Maple donuts with bacon have become an increasingly popular snack or breakfast item in recent years. The combination of sweet maple flavored donut dough and salty, smoky bacon is undeniably delicious. However, the indulgence of this treat comes at a cost when counting calories. Determining the calorie count requires looking at the individual ingredients that make up a maple bacon donut.
Calories in a plain donut
To begin calculating the total calories, we first need to know the calorie count of a plain donut without any toppings or fillings. Traditional donut dough is made from enriched wheat flour, sugar, oil or butter, milk, eggs, leavening agents like baking powder or yeast, and various spices for flavor. The typical plain cake donut without any glaze or filling contains between 190-300 calories, depending on the size.
A standard cake donut is around 3 inches wide and has a 1.5 inch hole in the center. The total weight of dough used for a single donut is approximately 1.5 ounces or 42 grams. With 17 grams of fat and 26 grams of carbohydrates per donut, the average calorie count comes out to be:
- Fat: 17 grams x 9 calories/gram = 153 calories
- Carbs: 26 grams x 4 calories/gram = 104 calories
- Protein: 2 grams x 4 calories/gram = 8 calories
- Total Calories: 265 calories per plain donut
This provides a baseline number for the dough portion of a maple bacon donut. Next we can look at the additional ingredients that enhance the flavor.
Additional calories from maple glaze
Maple glazes and icings add a significant source of sweetness and calories beyond the plain donut base. There are two main types of maple glazes:
- Maple flavored sugar glaze -Made from confectioners sugar, milk or cream, maple extract or maple syrup, and butter or oil to thin it out.
- Maple cream cheese glaze – Made from cream cheese, pure maple syrup, milk or cream, and powdered sugar.
The basic sugar glaze contains approximately 115 calories per 1.5 ounce serving. Meanwhile, the cream cheese version has around 160 calories for the same serving size. So the maple glaze can add between 115-160 extra calories to the total.
Calories contributed by bacon
Crispy bacon is the other key ingredient that takes a maple donut over the top. To accurately calculate these calories, we need to know how much bacon is used on each donut. A typical maple bacon donut is topped with 1⁄2 ounce or 14 grams of cooked bacon crumbles.
The calorie count for pan fried bacon is about 54 calories per slice or 1 ounce uncooked. Since bacon loses about 20% of its weight when cooked, 14 grams of crumbled cooked bacon equates to approximately 18 grams or 0.6 ounces uncooked. So the bacon contributes roughly 32 calories (54 x 0.6 ounces).
Putting it all together
Now we can add up the calories for each component to determine the total for a maple bacon donut:
- Plain donut (base): 265 calories
- Maple glaze (sugar or cream cheese): 115-160 calories
- Bacon crumbles: 32 calories
- Total Calories: 410-460 calories
Based on these estimates, a maple bacon donut will provide between 410-460 calories depending on the exact ingredients and amounts used. The sweet glaze contributes a significant portion, while the bacon provides an extra savory crunch and saltiness.
How maple bacon donuts fit into a 2000 calorie diet
For someone consuming a standard 2000 daily calorie diet, a 410 calorie maple bacon donut would account for about 20% of the total daily allowance. While treat foods like donuts can absolutely be enjoyed in moderation, they may need to be balanced out with healthier choices for other meals and snacks to meet nutrition targets.
Here is how a maple bacon donut could be incorporated into a 2000 calorie sample menu:
| Meal | Food | Calories |
|---|---|---|
| Breakfast | Maple bacon donut | 410 |
| Lunch | Turkey sandwich with veggies | 400 |
| Snack | Apple with peanut butter | 250 |
| Dinner | Veggie stir fry with brown rice | 500 |
| Snack | Greek yogurt with berries | 150 |
| Daily Totals | 1710 |
As you can see, eating a 410 calorie donut still allows room for nutritious eats at other times of day. Portion control and balanced food choices help keep the sweet treat from derailing daily calorie goals.
Ways to lighten up a maple bacon donut
For an occasional splurge food, 410 calories for a gourmet donut is not outrageous. However, there are some simple substitutions that can lighten it up a bit more:
- Use a reduced-fat donut made with egg whites or yogurt
- Top with a no-sugar-added maple syrup instead of glaze
- Replace half the bacon with thinly sliced apple
- Order a mini or baby size donut
- Split one donut between two people
- Opt for an unfrosted old-fashioned donut hole with bacon
With some tweaks like these, you could potentially save 70-150 calories while still getting the characteristic maple bacon flavors. But the bottom line is that donuts are an indulgent bakery item, so no recipe makeover will make them into a low-cal snack.
Healthier breakfast alternatives
If watching calories is your main concern, there are much lighter breakfast options that can give you energy without derailing your diet. Here are some tasty alternatives under 300 calories:
- Veggie omelet with whole grain toast
- Oatmeal made with milk, fruit, nuts and cinnamon
- Whole wheat English muffin with peanut butter and banana
- Greek yogurt parfait with granola and mixed berries
- Smoothie with almond milk, protein powder, spinach and banana
- Cottage cheese with melon slices and hard boiled egg
By choosing nutrient-packed foods that mix whole grains, lean protein, healthy fats and produce, you can feel satisfied while consuming fewer empty calories. But remember that an occasional maple bacon donut can be part of a balanced diet when you keep your other meals light.
The bottom line
A maple bacon donut contains approximately:
- 265 calories in plain cake donut
- 115-160 calories in maple glaze
- 32 calories in bacon topping
- Total = 410-460 calories
While not incredibly high in calories compared to other indulgent bakery items, maple bacon donuts should be enjoyed in moderation as part of an overall healthy diet. Making nutritious choices for other meals can help keep occasional donut splurges from sabotaging your health goals.
