These pumpkin pie donut holes are the easiest paleo and AIP treat for fall! They taste just like the real thing, but are made with healthier ingredients.

A plate of pumpkin pie donut holes.

Pumpkin Pie Donut Holes

Remember donut holes? If you have food intolerances it may feel like an eternity since you last had them. I never thought I would be able to have donut holes that taste like the real deal again, and you may feel the same way, but these will change your mind!

These pumpkin pie donut holes are the ultimate donut hole if you’re grain-free, egg-free, and dairy-free, complete with a coconut-based glaze.

The Ingredients for Pumpkin Pie Donut Holes

  • Tigernut Flour. I really love baking with tigernut flour because it’s a grain free, nut-free way to get really great baked goods. Tigernuts are a tuber, not a nut, and they taste great in these donut holes.
  • Coconut Flour. This helps to offset the moisture from the pumpkin. I haven’t tried subbing this out.
  • Tapioca Starch. These help bind and make the donut holes more “doughy”. You can sub arrowroot in it’s place, and possibly even cassava flour.
  • Maple Syrup. Gotta sweeten donuts! You can also sub honey.
  • Palm Shortening. Palm shortening makes this super cake-y! I typically work with coconut oil, but I love the texture that palm shortening gives these donut holes.
  • Pumpkin Puree & Cinnamon. These ingredients give it the pumpkin pie element.
  • Gelatin. Gelatin helps to bind the donut holes, however, you can add it in without blooming it like a gelatin egg for this recipe. Just scoop it in dry 🙂
  • Coconut Butter. Also known as coconut mana or coconut cream concentrate. This acts as a glaze over top the donut holes. You can leave this out if you don’t have any on hand.

How to make Pumpkin Pie Donut Holes

  • Sift together the flours.
  • Cream together the palm shortening and maple syrup. 
  • Combine the palm shortening, maple syrup, and flours.
  • Mix the rest of the ingredients. Add in the pumpkin, dry gelatin, cinnamon, salt, and baking soda.

A bowl with pumpkin pie donut hole batter and a wooden mixing spoon.

  • Roll the dough into donut holes.  Place on the parchment paper.
  • Bake for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and transfer to a cooling rack to lightly cool.
  • Make the glaze. Combine the ingredients for a glaze in a bowl and spoon over the donut holes.

A plate of pumpkin pie donut holes.

Can you swap out different flours in this recipe?

I’ve found that this specific flour blend works best, and I wouldn’t swap out any of the flours in this recipe. The only swap that could work 1:1 here is arrowroot starch instead of tapioca starch!

Can you make this recipe ahead of time?

This recipe is definitely best fresh, but you can store them in the fridge for 1-2 days.

Can you make this recipe without the palm shortening?

I find that the palm shortening gives this recipe a cakey crumb. I haven’t tried it with alternatives like coconut oil.

A hand grabbing a pumpkin pie donut bite off of a plate of pumpkin pie donut bites.

You’ll also love…

Just look at that yummy, cake-y texture! So, so good! Here’s how you make them…

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Pumpkin Pie Donut Holes (Paleo & AIP)

★★★★★

5 from 16 reviews
  • Prep Time: 15
  • Cook Time: 15
  • Total Time: 30 minutes
  • Yield: 6-7 donut holes 1x
  • Diet: Gluten Free
Print Recipe

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1/3 cup tigernut flour
  • 1/4 cup coconut flour
  • 1/4 cup tapioca starch
  • 1/4 cup palm shortening
  • 1/4 cup pumpkin puree
  • 1/4 cup maple syrup
  • 1 tbsp gelatin
  • 1/4 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/8 tsp salt

FOR THE GLAZE (optional)

  • 2 tbsp coconut butter, melted
  • 1 tsp coconut sugar

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. Sift together the flours and set aside in a separate bowl.  Cream together the palm shortening and maple syrup until thoroughly combined.
  3. Combine the palm shortening, maple syrup, and flours and stir. Then add in the pumpkin, dry gelatin, cinnamon, salt, and baking soda and mix to combine.
  4. Roll the dough into donut holes (you’ll have 6-7) and place on the parchment paper, evenly spaced. Bake for 15 minutes or until baked through and lightly golden brown. Remove from the oven and transfer to a cooling rack to lightly cool.
  5. Combine the ingredients for a glaze in a bowl and spoon over the donut holes.

Notes

All nutritional information are estimations and will vary. Estimations do not include optional ingredients.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 donut hole
  • Calories: 165
  • Fat: 9.2g
  • Carbohydrates: 15.5g
  • Fiber: 1.9g
  • Protein: 2.6g

 

This post appeared on Unbound Wellness in 2017 and was updated in 2021.

Recipe by Michelle, Unbound Wellness. Photos by Eat Love Eats