Healthy Chocolate Protein Donuts: Better Than Dessert…
These Healthy Chocolate Protein Donuts are a guilt-free treat that combines the rich flavor of chocolate with the benefits of high protein and natural sweeteners. Perfect for a post-workout snack or a delicious dessert alternative, they use pantry staples and simple ingredients to deliver moist, tender donuts packed with nutrition and flavor.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 14 minutes
- Total Time: 24 minutes
- Yield: 12 donuts 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 1 cup flour (whole wheat or gluten-free blend)
- ½ cup chocolate protein powder (whey isolate or vegan blend)
- ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder (preferably Dutch-processed)
- ¼ cup coconut sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- Pinch of salt
Wet Ingredients
- 2 eggs or 2 flax eggs (1 tbsp ground flaxseed + 3 tbsp water per egg)
- ½ cup Greek yogurt or applesauce
- ¼ cup maple syrup or sweetener of choice
- ½ cup almond milk or oat milk (unsweetened)
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Gather Ingredients and Equipment: Before starting, preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and gather a donut pan (metal or silicone on a baking sheet), mixing bowls, whisk, spatula, measuring tools, and a cooling rack.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, chocolate protein powder, cocoa powder, coconut sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until uniformly mixed with no lumps.
- Mix Wet Ingredients: In a separate medium bowl, whisk the eggs or prepared flax eggs, Greek yogurt or applesauce, maple syrup or other sweetener, almond milk, and vanilla extract until smooth and well combined.
- Combine and Fold Batter: Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and gently fold with a spatula until just combined. Avoid overmixing to prevent dense, tough donuts.
- Fill Donut Pan: Spoon or pipe the batter into each donut cavity about ¾ full, placing the pan on a baking sheet if desired to catch any drips.
- Bake Donuts: Bake in the preheated oven for 12–14 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out with a few moist crumbs. Watch closely near the end to avoid overbaking.
- Cool Donuts: Allow donuts to cool in the pan for 2–3 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack to prevent soggy bottoms.
- Test Doneness: Donuts should be springy to the touch and hold their shape—too early removal will cause collapse, too late will make them dry.
Notes
- You can substitute whole wheat flour with a gluten-free blend to make the recipe gluten free.
- Flax eggs are a great vegan alternative to real eggs, providing structure with a nutty flavor.
- Use coconut sugar, maple syrup, or stevia to adjust sweetness to your preference—don’t skip sweeteners as they balance the chocolate bitterness.
- Use non-stick metal donut pans for ease or silicone pans placed on baking sheets for stability.
- Do not overmix batter to keep donuts light and tender.
- Let donuts cool completely on a rack to avoid sogginess.