Air fryer protein donuts that actually take less time than whatever you already have baking in the oven. 9.8g of protein and 102 calories each, glaze included, and the whole thing comes together while you're waiting around anyway. No yeast, no frying, no sugar - just a quick dough you mix, shape, and air fry in under 10 minutes.
These had been sitting on my recipe list for a while, and I finally got around to making them while waiting for something else to finish baking in the oven. Honestly one of the best uses of 20 minutes I've had in a while. You just mix the ingredients, shape the dough into rings, and let the air fryer do its thing. That's genuinely it.
The dough comes together in one bowl, there's no yeast, no rising time, and no waiting around. If you love a good protein baked good that doesn't feel like a project, my protein pull apart bread is proof that simple doughs can absolutely deliver - and this one is even faster.
What You'll Love THIS Air Fryer Protein DOUGHNUT
- 9.8g of protein and 102 calories per donut - with the glaze included.
- No sugar. The vanilla protein powder does the sweetening, no added sugar at all.
- No deep frying since it is made in the air fryer.
- Air fryer OR oven. Both work, and both give you a soft, fluffy donut.
- Just one bowl and about 20 minutes start to finish.
- Freezer friendly. Make a batch, freeze them, and you've got donuts on demand.
Ingredients For Air Fryer Protein Donuts
This air fryer protein donut is a great easy donut recipe since it has no yeast and uses baking powder instead. And of course all healthy ingredients and no sugar. I have a whole collection of donut recipes if you're looking for more ways to satisfy that craving without the deep fryer.
Here's what you need:
- Whole Wheat Pastry Flour so the donuts turn out light and fluffy instead of dense.
- Sub: All purpose flour or 1:1 Gluten Free Baking Flour, with the same amount by weight, not cups.
- Vanilla Protein Powder - This is the replacement for sugar. I recommend the Vanilla whey-casein protein form Quest Nutrition.
- Non-Fat Greek Yogurt for extra protein and to add moisture to the donuts
- Sub: low-fat thick Greek yogurt, coconut yogurt or skyr
- Almond milk or any other non-dairy or dairy milk
- Cold Butter this has to be straight out of the fridge and cold
- Baking Powder
For Glazed Air Fryer Protein Donut
- Non fat Greek Yogurt
- Vanilla Protein Powder (the same Quest Nutrition from above!)
- Almond milk or any other dairy or non dairy milk
For Vegan Air Fryer Doughnuts
To make a Vegan air fryer protein doughnut recipe, replace the Greek Yogurt with Coconut Yogurt, plant based protein powder and a Vegan butter substitute. I actually used Vegan butter for these protein donuts so I know that substitute definitely works.
How to Make Healthy Air Fryer Donut Recipe
1. Mix the dry ingredients. Combine the flour, protein powder, and baking powder in a bowl. Give it a good whisk so there are no clumps - protein powder packs together and those lumps will not bake out.
2. Add the wet ingredients. Add the cold grated butter, Greek yogurt, and almond milk - add the milk a little at a time and mix with a spoon until just combined. You want a smooth dough, not a wet batter.
3. Knead quickly. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for about 10 seconds. That's it. Do NOT over-mix or over-knead - protein powder tightens up fast and will make the donut tough.
4. Shape the donuts. Divide the dough into 6 pieces. Roll each piece into a log about 6 to 8 inches long, then loop it into a ring and pinch the ends together firmly. The pinch matters - loose ends pop open in the air fryer.
5. Air fry or bake. Spray your air fryer basket with cooking spray and place the donuts in. Cook at 325°F for 6 minutes, flip, then cook another 2 minutes. If you're using the oven instead, bake at 350°F for about 12 minutes.
6. Cool completely. Transfer to a cooling rack and let them cool all the way before glazing. A warm donut will melt the glaze right off.
7. Make the glaze. Whisk together the Greek yogurt, almond milk, and vanilla protein powder in a shallow bowl until smooth. If it looks too thick, add a tiny splash more milk.
It's a similar yogurt-based glaze I use on my protein pumpkin pancake bread, and it sets up beautifully every time.
8. Dunk and set. Dip each donut into the glaze, place back on the cooling rack, and let it set before adding any toppings.
Tips for the perfect Air Fryer Protein Powder Donuts Recipe
- Make sure to use cold butter for this air fryer donut so that it creates those nice airy pockets in the middle when exposed to the high temperature.
- To prevent your protein air fryer donut from being too dry, make sure you have enough moisture from the milk and yogurt; The vanilla protein powder is extremely absorbent and can make the donut holes dry hard hard - make sure your dough is a little sticky (it should slightly stick to your hands when kneading).
- Don't over-mix the dough or add too much flour - this will give you dry and tough donuts. It should take about 10 seconds.
- Let donut cool completely before glazing or the yogurt will melt away
The perfect temperature and timing
Since protein powder dries up and burn very quickly, you want to air fry these donut holes for just 8-9 minutes at 325°F.
For a Baked Donut Recipe
If you don't have an air fryer, you can also make these protein powder donuts in the oven - with no donut pan or muffin tin needed! My single serve chocolate protein donut uses the same no-pan approach if you ever want to scale all the way down to just one.
All you need to do is place the doughnut rings on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake the at 350°F for about 12 minutes.
How to store Air Fryer Protein Doughnuts
These homemade air fryer protein doughnuts keep really well at room temperature, in the fridge or freezer depending on whether or not you've added the glaze.
Room temperature: Without the glaze in an airtight container for 2 days.
Refrigerator: Store leftovers of the glazed doughnuts for up to 5 days in the fridge in an airtight container.
Freezer: Freeze a baking sheet and then transfer to freezer safe zipper bag for up to 2 months. When it's time to eat, thaw to room temperature and warm them in the microwave for extra goodness.
If you're into freezer-friendly protein baking, my baked chocolate protein balls are another batch-and-freeze staple I keep coming back to.
FAQ
Yes, regular all-purpose flour works as a 1:1 swap by volume. Whole wheat pastry flour adds a little extra fiber, but the texture will still be good with AP flour.
The protein powder toughens up fast when overworked, so you'll end up with dense, rubbery donuts. Mix until just combined, knead for about 10 seconds, and stop.
Whey-casein blend is ideal here because it holds moisture without drying out the dough. A pure whey powder can work but may make the donuts drier, and plant-based protein powders absorb liquid differently, so you may need to adjust the milk by a tablespoon or two.
Milk quantity is the biggest variable in this recipe. Add it slowly and stop when the dough just comes together. If it's too sticky, add flour a teaspoon at a time. Too dry, add milk a teaspoon at a time.
You can bake them at 350°F for about 12 minutes. The air fryer gives you a slightly crispier outside, but both versions work well.
More Protein Donut Recipes to try:
- Cranberry Orange Protein Donuts
- Oreo Protein Donuts
- Peanut Butter Cup Protein Donuts
- Chocolate Coffee Protein Donuts
- Samoa Protein Donuts
Air Fryer Protein Donuts
Ingredients
- ½ cup + 2 Tbsp Whole Wheat Pastry Flour, see post for sub, 75g
- ½ cup Vanilla Protein Powder, Whey-caesin, 45g
- 1 teaspoon Baking Powder
- 1 tablespoon Cold Butter, Grated, 14g
- ⅓ cup Unsweetened Almond Milk, 80ml
- ⅓ cup Non-fat Greek Yogurt, 75g
Protein Yogurt Glaze
- 2 Tbsp + 1 tsp Non-fat Greek Yogurt, 33g
- 1½ tablespoon Unsweetened Almond Milk, 22ml
- 1½ tablespoon Vanilla Protein Powder, 8g
Are you Making This?
Please leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ comment below letting me know what you think! This supports my page so I can continue to give you free recipes. Even 1 sentence is enough 🙂
Instructions
- In a bowl, combine flour, protein powder and baking powder.
- Add butter, yogurt and milk - little at a time - and mix with a spoon to until just combined. You should have a smooth dough.
- Lightly flour a work surface, transfer dough to surface and knead until smooth - about 10 seconds.DO NOT OVER-MIX or the protein powder will make the donut tough.
- Taste mixture and add some stevia (needed in case your protein powder is not sweet enough).
- Divide into 6 pieces.Roll into a log about 6-8" long, shape into a ring, overlap and pinch ends together.
- Spray inside of air fryer basket with cooking spray, and place donut in.
- Cook at 325°F for 6 minutes, flip, then cook another 2 mins.Or bake 350°F for about 12 minutes.
- Transfer to cooking rack to cool completely.
Protein Yogurt Glaze:
- In a shallow bowl, whisk together Greek yogurt, almond milk and protein powder.
- Dunk donut in glaze, place on cooling rack to set, add toppings.
Notes
- Taste tough and add stevia sweetener if your protein powder is not sweet enough.
- Nutrition information is calculated using the products recommended below.
- See post for alternate ingredients, tips and storage options.
- Quest Nutrition Vanilla Whey-Casein Protein Powder
- Servings: 6 3" donuts | Serving size: 1 with glaze
- Calories: 102kcal
- Fat: 2.7g | Saturated fat: 1.3g
- Carbohydrates: 10.9g | Fiber: 1.7g | Sugar: 0.5g
- Protein: 9.8g
Mike says
solid macros and calories. Just taste more like a failed pancake than a donut. The glaze could use some work.
Haylee Jane Monteiro says
Hi Mike, sorry it didn't work out for you. Just to confirm is your protein powder whey-casein? Whey only isn't that absorbent so the dough won't hold as much which would make it flat like a pancake.
Jules says
Highly recommend this recipe so delish and love that you don’t have to feel guilty after!Cant wait to make more to share with friends!
Haylee Jane Monteiro says
Omigosh thank you so much! Really hope your friends like them as much as you 🙂