Keto Apple Cinnamon Donut Bites

These keto apple cinnamon donut bites are soft, cakey little mini donuts rolled in butter and cinnamon "sugar," with a gentle apple flavor that tastes like a fall afternoon at the orchard. They bake in a mini muffin pan in about 20 minutes, and each one has only about 1g net carbs.

Warm apple and cinnamon flavors are what fall is all about, and these little donut bites deliver both without the sugar crash. They're sweet enough to feel like a real treat, small enough that you can stop at two (most of the time!), and simple enough to make on a weeknight. If you've been missing bakery donuts since going low carb, this is a great place to start.

About the Cookbook

This recipe comes from Everyday Ketogenic Kitchen by Carolyn Ketchum. The book has over 350 pages of low carb fabulousness, with gorgeous photos, clear directions, and even a really cool pictorial index. Carolyn is often called the low carb baking queen, but her book goes far beyond baking: there are breads, appetizers, entrees, soups, sides and desserts, plus a helpful guide to sweeteners, pantry ingredients and substitutions.

There were MANY recipes to choose from, but her Apple Cider Donut Bites really stood out. The original recipe makes 24 bites; the version below is a half batch of 12, which is easy to double if you're feeding a crowd.

Key Ingredients & Substitutions

• Almond flour. Blanched, finely ground almond flour gives the bites a tender, cake-like crumb. Almond meal (with the skins) works but makes them denser and a little grainy. Coconut flour isn't a one-to-one swap, so stick with almond flour for this one.
• Granulated sweetener. We use a granulated monk fruit sweetener like Lakanto Classic, which measures cup-for-cup like sugar. Any granulated monk fruit or stevia blend that measures like sugar will work in both the batter and the coating.
• Whey protein powder. Just two tablespoons of unflavored whey (such as Isopure Zero Carb) helps the bites rise and hold together the way gluten would. Egg white protein powder is the best substitute; vanilla whey works too and adds a little extra flavor.
• Apple extract. This is where the apple flavor comes from, with no fruit carbs at all. Strength varies a lot between brands: a super-strength flavoring oil like LorAnn Apple needs far less than a regular extract, so start with ½ teaspoon and taste the batter.
• Apple cider vinegar. It reacts with the baking powder for a lighter texture and adds a subtle tang that reads as "apple cider." You won't taste vinegar once they're baked.
• Butter and cinnamon. Melted butter goes into the batter and is also the "glue" for the cinnamon coating. Use ghee or coconut oil if you avoid dairy.

How to Make Keto Apple Cinnamon Donut Bites

Mix the almond flour, sweetener, whey protein powder, baking powder, cinnamon and salt, then whisk in the egg, water, melted butter, apple cider vinegar and apple extract. Spoon the batter into 12 cups of a greased mini muffin pan and bake for about 17 minutes. Let them cool for 10 minutes before moving them to a wire rack.

They're absolutely delicious just like this, but the cinnamon coating is what makes them feel extra donutty (that's a technical term). Dip each bite in melted butter, then roll it in the sweetener and cinnamon mixture. Full amounts and step-by-step instructions are in the recipe card below.

Helpful Tips

Grease the pan well. Almond flour batters are more delicate than wheat batters and love to stick. Brush every cup generously with butter or use a nonstick spray, or use mini paper liners if you'd rather skip the cleanup (the coating sticks better without them, though).

Don't overbake. Start checking at 15 minutes. They're done when the tops are golden and spring back when pressed and a toothpick comes out clean. Overbaked almond flour goes dry fast, and these bites are small.

Let them rest before you move them. Low carb baked goods firm up as they cool. Give them the full 10 minutes in the pan so they don't crack or crumble when you lift them out.

Coat them while they're still warm. Slightly warm bites soak up a little of the melted butter, so the cinnamon coating clings instead of falling off. If they've cooled completely, a quick 10 seconds in the microwave helps.

Powder the sweetener for a smoother coating. Granulated sweetener gives a sparkly, crunchy finish like a classic cinnamon sugar donut. For a finer coating that dissolves more like sugar, give it a quick blitz in a spice grinder or blender first.

Keto Apple Cider Donut Bites

Apple cider donuts are THE fall treat, and this recipe is already halfway there (the original recipe in the book is called Apple Cider Donut Bites!). To push the cider flavor further, swap the 2 tablespoons of water for 2 tablespoons of unsweetened apple cider and add ¼ teaspoon of ground nutmeg plus a pinch of allspice or cloves to the dry ingredients. That small splash of cider adds only about 0.3g net carbs per bite, so they're still keto.

For an even bolder, orchard-style flavor, simmer ½ cup of apple cider in a small saucepan until it reduces to 2 tablespoons, let it cool, and use that in place of the water. It adds a little over 1g net carbs per bite, still well within keto range. Finish them with a pinch of nutmeg mixed into the cinnamon coating, and you've got keto apple cider donuts that taste just like the farm stand kind.

Variations

• Glazed donut bites. Skip the butter-and-cinnamon coating and dip the tops in a simple low carb icing and glaze instead.
• Caramel apple. Drizzle the coated bites with low carb caramel sauce for a caramel apple vibe.
• Pumpkin spice. Swap the apple extract for vanilla and the cinnamon for pumpkin pie spice in both the batter and the coating.
• Chai spice. Add a pinch each of cardamom, ginger and cloves to the batter for a cozy chai-latte twist.
• Full-size donuts. Bake the batter in a greased donut pan for 15 to 18 minutes, like our low carb donuts with caramel glaze. A half batch makes about 6 donuts.

Serving Ideas

These are perfect with a hot cup of coffee or tea in the morning or as an after-school snack. Pile them in a bowl for a fall brunch next to a batch of keto pumpkin muffins, and they'll disappear fast.

For dessert, serve a few warm bites with a spoonful of whipped cream and a drizzle of low carb caramel apple sauce. They're also great for parties and potlucks: they're bite-sized, no forks needed, and nobody will guess they're sugar free.

Storing & Freezing

Keep the donut bites in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. The coating can soften and turn a little damp in the fridge, so for the best texture, store them uncoated and roll them in the butter and cinnamon mixture just before serving. Let refrigerated bites come to room temperature or warm them for 10 seconds in the microwave.

They freeze well too. Freeze the uncoated, fully cooled bites on a tray, then move them to a freezer bag for up to 3 months. Thaw them on the counter for about 30 minutes (or warm them briefly in the microwave or a 300°F oven), then dip them in melted butter and cinnamon sweetener so they taste freshly made.

More Low Carb Fall Treats

If you loved these donut bites, here are a few more low carb treats you might enjoy:

• Low Carb Apple Crumble (Made with Jicama)
• Low Carb Glazed Cake Bites
• Low Carb Tortilla Cinnamon Roll-Ups
• Keto Banana Muffins

📖 Recipe

StepAwayFromTheCarbs.com

Keto Apple Cinnamon Donut Bites

4.86 from 7 votes

Soft, cakey keto donut bites with apple and cinnamon in the batter, dipped in butter and rolled in cinnamon sweetener. A sugar free, gluten free fall treat baked in a mini muffin pan.

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 30 minutes mins

Makes: 12 donut bites

Net Carbs: 1

Calories: 97

Ingredients Equipment Method Nutrition Notes

Ingredients

 

US CustomaryMetric

• 1 cup almond flour
• ½ cup low carb sweetener granulated monk fruit sweetener, such as Lakanto
• 2 tbs whey protein powder unflavored
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 egg
• 2 tbs water
• 2 tbs unsalted butter melted
• 2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
• ½-1 teaspoon apple extract use the smaller amount for super-strength flavoring oils

for the coating

• 2 tbs unsalted butter melted
• 2 tbs low carb sweetener granulated monk fruit sweetener
• ½-1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Equipment

• Norpro Nonstick 12- Hole Mini Muffin Pan
• Lorann Oils Candy and Baking Flavoring Bottle (2/ Pack), .125 Ounce, Apple

Step-by-Step Instructions

 

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1. Preheat the oven to 325°F (160°C) and generously grease 12 cups of a mini muffin pan.
2. In a medium bowl, mix together the almond flour, sweetener, protein powder, baking powder, ground cinnamon and salt.
3. Whisk in the egg, water, melted butter, apple cider vinegar and apple extract until you have a smooth, thick batter.
4. Spoon the batter evenly into the 12 greased mini muffin cups. Bake for 15-20 minutes, until golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
5. Let the donut bites cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack.
6. For the coating, mix the sweetener and cinnamon on a small plate. While the bites are still slightly warm, dip each one in the melted butter, then roll it in the cinnamon mixture to coat.

Nutrition

Serving: 1donut biteCalories: 97kcalCarbohydrates: 2gProtein: 3gFat: 9gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gCholesterol: 26mgSodium: 56mgPotassium: 45mgFiber: 1gSugar: 0gVitamin A: 140IUVitamin C: 0mgCalcium: 42mgIron: 1mgNet Carbs: 1g

Notes

Apple cider version: replace the water with 2 tablespoon unsweetened apple cider (or ½ cup cider simmered down to 2 tbsp) and add ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg plus a pinch of allspice to the dry ingredients. The cider adds a small amount of carbs that isn't included in the nutrition below.

Storage: for the best texture, store the bites uncoated and add the butter and cinnamon coating just before serving. Double the recipe for 24 bites.

Nutrition is per donut bite. The sweetener is not counted in the nutrition, since monk fruit sweetener has zero net carbs.

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Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is my best approximation. Net carbs are calculated as the total grams carbs minus the total grams of fiber.