredible! Would love to try them.
Haha. I’ve never heard holy buckets before but I like it! :D
When I was a kid, we would go to an annual fair in Vancouver and that is where I first fell in love with donut holes. These pumpkin ones are making me crave them all over again!
Funny that you mention Vancouver! That’d be my dream city to live in. That they have a fair with donut holes is another point for Vancouver. :D
these look incredible! I don’t know if id be able to stop myself from eating the whole batch!
Thanks! And I’m pretty sure they’d freeze well (just saying in case you’re like me and have portion-control issues ;))
I feel the same exact way, this year i am just not feeling the pumpkin.I am glad you pulled through & brought us this awesome recipe though:)
Haha. I’m happy I got over my feelings for pumpkin and made these, too! It was totally worth it. :)
I love these! I have to bust out my mimi muffin pan and whip these up. I love the ingredients to!
Thank you! I hope you’ll enjoy them. :)
Yay, I have a mini muffin pan so I can get going on these! The texture of these donut holes looks so moist and tender!
Woohoo! I hope you’ll love them. :)
So cute that you made donut holes in a mini muffin pan – great idea! Cinnamon-sugar muffins are my favorite on Christmas morning (yes, dipped in butter first)…but I may have to make this version instead this year. They look so tempting!
I hope you’ll get a chance to try them out! They’d be great for Christmas morning. :)
I have been thinking about these nonstop since I saw them earlier today! I need to make these! I’m not usually much of a baker, but this yumminess is calling my name! And I’m pretty sure I’d be mom of the year (well, day anyway) if I made these for the kids (and didn’t eat them all before they got home…did I just say that out loud? LOL).
Haha. I bet your kids would be so happy if you could save them just a few! ;) I hope you’ll all love them as much as I did!
I just got into the pumpkin kick yesterday. Made pancakes and they were so good. Now I want to pumpkin everything! And these donut holes look so good! Wish I had them right now!
Haha. I think you and I are the very last ones to get around to pumpkin. ;)
These look so yummy and so good for you! Can’t wait to try these out!
I hope you’ll enjoy them!
I would eat the entire batch of these!
Nothing wrong with that! ;)
We don’t have canned pumpkin in Australia either so i make my own by roasting pumpkin pieces. I find it removes more moisture than steaming or boiling the pumpkin pieces.
My favourite pumpkin recipe is Pumpkin Bread
I remember you saying that last year! It seems like it only exists in North America. So strange! Thanks for the tip. :)
I have a mini muffin pan and these are definitely happening in my kitchen soon! I also wasn’t feeling the pumpkin but it slowly grows on me each year :)
I hope you’ll enjoy them! :)
These sound delicious! Love the cinnamon sugar topping to finish it off in the best way possible!
Agreed! They’re yummy on their own but so much better with the cinnamon sugar. :)
These look amazing – and I never mind extra butter and sugar, haha!
It’s hard to resist! ;)
I need to try these for the ones that eat GF. Look delicious. I have never wanted to make anything and dip it in better then sugar. I just can’t handle the butter taste or greasy feeling in my mouth.
Haha. That’s good that you don’t like dipping stuff in sugar and butter. It’s certainly not a healthy habit. ;) And totally not necessary with these!