The sourdough version of these donuts changed everything. The crumb was pillowy, the glaze set perfectly, and the Greek yogurt gave the dough a softness and richness I was not expecting. The only problem was that not everyone has a sourdough starter sitting on their counter, and not everyone wants to plan a donut batch a full day ahead.
So I created this version. Same dough philosophy, same Greek yogurt foundation, same high protein result, but with active dry yeast instead of a starter. From mixing bowl to glazed donut in about three hours.
I genuinely could not believe how good these turned out. You would never know there was Greek yogurt in the dough. What you taste is a soft, rich, perfectly sweetened donut with a golden fried exterior and a crumb that is as good as anything you would find at a bakery. Except this one has over 15 grams of protein per donut with no protein powder, no specialty ingredients, and nothing you would not already have in your kitchen.
I feel good giving these to my kids for breakfast. Fried in avocado oil, built on nonfat Greek yogurt, and made with real food ingredients, these are the donuts that make you wonder why you were ever buying the other kind.
If you have an active sourdough starter and want the long fermented version, head over to my High Protein Sourdough Donuts with Greek Yogurt for that recipe. But if you want donuts today, you are in the right place.
Table of Contents
- Why These High Protein Donuts Work
- The Greek Yogurt Difference
- Ingredients Overview
- Active Dry Yeast vs Instant Yeast
- How to Shape Your Donuts
- How to Fry These Donuts
- Chocolate Glaze and Vanilla Glaze
- Recipe
- Tips for Success
- Substitutions and Variations
- Shop This Recipe
- Storage
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Can I Bake These Instead of Frying Them?
- Make These and Share the Love
Why These High Protein Donuts Work
Most high protein donut recipes ask you to make a compromise. Either you bake them in a donut pan and basically get a muffin, or you use protein powder and end up with a dense, chalky result that no amount of glaze can fix. These donuts do neither.
This recipe uses nonfat Greek yogurt as the primary protein source, worked into a properly enriched yeasted dough with bread flour, butter, and eggs. The dough rises twice, develops real flavor, and then goes straight into the fryer. The result is a deep fried donut with a golden exterior, a pillowy crumb, and a glaze that sets to a crackly shell.
Every standard Greek yogurt donut recipe out there delivers 3 to 7 grams of protein per donut, and most of those are baked. This recipe delivers over 15 grams of protein per 100 gram donut from real food ingredients, nothing artificial, nothing powdered. Per 100 grams, these donuts have roughly 57% less sugar than a standard glazed donut from a donut shop and about 150% more protein. That is not a health food pretending to be a donut. That is an actual donut built on a smarter foundation.
The timeline is also genuinely manageable. Start to finish in about 3 hours. No overnight rest, no starter, no planning ahead. Just mix, rise, shape, proof, and fry.
The Greek Yogurt Difference
Nonfat Greek yogurt is what makes this recipe different from every other yeasted donut you have made. It contains around 10 grams of protein per 100 grams, and when worked into an enriched dough alongside bread flour and eggs, it builds a protein count that no standard donut recipe can touch without specialty ingredients.
Beyond nutrition, Greek yogurt does something important for the texture. Its natural acidity gently relaxes the gluten, giving you a more tender crumb while still providing the structure the dough needs to hold up through the fry. The result is a crumb that is simultaneously light and substantial, which is exactly what a fried donut should be.
The most important step in the entire recipe is warming the yogurt before you mix the dough. Cold yogurt drops the dough temperature and slows the yeast significantly. Thirty to forty seconds in the microwave until it is warm to the touch is all it takes. This one step protects your rise time and keeps the dough on schedule.
You will not taste the Greek yogurt in the finished donut. What you get is a soft, rich dough that fries up golden and holds glaze beautifully.
Ingredients Overview
Bread flour. Bread flour has a higher protein content than all purpose flour, which builds better gluten structure and helps the donut hold up through the frying process without absorbing excess oil. It also contributes to the overall protein count per donut. Do not substitute all purpose here.
Active dry yeast. This recipe is written for active dry yeast which is bloomed in warm water before adding to the dough. The warm water should be between 105 and 110 degrees F. Too hot and it kills the yeast. Too cool and it will not activate properly.
Nonfat Greek yogurt. Use nonfat, not full fat. The protein content is higher in nonfat yogurt and the dough behaves more predictably. Siggi’s plain nonfat skyr is an excellent substitute that bumps the protein even higher. Warm it before using.
Butter. Softened unsalted butter adds richness and tenderness to the crumb. Add it slowly to the mixer rather than all at once so it incorporates evenly without making the dough greasy.
Eggs. Two large eggs at room temperature. They contribute protein, structure, and richness.
Sugar, vanilla, and cinnamon. A moderate amount of sugar keeps the dough flavorful without making it too sweet before glazing. Vanilla and a pinch of cinnamon round out the flavor so the donuts taste complete on their own even before any glaze is added.
Avocado oil for frying. High smoke point, neutral flavor, and a cleaner frying oil overall. However if there is an oil you usually use that is neutral in flavor feel free to use it.
Active Dry Yeast vs Instant Yeast
This recipe is written for active dry yeast, but instant yeast or rapid rise yeast also works with a few small adjustments.
Active dry yeast must be bloomed in warm whole milk before using. Combine it with the warm milk and a small amount of sugar and let it sit for 5 to 10 minutes until foamy. If it does not foam, your yeast is no longer active and you need a fresh packet. Warm the milk to 105 to 110 degrees F.
Instant or rapid rise yeast skips the blooming step entirely. Use 5 grams of instant yeast instead of 7 grams of active dry. Add it directly to the dry ingredients with the flour. Warm both the milk and the Greek yogurt before adding them to the wet ingredients. The warmth from both is what activates the instant yeast. Your rise time may also be slightly shorter so keep an eye on the dough.
Both versions produce the same result. The active dry version gives you a little more control and a visible confirmation that your yeast is alive before you commit to the full batch. The instant yeast version saves a few minutes and one less bowl to wash.
How to Shape Your Donuts
There are two shaping methods for this recipe and both produce excellent results.
Rolled and cut ring donuts. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface after the bulk rise and gently roll to 1/2 – 3/4 inch thickness. Use a 2.5 to 3 inch round cutter for the donut body and a 1 inch cutter for the hole. This gives you the classic ring shape with that defined equator line that forms during frying. Handle the dough gently. The bulk rise has built air into the dough and you want to preserve as much of that as possible. Roll to an even thickness without pressing down aggressively.
Hand shaped solid rounds. Divide the dough into portions and roll each piece into a tight smooth ball, similar to shaping a dinner roll. Press very gently to flatten slightly. These fry up as solid donuts that are ideal for glazing, filling, or eating as is. The crumb on a hand shaped donut tends to be slightly more rustic which is its own kind of beautiful for a crumb shot.
For both methods, place each shaped donut on its own small square of parchment paper. This makes transferring them to the oil easy without deflating the second proof.
Donut size is flexible. Divide into 10 pieces at 100 grams each for a large bakery sized donut with approximately 15 to 16 grams of protein. Divide into 14 pieces at 70 grams each for a standard sized donut with approximately 10 to 11 grams of protein. Frying time stays the same either way.
How to Fry These Donuts
Oil temperature is everything. Keep the oil at 350 degrees F throughout. Too hot and the outside sets before the inside has a chance to expand evenly, which can cause blowouts and large bubbles on the sides. Too cool and the donuts absorb excess oil and come out heavy. An instant read thermometer clipped to the side of the pot makes maintaining temperature easy.
Use the parchment method. Lower each donut into the oil parchment side down using tongs or a slotted spoon. Within about 30 seconds the parchment releases on its own and can be pulled out with tongs. This method protects the proofed donuts from deflating when they hit the oil.
Do not crowd the pot. Fry 2 to 3 donuts at a time depending on the size of your pot. Adding too many at once drops the oil temperature and affects the fry. Give each donut room.
Fry for 1 minute 20 seconds to 1 minute 30 seconds per side. Flip once using tongs or a slotted spoon. The donut should be deep golden brown on both sides. Transfer to a wire rack or paper towel lined sheet to drain.
Wait before glazing. Let the donuts rest for 3 to 5 minutes before dipping in glaze. Too hot and the glaze runs straight off. Fully cold and the glaze goes dull and thick instead of glossy. That 3 to 5 minute window is where you get the crackly hardened shell.
Chocolate Glaze and Vanilla Glaze
Both glazes set to a crackly shell when applied at the right temperature. Make the glaze right before you are ready to dip since it starts to thicken as it sits.
Chocolate glaze: Whisk the powdered sugar and cocoa together first to knock out any lumps, then whisk in the melted butter, vanilla, salt, and whole milk one tablespoon at a time until smooth and glossy. Use whole milk, not half and half. The higher fat in half and half can slow the set and leave the glaze softer.
Vanilla glaze: Whisk powdered sugar, vanilla, salt, and whole milk together until smooth and pourable. Add milk a little at a time until it coats the back of a spoon. Apply at the same 3 to 5 minute window as the chocolate glaze. Too hot and it runs off. Fully cold and it goes dull and thick rather than setting with a smooth glossy finish.
Dip the top of each donut into the glaze, let the excess drip off, and set on a wire rack. Add sprinkles or any toppings immediately before the glaze sets.
Recipe
High Protein Donuts with Greek Yogurt (Same Day, Yeasted)
Equipment
- – Stand mixer with dough hook or hands
- Large mixing bowls
- Small bowl for blooming yeast
- Digital Kitchen Scale
- eltric deep fryer Heavy bottomed pot or Dutch oven with a Instant read thermometer
- Round cutter 2.5 to 3 inch round cutter1 inch round cutter
- Parchment paper cut into squares
- Wire cooling rack
- Tongs or slotted spoon
Ingredients
Yeast Bloom (See notes for instant yeast)
- 7 g active dry yeast 2 and 1/4 teaspoons, 1 standard packet
- 45 g warm whole milk 105 to 110 degrees F (3 tablespoons)
- 1 g granulated sugar 1/4 teaspoon
For the Dough
- 530 g bread flour 4 cups plus 2 tablespoons
- 370 g nonfat Greek yogurt slightly warmed (1 and 1/2 cups)
- 50 g unsalted butter softened (3 and 1/2 tablespoons)
- 35 g granulated sugar 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon
- 5 g fine sea salt 1 teaspoon
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 5 g vanilla extract 1 teaspoon
- 1 g ground cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon
For Frying
- Avocado oil enough for 2 to 3 inches depth in pot
For the Chocolate Glaze
- 120 g powdered sugar 1 cup
- 20 g unsweetened cocoa powder 3 tablespoons
- 15 to 22 g whole milk 1 to 1 and 1/2 tablespoons
- 1 g vanilla extract 1/4 teaspoon
- 4 g unsalted butter melted (generous 1/2 tablespoon)
- Pinch of fine sea salt
For the Vanilla Glaze
- 120 g powdered sugar 1 cup
- 8 to 15 g whole milk 1/2 to 1 tablespoon
- 1 g vanilla extract 1/4 teaspoon
- Pinch of fine sea salt
- one vanilla bean pod, scraped out optional
Instructions
- Bloom the yeast. In a small bowl, combine the warm whole milk, active dry yeast, and 1g sugar. Stir gently and let sit for 5 to 10 minutes until foamy. If the mixture does not foam your yeast is no longer active and you should start with a fresh packet before continuing.
- Warm the Greek yogurt. Microwave the nonfat Greek yogurt for 30 to 40 seconds until slightly warm to the touch. Do not overheat. Warm yogurt keeps the yeast active and speeds up the rise.
- Combine wet ingredients. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine the bloomed yeast mixture, warmed Greek yogurt, eggs, granulated sugar, and vanilla extract. Mix briefly on low to combine.
- Add dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, whisk together the bread flour, fine sea salt, and ground cinnamon. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix on low speed until a shaggy dough forms, about 2 minutes.
- Add the butter. With the mixer running on low, add the softened butter one tablespoon at a time, waiting for each addition to be fully incorporated before adding the next. This slow addition prevents the dough from becoming greasy.
- Knead. Once all the butter is incorporated, increase to medium low speed and knead for 6 to 8 minutes until the dough is smooth, elastic, and pulls away cleanly from the sides of the bowl. The dough will be on the tacky side and that is completely normal. Do not add flour unless the dough is still actively sticking to the sides of the bowl after the full knead. Only add bread flour 10 grams at a time if needed.
- Bulk rise. Shape the dough into a smooth ball and place in a lightly oiled bowl. Cover and let rise at room temperature for 1 to 1.5 hours until doubled in size. In a warm kitchen at 75 to 80 degrees F this happens closer to 1 hour. A cooler kitchen will take longer. Watch the dough, not the clock.
- Divide and shape. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. For ring donuts, gently roll the dough to 3/4 inch thickness using a lightly floured rolling pin and cut rounds using a 2.5 to 3 inch cutter. Use a 1 inch cutter to cut the center holes. For solid rounds, divide the dough into portions and roll each into a tight smooth ball. Place each shaped donut on its own small square of parchment paper.
- Second proof. Cover loosely and proof at room temperature for 45 minutes to 1 hour until visibly puffed. If your kitchen runs cool, place the sheet pan in the oven with just the light on. The donuts are ready when they look puffy and pass the float test.
- Float test. Before frying the whole batch, lower one donut into the oil. If it floats immediately the rest are ready. If it sinks, give the batch another 15 minutes and test again.
- Heat the oil. Pour avocado oil into a heavy bottomed pot or Dutch oven to a depth of 2 to 3 inches. Heat to 350 degrees F using an instant read thermometer to monitor temperature.
- Fry the donuts. Lower each donut into the oil parchment side down using tongs. Within about 30 seconds the parchment will release on its own and can be removed with tongs. Fry 2 to 3 donuts at a time. Do not crowd the pot. Fry for 1 minute 20 seconds to 1 minute 30 seconds per side until deep golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack or paper towel lined sheet to drain. Check oil temperature between batches and let it return to 350 degrees F before adding the next round.
- Make the chocolate glaze. Whisk the powdered sugar and cocoa powder together first to remove lumps. Add the melted butter, vanilla extract, and pinch of salt. Whisk in the whole milk one tablespoon at a time until smooth and glossy.
- Make the vanilla glaze. Whisk the powdered sugar, vanilla extract, salt, and whole milk together until smooth and pourable. Add milk gradually until it coats the back of a spoon.
- Glaze the donuts. Let the donuts rest for 3 to 5 minutes after frying before dipping. Dip the top of each donut into the glaze of your choice and let the excess drip off. Set on a wire rack. Add sprinkles or toppings immediately before the glaze sets. The glaze will begin to set and harden within about 5 minutes.
Notes
Tips for Success
The dough will be tacky and that is fine. Do not add more flour to the dough unless you used a very runny yogurt. When rolling out for ring donuts, lightly flour your work surface and rolling pin rather than working flour into the dough. This keeps the texture right without making the donuts dense.
Bloom the yeast first. Before anything else, get the yeast blooming in warm water. It takes 5 to 10 minutes and it confirms your yeast is alive before you invest in the full batch. If it does not foam, start with a fresh packet.
Warm the yogurt. This is the most important step. Cold yogurt drops the dough temperature and slows the yeast significantly. Thirty to forty seconds in the microwave is all it takes.
Add the butter slowly. With the mixer running on low, add the softened butter one tablespoon at a time. Rushing this step can make the dough greasy and slow to come together.
Bulk rise in a warm spot. Yeast dough loves warmth. If your kitchen is cool, place the bowl in the oven with just the light on. The ambient heat from the bulb creates a gentle proofing environment without any risk of overheating.
Float test. Before frying the whole batch, lower one donut into the oil. If it floats immediately, the rest are ready. If it sinks, give the batch another 15 minutes and test again.
Keep oil at 350 degrees F. Check the temperature between batches and let it come back up before adding the next round.
Glaze timing. 3 to 5 minutes out of the oil. Make the glaze right before you need it.
Substitutions and Variations
Siggi’s plain nonfat skyr instead of Greek yogurt. An excellent swap that bumps the protein per donut even higher. The dough behaves almost identically. Warm it the same way before using.
Full fat Greek yogurt. Will work but the protein per donut drops and the dough may run slightly wetter. Add bread flour in 10 gram increments after the bulk knead if needed.
Cinnamon sugar coating. Skip the glaze entirely and toss the warm donuts in a cinnamon sugar mixture immediately after frying. Works especially well with donut holes.
Filled donuts. The solid round donuts are ideal for filling. Once cool, use a piping bag with a bismarck tip to fill with pastry cream, jam, or whipped cream.
Donut holes. The cutout centers from ring donuts can be fried at the same temperature for 40 to 60 seconds per side. Toss in powdered sugar or cinnamon sugar while still warm.
Shop This Recipe
- Digital kitchen scale
- Stand mixer with dough hook
- Electric Fryer
- Instant read thermometer
- Donut Cutters
- Wire cooling rack
- Parchment paper squares
- Fryer Scoop
Storage
These donuts are best eaten the day they are made. Fried donuts lose their texture as they sit and glazed donuts begin to soften as the glaze absorbs into the dough overnight.
If you have leftovers, store unglazed donuts in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 day. Reheat in an air fryer at 325 degrees F for 2 to 3 minutes to bring back some exterior crispness before glazing.
For make ahead options, shape the donuts after the bulk rise and refrigerate them on parchment lined sheet pans overnight before the second proof. The next day pull them out and let them proof at room temperature for 1 to 1.5 hours before frying.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much protein is in each donut?
Each 100 gram donut delivers approximately 15 to 16 grams of protein from bread flour, nonfat Greek yogurt, and two eggs. No protein powder needed. At 70 grams each the protein is approximately 10 to 11 grams per donut.
Can I use instant yeast instead of active dry yeast?
Yes. Use 5 grams of instant or rapid rise yeast instead of 7 grams of active dry. Skip the blooming step and add the yeast directly to the dry ingredients. Add 45 grams of warm water to the wet ingredients to compensate for the skipped bloom. Make sure your yogurt is warm since that warmth is what activates the instant yeast.
My yeast did not foam. What went wrong?
Either the water was too hot and killed the yeast, the water was too cool and did not activate it, or the yeast is past its prime. The ideal temperature for blooming active dry yeast is 105 to 110 degrees F. If your mixture does not foam after 10 minutes, start with a fresh packet before proceeding.
Can I taste the Greek yogurt?
No. It disappears completely into the dough. What you taste is a soft, rich, well-rounded donut.
My dough is sticky after mixing. Is that normal?
Yes. Yogurt based doughs hydrate differently than milk or water based doughs and the dough will feel stickier right after mixing. The bulk rise changes the texture considerably. Only add flour in 10 gram increments after the full knead if the dough is still sticking to the sides of the bowl.
Can I Bake These Instead of Frying Them?
Yes, and I have tested it. The baked version produces a different result than the fried version but it is genuinely good and worth knowing about.
Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. Place the parchment lined proofed donuts on a sheet pan and bake for 5 minutes at 400 degrees F to set the exterior. Then drop the temperature to 350 degrees F and continue baking for 10 to 15 minutes until golden brown and cooked through. The higher initial temperature gives you some color on the outside without drying the interior out before it finishes cooking.
The crumb on the baked version is slightly more compact than the fried version but still soft, pillowy, and genuinely delicious. The exterior will not have the same golden fried crust but it holds glaze well and makes for a beautiful donut if frying is not an option for you.
A generous spray of avocado oil or cooking spray on the tops before baking helps develop color and gives the exterior a better finish.
Air fryer option: While I have not personally tested this specific dough in the air fryer, research for yeast raised donuts from scratch consistently points to 320 to 325 degrees F. Because these donuts are larger at 100 grams each, plan for 8 to 10 minutes total, flipping halfway through. Spray the basket generously with avocado oil spray and lightly on top of the donuts before cooking. Do a test donut first since air fryers vary significantly.
What oil should I use for frying?
Avocado oil is the recommendation here. It has a high smoke point, a neutral flavor, and is one of the cleaner frying oils available. Vegetable oil or canola oil also work well.
Do I need a stand mixer?
You can knead by hand but plan for 10 to 12 minutes of hand kneading instead of 6 to 8 in the mixer. The dough is enriched with butter and yogurt which makes hand kneading more of a workout than a lean dough. A stand mixer makes this significantly easier.
How is this different from the sourdough version?
The sourdough version uses an active sourdough starter instead of commercial yeast and requires a longer bulk ferment of 6 to 7 hours plus a 1 to 3 hour second proof. The flavor is slightly more complex from the long fermentation. This yeasted version comes together in about 3 hours with no starter required and tastes just as good. Both deliver the same high protein result from the same Greek yogurt dough foundation. You can find the sourdough version at High Protein Sourdough Donuts with Greek Yogurt.
Make These and Share the Love
If you make these high protein yeasted donuts, I want to hear about it. Leave a comment below and let me know which glaze you went with. If you share your bake on social media, tag me so I can see your results.
And if you want more high protein recipes delivered straight to your inbox, sign up for the H3art of the Home newsletter. New recipes every week.
More High Protein Recipes You Will Love
- High Protein Sourdough Donuts with Greek Yogurt
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- High Protein Chocolate Chip Muffins
- High Protein Honey Whole Wheat Yeasted Sandwich Bread
- High Protein Cinnamon Rolls with Greek Yogurt
- High Protein Sourdough Sandwich Bread
- High Protein Pancakes and Waffles
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