Air Fryer Low Carb Cinnamon Donut Balls (Quick & Easy!)
Craving bakery treats on a keto diet? Try our easy air fryer low carb cinnamon donut balls. Perfectly pillowy, gluten-free, and ready in under 15 minutes!
Ingredients
- For the Donut Holes:
1 cup super-fine blanched almond flour
3 tbsp granulated erythritol sweetener
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp ground cinnamon
2 tbsp unsalted butter (melted)
1 large fresh egg (room temperature, beaten)
½ tsp pure vanilla extract
- For the Cinnamon Sugar Crust:
2 tbsp unsalted butter (melted)
3 tbsp granulated erythritol sweetener
1 tsp ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat the Air Fryer and Prep Flours
Set your air fryer to preheat at 330°F (165°C) for 3 minutes. In a medium mixing bowl, thoroughly whisk together the blanched almond flour, granulated erythritol, baking powder, and ground cinnamon until completely free of dense clumps.
- Form the Pastry Dough
In a separate small bowl, whisk the room-temperature egg, melted butter, and vanilla extract together. Pour the wet mixture directly into the dry flours, then use a flexible silicone spatula to fold and knead the mixture until a cohesive, slightly sticky dough forms. Let it rest for 3 minutes.
- Portion and Roll Uniform Balls
Using a 1-tablespoon cookie scoop, portion out the dough into even pieces. Roll each piece firmly between your palms to form smooth, round balls about the size of a ping-pong ball, setting them onto a piece of parchment paper as you go.
- Air Fry Until Golden
Lightly mist your air fryer basket with a non-aerosol avocado oil spray. Arrange the balls in a single layer with a half-inch of clearance between them. Air fry at 330°F (165°C) for 7 to 9 minutes until they expand slightly and the surface looks firm and lightly golden.
- Assemble the Coating Station
While the donuts cook, set up two small shallow bowls side-by-side on your counter. Pour 2 tablespoons of melted butter into the first bowl, and thoroughly mix 3 tablespoons of erythritol with 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon in the second bowl.
- Coat and Crystallize
Remove the hot donut holes from the air fryer basket. Immediately dip each ball into the melted butter bowl to coat it completely, then roll it through the cinnamon-sugar mix until fully encrusted. Place the finished balls onto a wire rack to cool for 2 minutes before serving.
Notes
Don't Use Almond Meal: Make sure the bag says "Super-Fine Blanched Almond Flour." Almond meal is made with the brown skins left on, which makes the donut holes heavy, gritty, and flat.
Give Them Space: Air fryers work by blowing hot air around the food. Don't crowd the basket! Make sure the donut balls aren't touching each other so they can brown and crisp up evenly on all sides.
Pick the Right Sweetener: Erythritol or monk fruit sweeteners work best for the outside coating because they crunch up like real sugar as they cool down. Don't use allulose for the outside coating, or your donuts will get sticky and wet.
The Egg Trick: Try to use an egg that is at room temperature. If you drop a freezing cold egg straight out of the fridge into warm melted butter, the butter will clump up into hard little chunks, making your dough bumpy.
Oven Backup Plan: If you don't have an air fryer, you can easily use your regular oven. Just heat it to 350°F (177°C), put the dough balls on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, and bake for 12 to 15 minutes.