Name: The Best, Softest Gingerbread Protein Donuts
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 27 min
Ingredients: ¾ cup Whole Wheat Pastry Flour (or regular, 90g); ½ cup Vanilla Protein Powder (Whey-casein, 45g); ⅓ cup Unflavored Protein Powder (Whey-casein, 30g); 1 tsp Ground Cinnamon; ¾ tsp Ground Ginger; ⅛ tsp Allspice; ⅛ tsp Ground Cloves; 1 tsp Baking Powder; ¾ tsp Baking Soda; ¾ cup Unsweetened Applesauce (180g); ½ cup Unsweetened Almond Milk (120ml); 2 Tbsp Molasses (40ml); 1 Tbsp Melted Butter (14g); 1 Egg; 3 Tbsp Gingerbread Flavored Almond Butter (42g, Recommendation below); 2 Tbsp Vanilla Protein Powder (Whey-casein, 12g); 4½ Tbsp Almond Milk (67ml)

The softest, fluffiest and healthiest Gingerbread Protein Donuts you will ever have! Low fat, low calorie and high protein gingerbread doughnuts with the warm spices and molasses, but no guilt!

Jump to Recipe

Oh. My. Goodness. Guys! These gingerbread doughnuts are without a doubt the fluffiest and softest doughnuts I have ever made – like having rings of soft fluffy ginger cake. But with none of the negative feelings.

Why gingerbread donuts?

Well, besides the fact that the aroma of ginger, cinnamon, and molasses wafting through your kitchen is basically a winter essential, these gingerbread donuts pack a flavor punch that’ll make your taste buds do a happy dance. Plus, we’ve given them a protein-packed makeover that turns them into a snack you won’t feel bad about devouring.

Ingredients For Gingerbread Protein Donuts

These gingerbread protein donuts are made with protein powder for sweetener, and a bit of molasses for that cozy festive vibe. Simple ingredients though, so perfect for a quick evening baking session.

Whole Wheat Pastry Flour – or a regular all purpose flour
Whey-Casein Vanilla Protein Powder – This adds in sweetness (to make it a low sugar recipe) I used Quest Nutrition Vanilla Protein Powder.
Unflavored Protein Powder I use the Multipurpose mix from Quest Nutrition.
Molasses: I used the organic molasses from Wholesome
Gingerbread Spices: Ginger, Cinnamon, Cloves and Allspice
Unsweetened Applesauce – Replaces the fat that’s in most donut recipes.
Unsweetened Almond Milk
Melted Butter
Egg
Baking Powder and Baking Soda

And for the Glaze on these Baked Biscoff Donuts

Gingerbread flavored Almond Butter: I used American Dream Nut Butter Gingerdoodle Almond Butter (code HAYLSKITCHEN to get a discount)
Its a gingerbread and snickerdoodle cookie flavored almond butter with actual crushed ginger cookies in there too.
Vanilla Protein Powder; I used Whey-Casein Quest Nutrition again.
Almond Milk

How to Make Gingerbread Protein Doughnuts

These gingerbread protein doughnuts are really super easy to make – just mix everything in a bowl, put into donut pan and bake. And then dunk them in the glaze.

Preheat and Prepare:

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease your 12-cavity donut pan. If you don’t have a donut pan, you can use a muffin tin with a foil ball in the middle as a creative alternative.

Dry Ingredients First:

In a large mixing bowl, combine vanilla protein powder, unflavored protein powder, whole wheat pastry flour, baking powder, baking soda, ground ginger, ground cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice. Give it a good whisk to ensure everything is evenly distributed.

Wet Team Assembles:

In a separate bowl, mix together the applesauce, milk, molasses, melted butter and egg.
Make sure to use room temperature ingredients, and see that it’s well combined.

Bring Them Together:

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and gently whisk them together. Mix until just combined – no need to overwork the batter.

Fill ‘Em Up:

Using a spoon or a piping bag, fill each donut well about ⅔ full. This ensures they have enough room to rise without overflowing.

Into the Oven:

Pop those bad boys into the preheated oven and bake for 12 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Keep an eye on them, as baking times can vary.

Cooling Calmly:

Allow the donuts to cool in the pan for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely

To glaze ginger bread protein doughnuts

Whisk the Glaze:

Whisk almond butter, protein powder and milk in a bowl until its a thick but smooth glaze.

Dress Them Up:

Dunk the donuts in the glaze and sprinkle on holiday sprinkles to get that extra oomph.

Some Tips For Baked Gingerbread Doughnuts with Protein Powder:

These protein powder gingerbread doughnuts are super easy to make, and here’s some tips to get them right!

Use whey-casein protein powder as specified; It absorbs more liquid. If you use whey, use less liquid(milk).

Taste the batter and see if you need some extra sweetener. I’d recommend using stevia powder to maintain the consistency of the batter and have low sugar ginger donut.

Use room temperature egg and milk so they mix well with the dry ingredients.

Be sure to grease the donut pan so the baked gingerbread donuts come off easily.

Let the donuts cool completely before adding glaze or it’ll melt away.

When making glaze, add almond milk a little at a time – too much can make it too runny too soon.

How to store Baked Ginger Protein Donuts?

So, you’ve baked up a batch of those delicious baked ginger protein donuts, and now you’re wondering how to keep them tasting as amazing as when they first came out of the oven. No worries, here’s a simple guide to storing your treats:

Room Temperature (2-4 hours):

If you plan to gobble them up within a few hours, just pop them in an airtight container at room temperature. No fuss, no muss.

Refrigerator (up to a week):

For longer freshness (up to a week), place them in an airtight container in the fridge. It helps maintain their texture without drying them out.

Freezer (long-term):

Planning for the long haul? Let the doughnuts freeze on a baking tray and individually wrap the donuts in plastic, throw them in a freezer bag, and freeze. Just thaw in the fridge or at room temperature when you’re ready to devour them.

Alternatives for a Healthy Gingerbread Donuts Recipe

Here are some alternate ingredients you can consider for your healthy gingerbread donuts recipe, depending on your dietary preferences or ingredient availability:

Flour Alternatives:
All purpose flour or 1:1 Gluten Free Baking Flour in the same amount by weight not cups.

Applesauce:
Pumpkin Puree or Mashed Banana, but this might change the flavor a bit.

Molasses Alternatives:
Maple syrup for a different depth of sweetness.
Honey as a natural sweetener with a distinct flavor.
Date syrup or pureed dates for natural sweetness.
Egg Replacements:
Vegan egg alternative
Flaxseed meal or chia seeds mixed with water as an egg substitute (1 tablespoon of flaxseed meal or chia seeds + 3 tablespoons of water per egg).

Dairy-Free Milk:
Soy milk, Oat milk, Lactose-free milk or regular milk

Spices:
Swap out allspice or cloves for cardamom or nutmeg for a different flavor profile.

Toppings:
Chopped nuts (such as almonds, walnuts, or pecans) for added crunch.
Dried fruits like raisins, cranberries, or chopped apricots for a burst of

More Healthy Protein Donut Recipes:

More Protein Powder Gingerbread Desserts for Christmas: