Baked Spinach Donuts (Paleo)
Posted Mar 02, 2017, Updated Oct 18, 2021
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Baked Paleo Spinach Donuts are a healthy breakfast full of sneaky veggies! No food coloring needed to make these donuts naturally green!
I enjoy making healthy donuts for my family for special occasions, like these spinach donuts.
This recipe is paleo, which means there’s no gluten, dairy or refined sugar! Plus, the beautiful green color is imparted naturally by the addition of spinach, not artificial food coloring or dyes!
They’re also baked instead of fried, but just as delicious!
Paleo Spinach Donuts: Ingredients & Substitutions
Since paleo baking is like a fine science, I do not recommend making any substitutions in this recipe. Please absolutely do not change the type or ratio of flours in this recipe! There are only a few substitutions that I haven’t tried, but could potentially work:
- Coconut sugar: Any granulated sugar works, I sometimes use organic cane sugar.
- Almond Milk: Coconut milk or regular dairy milk can be substituted for almond milk.
- Coconut oil: You may substitute grass-fed butter for the coconut oil.
How to make Spinach Donuts
These donuts are super easy to make (like every recipe I will be sharing with you from now until well after this baby girl arrives)!
Mix dry ingredients together first.
Mix the dry ingredients together in a large bowl and set aside. I like to mix dry ingredients first so that I don’t have to wash measuring cups/spoons during the batter-making process!
Blend wet ingredients.
then blend the wet ingredients in the Vitamix. I really can only recommend a super high-powered blender like the Vitamix here to ensure that your mixture becomes totally homogenous and silky-smooth. I don’t recommend using a food processor.
Pour wet into dry, then let the batter sit!
Next, pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and gently mix until completely combined. Let the mixture stand for 5 minutes to ensure that the coconut flour has absorbed all the moisture, then bake.
This recipe makes 12 regular-sized donuts. Since I only have on donut pan with 6 cavities, I had to bake two batches but I totally didn’t mind.
How to make Matcha Glaze
In my opinion these baked Paleo Spinach Donuts stand alone on their own and do not need a glaze. I made one because…..hello, frosting. I used my recipe for Paleo Powdered Sugar to make this glaze.
However you can let your imagination run wild and glaze these guys with whatever you like! I wanted to keep the green color natural, so I used just a touch of Matcha powder so that the flavor wouldn’t be overpowering.
FAQs about Spinach Donuts
If you use coconut sugar to make your own powdered sugar the glaze on these will not be green, it will be brown. If you want it green, use white powdered sugar, however it is not paleo).
Store/Freeze
Store these in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, or in the freezer for up to 2 months. Make sure to store them in a single layer if you use glaze.
More delicious recipes
- These pumpkin baked donuts scream fall!
- I love making these raspberry donuts in the summer.
- For another sneaky veggie recipe, try these spinach pancakes and these spinach muffins.
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Paleo Spinach Donuts
Ingredients
Donuts:
- 1 cup almond flour
- ½ cup tapioca flour
- ¼ cup coconut flour
- 2 TBS coconut sugar
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp sea salt
- ½ cup almond milk
- ¼ cup coconut oil melted
- ¼ cup honey
- 2 cups spinach
- 2 eggs
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
Glaze:
- ½ cup Paleo Powdered Sugar
- ½ tsp matcha powder
- 1 TBS almond milk or to your desired consistency
Instructions
Make the Donuts:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and lightly grease a donut pan.
- In a large bowl combine almond flour, tapioca flour, coconut flour, coconut sugar, baking powder, baking soda and sea salt. Set aside.
- In your Vitamix, add almond milk, coconut oil, honey and spinach. Blend, starting on low and increasing to medium speed, until mixture is completely smooth and green.
- Add eggs and vanilla and pulse to combine.
- Pour wet ingredients into the large bowl with your dry ingredients and gently mix until combined. Let the mixture stand for 5 minutes.
- Evenly divide the batter into your prepared donut pan, filling each “well” about ¾ of the way full.
- Bake for 10-15 minutes.
- Let sit in the pan for 3 minutes before removing to a wire cooling rack. Cool completely.
Make the glaze:
- While the donuts are cooling, make the glaze.
- Whisk all glaze ingredients together in a small bowl. If you would like a thinner glaze, add more almond milk. If you would like a thicker glaze, add more powdered sugar.
Assembly:
- When donuts are completely cooled, drizzle them with glaze.
- Let sit at room temperature or in the refrigerator until the glaze is hardened!
- Eat immediately.
Storage:
- Store the donuts in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
- Note: If you glaze them the donuts could become a a little soggy if not eaten the day they are made.
Video
Notes
Ingredient Substitutions
- Coconut sugar: Any granulated sugar works, I sometimes use organic cane sugar.
- Almond Milk: Coconut milk or regular dairy milk can be substituted for almond milk.
- Coconut oil: You may substitute grass-fed butter for the coconut oil.
Store/Freeze
Store these in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, or in the freezer for up to 2 months. Make sure to store them in a single layer if you use glaze.Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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These are great. They have a nice texture and my children (4 and 6.5 ) love them! I made them (entirely) in a standard blender. Thanks for the recipe.
Hey,
Could I use a ninja blender if I don’t have a vitamix blender?
Hello Marsha! I have only ever blended with a Vitamix, which is significantly more powerful than a Ninja. You could give it a try, but you might have to blend for a while with a few stops to stir the batter to make it smooth. I recommend blending the wet ingredients and hand-mixing them into the dry.
I have a Nutro Ninja and it works beautifully for liquifying leafy greens, nuts, ice or anything else I have thrown into the container. I plan on trying these doughnuts and will put my Ninja to the test.
Have never seen anything like this. Thanks for the awesome recipe.
They’re super fun for St. Patty’s Day!
Hey there! Thinking of making these! Just wondering, can I omit the coconut sugar as theres already honey? Or should I not?
Hey Eli! I would not omit the coconut sugar for both texture and taste!
Okay! Any idea how long I would have to bake for if I were to make these into muffins?
Hey Eli! I usually bake muffins at 375 degrees F for 20-25 minutes!
Made these donuts this morning and these are amazing!
Hi there, I’ve been making these AMAZING donuts a couple times now and my entire non gluten free, non dairy free family is crazy about them! Woo! My only problem is that I can never get my matcha glaze to look as light and thick as yours, what am I doing wrong?
Hey! In this pictures I used regular powdered sugar and not paleo! That’s probably why!
Hi Laura! I really want to try this recipe but cannot have tapioca starch…do you suggest a subsititute such as adding more coconut flour? (Currently on SCD diet so no starches allowed.) Also, would honey work at a substitute for the coconut sugar? Thanks!!
I would substitute arrowroot powder but that could be considered a search. I would not use honey in place of the coconut sugar because it will add more moisture. I’m unfamiliar with the SCD diet….adding more almond flour might work but not coconut flour. I can’t say for sure though because I’ve only tried them as written!
Ok thank you for your reply! Will give it a go 🙂
I’m absolutely intrigued. These are gorgeous!
Hi Laura,
I would love to give these a try. Do you have a good substitute for the eggs?
Thank you.
Hey Randy! Unfortunately I am not familiar with a great egg substitute. In other recipes I have used ground 1 TBS ground flaxseed or chia seeds mixed with 2.5 TBS hot water to replace eggs…however I’m not sure that either one of those would work well in this recipe!
They are beautiful and DELICIOUS!!! I took them to a ST. Patty’s party and even the non-healthy eaters liked them. Thanks!!!
Woo Hoo I’m SO SO glad you and your friends enjoyed them!!