Healthy Baked Pumpkin Donut Holes
Did you know that today is National Dessert Day?? Let’s celebrate with the Healthy BAKED Pumpkin Donut Holes!
But really now. Do you even need an excuse to make (and eat) donut holes? No, I didn’t think so 😉
Donut take my donut obsession lightly. I reeeeaalllly like me some donuts. Especially these Healthy Baked Pumpkin Donut Holes.
When I was in middle school and high school, I took bass guitar lessons every Monday after school.
True story: I remember someone asked me what my favorite day of the week was. Please donut hate me, but I actually said MONDAY. And for the sole reason that, between the break between school and the bass lesson, my mother drove me to Dunkin’ Donuts to get a donut (always a strawberry frosted donut with sprinkles) and an orange soda. Yep.
Thanks mom! *sarcasm*
But these donuts here? These ain’t your typical donuts.
First, they’re donut holes — probably the most forgotten, unloved and unappreciated portion of the famous donut anatomy. And for no reason whatsoever, because they’re just as delicious and in a cuter package.
Second, they’re pumpkin-y! Toss all those boring vanilla and chocolate donut holes to the side and grab some of these Healthy Baked PUMPKIN Donut Holes.
Third, they’re coated in cinnamon sugar!
Fourth (and most importantly), THEY. ARE. HEALTHY!
BOOM. Yes, I said it. HEALTHY.
And I speak the truth people.
These Healthy Baked Pumpkin Donut Holes are so damn addictive, you’ll have a hard time keeping them around for longer than a few days. I donut have self control around these babies!
Healthy Baked Pumpkin Donut Holes
Ingredients
Donut Holes:
- 40g (¼ cup) Psyllium Husk Powder
- 10g (1 tbs) Active Dry Yeast
- 1 cup Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Milk
- 246g (1 cup) 100% Pure Pumpkin Puree *
- 5 large Egg Whites
- 48g (¼ cup) Granulated Erythritol
- 1½ tbs Natural Butter Flavor
- 1½ tbs Vanilla Extract
- 1 tbs Liquid Stevia Extract
- 140g (1¼ cups) Coconut Flour
- 140g (1¼ cups) Organic Soy Flour
- 1 tbs Ground Cinnamon
- 2 tsp Double-Acting Baking Powder
- 1 tsp Ground Ginger
- ½ tsp Ground Nutmeg
- ¼ tsp Ground Cloves
- ¼ tsp Salt
Coating:
- 96g (½ cup) Granulated Erythritol
- 2 tbs Ground Cinnamon
- 28g (2 tbs) Coconut Oil (melted)
Instructions
For the Donut Holes:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the psyllium and yeast.
- In a stand mixer bowl fitted with a beater-scraper attachment, add the almond milk, pumpkin puree, egg whites, erythritol, butter flavor, vanilla extract, and stevia extract. Turn mixer on medium-low speed. While mixing, sprinkle in the psyllium/yeast mixture and mix until completely smooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, then mix again. Mixture should look like thick gravy.
- In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the coconut flour, soy flour, cinnamon, baking powder, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and salt. Turn the mixer off and dump in the dry ingredients. Return mixer to medium-low speed and mix until combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix on medium speed. Dough should be very thick, dense, and slightly sticky.
- Roll the dough into bite-sized balls (I used an ice cream scooper to portion out the dough so they were all the same size). Bake for ~18 minutes, or until surface is dry to touch, golden brown, and springs back when tapped.
For the Cinnamon Sugar Coating:
- In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the granulated erythritol and cinnamon.
- In a small bowl, add the melted coconut oil.
- When the donut holes are cool enough to touch, dip one at a time in the coconut oil and roll the ball between your palms to spread the oil around the entire surface, then toss inside the cinnamon sugar mixture. Repeat with the rest of the donut holes. Serve immediately and enjoy!
Recipe Notes
Now THAT’S a nutrition label I can be proud of — a whopping 9g of protein, 11g of fiber, and no added sugar!
These Healthy Baked Pumpkin Donut Holes will come and go in 3, 2, 1, GONE. These don’t taste healthy in the slightest. They’re sweet, spicy, fluffy, and delicious. Light, but also filling… there’s nothing boring or bland about these donut holes.
Since most people like/love/will-adore-for-the-rest-of-their-lives donuts, donut holes are basically a home run dessert to serve. These Healthy Baked Pumpkin Donut Holes are way better option though, since they’re good for ya and your guests. They’re portable, bite-sized, delicious — the PERFECT fall treat.
Enjoy!
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With love and good eats,
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– Jess
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Indulge − no strings attached!
these are pure bliss! I love pumpkin donuts! I need to make these:)
Awww thanks so much Rachel!! 😀
I literally finished them off just now for my post-workout snack 😉
-Jess
What can I substitute for soy flour? And, if using conventional pumpkin purée, does the measured amount change due to consistency differences???
Amanda-
I don’t think there’s a very good sub for the soy flour… it absorbs quite a bit of liquid and acts as a binder. If you’re up for some recipe-testing (and possibly some trial and error) you can try using oat flour instead.
If you use conventional pumpkin, reduce the milk in the dough recipe to ~3/4 cup. I’m afraid conventional pumpkin might make your filling/dip really thin and goopy though. It might not even stay in the donut holes :/
-Jess
Oh, they’re so cute! And festive. You know, Wade only likes donut holes, not donuts. I know, he’s strange. And we HAVE to go try Round Rock donuts where they have the donuts as large as a steering wheel. Look it up, it will make your head spin. 🙂
Awww, thanks Kaylin 😀
And WADE, GOSH, you are so weird!! 😉
Oh goodness, I’ve never heard of Round Rock donuts but I guess we should give that a try. And Gordoughs or however you spell it!
-Jess
Can we sub soy flour for whole wheat pastry flour? And are these freeze-able? I love this idea 🙂
Katie-
I’m not sure if the soy flour can be replaced, but if you’re up for some recipe-testing (and maybe some trial and error) you can try using whole wheat pastry flour instead. You will probably need to reduce the milk to 1/4-1/2 cup. I would start out with 1/4 cup and add more if you need it.
I haven’t tried freezing these, but in my experience, basically everything freezes well as long as you store it in a tightly sealed container and thaw it completely in the fridge 😀
-Jess
I just bought a can of pumpkin puree, and was wondering what to do with it. I think this will be on the menu soon!!
HEY! JUST BY CHANCE DO YOU KNOW THE CARB COUNT PER DONUT? OR PER SERVING? THANKS! GREAT RECIPE!
I didn’t calculate the nutrition facts for this particular recipe so I’m not sure. You can calculate it by looking at your products’ nutrition labels though! 😀
-Jess
OH WOW THESE ARE MY SAVIOUR 😀
I licked my bowl clean until my tongue hurt! Now i taste pumpkin everytime i burp. It reminds me of the pilgrimsvwho fought for our country amen
If I were having donut holes for brunch, I’d probably have TEN in one sitting! LOL! No shame. It’s National Dessert Day! 🙂 These healthy pumpkin donut holes look really nice–I love the sugary coating that each one of them has!