Easy & Healthy Baked Double Chocolate Protein Donuts

Makes: 10 Servings
Per Serving: 8g Protein | 144 Cal

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Whether you’re looking for a special treat to celebrate Valentine’s Day, a birthday, or Saturday, these double chocolate high-protein donuts are going to win you over. Rich, fluffy, super chocolatey, and surprisingly packed with protein, they’re the ideal treat to indulge in while still supporting your health, wellness, and nutrition goals. Made with simple, wholesome ingredients, quick to make, and great for meal prep, these baked donuts can be enjoyed plain or with an optional chocolate icing and fun, seasonal sprinkles. 

No matter who you’re baking for, these are a sweet, healthy treat that you’re sure to love.

Why You’ll Love This Healthy Baked Donuts Recipe

• High-protein and macro-friendly: With 7-8 grams of protein (depending on if you add the icing or not), under 150 calories, and only 1 gram of fat, these healthy donuts check all the boxes for a sweet treat to round out your breakfast or end the day on a high note.

• Baked instead of fried: Frying donuts is messy and a bit less healthy, not to mention more work for you. Baking these donuts keeps the fat content in check, while also being an easier and less messy process.

• Super chocolatey: Rich and deeply chocolatey, these double chocolate donuts taste like a real treat.

• Great for celebrating or beating a chocolate craving: These donuts are so fun and make for a great celebratory treat (or just a fancier, more special twist on your normal meal prep).

• Adaptable and easy to customize: Make this with or without the icing, make a vanilla glaze by leaving out the cocoa powder or a cinnamon glaze by adding a little cinnamon, and top with whatever sprinkles feel most festive (or not).

What to Know About Baking with Protein Powders

If you’re newer to baking with protein powder, you might not realize that different kinds of protein powders function differently in recipes. Using the right kind can make a big difference in the finished product. Here’s what you need to know:

Whey Protein Powder

Whey protein powder is light and smooth and can help give the finished product a softer texture. It’s good for keeping your donuts light and airy, but it’s best to use in combination with extra moisture or another form of protein powder because using only whey protein powder can make your baked goods a bit too dry.

Casein Protein Powder

Casein protein powder absorbs liquid, so it’s a good choice to help your baked goods stay more moist. It can help give your baked goods a denser texture, but using only casein protein powder isn’t ideal because it can make the batter too thick and the finished product too dense.

Whey & Casein Blend

This is my absolute favorite type of protein powder to use in baked goods because it combines the best perks from both whey protein powder and casein protein powder. The whey in the combo helps keep things lighter and fluffier, while the casein adds moisture and structure, which is super helpful in high-protein, gluten-free baking where you don’t have the gluten to give your finished product structure.

Plant-Based Protein Powders

Plant-based protein powders are made from a variety of different plants, like peas, rice, and more. They act differently in baked goods, so they’re best used in vegan recipes that were specifically developed for their use. Because plant-based protein powders can absorb even more liquid than other kinds of protein powders, they can make baked goods that aren’t formulated for a plant-based protein powder too dry and crumbly. If you really want to use a plant-based protein powder in a recipe that doesn’t specifically call for one, know that you might need a little extra liquid and adjust the baking time to ensure the best results.

Collagen Protein Powder

Collagen isn’t a complete protein and acts differently than other protein powders in baked goods. I wouldn’t recommend using it as a full replacement for other kinds of protein powders in recipes.

Baking with Protein Powder Pro Tip

Brands of protein powders can vary in ingredients and macros, making some protein powders sweeter than others, thicker or thinner, or absorb more or less liquid. If you’re not sure what you’re working with, start slow and adjust the amount of liquid or sweetener as needed. 

Ingredients

• ¾ cup all-purpose flour

• 2 scoops (60g) chocolate protein powder

• For best texture: use 45g chocolate whey + 30g casein protein

• I used Brownie Batter from Clean Simple Eats (Code PROTEINSNACKQUEEN for a discount!)

• ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder

• 1½ teaspoon baking powder

• ¼ teaspoon baking soda

• ¼ teaspoon salt

• 1 large egg

• ⅓ cup plain Greek yogurt (0–2%)

• ⅓ cup + 2 tablespoons milk or Fairlife

• ¼ cup + 1 tablespoon maple syrup (or sugar-free syrup)

• 1 tablespoon melted butter or oil

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Chocolate Icing

• ¾ cup powdered sugar

• 2 tablespoons cocoa powder

• ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract

• 2½–3½ teaspoons milk of choice (skim, 2%, whole, or almond)

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven and prep the pan: Set your oven to preheat to 350 degrees F and lightly grease a donut pan with avocado oil cooking spray.

2. Mix the dry ingredients: Add the flour, protein powder, unsweetened cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt to a large mixing bowl. Whisk well to combine.

3. Mix the wet ingredients: Add the egg, Greek yogurt, milk, maple syrup, melted butter or oil, and vanilla extract to a medium bowl and whisk well to combine.

4. Make the donut batter: Fold the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients with a rubber spatula until just combined. Do not overmix. The batter will be thick, but pipeable. If the batter is too thick, add an extra tablespoon or two of milk until the batter gets to the right consistency.

5. Fill the donut molds: Transfer the batter to a piping bag or a plastic bag with the corner snipped off. Pipe the batter into each donut mold until about ¾ of the way full.

6. Bake the donuts: Transfer the pan to the preheated oven and bake for about 10-13 minutes, until the donuts are set and spring back when touched and a tester inserted into the donuts comes out clean.

7. Mix the icing: Add the powdered sugar, cocoa powder, vanilla extract, and milk to a small bowl. Whisk until smooth and set it aside.

8. Ice the donuts: When the donuts are done baking, remove the pan from the oven and let the donuts cool. Gently remove them from the pan and dip the top of each donut into the chocolate icing. Top with sprinkles and enjoy!

Nutrition Information (Per Donut - Makes 10 Donuts)

Without Icing

• Calories: 108

• Protein: 7g

• Carbs: 17g

• Fat: 1g

With Icing

• Calories: 144

• Protein: 8g

• Carbs: 25g

• Fat: 1g

Baked Protein Donut Pro Tips

• Use a whey and casein blend: Using a protein powder that’s a mix of whey and casein will give your donuts a softer texture. They’ll taste more like the cake donuts you love.

• Try making these with a silicone pan: Silicone donut pans are easier to work with than the metal kind because the donuts will be easier to remove once they’re baked and cooled.

• Cool completely before adding the simple chocolate glaze: If you try to glaze these donuts when they’re still warm, the icing will melt off or soak into the donut instead of setting nicely on top.

• Store in the fridge: After you’re done with your donuts, pop them in an airtight container and store them in the fridge to enjoy all week. You can eat them straight from the fridge or slightly warm them (just know that if you overdo it, the icing will melt!).

Swaps & Substitutions

• Make them gluten-free: Use a gluten-free all-purpose flour in place of the regular flour for a gluten-free twist. You can also try almond flour, but the texture will be a bit different.

• Instead of Greek yogurt: Try using skyr or blended cottage cheese in place of the Greek yogurt if you’d like. 

• Switch up the sweetener: Use honey or a sugar-free syrup in place of the maple syrup.

• Try a new topping: Instead of mixing up the chocolate icing, you can leave it off entirely, drizzle with a bit of melted chocolate (or white chocolate) or peanut butter, or even just dust the donuts with a little bit of powdered sugar.

FAQs

• Can this healthy donuts recipe be made in advance?

  It sure can! These donuts are great for meal prep. Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. If you can, wait to glaze the donuts until right before serving.

• How can I freeze these healthy donuts?

  If you want to store your protein donuts in the freezer, freeze them before icing in an airtight container. They should stay good for up to 2 months. When you’re ready to eat, thaw the donuts overnight in the fridge or quickly warm them up in the microwave before icing and enjoying.
  

• What should I do if the batter is too thick to pipe?

  Different brands and types of protein powder act differently. If your batter feels too thick to pipe, add a little extra dairy or non-dairy milk, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the batter is thick, but smooth and pipeable.
  

• Do I have to add the icing to these donuts?

  Definitely not! They’re still rich and chocolatey without the icing, but everything’s better with icing, isn’t it?
  

These Double Chocolate Protein Donuts prove you don’t have to choose between indulgent and healthy. They’re festive, fun, and totally satisfying,  whether you’re celebrating Valentine’s Day or not.

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Double Chocolate Donuts

Yield: 10

Author: Ashley aka The Protein Snack Queen

These healthy donuts are super chocolatey, packed with protein, and easy to make. Great for meal prep or celebrations, they’re a way to indulge while still supporting your goals.

Ingredients

• ¾ cup all-purpose flour
• 2 scoops (60g) chocolate protein powder
• For best texture: use 45g chocolate whey + 30g casein protein
• I used Brownie Batter from Clean Simple Eats (Code PROTEINSNACKQUEEN for a discount!)
• ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1½ teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 large egg
• ⅓ cup plain Greek yogurt (0–2%)
• ⅓ cup + 2 tablespoons milk or Fairlife
• ¼ cup + 1 tablespoon maple syrup (or sugar-free syrup)
• 1 tablespoon melted butter or oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Chocolate Icing

• ¾ cup powdered sugar
• 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
• ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2½–3½ teaspoons milk of choice (skim, 2%, whole, or almond)

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven and prep the pan: Set your oven to preheat to 350 degrees F and lightly grease a donut pan with avocado oil cooking spray.
2. Mix the dry ingredients: Add the flour, protein powder, unsweetened cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt to a large mixing bowl. Whisk well to combine.
3. Mix the wet ingredients: Add the egg, Greek yogurt, milk, maple syrup, melted butter or oil, and vanilla extract to a medium bowl and whisk well to combine.
4. Make the donut batter: Fold the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients with a rubber spatula until just combined. Do not overmix. The batter will be thick, but pipeable. If the batter is too thick, add an extra tablespoon or two of milk until the batter gets to the right consistency.
5. Fill the donut molds: Transfer the batter to a piping bag or a plastic bag with the corner snipped off. Pipe the batter into each donut mold until about ¾ of the way full.
6. Bake the donuts: Transfer the pan to the preheated oven and bake for about 10-13 minutes, until the donuts are set and spring back when touched and a tester inserted into the donuts comes out clean.
7. Mix the icing: Add the powdered sugar, cocoa powder, vanilla extract, and milk to a small bowl. Whisk until smooth and set it aside.
8. Ice the donuts: When the donuts are done baking, remove the pan from the oven and let the donuts cool. Gently remove them from the pan and dip the top of each donut into the chocolate icing. Top with sprinkles and enjoy!

Nutrition Facts

Calories

144

Fat

1 g

Carbs

25 g

Protein

8 g