Hazelnuts and dark chocolate.
Such a heavenly combination.
I just had some nutella and banana crepes the other day. It was sooo good!
Definitely one of my favorite cheat meal options.
And….donuts.
I love me some donuts.
Chocolate-glazed donuts for the win!
So I thought, I need a fresh new recipe on the blog, why not combine the two and create something healthier??
And that’s exactly what I did!
I think the end result will knock your socks off.
So, without further adieu…
Enter….my Dark Chocolate Hazelnut Banana Protein Donuts!!
With notes of cinnamon, amaretto, peanut butter, banana, dipped into a luscious 72% cacao dark chocolate drizzle…then topped with decadent and rich, chopped hazelnuts—-
the ultimate combination for chocolate hazelnut lovers…
and makes for a super delicious protein donut!!
Sure to satisfy any donut craving—
and build some muscle while you’re at it!
KA-POW!!
So, first thing first, let me emphasize….
NO refined flours, NO granulated sugars, and NO butter is used for these protein donuts.
1) Instead of all-purpose flour, the most common flour used to make donuts, I use almond flour.
It provides excellent nutritional value—-high in protein, fiber, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants—all purpose flour provides NONE of this.
And also, according to the Diabetes Education Online website, “because fiber is a type of carbohydrate your body can’t digest, it does not affect your blood sugar levels. You should subtract the grams of fiber from the total carbohydrate.”
Generally, almond flour contains 5 grams of carbs, and 3 grams of fiber per serving. Taking this into account, this means that almond flour only has 2 grams net carbs per serving! Much leaner than all-purpose, and leaner than other commonly used flours like, whole wheat flour or oat flour!
More excellent info on almond flour can be found here.
2) I use monk fruit sweetener instead of granulated sugar.
Most donuts add some type of sugar into their recipes, like brown sugar, table sugar, or coconut sugar, but these options are all super high in sugars/carbs, and we all know how bad sugars are no matter how you slice it.
Monk fruit sweetener is a fantastic substitute for regular white/cane/table/coconut sugar. Monk fruit sweetener is the juice collected from the monk fruit, and it is similar in appearance to regular table sugar.
The main difference—it’s about 200 times sweeter than sugar, but with zero calories, and zero carbs. You can sub it in at a 1:1 ratio for regular sugar.
I personally love this stuff! And I use it in most of my “sweet” recipes ever since I found out about it.
More detailed information about monk fruit can be found here.
3) I sub in peanut butter instead of butter.
I use peanut butter in these donuts to not only add that delicious, nutty flavor, and not just because of its high protein/nutrient content (about 7g protein, 12g unsaturated fats, 3g fiber per 2 tbsp serving), but also because it adds “healthy” fats and oils that help keep these donuts moist, which locks in its flavor.
For decades, butter has been known to be detrimental to your overall health because of its high saturated fat and calorie content. It seems to be making a comeback of late, as current research may suggest otherwise (Dr. Axe has a great article on the benefits of grass-fed butter, check it out here), but there’s no denying that its high fat content may not be that good for you.
4) Last but not least…
whey protein powder is used to bump up the protein content, banana is used as a natural sweetener, and I added cinnamon and almond extract to enhance these already flavorful donuts up even more.
What you got here is one ultra nutritious and delicious protein donut!
OK, here are the nutritional benefits of the main ingredients in these Dark Chocolate Hazelnut Banana Protein Donuts…
Dark chocolate has been shown to contain high amounts of antioxidants, polyphenols, and flavonoids—all of which are believed to help fight cancer, fight free radical damage, and fight disease. Certain research has shown dark chocolate to maybe help improve brain function, boost memory, and enhance focus. Studies have found flavonols in dark chocolate may help improve blood circulation to the heart and may help lower blood pressure.
Hazelnuts are loaded with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants and they are known to be one of the most nutritious out of all the nuts found in the world. Studies have shown that regular consumption may help to fight off cancer, help preventheart disease, protect the brain from degeneration, and its high Vitamin E content helps keep the hair and skin healthy.
Bananas are fully-loaded with potassium, a very important nutrient which has been shown to help support the body’s circulatory system, help move oxygen throughout our cells, and helps to lower high blood pressure. Bananas are high in fiber, which helps to keep our digestive system running smoothly and helps to remove toxins.
Almonds which are basically ground up to create almond flour, contain exceptional amounts of protein, fiber, vitamin E, magnesium, manganese, riboflavin, calcium. They contain a special kind of vitamin E called gamma-tocopherol—studies show this antioxidant may be a powerful cancer-fighter. Almonds contain monounsaturated fatty acids, “healthy fats,” which studies have shown may help support the heart and may help to lower “bad” LDL cholesterol.
Here are some quick notes before you get started…
-you can sub 1/2 cup applesauce instead of the banana.
-Instead of hazelnuts, you can also sub whatever nuts you want. (You sure you wanna do that tho??)
-After removing them from the oven, let the donuts cool in the pan for a few minutes. This makes for easier removal.
-Store in an airtight container and keep in the fridge. Best if consumed within 3-4 days. I like to re-heat them back up in the microwave, it’s just like they’re fresh out the oven!
OK, here’s what you’ll need for these Dark Chocolate Hazelnut Banana Protein Donuts…
And of course, some donut pans. Like so…
If you like these, then I’m sure you’ll love my….
- Dark Chocolate Hazelnut Protein Smoothie
- Dark Chocolate Blueberry Hazelnut Protein Bars
- Dark Chocolate Strawberry Hazelnut Protein Crepes
Alright then, let’s get to it!!
| Prep Time | 15 minutes |
| Cook Time | 10-12 minutes |
| Passive Time | 5 minutes |
| Servings |
donuts
|
- 3/4 cup almond flour
- 2 scoops vanilla whey protein powder
- 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1 1/2 tbsp monk fruit sweetener
- 1 banana (large)
- 1 whole egg
- 1 1/2 tsp almond extract
- 2 tbsp peanut butter
- 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
- 1/4 cup hazelnuts (finely chopped)
- 3/4 dark chocolate bar (70% cacao or higher)
- hazelnuts (finely chopped)
Ingredients
donut batter:
glaze and toppings:
|
|
- Preheat oven to 350.
- Add dry ingredients to bowl. Mix thoroughly. In separate larger bowl, mash banana with fork. Add all other wet ingredients. Mix thoroughly.
- Gradually add dry ingredients to wet ingredients bowl, until fully incorporated. Don't overmix. Fold in dark chocolate chips, hazelnuts.
- Grease donut pan with olive oil. Using spoon, add batter into each donut section, at least 2/3 full, or fill to the top. Should make about 8-9 donuts.
- Bake in oven for about 10-11 minutes, or until surface is set.
- Remove from oven. Let cool for 3-5 minutes in pan(for easy removal). Meanwhile, melt dark chocolate in microwave in 30 second intervals, stirring in between. Continue until fully melted.
- Dip donuts into dark chocolate. Sprinkle chopped hazelnuts on top. Enjoy!
-you can sub 1/2 cup applesauce instead of the banana.
-Instead of hazelnuts, you can also sub whatever nuts you want. (You sure you wanna do that tho??)
-After removing them from the oven, let the donuts cool in the pan for a few minutes. This makes for easier removal.
-Store in an airtight container and keep in the fridge. Best if consumed within 3-4 days. I like to re-heat them back up in the microwave, it's just like they're fresh out the oven!
Did you try this recipe? How did it turn out for you? I would love to hear from you! Sound off in the comment section below or use the social media links you see above or throughout the blog. Thanks guys!!
