Protein Donuts
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Level up your protein game with my oven-baked protein donuts recipe. They’re light, fluffy, and pack a whopping 12 grams of protein. Plus, they’re yeast-free and naturally vegan!
I’ve been getting creative with new ways to get my protein in. I was recently inspired by a trip to Dunkin Donuts, as they had a protein muffin (not as good as my protein muffins), so I thought, what about donuts?!
I tried a lot of protein doughnuts in preparation for this recipe. Let me tell you, just because they’re in a donut shape does NOT make them a donut. Mine are the real deal. They turn out cakey and fluffy, with just the right amount of glaze, and sneak in 12 grams of protein. I typically use a chocolate base, but I’ve included options for a few different flavors.
Table of Contents
Why I love this recipe
- 6 ingredients. I dare you to name an easier recipe than this!
- No eggs, yeast, or dairy. None of the traditional donut ingredients are needed, but they are just as fluffy and cakey as classic donuts.
- Low calorie. They clock in at under 100 calories each.
- And yes, they actually taste like real donuts. I promise these aren’t some health food in a donut shape.
★★★★★ REVIEW
“I just love these chocolate protein donuts! I was buying protein donuts but there are so many unhealthy ingredients in them. These are all natural & delicious!” – Marcie
Ingredients needed
- Protein powder. I tested several types of protein, and I strongly preferred the texture of the brown rice and casein protein powders. Use unflavored, chocolate, or vanilla protein powder. I really don’t recommend using whey protein, as it tends to dry out baked goods.
- Self-rising flour. All-purpose flour with baking powder and salt already mixed in. Don’t have any on hand? Easily make your own.
- Cocoa powder. Unsweetened and sifted to remove any clumps.
- Sugar. I used a brown sugar substitute to keep the calories low, but you can use regular white sugar, brown sugar, or coconut sugar.
- Oil. I used coconut oil, but any neutral-flavored cooking oil works. If not strictly dairy-free, use butter.
- Milk of choice. I used unsweetened almond milk, but use whichever milk you prefer.
For the glaze:
- Powdered sugar. I went with homemade powdered sugar substitute (again, to keep the calories low), but you can use regular powdered sugar if you don’t mind the extra calories.
- Cocoa powder. Optional, but for the chocolate glaze.
- Milk. To thin the glaze.
Flavor variations
- Vanilla. Omit the cocoa powder and add 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract.
- Funfetti. Omit the cocoa powder and stir in a handful of sprinkles. Use my vanilla glaze and throw some sprinkles in there, too!
- Blueberry. Omit the cocoa powder and add ½ cup of thawed frozen blueberries. Use my vanilla glaze, but swap the milk for the excess blueberry juice!
How to make protein donuts
I’ve included step-by-step photos below to make this recipe easy to follow at home. For the full printable recipe instructions and ingredient quantities, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Step 1- Prep work. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F. Grease a 12-count donut pan with cooking spray.
Step 2- Mix the dough. In a large mixing bowl, combine the dry ingredients. Add the wet ingredients and mix until a thick batter remains. If it’s too thick, add extra milk.
Step 3- Shape and bake. Pour the batter into a Ziploc bag and cut one corner of the bag. Distribute the batter evenly into the pan. Bake for 13-15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
Step 4- Make the glaze. Combine the powdered sugar and cocoa powder. Slowly add milk and whisk until smooth and glossy.
Step 5- Glaze the donuts. Let the donuts cool for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Once cooled, dip each donut in the glaze and place them back on the wire rack to firm up.
Arman’s recipe tips
- No donut pan? No problem, these make equally tasty muffins!
- Do not overbake the donuts, as they’ll continue to bake in the pan while they cool. I remove them from the oven once a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs.
- Add more protein. Make a protein frosting by combining 1/2 cup Greek yogurt, 1/2 cup powdered sugar, and vanilla extract.
Storage instructions
To store: Store any leftover donuts in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week.
To freeze: Place the baked donuts in a freezer-safe container and freeze them for up to six months. Let the donuts thaw overnight in the fridge.
Frequently asked questions
The protein powder you use is very important. I recommend brown rice or casein protein powder, as they are generally good blends to bake with. Whey protein can be very tricky and dry out the donuts. To test this out, make my protein mug cake and see how it turns out. If it works out well, your protein powder will be perfect for this recipe!
My recipe has only been tested with self-rising flour. If you’d like donuts with almond or coconut flour, try my keto donuts.
More protein dessert recipes
- Protein cookie dough
- Protein brownies
- Protein banana bread
- Protein cookies
- Or any of these high protein desserts
Protein Donuts (Under 100 Calories!)
Video
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup protein powder I used chocolate plant based
- 1 1/4 cups self-rising flour
- 1/3 cup cocoa powder
- 3/4 cup granulated sweetener of choice
- 6 tablespoon sunflower oil any neutral flavored oil
- 1 cup + 2 tablespoons milk of choice I used unsweetened almond milk * See notes
For the glaze
- 3 cups powdered sugar substitute
- 1/3 cup cocoa powder
- 1/4 cup milk of choice
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180C/350F. Grease a 12-count donut pan with cooking spray and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, add your dry ingredients and mix well. Then, add your wet ingredients, and mix until a thick batter remains. If it is too thick, add extra milk.
- Transfer your batter into a ziplock bag. Cut one corner of it and distribute the batter evenly amongst the donut holes. Bake for 13-15 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean.
- Let the donuts cool in the pan for 10 minutes, before carefully transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Once cooled, glaze them.
- To make the glaze, combine the powdered sugar substitute with cocoa powder. Slowly add the milk until thick and glossy. Dip each donut in the glaze then place them on a wire rack for the glaze to firm up.
Quick question, pls.: How would substituting the 3 egg whites for the egg change the protein and calorie counts per doughnut? Ty!
Hi Cynthia- you could use myfitnesspal or similar to calculate it specifically, although I don’t think it would make much of a difference at all- 12 grams protein versus 6 grams of protein. And also, I’d try and stick to the original recipe for the best texture.