If you’re kind of a kitchen minimalist like I am, you probably don’t have a donut pan (…and if you do? Jealous). I’m also not much of a baker, so I was hesitant to attempt homemade donuts until I remembered donut holes.
I’m proud to say that these gluten-free, paleo pumpkin donuts taste pretty close to real, old-fashioned apple cider-style donuts. They are baked (!) but lightly coated in coconut oil first to get that classic donut flavor without the heaviness. And they’re sweetened only with dates, so I’m marking them down as “healthy-ish.” Enjoy!
Really Into Pumpkin? 🎃
Me too. Here are some of my favorite healthy pumpkin recipes from the Loveleaf Co. archives:
Healthy (Turmeric) Pumpkin Spice Latte
Pumpkin Spice Power Bites
Vegan Pumpkin Chocolate Truffles
Paleo Pumpkin Spice Donut Holes with Pecan Crunch
Pumpkin Pie Smoothie Bowl
Or check out my Healthy Pumpkin Recipe Pinterest board!
Print
Paleo Pumpkin Spice Donut Holes with Pecan Crunch
- Prep Time: 15 Minutes
- Cook Time: 25 Minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 12 Donut Holes 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American
Description
Gluten-free, paleo pumpkin donuts that taste pretty close to real, old-fashioned apple cider-style donuts. They are baked (!) but lightly coated in coconut oil first to get that classic donut flavor without the heaviness. Sweetened only with dates!
Ingredients
Donut Holes
- 3 tablespoons coconut flour
- 3 tablespoons tapioca flour
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 cup pitted Medjool dates
- 1/4 cup unsweetened non-dairy milk
- 1/3 cup pure pumpkin purée
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil, melted
Glaze
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted
- 2 tablespoons coconut cream (use the thick, unmixed coconut cream from a can of full-fat coconut milk), melted
- 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup or honey
- pinch of sea salt
Pecan Crunch
- 1/4 cup raw pecans
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon coconut oil, melted
- 1 teaspoon pure maple syrup or honey
- pinch of sea salt
Instructions
Donut Holes
-
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. In a small mixing bowl, mix together the coconut flour, tapioca starch, spices, salt and baking powder.
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In another small mixing bowl, add the pitted dates, canned pumpkin, egg, and vanilla extract (do not add the melted coconut oil). Using an immersion hand blender, blend wet ingredients together until smooth. The dates should be as fully incorporated as possible.
-
Add the dry ingredients to the wet and stir until fully mixed. The dough should be moist, but dry enough to roll into balls with your hands. Roll about 12 donut holes from the dough and lightly dip in the melted coconut oil before placing on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for 20–25 minutes, flipping halfway through, until just beginning to turn golden brown. Allow to cool before glazing.
Glaze
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Add all ingredients to small bowl and whisk until very smooth. Put in the freezer for 5-10 minutes to thicken before glazing the donuts.
Pecan Crunch
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Increase the heat of the oven to 400 degrees F. Chop the raw pecans and toss with melted coconut oil, cinnamon, maple syrup (or honey) and salt. Spread pecan mixture evenly on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake for 3-5 minutes, until slightly golden and fragrant (watch carefully!). Allow to cool slightly before topping onto the glazed donuts.
Assembly
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Once the donut holes have cooled, dip into the glaze and place back on parchment paper. If you want the glaze to harden a bit, put in the fridge to set after glazing. Sprinkle with pecan crunch and enjoy!
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rebecca horrigan says
Yum! Can you sub gluten-free flour for the coconut and tapioca flours? Thanks!
Ally Milligan says
Hi Rebecca! Coconut flour is tricky to substitute out because it’s so absorbent so I don’t think subbing in gluten-free flour at a 1:1 ratio would work. I haven’t tried this recipe with any other flours, but let me know if you do!