How to Make The Best Healthy Protein Donut Recipe

This post is all about the best healthy protein donut recipe!

Just because National Donut Day is June 4th, doesn’t mean that we can’t enjoy donuts throughout the rest of the year, right?! 😉

We all know that donuts are an all American favorite food – mine just happen to be the crullers. My mouth is watering just thinking about them lol.

Fun fact!! From Statista in November 2020, over 201 MILLION Americans claimed they consumed donuts! Do you blame them? I don’t! Who doesn’t love a delicious donut?! I actually heard a co-worker the other day say “donuts just aren’t my thing”.. it legitimately stopped me in my tracks lol.

But the whole point of this post is, have you ever tried a protein donut?
I’m not talking about the bland, “this tastes like cardboard” kind of healthy donut. We’re chatting flavor-filled, “I’m surprised this is healthy” dessert tasting donuts!

I have the best protein donut recipe for you today and I cannot wait to share it! But first, let’s discuss what delicious protein donuts are and why they’re a go-to pre workout snack.

What are Protein Donuts?

Protein donuts are essentially exactly what the name sounds like, protein! A large portion of the donut batter is made up of whey protein powder.

I know what you’re thinking at this point.

Megan, don’t you use protein powder for a protein shake after you workout? Yes!

However, when mixed with the right ingredients (like in the protein donut recipe I’m giving you today), you are left with the perfect consistency for a healthy dessert. Oops, I mean, healthy donut. 😉 Lol.

So, Why Make Healthy Donuts Over A Typical Donut?

Friends, I’m here to teach you how to enjoy your life and the foods you absolutely love, all while making healthier decisions in the process. So, if we can make a donut taste amazing while using healthier and “better for you” ingredients, you won’t have FOMO or “fear of missing out”. 

The way I’ve done this is by making sure we keep the number one thing, the absolute number one thing..

TASTE.

I mean after all, we have taste buds for a reason, right?
What’s the first thing we notice about a food, besides texture, before we swallow it?
It’s the character of taste.

Which is why, that’s the thing I focused on most when tweaking this recipe. Not once, but twice.

The Best Protein Donut Recipe

When you start replacing sugar with sugar substitutes, oat flour in place of all purpose flour and greek yogurt in the spot of oil, flavors can start to get tricky. 

The protein donut recipe we’re using today uses a mixture of wet and dry ingredients. Some of which, are natural ingredients that you might not be used to. 

Instead of regular flour, we’ll be using coconut flour. You could also use almond flour – unless you’re allergic to nuts of course!

As a sugar substitute, we’ve opted for Whole Earth erythritol, which is a plant based sugar. It tastes exactly like sugar with a fraction of the calories. without all of the unnecessary harmful side effects to your health. Which, in my opinion, is a win-win! Am I right?

One of the last ingredients that you’ll need, aside from unsweetened applesauce being a significant ingredient (this helps retain moisture!), is the protein!

The best of my absolute favorite protein powders that I not only use for this protein donut recipe, but in my every day nutrition, is 1st Phorm’s Level One Cinnamon Cookie Batter.

One scoop of this protein has twenty-four grams of protein, only 3 grams of fat and is relatively low carb with 5 grams of carbs!! 

This Cinnamon Cookie Batter protein tastes incredibly amazing, y’all. 

The smell alone when you open the tub is like a maple syrup haven. Then, the taste is like having a snickerdoodle cookie, in protein shake form. Now, take that combination and make it into a donut!

I told you, I have a major sweet tooth and these protein donuts seriously taste like a breakfast donut dessert! If you’re in need of some other healthy recipes, read 5 Quick, Easy and Healthy Recipes Under 10 Minutes!

Are you ready to make them yet? Good! Grab your mixing bowl, donut pan and a whisk. Let’s start baking!

Snickerdoodle Protein Donuts Recipe

Protein Donut Ingredients:

Dry:

• ⅓ cup coconut flour
• 1/2 cup + 2 1/2 tbsp erythritol
• 1 scoop 1st Phorm Level-1 Cinnamon Cookie Batter Protein powder
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• ¼ tsp salt
• 1 tsp baking powder
  

Wet:

• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 tbsp unsweetened applesauce
• ⅓ cup & 2 tbsp unsweetened almond milk (I used milk due to Dj’s nut allergy)
• 2 egg whites
• 1 whole egg

Protein Donut Simple Glaze Ingredients:

• 1 scoop 1st Phorm Level-1 Cinnamon Cookie Batter protein
• 1/4 cup almond milk
• additional toppings: sprinkles, nuts, mini chocolate chips, etc (I chose sprinkles because they’re so colorful and cute!)

Protein Donut Baking Instructions:

• Preheat oven to 325*
• Lightly spray donut pan ( or these super cute donut molds ) with nonstick cooking spray
• Mix all donut ingredients together in a large bowl until they are well combined.
• Pipe into a donut pan using a piping bag for the easiest method
• Bake for 23-26 mins. (my oven took 26 minutes)
• Once done, let your donuts rest in the pan for 2-3 mins then turn the donuts out onto the cooling rack. Allow the donuts to cool completely.

When donuts are cooled, you can glaze them!

In a small bowl, but large enough to dip your donut in, whisk the glaze ingredients together until they’re thick. Add more Level 1 protein powder if it’s too thin.

Dip the donuts into the glaze and place on a large enough tray where they don’t touch.

Once all are glazed, decorate with your topping of choice and place in the fridge! Let the donut glaze set for 4-5 minutes. Remove them from the fridge and place the donuts in an airtight container.

This recipe makes 6 doughnuts.
The macro breakdown per donut is:

Carb: 7g
Fat: 7g
Protein: 9g

This post was all about the best healthy protein donut recipe!

It’s truly phenomenal and I hope you end up trying them for yourself!

Happy donut-ing!!

XOXO,