Sweet things

Donut nutrition, small servings, real numbers.

192 calories and 2.3 g of protein: that is 1 medium doughnut. In USDA’s database this is “Doughnuts, cake-type, plain, sugared or glazed”. Use the selector that follows to match your own portion; the panel and the nutrient table track it.

By Alen Yaco · Updated 20 September 2026

Source data is USDA FoodData Central (174992). The sums run on your device and nothing leaves it.

Calories in donut, serving by serving

At 426 calories per 100 g, 1 medium doughnut comes to 192. The weights shown for each portion come straight from the USDA record.

How much protein does donut provide?

The protein count for 1 medium doughnut is 2.3 g, equal to 5 percent of the Daily Value. Protein is a minor part of donut, at 5 percent of its calories. The case for eating it lies elsewhere.

Looked at as a share of calories: carbohydrate 47 percent, fat 48 percent, protein 5 percent.

Choosing and using donut

Donuts are fried leavened dough rings or filled pillows. They are sold yeast-raised or cake-style, iced, glazed, or sugared. Look for a dry, non-greasy surface and a plump, springy texture. Heavy glaze should look translucent, not cracked or weeping. Avoid those with a dull, shrivelled skin or a heavy smell of old frying oil.

Frying expands the dough rapidly as moisture turns to steam. Proper oil temperature keeps the exterior crisp without absorbing excess grease. The common mistake is crowding the pan, which drops the oil temperature and results in soggy, heavy dough. Handle raw yeast dough gently to avoid deflating the risen rings before they hit the hot oil.

Serve these pastries warm with bitter black coffee or hot tea to balance the sweetness. In Poland, wild rose jam fills the traditional version eaten on festive Thursdays. Elsewhere, custard or spiced apple fillings dominate. They are best eaten immediately after frying, as the glaze softens and the crumb turns stale quickly.

Everything USDA measures in donut

No single nutrient dominates here. The complete USDA breakdown is below, scaled to whatever serving you set.

Sodium is the figure to watch here: 402 mg per 100 g is 17 percent of a day’s limit, which is what usually decides how often donut fits.

Where donut fits in a day

If you eat 2,000 calories a day, 1 medium doughnut accounts for 10 percent of them, and for 5 percent of the 50 g protein benchmark. To replace 2,000 with your real number, use the TDEE calculator; to turn that into targets, the macro calculator.

Using donut: three recipes

Three recipes from the Calorie Counter Team, each costed ingredient by ingredient against USDA records, so the per-serving figures are sums, not guesses.

Breakfast · American

Donut French Toast

Sliced cake donuts soaked in egg mixture and fried in butter.

15 min · serves 2

475kcal

12gprotein

30gfat

41gcarbs

Ingredients

• plain cake donuts, halved horizontally 150 g
• whole milk 100 g
• large eggs 100 g
• unsalted butter 15 g
• fine salt 1 g

Method

1. Whisk the eggs, milk, and salt in a shallow bowl.
2. Place the donut halves in the liquid for 30 seconds on each side.
3. Melt the butter in a frying pan over medium heat.
4. Fry the soaked donuts for 2 minutes on each side until browned.
5. Serve immediately.

5 USDA records went into this total. It describes the ingredients as weighed, not the dish after cooking losses.

Snack · British

Donut Bread Pudding

Baked pudding made with yeast donuts soaked in spiced custard.

50 min · serves 4

444kcal

9.3gprotein

27gfat

41gcarbs

Ingredients

• glazed yeast donuts, torn into 3cm pieces 250 g
• whole milk 200 g
• double cream 100 g
• large eggs 100 g
• caster sugar 30 g
• ground cinnamon 2 g

Method

1. Heat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius.
2. Whisk the milk, double cream, eggs, caster sugar, and ground cinnamon in a bowl.
3. Arrange the donut pieces in a 1-litre baking dish.
4. Pour the liquid mixture over the donuts and let sit for 10 minutes.
5. Bake for 30 minutes until the custard is set.

Per serving, from 6 USDA FoodData Central records. Cooking changes weight and some nutrients; treat these as close rather than exact.

Lunch · American

Donut Grilled Cheese

A savoury sandwich made with a glazed yeast donut and cheddar cheese.

10 min · serves 1

488kcal

13gprotein

35gfat

30gcarbs

Ingredients

• glazed yeast donut, sliced horizontally 60 g
• cheddar cheese, grated 40 g
• unsalted butter 10 g

Method

1. Heat a heavy frying pan over medium-low heat.
2. Turn the donut halves so the glazed sides face inward.
3. Place the grated cheddar cheese between the donut halves.
4. Melt the butter in the pan and add the sandwich.
5. Fry for 3 minutes on each side until the cheese melts.

3 USDA records went into this total. It describes the ingredients as weighed, not the dish after cooking losses.

Calorie Counter Team, food critic

Donut as part of a meal

A worked example, every line from the same USDA data as the table above. Swap any of it; the arithmetic is the point, not the menu.

How donut compares with similar foods

Each food is shown per 100 g, in the form named beside it.

Donut, asked and answered

What is the calorie count for 1 medium doughnut?

1 medium doughnut is 192 calories. That comes from the USDA record “Doughnuts, cake-type, plain, sugared or glazed” (FDC 174992), which is 426 calories per 100 g.

How much protein does donut have?

You get 2.3 g from 1 medium doughnut, equal to 5 percent of the daily reference amount; 100 g holds 5.2 g.

Can you eat donut when trying to lose weight?

No food causes or prevents weight loss on its own. The useful facts are that 1 medium doughnut is 192 calories with 2.3 g of protein, which makes 5 percent of its calories protein; which means it needs a protein-rich partner on the plate.

How do you refresh stale donuts?

Warm them in a low oven for a brief moment. This softens the starch and melts the glaze slightly, restoring the soft texture. Avoid the microwave, which makes the dough rubbery after it cools.

Why are my homemade donuts greasy?

The frying oil was likely too cold. Low temperatures prolong the frying time, allowing the dough to absorb excess oil. Always monitor the oil heat with a clip-on thermometer to keep the temperature steady during cooking.

Sources

• Doughnuts, cake-type, plain, sugared or glazed — USDA FoodData Central, FDC ID 174992
• Daily Values for nutrition labelling, 21 CFR 101.9