These healthy paleo pumpkin donuts have the most irresistible taste and moist, cakey texture. They're made with tigernut flour (gluten free and nut free), sweetened with maple syrup and paleo friendly. You won't find a better baked pumpkin donut recipe!
Since it's fall and I have a donut pan that I don't put to use nearly enough, I decided it's time I created a paleo pumpkin donut recipe.
And guys, these donuts are incredible!
This paleo pumpkin donut recipe is made with tigernut flour; meaning it's grain free, gluten free AND nut free. Heck yes! You can learn more about tigernut flour HERE.
I love recipes like this because they check off so many of the common allergens people have. Having a daughter who's struggled with food allergies, I know just how difficult it can be to find allergy friendly recipes.
In addition, these donuts have a moist, cakey texture and a sweet pumpkin flavor. They're baked instead of fried and topped with a cinnamon sugar coating. What's not to love?!
Why You'll Love these Pumpkin Donuts
- paleo friendly - made without wheat flour, seed oil free, dairy free and refined sugar free
- nut free - made with tigernut flour, which is naturally grain free, gluten free AND nut free! A great paleo baking flour.
- yeast free - these baked donuts are made without yeast
- healthy - contain simple, wholesome ingredients you can feel good about eating
- easy to make - minimal prep and no complicated steps
Ingredients
Here's a list of what you need to make these tigernut flour pumpkin donuts:
For the Pumpkin Donuts:
- egg: This recipe makes 7-8 donuts and requires just one egg. The egg helps bind the ingredients together and create a fluffy, cakey donut. I have not tested an egg substitute.
- pumpkin puree: use organic canned pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling.
- maple syrup: maple syrup gives these a deliciously sweet flavor and nicely compliments the pumpkin. However, any liquid sweetener should work in place of the maple syrup.
- avocado oil: I like avocado oil because it is neutral in flavor and withstands high heat. The best replacements would be olive oil, melted coconut oil or melted butter.
- vanilla extract: adds flavor
- tigernut flour: tigernut flour is the perfect nut free paleo baking flour. I purchase tigernut flour online, but if you don't have access to it then use almond flour as a replacement.
- tapioca flour: needed for texture purposes. It creates fluffy donuts and helps bind the ingredients. The best substitute would be arrowroot or potato starch.
- baking soda: needed for the rise.
- salt: enhances the flavors.
For the Cinnamon Sugar Coating
- avocado oil: to brush on top of the donuts.
- coconut sugar: or any granulated sugar.
- cinnamon: or pumpkin pie spice
How to Make Paleo Pumpkin Donuts
The batter for these donuts takes 5 minutes to make. It's then poured into a silicone donut pan and bakes in 20 minutes. Here's what you need to do:
- First, preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a silicone donut baking pan with avocado oil (recipe makes 7-8 donuts) and set aside.
- Whisk together the wet donut ingredients in one bowl and the dry in another.
- Pour the dry mixture into the wet mixture and stir until well combined.
- Pour the batter into your greased donut pan, filling each slot about ¾ the way full. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.
- After baking, remove the donuts from the oven and cool in the pan for 5 minutes. Then transfer them to a wire cooling rack.
- Combine the cinnamon and sugar in a bowl (large enough to fit one donut). Brush the top of the donuts with avocado oil and then dip them into the cinnamon sugar coating.
Tips and Tricks
- Sift the tigernut flour: Tigernut flour has a tendency to clump, but that's easily solved by sifting the flour through a mesh or metal strainer.
- Grease your donut pan: this ensures easy removal.
- Swap the cinnamon for pumpkin pie spice: If you're looking for even more pumpkin flavor, then swap the cinnamon for pumpkin spice. You can even mix a little into the batter.
- Add mix ins: If you want to mix it up, mix in anything from mini chocolate chips to chopped nuts or shredded coconut.
Storage
Place leftover donuts in an airtight container and keep in the fridge up to 5 days.
Frequently Asked Questions
These baked donuts are best stored in a sealed container in the fridge and will last well up 5 days. You can freeze them if necessary, up to one month.
The best substitute for tigernut flour is blanched almond flour. Tigernut flour and almond flour have a similar taste and texture (tigernut flour is slightly sweeter) and both tend to work interchangeably in baked goods.
Tigernut flour is made from finely ground, peeled tigernuts. Despite their name, tigernuts are not nuts, but a small root vegetable. They are naturally sweet, nutty in flavor and high in fiber and resistant starch.
I always buy tigernut flour from Amazon, but it can be found at some healthy food stores and websites that sell alternative baking products.
My favorite tigernut flour is Anthony's tigernut flour. It's organic, naturally gluten free and finely ground.
More Paleo Recipes Using Tigernut Flour
Baked Pumpkin Donut Recipe (Gluten Free, Paleo)
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 7-8 donuts
Description
This baked pumpkin donut recipe is gluten free, paleo and nut free. They are made with tigernut flour, sweetened with maple syrup and topped with a cinnamon sugar coating.
Ingredients
Pumpkin Donuts
- 1 large egg
- ½ cup organic pumpkin puree
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- ¼ cup avocado oil
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ¾ cup tigernut flour (80g)*
- ½ cup tapioca flour (65g)
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp salt
Cinnamon Sugar Coating (optional)
- avocado oil
- 2 Tbsp coconut sugar
- 1 tsp cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a silicone donut baking pan with avocado oil (recipe makes 7-8 donuts) and set aside.
- In a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk together wet ingredients. This includes the egg, pumpkin puree, maple syrup, avocado oil and vanilla.
- In a smaller bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients. This includes the tigernut flour, tapioca flour, baking soda and salt.
- Pour the dry mixture into the wet mixture and whisk until smooth.
- Pour the batter into the greased silicone donut pan. Each donut slot should contain about ¼ cup batter, filling the slots about ¾ of the way full.
- Place the silicone donut pans on a large baking sheet and pop in the oven. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.
- Remove the donuts from the oven and cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire cooling rack.
- Once cooled, add a cinnamon sugar coating to the donuts. Combine cinnamon and sugar in a bowl (large enough to fit one donut). Brush the top of the donuts with avocado oil and then dip them into the cinnamon sugar coating.
Notes
*May substitute with almond flour. I recommend sifting the tigernut flour to remove any large chunks.
Katie
This is my favorite pumpkin donut recipe. Hope you all love it!
Sania
Great recipe
Katie
Thank you! So glad you liked them 🙂
Aya
This was so good !
We all loved them
Thank u for all your amazing recipes.
Katie
Thank YOU! 🙂
Candace
I am excited to try this recipe. I recently learned from a gut health-focused diet that I need to remove certain foods from my diet. I was so excited when a friend shared your recipe. Thank you for sharing your healthy and wonderful passion for making food that is good for the body and soul!
Katie
I hope you like the donuts! Thank you for taking the time to leave me such a kind message 🙂
Sean schumacher
I substituted almond flour for the tigernut and butter for the fat- outstanding texture and flavor! Thank you!
Katie
Awesome! I'm so glad those swaps turned out 🙂 Thank you for sharing and leaving a review!
Maggie
I was curious about using almond flour! Did you use same amount?
Kristine S.
Ok everyone! Wow. So good! I did sub a few things due to my daughter’s dietary needs. I did 3/4 c almond flour and 1/2 c of cassava flour. For the topping, I dipped the donut in maple syrup and then into the coconut sugar/cinnamon mix. I tried dipping the donut in the avocado oil and then into the powder and my daughter liked it better.
Katie
So glad you and your daughter liked them! 🙂
Lori J
I couldn't find my donut molds so I tried fritters. Added finely chopped organic Bosc pears from my tree plus some chopped pecans. Fantastic fritters. They didn't cook inside completely shaped like a donut hole. Too thick though still edible and delish!!
Now need to figure out how to cook in oven. I cooked mine in a combo coconut oil and avocado oil in fry daddy.
Can't wait to find my molds.
Now off to have pumpkin fritters and coffee.
Love this site!
Katie
Pumpkin fritters sound amazing! Love that you added pears and pecans too 🙂 Thank you for sharing your version.
Jan
Soooo good, thank you for sharing.
Katie
So glad you enjoyed them!
Pamela
Just tried these for the first time today and they are outstanding in taste and texture! Will make these again! Thank you Katie!
Katie
I'm so glad you enjoyed them! Thank you for leaving a review 🙂
Joanna L Smith
These were awesome! I subbed almond flour for tigernut and a chia egg for the regular egg. Also added some pumpkin pie spice to the batter. They baked beautifully and made a great Halloween treat! 🙂
Katie
Thank you so much for the review! I need to try them with a chia egg!
Haleema
Can I sub butternut squash for pumpkin?
Katie
Yes!