Keto Glazed Donut Balls (Sugar-Free Donut Holes) (2024)

Keto glazed donut balls are soft, moist, buttery, and coated with a classic vanilla glaze. The BEST donut holes with only 0.25g of net carbs in each one!

Everyone loves donuts, but they're not exactly low-carb. Traditional doughnut balls contain 7 grams of carbs each, which would kick your body out of ketosis with just a few bites! But don't worry, we've put together this mini donut bites recipe with each delicious ball containing less than half a gram of net carbs.

Sweet and buttery, with a dreamy texture as light as air, our keto donut balls recipe is one not to be missed. These donut balls are the answer when you’re craving something sweet and delicious but want to stay on track and keep things low-carb. Tastier than traditional donuts, our keto donut balls will become the center of attention the moment you serve a big plate of them after dinner or when catching up over coffee with friends.

Paired with a syrupy vanilla glaze, guests won’t even know these donuts are keto-friendly! Erythritol, vanilla extract, and heavy cream are a few of the star ingredients that make these donuts heavenly to eat and even better to share. Glazing the donuts hot from the oven helps create a sweet, sticky icing that adorns each donut ball. Garnishing with a light sprinkling of cinnamon makes these keto donuts even cozier for winter.

Our recipe contains several ingredients, but they are all familiar and storecupboard-friendly, so you don’t need to worry about purchasing fancy, expensive ingredients. Instead, all you need is an hour to bring these balls of flavor to life, and you’ll keep well within the perimeter of the keto lifestyle since each donut ball only contains 0.25g of net carbs.

Donut Ball Ingredients

For these delicious low-carb donut balls, you'll need to grab the following ingredients.

For the Donut Balls

• Almond Flour: Subtly sweet and dense in texture, almond flour is the ideal ingredient to help form the base of the donut batter. It’s also gluten-free, making these keto donut balls suitable for coeliacs or those avoiding high volumes of gluten.
• Xanthan Gum: By avoiding using glutinous flour, carbs are kept to a minimum, but this can make things tricky when it comes to shaping and molding the donut dough. Xanthan gum saves the day by helping the ingredients stick to one another whilst keeping the dough light and moist.
• Butter: A small amount of melted butter creates a rich flavor in the donuts, satisfying sweet cravings without a high volume of carbs. Butter has a magical way of making dishes taste luxurious, and that’s certainly what it manages to bring to each donut ball.
• Granulated Erythritol: Traditional donut recipes usually contain sugar in various forms. Although this makes donuts delicious, it also increases the overall carbohydrate content. Substituting sugar for granulated erythritol not only keeps carbs low but also brings the sweet hit these donuts need to make them mouthwateringly delicious.
• Salt: A little salt in sweet recipes helps balance the overall flavor of the donuts while enhancing the natural sweetness of vanilla, butter, and erythritol. Only a dash of salt is needed, so be careful not to get carried away as this risks the final donut result being too salty.
• Egg: An egg binds the donut batter and helps create a luscious golden color of dough when it’s baked in the oven. The donuts must be able to hold their shape, and both xanthan gum and an egg are key components in making this happen.
• Vanilla Extract: Vanilla and donuts go together like a match made to be, and vanilla extract is our choice of flavoring for the dough. Heavenly-scented vanilla brings a sweet, floral taste to the dough that’s echoed once again in the syrupy vanilla glaze.
• Baking Powder: Baking powder helps the donuts rise into bouncy little nuggets of joy, able to be drizzled with glaze and enjoyed by the whole family. Only a teaspoon of baking powder is needed to create a light and airy donut texture.

For the Vanilla Glaze

• Powdered Erythritol: Erythritol is the perfect ingredient to make the sweet glaze, but it’s best to opt for the powdered version to avoid any lumps or bits.
• Heavy Cream: Along with thickening the glaze, heavy cream also brings a rich decadence to the donuts, encasing them in a thick, sticky vanilla coating. Avoid using flavored or sweetened heavy cream as these can contain added sugars and syrups which will raise the net carbohydrates of the dish.
• Vanilla Extract: A few drops of vanilla in the glaze echo the flavor of the donuts and make for a delicate, subtle flavor in the syrup. Use quality vanilla extract to achieve a bolder vanilla flavor.
• Water: A spoonful of water can be added to the glaze if the consistency is a little too thick to pour and drizzle over the donuts. Add the water slowly, as making the glaze too watery means it will have trouble sticking to the donuts.

How To Make Glazed Donut Balls

These keto donut balls require little effort to make, especially since they are baked in the oven instead of fried in oil. Baking the donuts lowers their fat content when compared to frying, and it also means there’s far less action to take as the oven does the hard work. It may be tempting to skip the resting period for the dough, but this is a vital step that helps the dough form and keep its shape.

Make the Donut Balls

1. Preheat oven and prep baking tray: Preheat the oven to 390°F (220°C) and line a baking pan with baking paper.
2. Combine dry ingredients: Combine the almond flour, xanthan gum, salt, Erythritol, and baking powder in a mixing bowl.
3. Melt butter and flour: To a medium-sized pan, add the butter and melt it over low heat. Add the vanilla extract and fold in the flour mixture, stirring constantly to incorporate all of the ingredients.
4. Form into dough: Continue mixing with a spatula or wooden spoon for 2-3 minutes until a dough is formed and can be easily shaped into a ball that holds its shape.

5. Let it reach room temp: Transfer the dough into a bowl and allow it to reach room temperature.
6. Mix in the egg: Add the egg and mix it with an electric mixer until an elastic dough is formed.
7. Rest the dough (important!!): Cover the bowl with a tea towel and let the dough rest for 15-20 minutes.

8. Shape the donut balls: Once it has rested, shape the dough into 10 small balls with your hands, placing each one on the prepared baking pan when shaped.
9. Bake the donut balls: Bake the donuts for 10 minutes at 390°F (200°C), then lower the temperature to 355°F (180°C) and continue to bake for 5 to 10 minutes until they have risen into golden donut balls.

To Make the Vanilla Glaze

10. Prepare the vanilla glaze: Sift the powdered Erythritol in a mixing bowl, adding the heavy cream, vanilla extract, and water if the mixture becomes too thick. The goal is to achieve a thick yet pourable glaze.

11. Glaze the donut balls: Roll the donuts in the glaze, place them on a serving plate, and drizzle any remaining vanilla glaze over each donut.

Storage Instructions

The best way to store your donut balls is in an airtight container at room temperature. If you freeze them, they're going to dry out and spoil faster. They'll keep for up to 4 days at room temperature just make sure you keep them away from heat and moisture.

Frequently Asked Questions

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