Name: Apple Spice Churro Protein Donuts
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 25 min
Yield: 8
Ingredients: 1 Tbsp Swerve granular sweetener, or other sweetener of choice (12g); 1/2 tsp cinnamon; 3/4 cup gluten-free flour* (111g); 2 scoops snickerdoodle or vanilla protein powder (62g); 1 Tbsp Swerve granular sweetener, or other sweetener of choice (12g); 2 tsp baking powder; 1/2 Tbsp apple pie spice; 1/2 Tbsp cinnamon; 1/8 tsp salt; 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce (120g); 3 Tbsp apple butter (51g); 1/3 cup egg whites (80g) - can use 2 eggs instead but note this will change nutrition info some; 1.5 Tbsp coconut oil, melted (22g); 2 tsp pure vanilla extract

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These baked Gluten-free Apple Spice Churro Protein Donuts are no joke! They’re packed with the most amazing apple spice flavor and covered in sweet cinnamon sugar goodness. Easy to make and packed with protein, they’re an epic fall treat!

Get ready for an incredibly delicious dessert where you’re going to go in for just one more bite…again and again. 😂

These baked Apple Spice Churro Protein Donuts are noooooooo joke! They’re packed with the most amazing apple spice flavor thanks to ingredients like apple butter, cinnamon, and apple pie spice. Texture-wise, they’re dense, cakey, and each sugary bite melts right in your mouth SO well—especially for a recipe with protein powder.

Pair all of that with a sweet cinnamon sugar coating that makes you feel like you’re eating a churro! It’s an epic fall explosion your taste buds won’t be able to get enough of.

This Apple Spice Churro Protein Donut recipe is another “healthified” recipe that tastes just as delicious and indulgent as any homemade donut. These guys are so crazy good, and so perfect for fall! Who else is ready for it!?

WHY YOU’LL LOVE THESE APPLE SPICE CHURRO PROTEIN DONUTS

Cakey, moist, and dense with a crumbly cinnamon-sugar coating!
They taste like they’re straight from the bakery! Apple and cinnamon spice flavor in every bite!
Baked instead of fried, they’re immensely healthier.
Quick and easy to make! Just 15 minutes in the oven.
Perfect for the fall—or really any time of the year!
So insanely delicious, even your not-so-healthy-food-loving friends, husbands, and children will love them!

DONUT INGREDIENTS

Flour – I used Bob Red Mill’s 1:1 gluten-free baking flour. Normal all-purpose flour or oat flour will also work for this recipe.
Protein powder – I used PEScience Snickerdoodle. A vanilla or peanut butter flavor would also work here. If you want to use another brand, just make sure it is also a whey + casein blend. Not all protein powders respond the same when baked, so just make sure you use a protein powder you know bakes well if you use one other than PEScience. For all PEScience products, you can use my affiliate code Laurenfitfoodie to save 10% off your purchase.
Sweetener – I used Swerve Granular Sweetener. You can use whatever sweetener you would like here.
Baking essentials – Baking powder, salt, cinnamon, apple pie spice, and pure vanilla extract.
Egg whites – can sub for eggs.
Unsweetened applesauce – You can also used canned pumpkin. Just note that it may change the color.
Apple butter – Any store bought brand will work. I used White House Apple Butter.
Oil – I used coconut. Use any oil of choice here.
Sugar-free pancake syrup – Pure maple syrup or honey would also work.

HOW TO MAKE APPLE SPICE CHURRO PROTEIN DONUTS

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare your baking sheet with silicone muffin tray on top. Spray with nonstick cooking spray if desired.
In a large bowl, add the flour, protein powder, sweetener, baking powder, apple pie spice, cinnamon, and salt. Combined the dry ingredients well.
Add the liquid ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients; mix until all ingredients are fully incorporated.
Fill 8 donut molds evenly with the batter. If you don’t have a donut pan, these can also be muffins.
Bake for 14-16 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
Prepare cinnamon-sugar coating. While the donuts are in the oven, make the coating by mixing together your sugar substitute and cinnamon in a bowl.
Coat donuts with cinnamon-sugar. Once the donuts are baked and still warm, remove them from the donut pans and spray both sides lightly with nonstick cooking spray. Lightly move/toss/roll the donut around in the bowl with cinnamon-sugar until fully coated. Set on a plate or on a baking sheet and repeat for other donuts.

These donuts are best served warm, but are also amazing the next day after refrigerating overnight. This allows the flavors to develop more. To reheat later in the week, just microwave for about 10 seconds!

HOW TO EAT

With coffee – Is there anything more comforting than a warm apple and cinnamon spice donut with a cup of coffee?
With milk – Love this for a nightly sweet treat!
Dipped in apple butter – Want more apple flavor? I feel that. Sometimes you just need more apple butter!
With cream cheese – These apple spice churro donuts are like a sweet bread in a way and they pair awesome with cream cheese. I love them with whipped cream cheese.
Topped with whipped vanilla frosting – If you’re a sweets person, this realllyyy makes them indulgent!
With ice cream – Especially vanilla ice cream. HEAVEN. 😍
With cool whip – A cool and creamy topping!
Dipped in nut butter – Sounds weird, but again, these donuts are kind of like a sweet bread, so it works!

MORE DONUT RECIPES

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Yield: 8

Apple Spice Churro Protein Donuts

These baked Apple Spice Churro Protein Donuts are no joke! They're packed with the most amazing apple spice flavor and covered in sweet cinnamon sugar goodness. Easy to make and packed with protein, they're an epic fall treat!

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Total Time 25 minutes

Ingredients

Apple Spice Donuts

3/4 cup gluten-free flour* (111g)
2 scoops snickerdoodle or vanilla protein powder (62g)
1 Tbsp Swerve granular sweetener, or other sweetener of choice (12g)
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 Tbsp apple pie spice
1/2 Tbsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp salt
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce (120g)
3 Tbsp apple butter (51g)
1/3 cup egg whites (80g) - can use 2 eggs instead but note this will change nutrition info some
1.5 Tbsp coconut oil, melted (22g)
2 tsp pure vanilla extract

Cinnamon Sugar Churro Coating:

1 Tbsp Swerve granular sweetener, or other sweetener of choice (12g)
1/2 tsp cinnamon

Instructions

For Apple Spice Donuts:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare your baking sheet with silicone muffin tray on top. Spray with nonstick cooking spray if desired.
In a large bowl, add the flour, protein powder, sweetener, baking powder, apple pie spice, cinnamon, and salt. Combined the dry ingredients well.
Add the liquid ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients; mix until all ingredients are fully incorporated.
Fill 8 donut molds evenly with the batter. If you don’t have a donut pan, these can also be muffins.
Bake for 14-16 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

For Cinnamon Sugar Churro Coating:

While the donuts are baking, combine the sweetener and cinnamon in a bowl.
When donuts are done and still warm, give them a light spray on each side with cooking spray and roll them (or toss) in your cinnamon sugar mixture until coated.
Enjoy the same way you would enjoy churros!

Notes

MFP entry: LFF Apple Spice Churro Protein Donuts

*I used Bob Red Mill's 1:1 Gluten-free flour. Highly recommend this flour for gluten-free baking! Normal all-purpose flour or oat flour would also work here.

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