These paleo chocolate donuts are fluffy and moist with a nice crumb texture. They are made with cassava flour and sunflower seed butter for a delicious, secretly healthy paleo donut recipe. They're a great breakfast option for those with common allergies, as these donuts are are egg free, nut free, dairy free and gluten free!
My first donut recipe is here! In fact, this recipe marks the first time I've ever made donuts (but certainly not the last).
I got some silicone donut molds for Christmas with the intention of bringing a few paleo donut recipes to the blog. And I'm kicking it off with these amazing baked chocolate donuts!
These chocolate donuts are made with cassava flour and sunflower seed butter and lightly sweetened with maple syrup. I wanted to make them allergy free, so they're free from gluten, eggs, dairy, soy and nuts.
So yes, these paleo chocolate donuts are void of a lot of things...but I promise, they still taste great. Perhaps not as sweet as your typical donut (I like to keep my recipes lower in sugar), but still a fun treat that will satisfy all your baked donut cravings.
Why You'll Love these Paleo Chocolate Donuts
- grain free & gluten free - made with cassava flour
- dairy free - no milk, butter or cream
- egg free - this is an eggless chocolate donut recipe
- nut free - perfect for anyone with nut allergies
- refined sugar free - sweetened with maple syrup
- baked - instead of fried, these donuts are baked in the oven in a donut mold
Ingredients
These chocolate cassava flour donuts are made with a combination of grain free flours, sunflower seed butter and lightly sweetened with maple syrup. They are topped with a simple chocolate glaze that really brings them to the next level!
Here's a list of what you need (full recipe in the recipe card below):
Chocolate Donuts
- cassava flour - these donuts are made with cassava flour and while other flours may work (like a gluten free flour blend or all purpose flour), I have not tested anything else.
- cacao powder - I like these donuts best with cacao powder, but cocoa powder will work as a replacement.
- baking soda - so the donuts rise in the oven
- salt - enhances the flavors
- water - to thin the batter
- sunflower seed butter - this is important for the texture of the donuts. You can swap it with almond butter or peanut butter if you aren't nut free, but this will slightly alter the texture and flavor.
- maple syrup - to sweeten the donuts
- apple cider vinegar - helps activate the baking soda and make the donuts fluffy
- vanilla extract - for flavor
Chocolate Glaze
- dark chocolate chips - I recommend chocolate with a cocoa content between 65-85%
- sunflower seed butter - to give the glaze a fudgy texture
- coconut oil - thins the chocolate, making it easier to work with
How to Make Baked Paleo Chocolate Donuts
These nut free paleo donuts are easy to make and quick to bake. You will need a donut mold (I used a silicone donut mold), baking sheet, mixing bowl, whisk, spatula and required ingredients.
Make the Chocolate Donuts
- First, preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
- Then, in a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients.
- Add the wet ingredients to the batter and mix with a spatula until well combined.
- Place the donut mold on a baking sheet, then scoop the batter into the mold. The batter should fill the mold almost to the top, making 6 donuts.
- Place the donuts in the oven and bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes.
- After baking, remove the donuts from the oven and cool on the pan for 5 minutes. Then, remove them from their silicone mold and place them on a wire cooling rack.
Glaze the Donuts
- Once the donuts have cooled to room temperature you can make the glaze. Place the chocolate chips and coconut oil in a small saucepan, over the stovetop. Melt the chocolate chips over low heat, stirring frequently.
- Once melted, turn off the heat and mix in the sunflower seed butter. Pour the chocolate glaze into a bowl that's just a little larger than the size of the donuts. If you don't have a properly sized bowl, then you can spoon the glaze onto the donuts.
- One at a time, grab the donuts and dip them into the glaze. Add your favorite toppings (I sprinkled on some hemp seeds and bee pollen) and eat! If you want the chocolate to set prior to eating the donuts, then place them in the fridge or freezer for a few minutes. The chocolate glaze will solidify.
Storage
These donuts are best stored in a sealed, air-tight container in the fridge up to one week.
FAQ
While I have only tested these donuts with cassava flour, a gluten free flour blend or all purpose flour should work instead. Just be sure to swap at a 1:1 ratio by weight (given in grams).
I've honestly never fried donuts, so I don't know how this batter would cook if fried. If you try it, please let me know the results in the comment section below.
While I recommend sunflower seed butter for optimal taste and texture, any other nut/seed butter should work as a replacement. The flavor will obviously change and it may alter the texture a bit, but the recipe should still work.
More Paleo Donut Recipes
Paleo Chocolate Donuts (with Cassava Flour)
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 6 donuts 1x
Description
These paleo chocolate donuts are made with cassava flour and baked in the oven. This healthy donut recipe is paleo, vegan, gluten free and nut free!
Ingredients
Chocolate Donuts
- ⅓ cup cassava flour (50g)*
- ¼ cup cacao powder (20g)*
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ⅛ tsp salt
- ½ cup water
- ⅓ cup sunflower seed butter
- 3 Tbsp maple syrup
- 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
Chocolate Glaze
- 3 Tbsp dark chocolate chips
- 1 tsp coconut oil
- 1 Tbsp sunflower seed butter
Instructions
Chocolate Donuts
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- In a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk together the cassava flour, cacao powder, baking soda and salt.
- Add in the water, sunflower seed butter, maple syrup, apple cider vinegar and vanilla. Mix with a spatula until well combined.
- Place the silicone donut pan on a baking sheet and scoop the donut batter into the donut pan. Fill each slot almost level with the top, making 6 donuts.
- Put the donuts in the middle rack of your oven and bake at 350 degrees F for 20-25 minutes.
- Remove donuts from oven, cool 5 minutes in the pan, then transfer them to a wire cooling rack.
Chocolate Glaze
- Place the chocolate chips and coconut oil in a small sauce pan. Melt on the stove top, over low heat.
- Once melted, turn off the heat and add in the sunflower seed butter. Mix until smooth.
- Pour the glaze into a small bowl, slightly bigger than the donuts. Dip the cooled donuts into the glaze and top with favorite toppings (sprinkles, chopped nuts, seeds, bee pollen...)**
Notes
*For best results, measure ingredients by weight
**You can also drizzle the glaze over the donuts
Katie
This is the BEST paleo vegan donut recipe. My kids ask for them all the time. We hope you love them just as much!
Rina
Hi, thanks for this recipe! Can I replace sunflower seed butter with pumpking seed butter?
Katie
Hi! Any nut or seed butter should work in place of the sunflower seed butter 🙂
Kayla Mae Kallen
Just made these, so delicious, and easy! Used hemp seed butter and it worked perfect!
Katie
I'm so glad you liked them and that the hemp seed butter worked!
Kim
Could I sub almond butter for sunflower butter?
Kim
Popes never mind. I see the answer up above👍🏼 Looking forward to making these.
Katie
🙂
Dawn
These were awesome, we loved them!
forallweknow
Just LOVED these! Cakey, moist, and devine tasting. Thank you!
Katie
Yay! So glad you enjoyed them 🙂 Thank you for taking the time to leave a review!
Ann
I am halfway through and found it very difficult to get into the donut pan. It was a mess and I had as much on my hands as I got in the pan. LOL. I had hoped to see a video of you doing this but didn’t see one. I used a small spoon but it didn’t help. Help!
Katie
I just spoon it into the pan, but you could put all the batter in a baggie and pipe it into the donut pan if that's easier.
Janell
Didn't even coat in frosting and so good!
Katie
Yay! 🙂
Camee
I'm wondering if I could use a regular gluten-free baking flour instead of the cassava flour as I don't tolerate that well. What do you think?
Katie
I assume it would work, but haven't tried myself. Be sure to sub by weight. And if you try, I'd love it if you reported back 🙂
Christy.
Hi Katie thank you so much for the recipe my kids are allergic to all the stuff. Just asking if you don't have a dounut mould could you cut a dounut shape, and then cook it in oil?😉
Katie
Hi! I've never fried donuts, so I'm not sure if this batter is right for doing so. But if you try it, I'd love to know the results!
Marge
I only have metal donut pans and am hesitant buying another “pan”. Any suggestions for cooking with metal rather than silicone? Grease the pan? Time the same?
Katie
Hi! For some donut recipes you shouldn't have a problem using a metal pan instead. But silicone pans really help keep the donuts from sticking, removal is so easy. If you try a metal pan, then yes, I would grease the pan before adding the batter. The bake time should be about the same.
Noelle F
Made these as a treat this weekend. First time making donuts ever! I used peanut butter instead of sunbutter and used Hu gems as the chocolate chips. I needed to add more water to the batter to make it pourable into the silicon donut molds. They came out SO cute and yummy! Thanks, Katie!
Katie
So glad you liked them Noelle!
Jess
Hi! The flavor of these was delicious! I subbed peanut butter for sunbutter and did weigh my cassava and cacao, but while very moist, they were also crumbly and didn't come out of my silicone mold completely. Any tips for why that happened/what I can do to help it? Thanks!
Katie
Did you grease the donut pan? That's definitely a must! Also, be sure to let the donuts cool a bit before removing them. You can pop them in the fridge to further set before taking them out of the pan. Lastly, peanut butter can bake a bit differently than sunbutter, so that could have had an impact.
Jess
Super helpful - I'll try again with these adjustments. Thanks for the quick reply!
Crystal
Just made these today. I was SUPER impressed! I honestly didn't have high hopes but the quality, texture and taste were amazing. Even my husband loved them! 10/10!
Sara
Great taste yummy, but when I 4x the recipe they came out way to thick and when I added water it just ruined it.
The Cousins
Every other time I have made these they turned out. We have a ton of cousins and we always make them when the cousins are all together. Everyone loves them so much. They get devoured within seconds. I use peanut butter instead of sunflower seed butter.
Sara
I don’t think there’s any savings these… they turned out good the other times I’ve made them so must have messed up the recipe…let’s just say they’re a little…special…
Melissa
Can you sub the butters and use olive oil or avocado oil or coconut oil instead?
Katie
I have only tested these donuts with nut butters. I'm not sure you'd get the right consistency using oil instead.