Tender keto chocolate donuts with a sweet sugar-free peanut butter glaze. These chocolate peanut butter donuts are an easy and fun breakfast treat!
Have I ever mentioned how much I love peanut butter? Oh maybe about a billion times! But chocolate and peanut butter together have an extra special place in my heart!
It’s just a magical combination and I try to marry these two flavors as frequently as possible. I make my own Keto Peanut Butter Cups regularly, and my whole family adores Keto Peanut Butter Pie.
And these chocolate peanut butter donuts are another huge hit. Why wouldn’t they be? Keto chocolate donuts with a deliciously drippy peanut butter glaze? Sign me up!
Keto donuts are fun and easy
As it turns out, I also love my donut pan. It was an impulse purchase, but one that has turned out to be tremendously useful for such a specialized kitchen gadget. Especially on the keto diet, when conventional donuts are off limits, being able to make my own keto donuts is priceless.
I have a lot of fun creating interesting donut recipes, like sugar-free maple bacon donuts or my Girl Scout-inspired Samoa Donuts.
You might be surprised to learn that this chocolate peanut butter donut recipe is one of the first I ever created, way back in July 2011. I recently gave it an update and it’s even better than ever!
Ingredients
For this keto donut recipe, you will need:
- Almond Flour – See FAQ section for nut-free alternatives
- Swerve Sweetener – granular and powdered
- Cocoa Powder
- Protein Powder – whey protein or egg white protein
- Baking Powder
- Eggs
- Water
- Butter
- Vanilla Extract
- Peanut Butter – creamy, all natural
- Heavy Whipping Cream
How to make chocolate peanut butter donuts
- Whisk the dry ingredients: This are easy almond flour donuts and the batter comes together quickly.
- Stir in the wet ingredients: If your batter is overly thick after you’ve added everything, use some additional water to thin it out. It should be scoopable, but not pourable.
- Spoon into the donut pan: If your donut pan has less than 10 wells, you will need to work in batches. Additionally, there is no standard size for donut pans so you may get more or fewer donuts.
- Bake until firm to the touch: Touch the tops of the donuts and take them out when they feel firm, without too much give underneath.
- Let cool in the pan: But don’t leave them there too long, as they can start to stick again. About 30 to 45 minutes should suffice.
- Melt the peanut butter and butter: I do this in a glass bowl in the microwave but you can use a pan on the stove. Just keep the heat super low!
- Whisk in sweetener, cream, and vanilla: Depending on your peanut butter, your glaze might be thick. You can thin it out with some water for a glaze consistency.
- Dip the donuts: I like to dip the tops of the donuts for that drippy look but you can also spread it on with a knife.
- Sprinkle with chopped peanuts: The finishing touch!
Frequently Asked Questions
Easy, my friends! Use sunflower seed flour in place of the almond flour. It’s essentially a 1:1 replacement.
Absolutely, that should work well. Just make sure to stir any oils in before measuring it out for the glaze.
Yes, you can. Try using coconut oil in the donuts and the glaze, and replace the whipping cream with coconut cream. Then use egg white protein powder in place of the whey protein.
The donuts should be fine with any granular sweetener but the glaze really needs a powdered (confectioners) style for proper consistency.
I love my USA Pan Donut Pan. It only has 6 wells so I have to work in batches, but it’s non-stick, non-toxic, and extremely durable. It’s lasted me far better than any other donut pan.
I have talked extensively about the importance of protein powder for keto baking. In the absence of gluten, it helps keto baked goods rise properly and hold their shape. Although it may seem expensive, a canister or bag of protein powder will last you months and you will see a marked improvement in your keto recipes.
Liquid egg whites are not a good replacement for protein powder as they will throw off the wet/dry ratio in the recipe.
Store the donuts in a covered container on the counter for up to 3 days and in the fridge for a week. They can also be frozen, tightly wrapped, for up to two months.
More delicious keto donut recipes
- Keto Cinnamon Donuts
- Mint Chip Donuts
- Keto Apple Cider Donut Bites
- Lemon Poppyseed Donuts
- Boston Cream Donuts
- Instant Pot Donuts
- Blueberry Cake Donuts
Keto Chocolate Peanut Butter Donuts
Equipment
Ingredients
Donuts
- 1 ¾ cups almond flour
- 6 tablespoon Swerve Granular
- ¼ cup cocoa powder
- 3 tablespoon unflavored whey protein powder (or egg white protein powder)
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 3 large eggs room temperature
- 6 tablespoon butter melted
- ⅓ cup water
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Glaze
- ¼ cup creamy natural peanut butter
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 3 tablespoons powdered Swerve Sweetener
- 2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream room temperature
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 to 2 tablespoons warm water to thin as needed
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped peanuts for decorating
Instructions
Donuts
- Preheat the oven to 325F and grease 10 wells of a 12 well donut pan. If you have a smaller pan, you may need to work in batches.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the almond flour, sweetener, cocoa powder, protein powder, baking powder, and salt. Add the eggs, butter, water, and vanilla extract and stir until well combined. If your batter is overly thick, add a little more water, a few teaspoons at a time. It should be scoopable but not pourable.
- Spoon the batter into the prepared baking pan, filling the wells about three quarters full. Bake 18 to 23 minutes, or until set and firm to the touch.
- Remove and let cool completely in the pan before flipping out onto a wire rack.
Glaze
- In a microwave safe bowl, melt the peanut butter and butter on high in 30 second increments, stirring until smooth. Alternatively, you can melt them carefully in a small saucepan over very low heat.
- Whisk in the sweetener, whipping cream, and vanilla. If the glaze is very thick, whisk in the water a few teaspoons at a time until a dippable consistency is achieved.
- Working quickly, dip the tops of the cooled donuts into the glaze and place on a baking rack to set. If the glaze thickens up too quickly, you also spread it onto the donuts.
- Sprinkle with the chopped peanuts and let set, about 20 minutes.
Jill Colonna says
You are incredible, Carolyn. Low carb donuts! Love also your second photo – looks like it's flying.
Happy When Not Hungry says
Wow these donuts look amazing!! I love the chocolate and peanut butter combo!
Parsley Sage says
Hot stuff! I love your little genius ideas. I've got a mini-donut maker in the cupboard that I've never even used once! I'm thinking its time to dust it off and go peanut-butter-choco crazy 🙂
janet@fromcupcakestocaviar says
These look fantastic. I have been wanting to get a doughnut pan; you just gave me a reason hehe
Lindselicious says
Wow these are low carb?! Great new recipe for my donut pan. Yay!
Alex says
just perfect! and the best combo..peanut butter, chocolate, and donuts! thanks for sharing
Boulder Locavore says
Carolyn chocolate and PB have been my favorite sweet combo since I was a child. These looks great. I've never worked with peanut flour either. Will have to give these a whirl….when I'm using my oven again!
Karen says
I can completely relate to the peanut butter obsession! And with chocolate? Even better!
Your donuts are perfect! And I'm sure they taste amazing, too. Just gorgeous!
Hester aka The Chef Doc says
This looks fabulous 🙂
Katrina {In Katrina's Kitchen} says
Carolyn – these are pretty much amazing!
Sanjeeta kk says
These are so adorable, Carolyn! Love the peanut butter frosting..have a jar of peanut butter and now I know what best can be done with it 🙂
Becky says
Carolyn,
You have outdone yourself with low carb donuts. didn't know that those two words could go together, but you made it happen. Love the chocolate PB combo, of course.
claire gallam says
I'd like about 30 of those, please 🙂
Food Glorious Food! says
This is perfect! Low carb and taste great!! Thanks for the lovely recipe and have a great week ahead!
Caroline @ chocolate and carrots says
Yum!!!! I need these…right now.
Emily @ A Cambridge Story says
A donut pan is going to be my next kitchen purchase – these look sooo good. Your kids must have loved them!
Belinda @zomppa says
I will not stop you from talking about peanut butter donuts. Me wants!
purabi naha says
mmm…yummy…these donuts really look delicious…I am dreaming that I am eating a dozen. Peanut butter makes these donuts more droolworthy!
brandi says
These look great! i love the pb icing on the chocolate donut 🙂
Pretend Chef says
Might need to put my Williams-Sonoma gift card towards a mini donut pan. Chocolate and peanut butter is a winning combo and one I know everyone will love. I'll need to bookmark this recipe. Yummy!