Keto Chocolate Cake Donuts
⏲ ~28 min total · prep 15 · cook 13 · 4 servings
Snacks⏱ 35 min total🔥 3.5g net carbs⚡ ≈246 kcal/serving~22% of calories from carbs
By the KFI Test Kitchen · Tested & approved by Jason Lieu, KFI recipe editor
Published Sep 15, 2026 · Updated Sep 15, 2026
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup fine almond flour
- 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/3 cup granulated erythritol or monk fruit sweetener
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp espresso powder
- 1/4 tsp fine salt
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
- 1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 oz 90% dark chocolate, chopped
Instructions
- Whisk the almond flour, cocoa, sweetener, baking powder, espresso powder, and salt in a medium bowl, crushing any cocoa clumps with your fingers.
- Whisk the eggs, melted butter, almond milk, and vanilla in a second bowl until uniform, then fold the wet into the dry just until the thick, glossy batter is smooth.
- Spoon the batter into a greased 6-cavity donut pan, filling each ring about 3/4 full — a zip-top bag with a corner snipped keeps this tidy; smooth the tops with the back of a spoon.
- Bake at 350°F for 12-14 minutes, until the donuts spring back when pressed and pull slightly from the pan edges.
- Cool in the pan 5 minutes, then invert onto a wire rack.
- Melt the chocolate in the microwave in 30-second bursts, stirring between each, until smooth, then dip the top of each donut and let the excess drip off.
- Let the glaze set 15 minutes at room temperature before stacking or serving.
Why this recipe works
- Thick batter The batter comes out thick and glossy, which holds a donut ring upright in the pan without yeast. The same density keeps the crumb from drying as they cool.
- Espresso powder A quarter teaspoon of espresso powder deepens the cocoa without registering as coffee. It turns flat chocolate flavor into something closer to dark chocolate.
- Bag piping A zip-top bag with a snipped corner fills each cavity to three-quarters without drips between rings, so the donuts bake level and release clean.
Tips for making this recipe well
Crush the cocoa clumps
Cocoa packs into hard pellets in the bag. Rub the dry mix between your fingers after whisking, because a surviving clump bakes into a bitter pocket.
Read the spring-back
Press a donut at the 12-minute mark. Done means it springs back and pulls slightly from the cavity edge; a wet shine means give it two more minutes.
Cool before glazing
Five minutes in the pan, then out onto a wire rack. A warm donut thins the glaze and it runs off the top.
Chop the chocolate small
Small pieces of the 90% bar melt in even 30-second bursts. One large chunk forces you to overheat everything else waiting for it.
Grease the pan anyway
Even a nonstick donut pan releases better with grease. The pull-away at the edges is your signal before you test a single donut.
Serving suggestions
Most baked donuts go gummy by day two. These hold their crumb because almond flour and cocoa carry the structure without added starches, and each ring costs 3.5 net carbs. Let the glaze set for 15 minutes before stacking; a warm chocolate top smears against the donut beneath it. They suit an afternoon coffee tray, and the dark chocolate dip means there's no frosting to make. Skip the glaze entirely and dust the warm tops with sweetener for a lighter finish.
Storage and meal prep
Cover and refrigerate the donuts for 3 to 4 days; the glaze stays firm when cold. Eat one at room temperature or warm it briefly in the microwave to soften the crumb. For the freezer, wrap each donut individually and keep for 2 to 3 months, thawing wrapped at room temperature. Glaze after thawing rather than before, since frozen glaze can dull and crack off the top.
Variations worth trying
- Mocha shell Stir a pinch of the espresso powder into the melted chocolate before dipping.
- Almond crunch Press chopped toasted almonds into the wet glaze so they set into the shell.
- Sugar-dusted Skip the chocolate and dust the warm tops with a spoonful of the granulated sweetener.
- Mini batch Divide the batter across 12 smaller cavities and start checking for spring-back about 3 minutes early.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use liquid sweetener instead?
Skip it. Liquid sweeteners thin this thick batter, and the runny version spreads into flat rings instead of donuts.
Why did my donuts sink in the middle?
Usually the batter was overmixed or underbaked. Fold only until smooth, then bake the full 12 to 14 minutes until the tops spring back.
Can I bake these without a donut pan?
A greased muffin tin works; the shape becomes a snack cake with the same bake schedule. Start checking at the 12-minute mark.
How do I melt the chocolate without ruining it?
Thirty-second microwave bursts, stirred between each, with every spoon bone dry. Water is what seizes chocolate into a grainy mass.
Does the carb count include the glaze?
Yes. The 3.5 net carbs per donut covers the batter and the 90% chocolate dip as written.
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