These Paleo Pumpkin Donuts are baked with warm pumpkin pie spices and topped with an easy maple sugar icing that’s totally irresistible! Add some chopped nuts for a breakfast or brunch treat you’ll want to make year round. These paleo donuts are refined sugar free, gluten free, dairy free and grain free.
Donuts always disappear faster than any other baked good in my house! Anything pumpkin is always a sure thing.
So to combine the two? These pumpkin donuts are seriously heavenly.
The maple icing, pumpkin pie spices and moist and tender crumb are unbeatable. You’ll never guess you’re eating something grain free, dairy free and paleo.
With the chopped pecans on top and a little extra cinnamon, I could happily live on these donuts all season!
What You Need To Make Paleo Pumpkin Donuts
The ingredients are very similar to those in my pumpkin coffee cake. There is some overlap between the icing and donut ingredients, so I’ll specify below for you:
Icing:
- ghee, butter or palm shortening, soft
- powdered maple sugar (see below how to make this with a blender)
- almond milk
- pure vanilla extract
- fine sea salt
Donuts:
- blanched almond flour
- arrowroot flour (or tapioca)
- baking soda
- pumpkin pie spice
- ground cinnamon
- fine grain sea salt
- eggs
- organic pumpkin puree
- coconut sugar or maple sugar
- refined coconut oil (refined to avoid coconut flavor)
- pure vanilla extract
How to Make Paleo Pumpkin Donuts
Preheat your oven to 350° F. Prepare a 9 well donut pan (I used silicone) by spraying lightly with coconut oil spray. Tip – if you don’t have a donut pan, line a muffin pan with parchment liners to make pumpkin muffins!
In a mixing bowl, combine the almond flour, arrowroot, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon and salt, set aside.
In a separate large bowl, whisk together the eggs, pumpkin, coconut sugar, coconut oil, and vanilla until very smooth. Stir the dry mixture into the wet until well combined. Allow the batter to sit 3-5 minutes to thicken.
To transfer the batter into the donut pan, you can either use a spoon (what I did) OR you can use a piping bag to get the batter in the wells neatly. I made 9 full size donuts with this recipe. If using a silicone donut pan, I like to place it on a baking sheet to make it easy to get it in and out of the oven.
Once the batter is used up and the well are filled, bake in the preheated oven for 15-18 minutes, or until puffed up and set – a toothpick inserted in one of the donuts should come out clean or with a few crumbs.
Remove from the oven and place the entire pan on a cooling rack. Allow the donuts to cool in the pan for 10-15 minutes. Carefully remove the donuts from the wells and place on a cooling rack to fully cool.
How To Make Maple Icing with Maple Sugar
Maple sugar is very fine to begin with, but you can make it into a powdered sugar by blending it in any high speed blender.
I use a NutriBullet since I’m normally blending smaller amounts.
Always blend about 1/2 cup more than the measurement in the recipe, since you’ll need to measure it after it’s blended. Simply save any remaining sugar for another use.
While the donuts cool, make the icing. Blend your now-powdered maple sugar, then measure it out and place it in a bowl.
Whisk in the softened ghee, butter, or palm shortening then whisk in the almond milk slowly, then the vanilla and sea salt. You want the icing to be thick but still drippy.
If it’s too thick or dry, add a few drops of almond milk. If it’s too drippy, add more powdered maple sugar to thicken it up. You can also whisk in a little arrowroot or tapioca to thicken it.
Optional Toppings for Your Pumpkin Donuts
Once the donuts are cooled, ice them as desired. I did a mix of fully iced by dipping the top of the donut in the icing bowl, and some with a drizzle of icing.
There are so many options for toppings too! I went with chopped nuts because I love the maple-pecan flavor.
You can also go with a dusting of cinnamon, a little shredded coconut, or even sprinkles or mini chocolate chips!
How to Store Paleo Pumpkin Donuts
Store the iced or un-iced donuts at room temperature for one day or refrigerate them wrapped, in a single layer for up to 4-5 days.
You can also refrigerate or freeze un-iced donuts and ice before serving. If freezing, make sure to defrost in the refrigerator before you gently reheat and cool the donuts, then ice and top them as desired.
I hope you’re ready for a fall baking treat that is absolutely one of the favorites on my blog! Donuts are pure fun-food!
Grab your ingredients and preheat your oven because it’s time to bake – let’s go!
Paleo Pumpkin Donuts With Maple Icing {Gluten Free, Dairy Free}
Pumpkin Spice Donuts with Maple Icing {Paleo, Gluten Free}
Ingredients
Donuts:
- 2 cups blanched almond flour
- 1/4 cup arrowroot flour or tapioca
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
- 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp fine grain sea salt
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup organic pumpkin puree drained on paper towels, see note*
- 2/3 cup coconut sugar or maple sugar
- 1/4 cup melted coconut oil
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
Maple Icing:
- 1 Tbsp ghee butter or palm shortening, soft
- 1 1/4 cups powdered maple sugar See note**
- 1 Tbsp almond milk
- 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1/8 tsp fine sea salt
Instructions
-
Preheat your oven to 350° F. Prepare a 9 well donut pan (I used silicone) by spraying lightly with coconut oil spray.
-
In a mixing bowl, combine the almond flour, arrowroot, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon and salt, set aside.
-
In a separate large bowl, whisk together the eggs, pumpkin, coconut sugar, coconut oil, and vanilla until very smooth. Stir the dry mixture into the wet until well combined. Allow the batter to sit 3-5 minutes to thicken.
-
To transfer the batter into the donut pan, you can either use a spoon (what I did) OR you can use a piping bag to get the batter in the wells neatly. I made 9 full size donuts with this recipe. If using a silicone donut pan, I like to place it on a baking sheet to make it easy to get it in and out of the oven.
-
Once the batter is used up and the well are filled, bake in the preheated oven for 15-18 minutes, or until puffed up and set - a toothpick inserted in one of the donuts should come out clean or with a few crumbs.
-
Remove from the oven and place the entire pan on a cooling rack. Allow the donuts to cool in the pan for 10-15 minutes. Carefully remove the donuts from the wells and place on a cooling rack to fully cool.
-
While the donuts cool, make the icing. Blend your maple sugar (see note) before measuring it. Whisk in the softened ghee, butter, or palm shortening then whisk in the almond milk slowly, then the vanilla and sea salt. You want the icing to be thick but still drippy. If it’s too thick or dry, add a few drops of almond milk. If it’s too drippy, add more powdered maple sugar to thicken it up. You can also whisk in a little arrowroot or tapioca to thicken it.
-
Once the donuts are cooled, ice them as desired and top with chopped nuts, a dusting of cinnamon, or anything else you like! Store iced donuts at room temperature for one day or refrigerate to keep longer. You can also refrigerate or freeze un-iced donuts and ice before serving. Enjoy!
Recipe Notes
*I like to drain my canned pumpkin before using it to remove excess water than can make paleo baked goods too dense and soggy. Simply place it on a double layer or paper towel to gently blot out excess moisture before adding it in.
**Maple sugar is very fine to begin with, but you can make it into a powdered sugar by blending it in any high speed blender. I use a NutriBullet since I’m normally blending smaller amounts. Always blend about 1/2 cup more than the measurement in the recipe, since you’ll need to measure it after it’s blended. Simply save any remaining sugar for another use.
Nutrition
Shop Products and Ingredients:
Want More Paleo Pumpkin Treats? Try One of These!
Paleo Pumpkin Spice Latte Bars
Pumpkin Scones with Pumpkin Spice Icing
Paleo Pumpkin Cupcakes with Maple Cinnamon Frosting
Pumpkin Cookies with Maple Cream
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Could I use coconut flour instead of almond. I’m allergic to almond flour.
Id try tigernut flour. Ive used it as an almond flour in a few recipes and its worked every time so far!
when you sub tigernut flour do you do 1:1?
Could these be made in a muffin tin vs a donut pan?
Do you think having an egg substitute maybe flax egg could work for this recipe?
These are SO good. I followed the donut recipe exactly, and they came out perfectly. I also live at altitude (6,600 feet), and made no adjustments. I didn’t have maple sugar, so I made a really simple glaze with ghee, pure maple syrup, coconut cream, and vanilla. We loved them, thank you!
So moist! Can’t wait to see how they taste with the frosting. I forgot to purchase maple sugar so it will have to wait until tomorrow. If they last that long.
Can you sub avocado oil instead of coconut?
These tasted great and I baked them longer but they were still mushy. I put the canned pumpkin on the paper towel too.
Any thoughts on substitutions for the coconut oil?? I’m allergic to coconut and it is in a lot of clean recipes.
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These sound delicious (and a friend made them and loved them) so I’m anxious to try them myself, but I’m allergic to eggs! 😭 Any suggestions for making them fully vegan? Thanks! 😊
Made this recipe by the book and the donuts were so amazing. Definitely making again.
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Absolutely delicious! I do not have maple sugar so I didn’t ice them, and they were still so yummy.
I just made these! They are delicious! I followed the recipe but the texture is similar to the pumpkin cookie with the maple cream. Also a great recipe if you haven’t tried it yet. It’s like a pumpkin gob!
I’ve made her lemon blueberry and chocolate frosted donuts as well. Those turned out more donut like for me!
Thank you again for sharing your recipes!
I have made these three times now! They are wonderful! Your stuff is out of this world delicious!
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Any contemplations on replacements for the coconut oil?? I’m sensitive to coconut and it is in a great deal of clean plans.
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Moist, so delicious! My husband loved these and he isn’t a donut eater!
Despite draining my pumpkin on a paper towel, the donuts still came out a bit soggy. Excited to keep trying! Any way to convert these recipes into metric weights?
Wow, great recipe. I never try this recipe. Next week I will try.
Just made them… Delicious!!! This recipe is a keeper! I followed it exactly but didn’t make the drizzle. They are the perfect sweetness and very moist. I made in the smaller size donut pan and filled it up. One side they look like donuts & flip side muffins. Think I’ll make another batch to freeze and have during the week. Thanks for another great recipe!
Made these for the first time this morning. A first try at a recipe usually means no subs, but alas not this one. However, the subs were minimal. Per the recipe, I used coconut sugar instead of maple and tapioca flour/starch instead of arrowroot. Delicious!! I decided to forego the frosting and instead lightly brushed the tops and bottoms with melted refined coconut oil and then dredged in coconut sugar and cinnamon (1/4 c with 1T cinnamon). My husband and I LOVED them. Thank you for a great recipe.
Even the skeptics loved these in my house. Maple sugar was hard to find so I used coconut sugar but still delicious!
I made this recipe with sugar pie pumpkin I cooked whole in an Instapot, so easy! After pureeing the pumpkin I proceeded to making the donuts. I sprinkled coarsely chopped pecans on top prior to baking. After I removed them from the pan I couldn’t wait to eat one so I did. They were divine, even without the glaze! Thank you so much for sharing!
These turned out pretty good! It’s pumpkin spice season so I thought I’d try out this recipe. Instead of the frosting recipe I did cinnamon sugar on some and maple butter on the others. Maple butter isn’t healthy by any means as it is 100% maple sugar, but the doughnuts tasted just like a maple bar!
These donuts looks very delicious, your recipes are simply amazing. Thanks for sharing this amazing recipe.
Would the icing work to use on cupcakes?
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Absolutely delicious. Made just as recipe states. My pans were somewhat small so recipe made 18. Topped the glaze with homemade pralines. Thank you!!
They’re gluten-free, dairy-free, and refined sugar-free, making them suitable for a variety of dietary preferences.