Low Carb Coconut Flour Donuts have real fried donut flavour. Grain-free and gluten-free, this homemade fried donuts recipe makes the best sugar free donuts I’ve ever eaten.
I am about to toot my own horn here. You ready for this? You might want to stand back, it’s going to be a bit loud. Cover your ears!
YIPPEE, I MADE FRIED COCONUT FLOUR DONUTS! Sorry about the all caps, but it needed to be done. I needed to shout a little bit, because coconut flour is such a tricky ingredient and getting it to fry up without disintegrating in the oil is a sweet little accomplishment for me. And by sweet, I mean sweet with that real fried donut flavour. Baked donuts are all very well and good and I love them, but this homemade fried donuts recipe is everything a donut should be.
And I am very thankful for whoever invented the donut pan, as it allows us home cooks to easily whip up baked donuts for breakfast. But let’s face it…baked donuts are really donut-shaped muffins or cupcakes. As a general rule, I am okay with that. It’s really a lovely thing to have another shape for my muffins and my cupcakes, especially since they delight my kids so much. Somehow, being circular with a hole in the middle makes those donut muffins that much more exciting to my kids.
Fried Coconut Flour Donuts
But fried donuts are another creature altogether. They have an intensity that is unrivaled by other baked goods, by virtue of the fact that they are fried. In fat. And in my world, that’s a very good thing. A healthy thing, assuming you are using quality oils and not yucky processed or hydrogenated stuff. Quality oils will soak beautifully into fried donuts, giving them a deeper, more satisfying flavour. And they will be good for you too, as long as they are not full of sugar and other carbs. They will keep you full longer, give you more energy and increase your good cholesterol. All that from a fried donuts recipe? You bet.
But here’s the tricky part. Almond flour and coconut flour don’t really lend themselves well to being cooked in oil. Lacking the magical binding properties of gluten, things made with almond or coconut flour tend to simply disintegrate when subjected to hot oil. I’ve tried it before, and ended up with a pan of oil and a lot of little bits floating around. Fried coconut flour crumbs don’t quite have the caché of fried coconut donuts, do they? Plus I wasn’t ever sure how to get a nice round donut with a hole in the middle without special equipment. But my solution to this was rather brilliant, if I do say so myself.
I baked them first and THEN I fried them. Yup. These coconut flour donuts are baked and fried, and they’re awesome. This way, they hold their round, lovely shape, they soak in some lovely, healthy oil, and they taste phenomenal. It’s an extra step, but it’s so worth it!
PS – I highly recommend using the Wilton Non-stick Donut Pan. I had a cheaper one, with smaller cavities, and it’s non-stick ability wore off quite quickly. My kids bought the Wilton version for me for Mother’s Day and it’s been a treat to use. Treat it kindly so it keeps non-sticking for a while! I help my donuts release by inserting a thin rubber spatula between the donuts and the pan, and I always clean it with a soft cloth.
Looking for more tasty donut recipes? These Gluten-Free Cinnamon Sugar Donuts from Gluten-Free Palate and these maple-bacon doughnuts from It’s Yummi look amazing. They are not low carb, but I bet the recipes could be adapted!
Fried Coconut Flour Donuts – Low Carb and Gluten-Free
Ingredients
Donuts:
- ½ cup coconut flour
- ¼ cup Swerve Sweetener or other erythritol
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 4 large eggs
- ¼ cup coconut oil melted
- ½ cup unsweetened almond milk
- ½ teaspoon vanilla
- ¼ teaspoon stevia
- Oil for frying coconut, grapeseed, etc.
Coating:
- ¼ cup unsweetened shredded coconut lightly toasted
- ¼ cup powdered Swerve Sweetener or other powdered erythritol
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325F and grease a donut pan well.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the coconut flour, sweetener, baking powder and salt.
- Stir in eggs, coconut oil, almond milk, vanilla and stevia until well combined and batter is smooth.
- Fill wells in donut pan about ⅔ full (you will have leftover batter and will need to do another batch).
- Bake about 16 minutes, or until set and just barely brown around the edges. Remove from oven and let cool 5 minutes in the pan, then flip out onto a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat with remaining batter (I got 10 donuts out of my pan).
- In a large skillet, add oil so it is about ½ inch deep. Heat over medium heat.
- While oil is heating, combine toasted coconut and powdered sweetener in a medium bowl.
- Once the oil is hot, add 5 or 6 donuts to the pan. Flip after 1 to 2 minutes (they brown quickly), and cook the other side another minute or so. Remove from the pan and quickly dip each side in the coconut coating, pressing lightly to adhere.
- Let cool slightly on wire rack (they are really good warm out of the oil!).
Kyme says
Is there a reason mine would come out very eggy? I had brought the eggs to room temperature.
Jessica says
What kind of stevia is this in the recipe? Powdered? If so, how many drops of liquid stevia would be the equivalent?
Carolyn says
Both powdered and liquid are close to the same strength so fee free to use either.
Chandra says
I never comment, but this recipe is pure genius. You’ve given humanity healthy donuts! 🙌
Carolyn says
Thank you!
Jody Knipstrom says
Do you think you could do this with any donut recipe. Cook until set and then deep fry? Thinking your Chai ones or pumpkin ones would be super tasty!!!
Carolyn says
Probably!
Leigh says
I needed to make gulten free donuts for someone who also has a nut allergy ????????
.
Found this recipe and love it … its amazing, might even use it as a cupcake recipe it bakes soft and fluffy.
Sophie says
Or maybe butter because it’s solid at room temp?
Carolyn says
Either would be fine.
Sophie says
I am right in the middle of making them now and I am out of coconut oil. Can I use avocado oil?
Thanks
Melissa says
I made these donuts today. I used a silicone donut pan. They baked and fried great but the powdered swerve and coconut would not stick well so I made a glaze out of powdered swerve, heavy cream and a little vanilla extra. i dipped it in that then put in the coconut mixture and it is perfect like those yummy coconut covered donuts in convenience stores. I love all your receipes!! I too am a foodie at heart, so the fact there are so many of my favorite foods on your website has made me really happy. thank you!
Belenda says
I’m sitting here eating my (Kim Pitt’s) version of this doughnut and it’s an O.M.G. moment! I have seen this recipe floating around for years, but, it’s coconut flour. I rarely am fond of coconut flour results. But, Kim had posted that after frying them, she dipped them in melted SF chocolate (8 oz) and Cocoa Butter (1 oz)., proclaiming Entenmann’s had nothing on this doughnut! Which was enough for me. Now I had to try it too. Remembering how finicky coconut flour is, after dipping in chocolate, I put them on plates and in zip-lock bags, then stuck them in the refrigerator overnight. WOW! They do taste just like Entenmann’s!! I AM IN LOVE WITH THIS RECIPE. I can assure you, my keto grandchildren and daughter will be asking for these to show up at their door too. Thanks for the recipe Carolyn and thanks to Kim Pitts for the chocolate finish modification! Excellent recipe.