Gluten Free Coconut Crunch Donuts (Hostess Copycat)

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Gluten Free Coconut Crunch Donuts (Hostess Copycat)

These Gluten Free Coconut Crunch Donuts really do taste like the Hostess Mini Donuts with the crunch of your childhood favorites!

The carmelized crunch of the toasted coconut and the soft, pillowy cake donut that has been covered in a sugar free glaze make the best keto donuts.

I have already re-created the Low Carb Maple Donuts, but wanted to keep on my re-creation of retro sweet treats with these golden brown sugar-free donuts!

These donuts will curb your donut craving and also go perfect with a cup of coffee in the morning.

No worries because this gluten free keto donut recipe will keep you on track even if you eat the entire donut!

Making healthier Coconut Crunch Donuts without Gluten or Sugar

Just as you have probably realized, when you want a sweet treat, you have to create it yourself because everything that is pre-made contains not only gluten, wheat flour and over 30+ g sugar per serving, and a bunch of other preservatives.

This easy recipe for homemade low carb donuts will have you jumping for joy because something made fresh always has a delicious taste!

Now that I have been gluten free and sugar free for over 9 years, my taste buds have changed where sugar doesn’t have the same appeal as it once did.

My go to for a sweetener is using Natures Hollow Honey Substitute that is made with xylitol.

Use the code: LOWCARB15 for 15% off of any order with them.

I love using their sugar free maple syrup and sugar free raspberry syrup.

If you want to use regular honey, you can, as long as whatever substitute you are using has the same consistency. 

Always keep that in mind if you are substituting a sweetener.

Using a liquid sweetener really helps to keep the moisture present since these are primarily almond flour donuts with a little coconut flour to improve texture.

Here is what you will need to make these low-carb donuts

• Almond Flour – Make sure it is fine ground almond flour and not almond meal or it will not turn out. Almond meal has the skins and you don’t want that.
• Coconut Flour – Bob’s Red Mill or Nutiva is my favorite for best results.
• Sea Salt
• Baking Soda
• Large Eggs; at room temperature
• Canned Full Fat Coconut Milk; not carton milk, its too thin
• Natures Hollow Sugar Free Honey Substitute(or similar replacement like maple syrup or regular honey)
• Coconut Extract (optional, but adds an extra umph to the coconut flavor)
• Vanilla Extract (use extra in place of coconut extract if you are not using)
• Coconut Oil ; refined or extra virgin or melted butter ;melted then cooled.
• Unsweetened Coconut 
• Ground Cinnamon
• Confectioners Erythritol or powdered sugar
• A donut pan; silicone preferred for getting them out easier

Let’s make some Gluten Free Coconut Crunch Donuts

Preheat your oven to 350F and grease 6 wells of a donut pan.

These are my favorite silicone donut pans.

As you will see, the donuts come right out of it with no problem and I did not even grease the pan!

If you are using a silcone donut pan as recommended, you must put it on a flat baking sheet for stabilization. 

The silicone pans are too floppy to hold together when filled with batter.

There is no need for stand mixer with this gluten free low carb donut recipe, it mixes up in a large bowl easily.

The very important step here is to make sure everything is at room temperature.

If your ingredients are not all room temperature, the oil will clump and not mix properly.

In a separate bowl, whisk all of your dry ingredients of almond flour, coconut flour, salt, baking soda together.

This helps to make everything uniform as coconut flour tends to clump.

In a large bowl whisk together your wet ingredients of eggs, coconut milk, Natures Hollow Honey(or other similar replacement), extracts and coconut oil until very smooth.

Keep in mind that everything, including your eggs must be room temperature or your coconut oil will turn into clumps. 

If this happens, you will need to let it sit at room temperature to warm, then whisk again.

I have only done this once and learned my lesson! 

To quickly bring the eggs to room temperature if you forgot to set them out, put them in a small bowl with hot tap water for 5 minutes.

Now whisk your dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until smooth.

You need to let the donut batter rest for at least 5 minutes so the flour can absorb the liquid ingredients.

Get your prepared donut pan and using a piping bag, or ziploc bag with the corner cut, pipe into the donut pan wells.

Bake the keto doughnuts for 25-30 minutes until golden brown.

You will need to toothpick test clean before getting them out of the oven.

Now cool for 3-5 minutes on a wire rack before removing the donuts completely to the rack.

Now lets make the glaze and crunchy coconut topping!

In a small dry skillet over medium heat , cast iron preferred, add in 1 cup of unsweetened shredded coconut and 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon.

Stand with it the whole time and stir.

Do not leave it unattended as it browns very quickly.

Stir until you see some of the coconut shreds turning golden brown then remove from the heat.

Stir once more and let it sit to cool off.

Now in a small saucepan over high heat, add the natures hollow honey substitute along with the coconut oil, canned coconut milk, vanilla extract and confecitoners erythritol.

If you want to powder up some monk fruit you can, but it is difficult to get the same powdered consistency as the purchased one so your glaze may be gritty.

The honey substitute can be subbed in with maple syrup and will still result in a wonderful flavor.

Whisk them altogether until it is smooth then remove from the heat.

This process only takes a minute so do not leave it unattended.

Now it time to dip your donuts.

Dip them the first time in the glaze, slowly turning it while upside down as in the video.

Then dip them in the toasted coconut mixture.

Set them upright on a wire rack for 10 minutes to dry a bit and setup.

The glaze will not dry hard, but it will stiffen up so it doesn’t run off the donut when you eat it.

If you have any leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the fridge up to 5 days in a single layer.

You can go two layers if you put a piece of parchment paper inbetween the layers.

Do not leave at room temperature more than a few hours or it may spoil due to the coconut milk in the donut and glaze.

You can freeze these donuts unglazed up to 1 month.

Just bring to room temperature before glazing and covering with the toasted coconut.

I would not recommend freezing these with the glaze and crunch topping as they tend to sweat while defrosting and become gooey.

Its best to only freeze the unglazed donuts.

Tips, FAQs, and ideas with this recipe

• Sticking with canned coconut milk ensures you get only the coconut milk minus a bunch of water which is what you will find in the carton coconut milks.
• Almond milk does not have enough fat in it to thicken up the batter and glaze like coconut milk does so do not use it as a substitute.
• You can use heavy cream in place of the coconut milk if you wish. Then add in 1/4 tsp coconut extract to make up for the missing coconut flavor.
• Keep in mind that when you substitute sweeteners, stick with the same consistency. The liquid type sweeteners are used for moisture and if you use a granulated one you will be missing the moisture. Adding additional liquid such as coconut milk will not be the same either.
• Make these chocolate coconut crunch donuts when you add in 2 tbsp of cocoa powder and subtract 2 tbsp of almond flour. This way the dough will not end up to thick and turn out dry.

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If you love cast iron as much as I do, then you would absolutely LOVE my 2nd cookbook “Chaffles Cast Iron and The Crock” !!

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Here are some other breakfast recipes you may love!

• Low Carb Maple Donuts – just as wonderful as these coconut crunch donuts but loaded with maple flavor and a great maple glaze!
• Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Muffins – always a hit next to some donuts on a brunch table!
• The Best Low Carb Scones Recipe – is great with coffee in the morning or alongside some eggs and sausage!