Description
You’d never guess these bright lemon-vanilla rings are both gluten-free and dairy-free. Each donut comes in low on carbs and packs a handy protein boost, making them a great pick for breakfast, a snack, or a guilt-free dessert.
Ingredients
Scale
Donut batter
- 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons almond flour
- 1/3 cup monk fruit sweetener (granulated)
- 1/3 cup vanilla plant-based protein powder
- 1 large egg
- 1/3 cup unsweetened almond milk (or other plant milk)
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 2 tablespoons melted coconut oil
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- pinch of salt
Lemon-vanilla glaze
- 1/3 cup vanilla protein powder
- 3 tablespoons unsweetened almond milk
- 1 1/2 tablespoons plain dairy-free yogurt (or Greek yogurt if not avoiding dairy)
- 1 tablespoon monk fruit syrup (or honey if not strict keto)
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly oil a six-well donut pan or spray with nonstick cooking spray.
- Put all dry batter ingredients (almond flour, monk fruit, protein powder, baking powder, baking soda, salt) into a mixing bowl and whisk briefly to combine.
- In a separate bowl whisk together the egg, almond milk, lemon juice, lemon zest, melted coconut oil, and vanilla until smooth.
- Pour the wet mixture into the dry and beat on medium speed (or stir vigorously by hand) until the batter is uniform. Scrape the bowl sides once or twice to make sure everything is blended. If the batter looks overly stiff, add a splash more almond milk.
- Spoon or pipe the batter into the prepared donut wells, filling each about two-thirds full. Tap the pan gently to release any air pockets.
- Bake for roughly 15–17 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into a donut comes out clean and the tops spring back lightly. Avoid overbaking to keep them tender.
- While the donuts bake, whisk together the glaze ingredients in a small bowl until smooth and pourable; adjust the almond milk quantity to reach your preferred consistency.
- Cool the donuts in the pan for 3–4 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack. When they’re cool to the touch, spoon or dip the tops into the glaze. Sprinkle with extra lemon zest if desired.
Notes
- Quick tips & swaps
- Simpler glaze: Mix 1/2 cup Swerve confectioners’ sweetener with 1/4 cup almond milk for a quick non-protein icing.
- Batter too thick? Add almond milk a teaspoon at a time until it loosens.
- Glaze too thin or thick? Thin with more milk or thicken with a bit more protein powder.
- No protein powder on hand? Replace the protein powder with 1/4 cup coconut flour + 2 tbsp almond milk (texture will differ).
- Not dairy-free? Swap the dairy-free yogurt in the glaze for 1 1/2 tablespoons Greek yogurt.
- Greasing the pan well helps unmold cleanly—use a brush or spray liberally.
- Storage
- Refrigerator: Keep glazed or plain donuts in an airtight container for up to 7 days.
- Freezer: Flash-freeze cooled donuts on a tray, then bag them for up to 3 months. Toast or microwave briefly from frozen to reheat.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 donut
- Calories: 184kcal
- Sugar: 1g
- Sodium: 482mg
- Fat: 8g
- Carbohydrates: 6g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 7g