On the hunt for a sweet treat that also packs in protein? You’ll love this single serving high protein monkey bread! Made with just a handful of ingredients, this recipe comes together quickly and easily – and it packs in about 26 grams of high-quality protein. You can use it as a dessert, a fun weekend breakfast, or even a recovery meal after a tough workout (since it has both carbs and protein).
Ingredients
Here’s a photo of all the ingredients you’ll need, along with selected ingredient notes:
- Protein powder – Vanilla or cinnamon varieties of protein powder work the best in this recipe, as the flavored varieties help sweeten the dough. I used NOW Creamy Vanilla Whey Protein (disclosure – they’re a client of mine, though this particular post isn’t sponsored). You can get 20% off your purchases at NOW with code CHRISSY. I do not recommend unflavored powder in this recipe.
- Self-rising flour – This already has baking powder and salt added to it. Baking powder is a leavening agent that helps make the bread light and fluffy. Do not substitute regular all-purpose flour without any other modifications, or the recipe will not work. You can however substitute with ⅓ cup all-purpose flour, ½ teaspoon baking powder, and a pinch of salt.
- Allulose – This is a rare sugar that is found naturally in raisins, figs, wheat and other products. Manufacturers can produce it as a sugar substitute (i.e. NOW Food’s allulose) which has very few calories and doesn’t impact blood sugar. I’ve used a blend of allulose and regular granulated sugar for rolling the dough – however you can use all allulose or all granulated sugar depending on your preferences.
Instructions
You’ll find the full recipe amounts and instructions in the recipe card below, but here’s a helpful overview with photos and tips. This recipe is very easy to make!
Start by mixing together the self-rising flour, protein powder, and Greek yogurt. Once it comes together, start to knead it with your hands into a workable dough.
If the dough feels too dry (can sometimes happen if the flour was packed into the cup instead of spooned and leveled), add another spoonful of yogurt. If it feels too moist, add another spoonful of flour or protein powder.
Once the dough is the right texture, divide it up and roll into 1-inch balls. This doesn’t have to be perfect; just make sure they’re all around the same size so they bake evenly.
In a small bowl, mix the allulose, sugar, and cinnamon together.
Roll the dough balls in the cinnamon and sugar mixture, making sure to coat all sides.
Place the dough balls in a small greased ramekin. If there’s a lot of extra cinnamon sugar mixture, sprinkle some of it on top of the dough.
Pop that in the oven at 350 degrees F for about 15-20 minutes on the center rack. It’s done when a toothpick pulls clean from the center of the dough.
When it’s done, make the icing by mixing together the powdered sugar and milk. Drizzle it on top of the monkey bread. Then dig in and enjoy!
Recipe FAQ
Here are some common questions that may come up as you’re preparing this recipe:
It’s not recommended. This recipe is best made fresh, baked immediately, and eaten immediately. Leftovers can harden up and lose moisture.
This recipe has only been tested with whey protein. You can certainly try an alternative, however it is not guaranteed to result in the same taste/texture.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Here are just a few highlights!
- Packs in about 26 grams of protein
- Easy to make – only 8 ingredients
- Contains 27% of your daily calcium needs, important for bone health for athletes
- Provides 14% of your daily iron needs, a mineral that’s very important for athletes (especially female athletes) as it is involved in helping oxygen travel in the blood
- Single serving sweet treat means built in portion control
- Contains 25% of your daily Vitamin B12 needs, a vitamin involved in energy production
More Protein Powder Recipes
If you’re looking for more fun recipes that use protein powder, be sure to give one of these a try:
- Chocolate peanut butter protein whoopie pies
- 4 ingredient peanut butter protein bars
- Sweetpotato protein whoopie pies
- Easy protein coffee (great way to start the day)
- Chocolate coffee protein balls
- Gingerbread protein cookies
I hope you enjoy this recipe! If you get a chance to try it, feel free to leave a recipe rating or comment below.
Single Serving High Protein Monkey Bread
Ingredients
For the monkey bread:
- ⅓ cup self-rising flour
- ½ scoop vanilla whey protein powder (I used NOW)
- ⅓ cup plain nonfat Greek yogurt
For rolling:
- 1 tbsp allulose (or granulated sugar)
- ½ tbsp granulated sugar (or allulose)
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
For the icing:
- 1 tbsp powdered sugar (or powdered sugar alternative)
- ½ tsp milk
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a small ramekin.
- In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, protein powder, and yogurt until it forms a workable dough. Knead with your hands a few times then roll into 1-inch balls.
- Mix the allulose, sugar, and cinnamon in a bowl. Roll the balls of dough in the cinnamon sugar mixture and place them in the ramekin. If there is a lot of extra cinnamon sugar mixture left at the end, sprinkle some more of it on top of the dough balls.
- Bake at 350 degrees F for 15-20 minutes, or until the dough is cooked through (a toothpick should pull clean from the center).
- In a small bowl, combine the powdered sugar and milk together to make a thin icing. Drizzle over the monkey bread. Enjoy!
Notes
- If the dough is too dry, add an extra spoonful of yogurt; if too moist, add an extra spoonful of flour or protein powder.
- Recipes with protein powder can be highly dependent on the quality of the powder; I recommend the specific option above.
- Instead of icing, you can alternatively mash some berries to use as a topping.
- If you feel like there’s not enough icing, feel free to double that to make more for topping.
- Feel free to enjoy the whole recipe or split it with a pal.
Nutrition
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