• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Green Smoothie Gourmet
  • Fall
  • Recipe Index
  • About
  • Stories
  • Subscribe
  • Navigation Menu: Social Icons

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • TikTok
    • YouTube
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Fall
  • Recipe Index
  • About
  • Stories
  • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • search icon
    Homepage link
    • Fall
    • Recipe Index
    • About
    • Stories
    • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • ×
    Home / Recipes / Donuts, Breads & Muffins

    Chocolate Protein Donuts

    Aug 13, 2019 · Updated: Sep 1, 2023 by Dee Dine · Affliate links disclosure.

    • Share
    • Reddit
    Jump to Recipe
    Overhead of dark chocolate chickpea vegan donuts.

    Chocolate protein donuts that are soft, baked and full of protein. Ready in under 30 minutes, these soft donuts each have 6 grams of protein and fiber and topped with a chocolate glaze.

    overhead of chickpea donuts with frosting

    These chocolate protein donuts are delicious as well as high in protein without protein powder. They are baked, and have a cake texture, yet are light with no eggs, no dairy and no oil. I used chickpeas to boost the protein, and those make an excellent replacement for oil and eggs. These protein donuts are low in sugar and calories - each donut carries only 9 grams of sugar and 146 calories.

    Why You'll Love These

    Dreamy texture. The chickpeas help create a cake like texture, like a dense devil's cake.

    High in protein. Thanks to the chickpeas each donut carries a whopping 6 grams of protein and 5 grams of fiber. And chickpeas don't just provide protein. In general, chickpeas are also a great source of folate, a mineral that is not that easy to find in food and which is very important for brain cell support.

    Everyone can eat them. These donuts are dairy free, allergy friendly, gluten free, nut free, egg free and vegan.

    Ingredients 

    Chickpeas - Use chickpeas that are free of salt, and choose a brand (not Goya) that has few additives, and hopefully from a BPA-free can. Wholefood's 365 brand is a good one.

    Milk - Choose your favorite milk.

    Apple Cider Vinegar - Add this vinegar to the milk to start and let it curdle for 5 minutes. The curdled milk resembles buttermilk in non-vegan recipes and adds to the flavor and lift of the cake. The ACV in particular causes a chemical reaction with baking soda to help the donuts rise and light.

    Chocolate Chips - Use a quality brand of chips such as Guittard or Enjoylife. The melted chocolate adds to the wonderful moisture.

    Substitutions

    Chickpeas. Chickpeas can be replaced with white beans - Northern or cannellini beans.

    Apple cider vinegar. ACV can be replaced with lemon juice.

    Tools Needed

    • Measuring cups, spoons
    • Mixing bowl
    • Blender
    • Donut Mold

    Step by Step Instructions

    Here are general steps to make this recipe. For specific measurements and instructions, scroll down to the bottom of this post for the printable recipe card.

    1. First prepare by melting chocolate for the batter. Microwave it 30 seconds and stir until melted and set aside. Then add the apple cider vinegar to the milk to curdle it. Also grease the inside of the donut mold wells.

    2. Next, open a can of chickpeas, drain the liquid (refrigerate it - aquafaba - as the egg-replacer for my Dairy Free Chocolate Cake), and rinse the beans.

    3. In a blender or food processor, combine the wet ingredients and process just enough to create a smooth batter. Add this batter to a large mixing bowl.

    4. Using a fine mesh strainer, add the dry ingredients to the wet. Mix it up with a spoon or hand mixer.

    5. Spoon the batter evenly into the mold. For perfect rings, add the batter to a frosting bag or a plastic lunch bag. Snip the end so there is a 1-inch opening. Pipe the batter into the mold wells. Tap the pan to level the top.

    5. Bake for 10 minutes at 350 F.

    chickpea donuts baked

    6. Cool the donuts in the pan about 5 minutes. Then set them on a cooling rack and allow them to cool completely before frosting.

    Recipe Tips

    Be sure to give the apple cider vinegar and milk a chance to curdle to allow for the reaction with the baking soda.

    Grease the donut pan wells by either spraying baking spray, or rubbing coconut oil around.

    Let the donuts cool at least 10 minutes in the donut pan after baking before trying to remove them.

    FAQS

    How to store these protein donuts?

    Keep the donuts stored in a sealed container for two days at room temperature, a week in the refrigerator and three months in the freezer.

    Can I add protein powder to these donuts?

    You can, but not too much or the donuts will become too dry. Add a single scoop and add a few tablespoons of milk if needed to correct the texture.

    What are protein donuts made of?

    Protein donuts are often made high in protein with a flour, such as almond flour, and protein powder. These chickpea donuts however are different; the protein content comes from beans.

    More Baked Donuts

    • chocolate frosted donuts on marble board.
      Chocolate Frosted Donuts with Sprinkles
    • Apple Cider Donuts stacked on a parchment paper on a table with a bite out
      Baked Apple Cider Donuts
    • sprinkle donuts with a bite
      Funfetti Birthday Cake Donuts
    • glazed baked pumpkin donuts in a stack.
      Healthy Baked Pumpkin Donuts with Glaze

    If you tried this recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!

    📖 Recipe

    overhead of chickpea donuts with frosting

    Chocolate Protein Donuts

    Created by Dee Dine
    Chocolate protein donuts that are soft, baked and full of protein. Ready in under 30 minutes, these soft donuts each have 6 grams of protein and fiber and topped with a chocolate glaze.
    5 from 9 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe SaveSaved! Rate Recipe
    Prep Time 10 minutes mins
    Cook Time 12 minutes mins
    Total Time 22 minutes mins
    Course Breakfast, Dessert
    Cuisine American
    Servings 12
    Calories 146 kcal

    Equipment

    • measuring cups
    • blender
    • Mixing bowl
    • donut mold

    Ingredients
      

    Donuts - dry ingredients

    • 1 cup all purpose flour Or gluten free 1-to-1 baking flour
    • ½ cup organic cane sugar
    • 1 teaspoon baking powder
    • ½ teaspoon baking soda
    • pinch of salt

    Donuts - wet ingredients

    • 1 cup chickpeas (garbanzo beans) (organic, BPA-free, I use Whole Foods 365 brand)
    • ½ cup milk I used almond
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
    • 1 cup dark chocolate chips (melted in the microwave at 60 seconds)

    Chocolate glaze

    • 2 tablespoon milk
    • 1 cup dark chocolate chips (melted in the microwave at 60 seconds)
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions
     

    Prep

    • Preheat oven to 350 F.
    • Rinse off the chickpeas. Drain the liquid - aquafaba, and save it in the refrigerator for a few days to be used as an egg replacer in this dairy free chocolate cake recipe .
    • Next, melt the cup of chocolate chips meant for the donut recipe (not the chocolate meant for the glaze.) I melt it by putting chips in a 2-cup pyrex measuring cup and microwaving at 30 seconds. Then stir the chips until all are melted. Microwave another 15 seconds if needed.
    • Add the apple cider vinegar to the milk and set aside for 5 minutes so it curdles - this provides lift to the donuts when it reacts with baking soda.
      1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar, ½ cup milk
    • Spray a corner of each donut well with cooking spray and use a paper towel to rub it all around lightly the inside of the well. Or just smear lightly with coconut oil.

    Make Donuts

    • In a blender or food processor, combine the wet ingredients and process just enough to create a smooth batter. Add this batter to a large mixing bowl.
      ½ cup organic cane sugar, 1 cup chickpeas (garbanzo beans), 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 cup dark chocolate chips
    • Using a fine mesh strainer, add the dry ingredients to the wet. Mix up the batter with a spoon or a hand mixer.
      1 cup all purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda, pinch of salt
    • Spoon the batter evenly into the mold. For perfect rings, add the batter to a frosting bag or a plastic lunch bag. Snip the end so there is a 1-inch opening. Pipe the batter into the mold wells. Tap the pan to level the top.
    • Once your batter is somewhat pourable, spoon it into a zip lock bag and cut the corner. Or use a piping bag without a frosting tip.
    • Either way, squeeze the batter into the donut rings.
    • Tap the donut pan to even the batter and eliminate air bubbles.
    • Bake the donuts for 10-12 minutes. Let the pan cool for 3 minutes before flipping it over. The donuts should fall out.
    • Let them cool another 20 minutes on a rack before dipping in chocolate glaze.

    Make Glaze

    • Melt the chocolate chips in a measuring cup or bowl in a microwave for 60 seconds. Stir until all chips are melted. Microwave 15 seconds more if needed to melt. Stir in milk until smooth.
      Dip each donut to coat with chocolate on one side.
      1 cup dark chocolate chips, 2 tablespoon milk
    • Set the dipped donuts on a cooling rake with a parchment paper beneath to catch the drip off. Sprinkle with nuts or sprinkles or nothing - your choice!

    How do they keep

    • We have frozen them, un-glazed, for a month. Once glazed, I would eat them within one day. They will only get soggy as time goes on.

    Notes

    Be sure to give the apple cider vinegar and milk a chance to curdle to allow for the reaction with the baking soda.
    Grease the donut pan wells by either spraying baking spray, or rubbing coconut oil around.
    Let the donuts cool at least 10 minutes in the donut pan after baking before trying to remove them.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 146kcalCarbohydrates: 24gProtein: 6gFat: 6gSaturated Fat: 4gSodium: 70mgPotassium: 184mgFiber: 5gSugar: 9gVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 50mgIron: 3mg
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

    More Donuts, Breads & Muffins

    • chocolate chip loaf cake sliced
      Chocolate Chip Loaf Cake
    • cranberry orange muffins with a spoon drizzling a glaze
      Cranberry Orange Muffins
    • Healthy Pumpkin Muffins
      Healthy Pumpkin Muffins
    • two muffins on a cooling rack
      Jordan Marsh Blueberry Muffins

    Detox Drinks to Feel Great in 2023

    1. Apple Cider Vinegar Drink
    2. Ginger Shots
    3. Ginger Juice
    4. Celery Juice
    5. Turmeric Shots
    6. How to Make Ginger Tea
    7. How to Make Watermelon Juice
    8. Single Serving Lemonade

    Buy My Two Cookbooks

    My 4-Ingredient Healthy Dessert Cookbook My 4-Ingredient Smoothie & Juice CookBook

    About Dee

    Hey! I'm Dee Dine, and on my blog, I share healthy recipes with wholesome ingredients. I'm also a chocolate and ginger enthusiast, animal lover, an avid blender juicer, and am probably making no bake brownies in my Washington DC kitchen right now. Read about me → »

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Nicole

      April 20, 2023 at 8:45 pm

      Hello, if I wanted to make these donuts vanilla instead of chocolate, how would removing the melted chocolate chips affect the consistency of these donuts? Should I use something else as a part of the wet ingredients to get the proper consistency?

      Reply
      • Dee Dine

        April 20, 2023 at 9:39 pm

        I'd really have to work that out and test to see what works, but in a quick guess I'd probably replace the 1 cup of chocolate with 1/2 cup of yogurt, plain with some fat, and increase the vanilla to 1 tablespoon. I'd also add a teaspoon of cinnamon if you like that spice to accentuate the vanilla. But as I said, I haven't tested this so I have no idea if it will work.

        Reply
    2. Karla

      November 11, 2021 at 12:08 pm

      5 stars
      Amazing donuts! Me and my kids love love them! Our family calls them breakfast donuts.

      Reply
      • Dee Dine

        November 11, 2021 at 10:25 pm

        Thank you Karla!

        Reply
    3. Ria

      March 03, 2021 at 2:16 am

      5 stars
      These donuts turned out moist and delicious. Definitely do not skimp on good quality dark chocolate. Thank you for the recipe, Dee! I will make these whenever we have a donut craving. Can't beat the protein and lower calories. Now I'm inspired to look for more chickpea-based desserts.

      Reply
      • Dee Dine

        March 03, 2021 at 3:08 pm

        That's the best news, so happy you like this recipe.

        Reply
    « Older Comments

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    Overhead of dark chocolate chickpea vegan donuts.
    dee dine

    I'm Dee! Welcome to GSG! Eating healthier and lighter, with plenty of fruits and veggies, can be delicious, especially when chocolate and desserts are involved. Here you'll find wholesome recipes that everyone will love. About Dee →

    Cozy Fall Recipes

    • pumpkin sugar cookies with glaze and a bite.
      Pumpkin Sugar Cookies
    • pouring oatmeal smoothie
      Healthy Peanut Butter Oatmeal Smoothie (without banana)
    • pumpkin oatmeal chocolate chip cookies stacked with a milk bottle.
      Pumpkin Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
    • overhead of slices of baked oats
      Chocolate Baked Oats (Brownie Baked Oatmeal)
    • a slice of apple crisp without oats.
      Cinnamon Apple Crisp Without Oats
    • matcha cookies
      Chewy Matcha Green Tea Cookies

    Trending Recipes

    • stack of brownies with a yellow flower
      No Bake Chocolate Brownies
    • pour ginger shots into shot glasses
      Ginger Shots (Recipe + Benefits)
    • a glass of watermelon juice with lime leaf
      How to Make Watermelon Juice
    • an almond sugar cookie with a bite.
      Almond Sugar Cookies with Frosting
    • a row of oatmeal protein balls.
      Peanut Butter Oatmeal Balls (no bake)
    • Peanut Butter Oatmeal Bar
      Healthy Oatmeal Peanut Butter Bars
    logos of publications that shared green smoothie gourmet content

    Footer

    Overhead of dark chocolate chickpea vegan donuts.

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • About the Author
    • Privacy Policy
    • Accessibility

    Connect

    • Newsletter
    • Cookbooks
    • Web Stories

    Follow

    • Instagram
    • TikTok
    • Youtube

    an amazon associate member

    Copyright © 2023