Healthy Pumpkin Donut Holes (Paleo + Gluten-Free)

Okay, so I’ve been obsessed with these pumpkin donut holes for like three weeks now. And I mean obsessed.

Look, I’m gonna be honest with you – I tried making these four times before getting them right. The first batch? Disaster. Complete disaster. They came out looking like tiny hockey pucks that could probably break a window. My husband took one bite and just… walked away. Didn’t even finish chewing.

But here’s the thing about failure – sometimes it teaches you exactly what NOT to do next time.

Why These Pumpkin Donut Holes Actually Work

Now, I know what you’re thinking. Another “healthy” donut recipe that tastes like cardboard, right? Wrong. These are actually good. Like, dangerously good. My 8-year-old asked for them three days in a row, and she’s the kid who picks pepperoni off pizza because it’s “too spicy.”

The secret is the combination of almond flour and coconut flour. Most paleo recipes use way too much coconut flour and end up tasting like… well, coconuts. Which is fine if you’re into that, but I wanted something that actually tastes like fall, not a tropical vacation.

I think… no, I know this works better when you use pumpkin puree that’s been sitting in your fridge for a day or two. Fresh pumpkin puree has too much moisture, and nobody wants soggy donut holes.

The Great Pumpkin Disaster of Last Tuesday

Speaking of moisture – last Tuesday I completely forgot to drain my pumpkin puree and just threw it straight into the batter. The result? Pumpkin soup with chunks. Literally had to start over because there was no saving that mess.

My neighbor Sarah swears by adding a tiny bit of apple cider vinegar to activate the baking soda better. Sounds weird, right? But it actually works. The donut holes get fluffier somehow. Don’t ask me to explain the science because I have no idea, but if it works, it works.

What You’ll Need (Shopping List From Hell)

Dry Ingredients:

• 1½ cups almond flour (blanched, not the chunky kind – learned this the hard way)
• ¼ cup coconut flour
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
• ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
• ½ teaspoon salt

Wet Ingredients:

• ¾ cup pumpkin puree (NOT pumpkin pie filling – different thing entirely)
• 2 large eggs
• ¼ cup coconut oil, melted
• ¼ cup pure maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

For the Cinnamon Sugar Coating:

• 2 tablespoons coconut sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2 tablespoons melted coconut oil

Good luck finding decent pumpkin puree this time of year if you’re making this in like, March. I usually stock up in October because I’m basically a pumpkin hoarder.

And please, for the love of all that’s holy, don’t use pre-ground spices that have been sitting in your cabinet since 2019. They taste like dust. Trust me on this one.

The Actual Recipe (Where Magic Happens)

Step 1: Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly grease it. I always forget this step and then panic when my donut holes are ready to bake.

Step 2: In a medium bowl, whisk together all the dry ingredients. Make sure there are no lumps in the almond flour – it likes to clump together like it’s plotting against you.

Step 3: In another bowl, mix the pumpkin puree, eggs, melted coconut oil, maple syrup, vanilla, and apple cider vinegar. It’ll look weird at first, kinda orange and chunky, but that’s totally normal.

Step 4: Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Mix until just combined – don’t overmix or you’ll end up with tough donut holes. The batter should be thick but scoopable.

Wait, I almost forgot the most important part – let the batter sit for about 5 minutes. The coconut flour needs time to absorb the moisture. If you skip this step, your donut holes will spread out like pancakes instead of staying round.

Step 5: Using a small cookie scoop or just your hands (wash them first, obviously), roll the batter into 1-inch balls. Place them on your prepared baking sheet.

Actually, you know what? Using your hands works better than a cookie scoop. The batter is sticky, but wet hands help. Just keep a bowl of water nearby and dip your hands between each ball.

Step 6: Bake for 12-15 minutes, until they’re lightly golden and a toothpick comes out with just a few moist crumbs. Don’t overbake them – they’ll keep cooking on the hot pan even after you take them out.

Step 7: While they’re still warm, roll each donut hole in the melted coconut oil, then in the cinnamon sugar mixture. This is messy. Really messy. But so worth it.

Things I Learned the Hard Way

Don’t double this recipe. I tried it once and couldn’t fit everything on one pan, so half the batch got overcooked while I was dealing with the other half. Just make two separate batches if you need more.

These are best eaten the day you make them. They’re still good the next day, but they lose that perfect texture. You can warm them up in the microwave for like 10 seconds though.

If you don’t have a cookie scoop, a tablespoon works fine. Just make sure they’re all roughly the same size or some will burn while others are still raw in the middle.

Oh, and about that apple cider vinegar – don’t skip it. I thought it was optional once and left it out. The donut holes were dense and weird. Not inedible, but definitely not right.

Why These Are Actually Healthy (Sort Of)

Look, they’re still donut holes. But they’re made with almond flour instead of white flour, sweetened with maple syrup instead of refined sugar, and packed with pumpkin which has vitamins and stuff.

My kids eat them for breakfast sometimes. Judge me if you want, but there are worse things they could be eating. At least these have protein from the almond flour and eggs.

The coconut oil is good for you too, right? I read that somewhere. Or maybe I made it up to justify eating three of these in one sitting.

Variations That Don’t Suck

Chocolate Chip: Add ¼ cup mini dark chocolate chips to the batter. Use dairy-free ones if you’re strict paleo.

Orange Glaze: Mix powdered coconut sugar with fresh orange juice for a glaze that actually tastes good.

Pumpkin Spice Overload: Double the spices if you’re one of those people who thinks September should taste like a candle.

I tried making these with sweet potato once instead of pumpkin. They were… fine. But why mess with perfection?

Storage and Serving

These keep covered at room temperature for 2 days, or in the fridge for up to a week. You can also freeze them for up to 3 months, but honestly, they never last that long in my house.

Warm them up slightly before serving if they’ve been in the fridge. Cold donut holes are sad donut holes.

They’re perfect with coffee in the morning, or as an afternoon snack when you need something sweet but don’t want to feel terrible about it later.

The Honest Truth

These aren’t going to win any beauty contests. They’re not perfectly round, they’re not Instagram-worthy, and they definitely don’t look like they came from a fancy bakery.

But you know what? They taste like fall in a bite. They’re soft and flavorful and just sweet enough. My neighbor keeps asking when I’m making them again, which I take as a good sign.

If you try this recipe, let me know how it goes. Seriously. I’m always curious to see how other people’s kitchens handle these little guys.

And if you mess them up the first time, don’t give up. Remember – I failed four times before getting it right. Sometimes the best recipes come from the biggest disasters.

Now I’m craving these again. Thanks a lot, brain.

Happy baking! (And may your smoke alarms stay quiet) 🎃

If this dessert brought a little joy to your day, why stop here? I’ve got a whole collection of indulgent treats and easy bakes waiting for you to try. Take a peek at more of my favorite desserts Here