Donuts with a Twist: Low-Carb Donuts

When you think about low-carb desserts, chances are that donuts aren’t the first thing that pop into your mind. After all, how could a ring of deep-fried flour that’s dusted with sugar be considered low-carb? Luckily for you, there is a way where you can have your low-carb donut AND eat it too!  

Great Flour Alternatives

The first thing that you need to consider when making low-carb versions of donuts is the flour that you’re going to use. Typically, donuts use all-purpose flour but since you’re going for a low-carb alternative, here are some that you can use: 

Almond Flour

When it comes to mimicking conventional donuts in terms of taste and texture, almond flour does a great job! It produces a fluffy and soft crumb that will melt in your mouth just like real donuts, and they work well with most low-carb toppings that you might want to use like coco sugar. However, make sure that you use finely ground, blanched almond flour, since almond meal will produce a dense and heavy donut. Of course, using almond flour means that your donut will have a slightly nutty flavor. 

Sunflower Seed Flour

If you don’t want the nutty flavor or you have a nut allergy, you can use sunflower seed flour instead. The texture will be the same but you’ll get a slightly different flavor. The biggest difference, however, is that the donuts might turn green while cooking!  There’s nothing to panic about since it’s only a natural reaction between the sunflower seed flour and the baking powder when exposed to heat. Your low-carb donuts will still turn out delicious, trust us! 

Using A Donut Pan

Aside from the flour, you’ll also need to use a different cooking method. Conventional donuts are deep-fried in oil, but if you want to have a low-carb version, you can bake your donuts instead! A donut pan is a good choice if you’re cutting down on calories and carbs but still want to indulge in a donut. 

The best donut pans to use for low-carb donuts is a non-stick metal donut pan. The donuts will release easily and you won’t get stuck with a lot of cleanup.  

Baking the Donuts

When baking low-carb donuts, the key is patience! You might be tempted to pull them out of the oven once they turn firm and light golden-brown, but you need to let them finish baking. Under-baked low-carb donuts will crumble if you don’t allow them to finish baking properly.  

The best way to check is by peering underneath the donut. When they are done, the bottom of the donuts will pull away from the pan a little bit. The exterior might turn slightly dark brown, but that’s a good thing. 

Conclusion

Now you know how to make low-carb versions of donuts! They’re great for a quick snack or a breakfast on the go. What’s more, they freeze beautifully so you can make a huge batch and pop in the freezer. If you’re feeling a bit hungry, simply warm up the donut quickly in your toaster and you’ve got a delicious and guilt-free snack waiting for you.  

A note from Sam: The above article is part of an article exchange with Bella Cupcake Couture, a blog about all things baking.