Baked low carb gingerbread donuts with a sweet vanilla cream cheese glaze. This post is sponsored by GO Veggie! and Kitchen PLAY.
I receive a lot of questions about possible substitutions in my baked goods. Sometimes it’s about convenience, because the reader doesn’t have exactly the right ingredients on hand. Sometimes it’s about personal preference and taste. But oftentimes, it’s about dietary intolerances. Dairy intolerance can go hand in hand with wheat or gluten intolerance, making it tough for some readers to follow my recipes to the letter. I am more than happy to make suggestions on dairy-free substitutions when I can. It’s fairly easy to recommend almond milk in place of regular milk or coconut milk in place of heavy cream. And coconut oil is always a great sub for butter. But there are some places where it’s trickier and I am less confident in my suggestions. Cream cheese is one of those areas.
I was invited to take part in the GO Veggie! Spread the Holiday Cheer campaign on Kitchen PLAY, and I knew it was a great chance to try out a dairy-free cream cheese alternative. At first I considered making an appetizer or vegetable side dish, but that would have been too easy, and I wouldn’t have gotten a true feel for the product. The majority of questions I receive about substitutions are geared toward my baked goods. And as I had been thinking about Gingerbread Donuts for quite some time, it was the ideal recipe on which to experiment. I could put some of the cream cheese both in the donuts themselves, and then frost them with a cream cheese glaze. And Gingerbread Donuts…now that just screams holiday brunch, doesn’t it?
The GO Veggie! Dairy Free, Vegan Cream Cheese Alternative worked perfectly for both the donut batter and the glaze. It beat in smoothly and combined well with the other low carb, gluten-free ingredients. And the donuts were delicious, as evidenced by the happy grins on my kids’ faces. My feisty four-year old is often a tough sell, as she doesn’t like anything unfamiliar and won’t hesitate for a second to tell you if she doesn’t like something. These donuts? She didn’t even bat an eyelash as she gobbled hers down. Success!

- 2 cups almond flour
- 1/4 cup Swerve Sweetener
- 1/4 cup egg white powder or whey protein powder unflavoured
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 2 tsp ground ginger
- 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground cloves
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 2 oz dairy-free cream cheese softened (can also use regular)
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 2 tbsp Kelapo or other extra virgin coconut oil
- 2 tsp molasses
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp liquid stevia extract
- 1/3 cup almond milk unsweetened
- 4 oz dairy-free cream cheese softened (can also use regular)
- 6 tbsp powdered Swerve Sweetener
- 1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Seeds of one vanilla bean
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For the donuts, preheat oven to 325F and grease a standard-sized donut tin well.
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In a medium bowl, whisk together almond flour, sweetener, protein powder, baking powder, ginger, cinnamon cloves and salt.
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In a large bowl, beat together GO Veggie! Vegan cream cheese, eggs and coconut oil. Beat in molasses, vanilla and stevia until smooth.
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Beat in almond flour mixture in two additions, alternating with almond milk. Fill donut tin cavities 2/3 full (you will need to do 2 batches) and bake 12 to 15 minutes or until edges are golden brown and donuts are firm to the touch.
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Remove and let cool in pan 5 minutes, then flip out onto a wire rack to cool completely. Re-grease donut tin and repeat with remaining batter.
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For the glaze, beat GO Veggie! Dairy Free Vegan cream cheese with sweetener until well combined. Beat in almond milk, vanilla extract and vanilla seeds until smooth. Spread over cooled donuts.
Serves 12. Each serving has 6g of carbs and 2g of fiber. Total NET CARBS = 4g.
205 Calories; 18g Fat (74.1% calories from fat); 8g Protein; 6g Carbohydrate; 2g Dietary Fiber; 55mg Cholesterol; 193mg Sodium.
Disclosure: This post is sponsored by GO Veggie! and Kitchen PLAY. As always, all thoughts, opinions, words, ideas, random tangents and incoherent ramblings are my own.
Arthur in the Garden! says
Wow!
Angela says
Yet ANOTHER Holiday Must Try recipe!!
Heather says
I’d like to try the cream cheese substitute in a cranberry cream cheese dip – perfect for the holidays.
Kim @ Hungry Healthy Girl says
Yum…. love the looks of this recipe! I’ve never tried Go Veggie, but I would love to give it a try with this recipe.
Alisa says
Mmm…gingerbread with cream cheese frosting…yes, please! Maybe now’s the time to buy that donut pan, after all. Thanks for another scrumptious looking low carb treat!
Erin @ The Spiffy Cookie says
That frosting looks most excellent!
tea says
Ooh, pretty…
I can see doing something like this, previously I would have battered apples and then made doughnuts on them, but… this is a better idea.
I’m interested in trying the cream cheese. I’ve enjoyed Tofutti, and would try it stuffed in dates with chopped almonds …very yummy.
Bryony Blood says
Can you still use reg cream cheese too? And can I sub vanilla or plain protein powder instead of hemp? Need to make these asap 😉
Carolyn says
Yes. This recipes is really just based on previous recipes using cream cheese. So it should work just fine!
Alyson says
Can’t wait to try
Kimberly says
I try to limit the saturated fat that I consume, especially from animal sources. This means that I often use coconut oil in place of butter. I hadn’t previously looked into substitutes for cream cheese, but since it looks like GO Veggie! Cream Cheese Alternative is probably coconut oil based I’d love to try it in a lot of things. A good cream cheese icing (on carrot cake of course) would probably be my first choice.
Dorothy @ Crazy for Crust says
These are gorgeous! I love that frosting. My dad is going to love these!
Claudette Melanson says
Oh my goodness this looks soooooooooooooo good!
Iya says
Gingerbread cookies with cream cheese, of course! Or some pumpkin cheesecake!
Cassandra says
Oh no, it’s as if you peeked into my Secret Book of Food Wishes.
If someone was eager to attempt this recipe but didn’t own a doughnut pan, would there be another way to prepare them? As bars in a square pan, for example? Apologies if this is an appallingly ignorant question. I am appallingly ignorant.
Carolyn says
Not appallingly ignorant at all! You could do it in a muffin pan and make them on the small side.
Cassandra says
Woo hoo! Yes! I am very pleased about this. Thank you!
Susan says
I LOVE Go Veggie products. These donuts are yet another reason to buy a donut pan!
Sherrie says
Pumpkin Bars with Cream Cheese frosting. Yum!
Midge says
I’m willing to try a veggie cream cheese. Anything with cherries would be great!!
Beth says
These sound excellent! I’d love to try the veggie cream cheese with carrot cake muffins.
Tonnia Williams says
That frosting looks fabulous! My daughter is going to go nuts!
Sasha says
Grain-free carrot cake muffins with “cream cheese” frosting!
Tessa says
Repeating the question from above – can these be made with whey protein powder, or does it have to be the hemp? I have a donut pan on my Christmas list thanks to so many of your recipes!! Can’t wait to try!
Carolyn says
Yes, you can use any protein powder. I was just trying to make these dairy free.
Deb says
Looks like a “must try” !
Elizabeth says
This recipe sounds yummy. I can’t wait to try it as my son LOVES donuts and I am forever trying to steer him clear from them ~ LOL!!!
Catherine Griffice says
Looks yummy and well worth a try for something special!!!
Jen says
Will this work if I substitute whey protein powder for the hemp and real cream cheese instead of vegan?
Carolyn says
yes, it will. It was just a matter of subbing in the dairy free choices to test them out.
mary ann says
would love to win this…
Christy says
GO Veggie would be so great on gingerbread holiday cookies as well!!!
Kathy says
Looks delicious and would be nice to have on Christmas Eve morning for breakfast.
Martha says
I will havevto try these donuts for my husband who loves his donuts.
Dita MacDonald says
I would use GO Veggie cream cheese in my cream cheese frosting for my carrot cake.
Jessica @ A Kitchen Addiction says
I think it’s time I start with the gingerbread flavors! Love these donuts!
Angie Jerde says
I would love to venture out and use it in a sweet potato dish! YUM 🙂
Denise C says
I LOVE gingerbread… Especially during the holidays. To imagine it in a donut form with a latte… Does it get any better?
Judy says
I’d love to try it with a fruit dip, or as a frosting base.
Sarah G says
Now if only my stomach weren’t intolerant to erythritol these days. I can’t seem to find anything as awesome to use in it’s place. 🙁
These look like doughnuts I’ll spend all day dreaming about by the way.
Carolyn says
What sweeteners do you tolerate well? I will help where I can!
Serena says
‘Just like Sugar’ is pretty great- expensive, but great. And their Just like Sugar Brown- while not quite like brown sugar, has a wonderful rich flavour.
Heidi says
I would love to try a cheese cake with that!
Georgia @ The Comfort of Cooking says
I can’t believe these only pack 6g carbs each! They look outrageously good and perfect for holiday breakfasts, Carolyn! Such a delish and creative recipe!
Rose Linville says
GO Veggie! cream cheese sounds like it would taste good in mashed cauliflower 🙂
gina says
Chocolate Cream Cheese Truffles
Renee Parady says
cream cheese jalepeno dip…yummm
Cookin Canuck says
Wow, those are gorgeous donuts! The gingerbread flavor puts me in the mood for the holidays and I love your use of the dairy free cream cheese.
Della says
I would love to try it in cheesecake!
Mary says
I would try the gingerbread donuts!
Kammie @ Sensual Appeal says
I’d love to make pumpkin muffins with the cream cheese
Jeanette says
I love the idea of gingerbread spiced donuts – perfect for the holidays! So tempting!
GKatie says
I’d love to try using it for a cheesecake!
Julie says
pumpkin cheesecake
thanks for the giveaway
Faith says
Really enjoy your recipes – thank you SO much! I’d try the cream cheese substitute in my favorite dip recipes! Thank you. Faith.
Heidi says
I would love to win!
Aleisha says
OMG!!! these are delicious tried them today as a trial for Christmas and they are definitely on the menu
Angie says
I read your blog regularly and can’t wait to try these
Sarah & Arkadi says
Vanilla Bean Frosting?! Very intriguing! Thanks for the post!
Ruth E. Chidley says
I am making a recipe called Texas Cranberry Chutney that you serve over cream cheese with crackers for a Thanksgiving appetizer. I’m thinking I should use GO Veggie cream cheese alternative for those that cannot have dairy. Thank you Carolyn for bringing this timely post…very helpful!
April says
Homemade healthy bagel bites! Thanks for the giveaway!
Julia says
Would love go veggie cream cheese combined with pumpkin for a lovely bagel spread.
juli says
Could you make pumpkin cake donuts for me?
shirley knieper says
’tis the season for gingerbread!
WEndy says
how can you make these without the protein powder?
Mari says
I was wondering what brand of liquid stevia extract you use.
These look amazing! So excited to try them!
Carolyn says
Usually Nu Naturals
Kathy Cooke says
This recipe is super easy and tastes great! I used silicone doughnut molds on top of a baking sheet and got 14 doughnuts total. Baked for 15 minutes. Used Kite Hill dairy-free cream cheese, which only had a slight aftertaste in the glaze. The doughnuts come out of the molds more easily after 8 minutes cooling while pushing up from underneath the silicone molds in a circular pattern. The glaze is fantastic. My daughter didn’t know it wasn’t regular cream cheese. Great doughnuts for fall!