These Protein Pumpkin Donuts are soft, comforting, and packed with cozy fall flavor and 12g of protein per serving. Naturally dairy and gluten-free and baked in just 30 minutes, they’re my favorite way to balance sweet cravings with something a little more energizing. I like to make a batch on Sunday and sneak one in with my afternoon coffee all week.
"Double the batch because these donuts were gone in no time - my family devourrrrrrred them. So yummy!" - Remi
A Quick Look At The Recipe
- ⏲️Ready In: 50 Minutes
- 👪Serves: 6
- 🍽 Calories and Protein: 144 kcals and 12 grams of protein
- 📋 Main Ingredients: Coconut flout, collagen powder, pumpkin puree, tapioca flour, and maple syrup.
- 📖 Dietary Notes: Dairy-free, gluten-free, and paleo.
- ⭐ Why You'll Love It: Soft, cozy, and perfect for busy mornings or snack breaks when you want something that actually feels like a treat.
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It’s rare that we moms get to sit down and actually enjoy a meal, most days, we’re eating while chasing a toddler or hustling out the door. That’s exactly why I keep high-protein snacks like these gluten-free pumpkin protein donuts on hand. They’re soft, baked in one bowl, and just so happen to taste like fall in the best way possible.
Even better? They make it easy to sneak in extra protein without even trying. I’ll often make these alongside this creamy pumpkin protein pudding or a quick pumpkin protein mug cake to have options on hand throughout the week. Want more ideas like this? Check out the Strong and Sweet Protein Guide for even more crave-worthy ways to eat 100g of protein without the stress.
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💭Why You'll Love This Recipe
Easy to make: Most of the ingredients you'll have on hand with a stocked gluten-free pantry.
Fall flavors: Made with real pumpkin and classic seasonings for a comforting, soft taste.
Healthy: The pumpkin protein donuts are dairy-free, gluten-free, paleo, and packed with 12 grams of protein to make for a fueling snack.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Canned pumpkin: Make sure to grab canned pumpkin and not pumpkin pie filling, as otherwise the gluten-free pumpkin spice donuts will be too sweet.
- Collagen powder: The easiest way to increase your protein intake and protein in its purest form. High-quality collagen powder is what gives these pumpkin donuts their fuel. Learn more about the benefits of a high-protein diet and why collagen powder rocks, then check out these collagen powder recipes.
- Tapioca starch: This is a paleo-diet staple as it binds the pumpkin donuts together. However, arrowroot powder can work as well, though it may be a bit more delicate.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities
Flavor Variations and Toppings
One of the best things about this pumpkin protein donut recipe is that you can adjust the donuts however you like.
Toppings: Drizzle the top of the donuts with dairy-free caramel sauce with coconut milk, homemade chocolate ganache, or dairy-free cream cheese frosting (you’d need to pipe it or thin it).
Cinnamon sugar: Dip them into a cinnamon sugar combination or sprinkle it on top for an easy shimmer like these gluten-free protein donuts.
Chocolate: Make them into chocolate pumpkin donuts by adding chocolate chips to the batter or a dash of raw cacao powder.
How To Make Protein Pumpkin Donuts
Step 1: In a large bowl, mix together the wet ingredients until smooth before adding in the dry ingredients. Stir until combined.
Step 2: The donut batter is thick, so use a spatula to portion it into your donut mold.
Step 3: Smooth out the tops of the donuts and shape them. Tap the mold to make sure there are no air bubbles, and then bake them until cooked through.
Step 4: Let the donuts cool fully in the pan for 20-30 minutes before removing them and topping them with anything you like.
Expert Tips
The pumpkin donut batter is pretty thick once it sits for a minute, so you’ll need to manually shape the donuts. Take the time to smooth out the tops and tap the mold on the counter so that there are no air bubbles. Trust me, they bake better this way.
Don’t try to remove the baked pumpkin donuts from the molds before they’re completely cooled (about 20-30 minutes). The pumpkin spice donuts are delicate and will fall apart.
Wait until the donuts are completely cooled before topping them, or they'll tear. I drizzled caramel sauce over mine before sprinkling on cane sugar.
Silicone donut molds work best when making protein baked donuts. Even greasing a traditional donut pan makes it harder to get the donuts out, and you’re more likely to rip them.
How To Store Them
These gluten-free protein donuts don't freeze well, as they're extremely delicate. However, they do store in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
Though they're soft right after being baked, once stored in the fridg,e the texture firms up a bit. You can enjoy them chilled or heat them lightly in the microwave first.
Pumpkin Protein Donuts FAQs
Let the pumpkin protein donuts cool for at least 30 minutes before trying to remove them from their molds. It's during this time that they firm up and will hold together better.
Any protein can work in a protein donut recipe; however, the protein you choose will change the texture and taste of the donuts. Vegan protein powder absorbs more liquid, whereas collagen, whey protein, and often beef protein powder can be interchanged in a recipe.
Each pumpkin protein donut has 12 grams of protein.
Most often, when protein donuts don't hold shape, it's because they weren't portioned carefully. Since the batter is thick, you want to manually shape the donuts and make sure there are no air pockets in the mold before you bake them.
Other High-Protein Pumpkin Spice Recipes
If you tried this Gluten-Free Pumpkin Protein Donuts or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it goes!
Pumpkin Protein Donuts 9Gluten-Free)
Video
Equipment
Ingredients
- ¼ cup coconut flour
- ¼ cup collagen powder
- 1.5 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 tablespoons tapioca flour
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 tablespoons maple syrup
- ½ cup pumpkin puree
- ½ tablespoons avocado oil
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325F
- In a large bowl, mix together all the wet ingredients until blended.
- One by one, add in the dry ingredients and begin to mix.
- Mix until combined but no more than that. Don’t leave any flour at the bottom.
- Portion manually (with a spoon) into a silicone donut mild. You’ll need to scoop the batter as it’s pretty thick.
- Shape and smooth them out with a silicone spatula.
- Bake for 30 minutes and then turn the oven off and let them sit for another 20-30 minutes.
- Remove them from the oven and let them cool fully before removing them from their molds.
- Enjoy them as is or top them with powdered sugar before serving.
Notes
Disclaimer:
Nutrition values are estimates only, using online calculators. Please verify using your own data"
Nutrition
Emily says
I love pumpkin donuts but I've been missing them since I went gluten-free. I was so happy to find this recipe and it was delicious! Your step-by-step instructions were helpful, too.
fitasamamabear says
Yay! It's hard to give up favorites when you go GF so happy I can give you one back!
Remi says
Double the batch because these donuts were gone in no time - my family devourrrrrrred them. So yummy!
fitasamamabear says
Hahaa always awesome when the family approves!
Tiffany says
I made this and it was an epic fail on my first try because it was a little mushy but on the second try I have perfected it! it tastes soo good!! Other than that, it's a healthy go-to snack. Thank you!
fitasamamabear says
Glad you got it worked out, not going to lie GF donuts can be finicky sometimes with mixing.
jennifer says
Okay, I made these plain and just scarfed them down -- so yummy and a great post workout and bedtime snack for me. Oh breakfast too -- now you know why they disappeared so fast. I liked your topping ideas and am going to make again for my son with the caramel option.
Ella says
I made this for breakfast this morning. Sooo good! I can seriously eat the entire batch.
fitasamamabear says
Haha I could also eat the whole batch lol
Mary says
I look forward to apple cider donuts every year at this time but it's so hard to find a good GF alternative to them. These pumpkin donuts have now taken their place officially! Love this recipe - a batch barely lasts a day or two in our house!
fitasamamabear says
Ahh I'm so happy you like them!