These Healthy Protein Donuts are light, cakey, and taste like the real deal, only they’re made with collagen powder for an easy protein boost. Naturally dairy and gluten-free, they're simple to bake and they make an ideal post-workout snack or fun weekend treat (sprinkles highly encouraged).
"Perfect gluten-free donut recipe! They're so easy to make too!"
-Katie
A Quick Look At The Recipe
- ⏲️Ready In: 32 Minutes
- 👪Serves: 6
- 🍽 Calories and Protein: 218 kcals and 12 grams of protein
- 📋 Main Ingredients: Gluten-free baking flour, collagen powder, maple syrup, egg, and non-dairy yogurt.
- 📖 Dietary Notes: Dairy-free and gluten-free.
- ⭐ Why You'll Love It: These soft, lightly sweetened collagen donuts deliver a cakey, bakery-style treat that’s protein-boosted and easy to grab on busy days.
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If you’re anything like me, you want to enjoy snacks without getting stuck in the same routine. That’s exactly why I started making these easy protein donuts: they’re light, cakey, kid-approved, and honestly taste surprisingly close to the bakery version. My girls get excited about sprinkles, and I get excited that we’re all getting a little extra protein (which is also the whole vibe inside the Strong and Sweet Protein Guide, which brings you dessert-like snacks).
I love baking with collagen because it gives these donuts 9 grams of protein while keeping them soft and fluffy, just like blueberry protein muffins or collagen cookies. You can learn more about the high-protein diet benefits, but the real magic is that these store beautifully in the fridge and make the perfect little meal-prep treat you actually look forward to eating.
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💭Why You'll Love This Recipe
Easy to make: These gluten-free protein donuts require no major kitchen skills and are ready to go in just 30 minutes.
Tasty texture: Like most collagen dessert recipes, they have a cake-like texture that's far too easy to eat.
Delicious: They're sweet and soft, making them a great way to curb cravings.
Ingredients and Substitutions
You have a well stocked gluten-free pantry you will already have all the ingredients you need for these high-protein donuts.
- Gluten-free baking flour: Make sure to use baking flour and not all-purpose flour, as they do absorb differently. I opt for bobs red mill baking flour because it has a consistent texture every time period
- Collagen powder: High-quality collagen powder is the cleanest form of protein you can grab (learn more about collagen versus bone broth). It's one of the components of bone broth and comes with a lot of health-boosting perks. Learn more about natural foods high in collagen to bump up your intake.
- Dairy free yogurt; There are a lot of dairy-free yogurts on the market (peek the best dairy-free swaps for beginners), all of them should work so long as you are opting for a dairy-free yogurt that is regular and not Greek yogurt-based. Greek yogurt is a little too thick for the recipe and what we want is to balance out the gluten-free flour and give the Donuts of lighter texture.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Flavor Variations
Add-Ins: I add sprinkles to the collagen donuts, but anything will work. Mini chocolate chips or even candy canes, like in these grain-free donuts, are a fun twist.
Chocolate: Absolutely everyone loves a chocolate flavor. Add raw cacao powder to the donut batter for a rich flavor. This works for protein pumpkin donuts, too.
How To Make Healthy Protein Donuts
Step 1: Add the ingredients into a large mixing bowl one by one setting the spinkles aside.
Step 2: Mix well to combine all the ingredients.
Step 3: Grease a donut pan and pour in the mixture.Top each donut with some sprinkles.
Step 4:Bake for 20 minutes. Let cool completely in the pan.
Expert Tips
These collagen donuts are really light and really cakey, which means that they are also a little bit delicate coming out of the oven. Make sure to let them cool in the pan for about 15 minutes, and be gentle as you remove them.
Use a silicone mold for your donuts as it's SO much easier.
If you are celiac, make sure to double-check that your sprinkles are gluten-free, likewise for dairy-free free as sometimes they do have sneaky ingredients.
The batter thickens slightly as it sits. Do not add any almond milk, coconut milk, or liquid, or you'll have very dense donuts.
Store the protein donuts in the fridge in an airtight container once cooled. They will firm up slightly, but not enough that you need to let them sit at room temperature before eating them. In fact, they are actually delicious straight out of the fridge as well, which makes them a great meal prep recipe for busy days.
Healthy Protein Donuts FAQs
Some protein powders can be used in place of collagen in this healthy protein donut recipe. Whey protein and some beef-based protein will work, but vegan protein powder won't, as it absorbs too much liquid.
You may be able to use a flax egg in the recipe in place of the traditional but I have yet to try it.
If stored in the fridge, the protein donuts will stay fresh for 7 days.
Unfortunately, because the donuts use baking flour, neither almond flour nor coconut flour can be used. Baking flour absorbs liquid much differently than other flours, and swapping it would alter the texture too much.
These healthy protein donuts do not freeze well, as they tend to crumble once thawed.
More High Protein Recipes You'll Love
If you tried this Healthy Collagen Donuts Recipe or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it goes!
Healthy Protein Donuts (gluten-free!)
Video
Equipment
Ingredients
- ¾ cup Gluten Free Baking Flour
- ¼ cup Collagen Powder
- ¾ teaspoon Baking Powder
- ½ cup Maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
- 1 tbs Avocado Oil
- 1 Egg
- ½ cup Non Dairy Yogurt Unsweetened
- 2 tbs sprinkles
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- In a large bowl add the ingredients in one by one saving one tablespoon of sprinkles.
- Mix really well.
- Pour the donut batter into a silicone donut mold. If using a steel donut pan make sure to grease it first.
- Sprinkle the last of the sprinkles onto the top of the donuts.
- Bake for 27 minutes.
- Remove from oven and let cool in the tray for 20 to 30 minutes.
- Pop them out of the donut mold carefully or use a silicone spatula to help take them out of the donut tray and cool further.
Notes
Disclaimer:
Nutrition values are estimates only, using online calculators. Please verify using your own data"
Nutrition
Shelby S says
I've been making these donuts for YEARS now because my kids love them so much!
Katie says
perfect gluten-free donut recipe! They're so easy to make too!
Anybany says
What an idea of using collagen powder like that! I appreciate your creativity!!
fitasamamabear says
Thanks so much! I adore collagen powder: it's so easy!
nancy says
i don't feel guilty eating this dessert. it was really tasty!
fitasamamabear says
Yay! Best thing ever!
Linda says
I've only ever mixed collagen into liquidy things, so this was super cool! (That's the exact brand I use, too!) Fun and yummy recipe!
fitasamamabear says
Haha it works for SO many things!!!