Whether you need a treat for Easter brunch or you’re just looking for a fun new dairy-free dessert, you’ll love these dairy free carrot cake donuts. These baked donuts are perfectly spiced and have a soft, tender texture. These are easy to make for any home cook, and the whole family will love ‘em.
Ingredient Notes
Here’s a photo of all the ingredients you’ll need for the donuts themselves. Most are pantry staples! You’ll also find selected ingredient notes:
- Almond milk – I used this as it’s what I had on hand, but most dairy-free milks should work. Oat milk or soy milk are both good alternatives.
- Vegetable oil – This is a neutral oil that helps keep the donuts moist. Avocado oil also works well if you need a soy-free option.
Here’s what you’ll need for the frosting. Note that as an alternative, you could also purchase a dairy-free cream cheese frosting from the store instead of making a homemade one.
Here are a few helpful product recommendations for the frosting ingredients:
- Dairy-free butter – For frosting, I almost always use Country Crock plant butter sticks (unless I need a soy free option, and then I’ll use Earth Balance Soy Free sticks). I recommend using a dairy-free stick butter rather than a tub butter, as the latter tends to have a higher moisture content which can throw off the texture of the frosting.
- Dairy free cream cheese – The product pictured above (SoDelicious Dairy Free Cream Cheese) no longer exists. My current favorite options for this recipe are Violife Just Like Cream Cheese Original or Kite Hill Plain Cream Cheese.
Instructions
You’ll find the full recipe amounts and instructions in the recipe card below, but here’s a helpful overview with photos and tips.
Start by making sure your carrots are finely grated. While you can buy a bag of grated carrots at the supermarket, those are often too thick for these donuts. I recommend chopping a few carrots and tossing them in a mini food processor, and pulsing a few times. That gets them nice and fine. Or you can grate them by hand.
Alright, now that the carrots are all set, it’s time to start the cooking!
Mix together the dry ingredients: the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
In another bowl, mix together the sugar, oil, almond milk, egg, and vanilla. Whisk well until it’s combined.
Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, and add the carrots. Stir until just combined.
Portion out the batter into a greased donut pan, and bake at 350 degrees F on the center rack for about 13-16 minutes. The donuts are done when a toothpick pulls clean from them. Don’t overbake. Let them cool in the pan for a few minutes, then remove to a cooling rack.
Meanwhile, make the frosting. I find this easiest to do with a stand mixer, but a hand mixer works too. Put the softened dairy-free cream cheese, dairy-free butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla in a bowl. It’s important that the cream cheese and butter are softened, as this will help them combine smoothly. Use the whisk attachment on the stand mixer or the hand mixer to combine the ingredients, starting on low speed then increasing to high. You want the frosting to be light and fluffy.
When the donuts are cool, frost them and sprinkle the chopped nuts on top. Now dig in and enjoy!
Recipe FAQ
Here are some common questions that may come up as you’re preparing this recipe:
Yes! If you’d prefer a store-bought option, you’ll want to check ingredients, as some brands contain dairy and others do not. For example, at the time of publish, Duncan Hines cream cheese frosting and Pillsbury cream cheese frosting did not contain dairy ingredients. However, Betty Crocker cream cheese frosting does contain dairy. Always read labels, as manufacturer formulations can change at any time.
Unfrosted donuts can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. Frosted donuts, or extra frosting, should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Yes. Freeze the cooled, unfrosted donuts in a ziptop bag, removing as much air as possible from the bag. Use within 3 months for best quality. When ready to enjoy, thaw at room temperature and then frost if desired.
Allergens in this Recipe
Disclaimer: Always double check ingredients and labels yourself prior to making a recipe. While I try to check all ingredients for allergens, there’s always the chance I may miss something, or manufacturer formulations can change.
As written, this recipe is dairy free.
This recipe does contain wheat/gluten (in the all-purpose flour), eggs (in the egg), nuts (in the almond milk and chopped nuts; possibly in the cream cheese), and soy (in the dairy-free butter). Here are some suggestions on ways to modify for some of these allergens:
- To make wheat/gluten free: Use a gluten-free all-purpose flour substitute.
- To make nut free: Skip the chopped nuts on top, and use oat milk instead of almond milk. Also double check that your dairy-free cream cheese is nut free; some do contain nuts.
- To make soy free: Choose a dairy-free butter option that’s soy free, like Earth Balance soy free sticks. Also, note that vegetable oil is typically derived from soy, and while it’s highly refined, some folks with soy allergies choose to avoid this. In that case, swap out the vegetable oil for avocado oil. Double check that your dairy free cream cheese is free from soy.
More Dairy Free Donut Recipes
If you’re looking for more dairy free donuts, be sure to give one of these a try:
- Dairy free chocolate donuts
- Old fashioned dairy free pumpkin donuts
- Dairy free chai donuts
- Dairy free cinnamon sugar donuts
- Baked vegan strawberry donuts
I hope you enjoy this recipe! If you get a chance to try it, please leave a recipe rating or comment below.
Dairy Free Carrot Cake Donuts
Ingredients
For the donuts:
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- ¼ tsp nutmeg
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp salt
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- ¼ cup almond milk (or any dairy-free milk)
- 1 large egg
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- ½ cup finely grated carrots
For the frosting and topping (optional):
- ¼ cup dairy-free cream cheese, softened
- 2 tbsp dairy-free butter, softened (i.e. Country Crock plant butter)
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- ¼ cup finely chopped nuts (pecans, walnuts, etc)
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 6-count donut pan.
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In a medium mixing bowl, combine the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
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In a separate mixing bowl, combine the sugar, oil, almond milk, egg, and vanilla. Stir until well combined.
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Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, along with the finely grated carrots. Stir until combined.
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Pour the batter into the donut pan. (It may be a little thick; use the back of a spoon to spread evenly in each section if necessary.)
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Bake at 350 degrees F on the center rack for 13-15 minutes, or until a toothpick pulls clean from the donuts. Let cool in the pan for a few minutes, then remove to a cooling rack.
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Meanwhile, prepare the frosting: add the dairy-free cream cheese, dairy-free butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla to the bowl of a stand mixer (or a mixing bowl to use with a hand mixer). Using the whisk attachment on the stand mixer (or hand mixer) start on low speed until the ingredients start to combine, then increase to high speed. Mix until light and fluffy.
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When the donuts have cooled completely, spread the frosting on the donuts. Top with the chopped nuts. Enjoy!
Recipe Notes
- If you’d prefer, you can skip the homemade frosting and use a store-bought dairy-free cream cheese frosting. You can also use a powdered sugar glaze instead of frosting too.
- The dairy free butter and cream cheese must be softened (not melted and not hard from the fridge) to achieve the right frosting texture.
- If the donut batter seems too thick, add an extra splash of almond milk. Sometimes packing the flour into the measuring cup (instead of spooning and leveling it) can lead to this, but an extra splash of almond milk will achieve the right texture.
Nutrition analysis (approximate per donut with frosting and nuts): 370 calories, 19.5 g fat, 6 g saturated fat, 300 mg sodium, 45.5 g carbohydrate, 1.5 g fiber, 31 g sugar, 3.5 g protein, Vitamin D: 1%, Calcium: 4%, Iron: 7%, Potassium: 2%
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