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
Tried this recipe?Tag me today! Mention @texanerin or tag #texanerin! Thanks. 🖤
Any luck using rice flour, that’s what I usually have on hand? Or partial with rice and another…
Unfortunately, nuts flours aren’t interchangeable with non-nut flours so I really don’t think rice flour would work. Sorry about that!
Because my husband is allergic to almonds I have used garbanzo flour in exchange for almond flour without any problems.
Oh, that’s interesting! Is it a 1 to 1 sub? Thanks for the tip!
could use this recipe as donuts instead of donut holes ? will it work the same? i have a donut pan so i was going to use that
I’m guessing so but I haven’t tried it so I’m not positive. You’d have to adjust the baking time (I have no idea how long they’ll take in a donut pan). Enjoy! :)
Loved these!My kids and my friend did also. Only trouble I had was the cooking time,took me over 20 minutes to get them fully cooked.They taste even better the next day!
I’m happy you all enjoyed them! And good tip on them tasting better the next day. I’ll have to not eat them all on the first day next time. ;) Thanks for your comment!
what’s the macro nutrition on these either per batch or per serving size?
I don’t have that info but you can copy and paste the recipe here for the nutritional profile, if you’d like. :)
Instead of using coconut and almond flour could I just use gluten free flour? And if I have the gluten free flour with the baking soda ingredient in it do I have to add extra baking soda?
That unfortunately won’t work. Almond flour and coconut flour aren’t interchangeable with gluten-free flour mixes. You could use a different type of nut flour for the almond flour but that’s the only sub that’d work (so you’d still need the coconut flour). Sorry about that!
These are awesome. The recipe was very easy,and I already had all the ingredients. I can’t wait to try some of your other recipes. Thanks for sharing.
I’m happy to hear that you enjoyed the donut holes and I hope you’ll enjoy the other recipes just as much! Thanks for your comment. :)
you have eggs in this recipe so it is not dairy-free! It sounded great until I saw the eggs and no substitution for the eggs in your notes.
Eggs are most definitely not dairy. :) (source)
I don’t eat Dairy….but I do eat eggs. Like she said eggs are definitely not dairy
Thanks for the back up. ;)
When was the last time you saw a cow lay an egg? :-/
Erin,
I put these in my electric donut hole maker, and they came out beautifully! I also dipped them in melted coconut oil instead of butter. They didn’t get soggy at all. Very delish!
That’s great to know that they work in an electric donut hole maker! And awesome that they didn’t get soggy. Soggy donuts certainly aren’t a fun way to start the day. ;) Thanks a bunch for your comment!
These are AMAZING! I’m relatively new to paleo and have been so disappointed by so many baked goods, but these really are fabulous. Even my non-paleo hubby requested I make them often :)
Yay! I’m so happy to hear that you and your husband enjoyed them. Paleo sweets can definitely be disappointing, so I feel your pain. ;) Thanks for your comment!
First of all, thank you to the person who actually made these donut holes and commented on the outcome.
Of all the comments, she was the only one who actually bothered to try them. I must say: I’m very aggravated when I go to recipe’s comments sections and read comments consisting of ‘I can’t wait to try these’ and ‘these look so good!’ Who cares what you think? Make the recipe, THEN comment!
I’m sorry you feel that way! This is a blog and not a recipe site like Allrecipes so I suppose that explains why there are comments other than reviews. The last seven comments were either questions about the recipe or comments from people who had made the recipe so I wouldn’t say that all the comments except the one before yours were so “useless.” :)
Made these in my cake pop machine this morning, myself and my 5 year old daughter enjoyed them! Very easy recipe too. We decided next time we’re going to make them apple cider flavored :)
Oh, yum! I love the apple cider flavor idea. I’ve got to try that. :) Thanks for the tip and for your feedback! I’m so happy you both liked them.
I have a nut allergy baby, can i sub all coconut flour for the almond flour?
I’m afraid that won’t work as coconut flour absorbs much more liquid than any other type of flour. Almond flour is really only interchangeable with other nut flours. I’m sorry about that!
Try this: http://www.paleoplan.com/2014/03-25/substitute-coconut-flour-almond-flour/
I have used this method and it works well.
This was very useful. Thanks for posting this link!
Hi! What is in the pumpkin pie spice mix? I’ll have to mix my own as we do not have it in Australia! Cheers! Lisa
Hello! I couldn’t find a recipe for pumpkin pie spice that could easily be scaled down to 3 1/2 teaspoons but I think this is close: 1 3/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon, 1 teaspoon ground ginger + 3/8 teaspoon ground allspice + 3/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg. I hope you’ll enjoy them!
I didn’t fully read all the comments so you may have answered this can you substitute sweet potato for canned pumpkin?
I’ve never tried using sweet potato as a sub for canned pumpkin so I’m not really sure. Sorry about that!
Here in Holland people are getting used to eating pumpkin in savory dishes, sweet dishes are nog quit that common. I love pumpkin dishes, savory or sweet :-). We don’t have canned pumpkin puree in the regular supermarkets. Although there is an online American supermarket I make my own and keep it in the freezer.
Thank you so much for adding the weight in grams, saves a lot of trouble searching for the measurements.
Mine have become muffins because of the size of my muffin pan, they’re in the oven right now. The smell is delicious, can’t wait to taste them!
I’ve been in Germany for 6 1/2 years and it’s definitely getting more common here, too! But people are still confused when I offer them sweet pumpkin treats. I’m happy that someone other than I makes use of the gram measurements. :) I think it’s so much easier. I hope you enjoyed the muffins and thanks for your comment!
Mirna… zou je mij kunnen vertellen hoe je de puree heb gemaakt?? Dank je wel :-)
I love Dutch so much. :D It’s like a mix of German, Swedish and English – the three languages I can read / speak! So to answer your question, here are three ways you can make pumpkin puree. :)
Just made these. HOLY COW! So freaking delicious. Swapped out the maple syrup for agave with no issue. Also rolled them in to what I thought would be small more donut hole shapes, but they grew a bit more than I anticipated. SO delicious. Seriously. Heaven.
Yay! I’m so happy that you liked them so much. And good to know that agave works well! Thanks a bunch for your feedback. :)
Can you do a replacement for maple syrup like stevia?
The problem is that you’d need to add extra liquid to make up for the loss of liquid in maple syrup. After reading this, I’m guessing you’d need to add 1.5 tablespoons of liquid but it’s just a guess!
I always find it odd that not every country has canned pumpkin. It’s so delicious – everyone should have it :) These little donut holes look delicious and I of course LOVE the cinnamon sugar coating…yum!
Thanks! And I agree. It seems as though only the US and Canada have canned pumpkin. So strange! It’s so convenient. :)
One thing I’ve noticed being an American expat in Germany is that it is really only recently that pumpkin and certain squashes have come into fashion in German cuisine, so no, unfortunately for us immigrants, canned pumpkin is not a “thing” here, lol. Also, until a couple of years ago, sweet potatoes and yams were only available in African supermarkets here. Luckily for me as “southern soul food” lover, they’ve become commonplace now in standard German markets as more Germans learn to experiment with them a bit. Serving anything with pumpkin, squashes, and sweet potatoes, though, are still a VERY exotic proposition when serving to my German husband’s family, lol. I’m looking forward to trying this as my husband’s diet currently alternates between vegetarian and vegan.
I’ve been in Germany for 6 years and am very, very happy that sweet potatoes are finally readily available. Even in Lidl and Aldi! And Germans are still a bit confused when I give them pumpkin baked goods. They then tell me pumpkin is supposed to be used in savory dishes. Haha. They still have quite a way to come, it seems. ;)
First of all, yum!!! These look so good :) Second I know exactly what you mean about homemade pumpkin puree. I’d do it just for my own use but for blogging my recipe testing needs to be a little more accurate :) And the cost of some ingredients, ugh. The Canadian dollar use to be good enough I could buy things for cheaper in the states but not anymore I can only imagine in Germany its even more pricey for some things.
Yes! Exactly. I want things to be super exact when baking. Are you able to get everything in Canada? Or are there things you have to buy in the US? I’m curious. :)
Erin, I feel ya! Some of my recipes have such expensive ingredients that I either never post them (for lack of trial runs) or it takes me half a year to test and re-test haha. Now, these pumpkin donut holes look terrific! I think I’d skip the butter, too lol.
Right?! The people who use AP flour are so lucky. ;)