These healthy applesauce donuts are made with cassava flour, only sweetened with applesauce and baked in the oven. They have a moist, cakey texture that melts in your mouth. This applesauce donut recipe is paleo, gluten free and dairy free.
If you're looking for a healthy applesauce donut recipe, then you're in the right place!
These gluten free applesauce donuts are baked, rather than fried, made with grain free flours (low-inflammatory) and only sweetened with applesauce.
Not only that, but they actually taste amazing. My family agrees that these are the best applesauce donuts! They have a moist, cakey texture that literally melts in your mouth. You can top them with cinnamon sugar for a little extra sweetness, but honestly they're great on their own.
What Makes These "Healthy" Applesauce Donuts?
- paleo friendly - this recipe for applesauce donuts is made with real, whole food ingredients that are minimally processed
- gluten free and grain free - made with cassava flour
- dairy free - no butter or milk
- low in sugar - the donuts themselves are only sweetened with applesauce (no sugar added)
- baked - baking donuts is much healthier (and easier) than frying
Ingredients
Here's a list of what you'll need to make these healthy applesauce donuts:
- cassava flour - a gluten free flour blend may work, but I have not tested that myself
- coconut flour - needed for texture purposes so that the donuts turn out cakey, rather than gummy
- cinnamon
- paleo baking powder
- baking soda
- salt
- unsweetened applesauce
- eggs
- shortening or butter - I used Nutiva's palm shortening, but any plant-based butter, coconut oil or grass-fed butter should work
- vanilla extract
- optional topping: cinnamon and coconut sugar
How to Make Applesauce Donuts
Since these paleo applesauce donuts are baked, rather than fried, you'll need a donut pan. I used silicone donut pans, as they are naturally non-stick and it's easy to remove the donuts. Here's what you need to do:
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Grease your donut pan/s and set aside. (This recipe makes 8 donuts.)
- Whisk together the wet ingredients for the donuts.
- Whisk together the dry ingredients.
- Pour the dry mixture into the wet mixture and stir with a spatula until well combined. The batter is a bit odd, but it works!
- Pipe the batter into the greased donut pans. I used a plastic baggie to do this, but you can use a piping bag or just scoop the batter into your pan with a spoon or spatula.
- Place the donuts in the oven and bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes.
- After baking, cool the donuts for 5-10 minutes in the baking pan, then transfer them to a wire cooling rack.
Coating the Donuts in Cinnamon Sugar
The cinnamon sugar coating is completely optional, but really adds to the flavor, texture and presentation.
To coat these applesauce donuts in cinnamon sugar:
- Combine coconut sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl or plate with with edges. Make sure the bowl/plate is slightly bigger than the donuts.
- Brush the donuts in melted shortening/butter or oil (I used avocado oil).
- Dip the donuts into the cinnamon sugar mixture, coating the tops and sides.
These donuts are moist and tender, with a soft, cakey texture. While they are best eaten just after baking, you can store leftovers in the fridge
Storage
Store any leftover donuts in a sealed, air-tight container in the fridge. They are best eaten within 3-4 days after baking.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are paleo donuts gluten free?
Paleo donuts ARE gluten free, as gluten is not acceptable on a paleo diet. This paleo applesauce donut recipe is made with a combination of cassava flour and coconut flour. These flours are both naturally gluten free and grain free and perfect for those adhering to a paleo diet.
What is cassava flour?
Cassava flour comes from from the cassava (or yuca) root. The cassava root is peeled, dried and ground to make cassava flour.
You can probably guess that cassava flour is gluten free, grain free and Paleo friendly since I use it in so many of my recipes. It also works well as a 1:1 substitution (by weight) for wheat flour and many gluten free baking mixes.
Can I make these donuts egg free?
No, this particular donut recipe requires eggs. However, I do have some egg free donut recipes on my blog. Take a look at my chocolate zucchini donuts or baked banana donuts.
More Healthy Donut Recipes
Print
Healthy Applesauce Donuts (Gluten Free, Paleo)
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 8 donuts
Description
These healthy applesauce donuts are made with cassava flour, baked and only sweetened with applesauce. This baked donut recipe is paleo, gluten free and dairy free.
Ingredients
Donuts
- 1 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 2 large eggs
- ¼ cup melted palm shortening (or coconut oil or butter)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ cup cassava flour (70g)
- ¼ cup coconut flour (25g)
- 1 ½ tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp paleo baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp salt
Cinnamon Sugar Coating (optional)
- 3 Tbsp coconut sugar
- 2 tsp cinnamon
Instructions
Donuts
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Grease 8 slots in a donut pan/s with shortening or oil and set aside. (I used avocado oil.)
- Whisk together the wet ingredients for the donuts. This includes the applesauce, eggs, melted shortening and vanilla.
- Whisk together the dry ingredients. This includes the cassava flour, coconut flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
- Pour the dry mixture into the wet mixture and stir with a spatula until well combined. The batter is a bit odd, but it works!
- Pipe the batter into the greased donut pans. I used a plastic baggie to do this, but you can use a piping bag or just scoop the batter into your pan with a spoon or spatula.
- Place the donuts in the oven and bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes.
- After baking, cool the donuts for 5-10 minutes in the baking pan, then transfer them to a wire cooling rack.
Cinnamon Sugar Coating
- Combine coconut sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl or plate with with edges. Make sure the bowl/plate is slightly bigger than the donuts.
- Brush the donuts with melted shortening/butter or oil (I used avocado oil).
- Dip the donuts into the cinnamon sugar mixture, coating the tops and sides.
Storage
- Store any leftover donuts in a sealed, air-tight container in the fridge. They are best eaten within 3-4 days after baking.
Notes
For best results, measure the ingredients by weight (when given)
Katie
My family and I love these donuts. Enjoy!
Jean
These do look soooo good! Thank you so much for making healthy as well as tasty recipes, and ones that are easy to make with simple tools and cookware -- especially all the "real" tasting baked goods, which I've dearly missed for many years now. Giving this a 5-star rating for that alone, and because I assume I'll love them!
Could one add some apple cider to the mix to get that lovely autumn flavor? How much do you think, and would that change any other measurements?
Katie
Hi! Thank you so much - I'm glad you like my recipes 🙂 I think a little apple cider would work in this, maybe swap a little of the applesauce for cider? Not having tested it I cannot tell you exactly what will work. But please report back!
Maggie
I'm making these asap!
If I don't have a donut pan...... do I need to go get one? Or, can they be muffins/muffin tops?
Katie
I've never made them as muffins, but I think they should work.
Maggie
I am so excited to make these today!
I'm curious- did you use Ceylon cinnamon or regular cinnamon?
Katie
Hi! I don't know what type I used for this recipe, but I currently have Ceylon cinnamon in my pantry.
Courtney Nelson
Followed the recipe to a T with butter and they are phenomenal. Guilt free yummy, delicious donuts. Will be making these all of the time now!!
Katie
Wonderful! I'm thrilled that you like them and that butter worked just as well 🙂
Judy
What are your thoughts on avocado oil instead of palm, coconut, or butter?
Katie
Since it's liquid at room temperature I'm not sure it will work well. But I haven't tested it, so can't say for sure.
Judy
Thanks, Katie! Have you made them with coconut oil? Or, is palm shortening your first choice? I can't find the palm shortening you linked... it seems off the shelves at my Whole Foods- and it's sold on Amazon! Is the Spectrum organic pure vegetable shortening the same?
Katie
I have not made them with coconut oil, but it should work. And yes, the spectrum palm shortening is perfect! I usually use that brand these days.
Kerstin
Baking these ones at the moment. Kids are impatient to try it. Pretty sure they will be delicious! ...like all the recipes I have tried from your blog. My daughter will be making them from now on 😁 will a little help from me.
Angie
Can you substitute the cassava flour with tapioca or arrowroot flour? I don’t have cassava flour, I really don’t use it. These donuts look amazing!
Katie
Hi! No, you can't use arrowroot or tapioca starch in place of cassava flour. Your best bet would be a gluten free blend or all purpose flour (not paleo) and substituting at a 1:1 ratio by weight.
Eric
I used coconut oil in them and they turned out great. Thank you for the recipe. Have you tried this in a larger pan like a 9” round pan or a Bundt pan and if so, what was your cooking time?
Katie
I'm glad they worked well with coconut oil! No, I haven't tried cooking them in anything but a donut pan.