Vanilla Cream-Filled Doughnuts
I’m sure that I must have mentioned here at some point that I didn’t really grow up in a doughnut-loving household. I know for some people they were a tradition, maybe a Sunday-morning-after-church thing. They really weren’t ever a thing at my house; I’m not sure if it’s because my parents didn’t care for them or if they didn’t want us to get hooked on fried dough, but we hardly ever ate them. As a result, anytime they were offered to me, they never really knocked my socks off. I could take them or leave them and, usually, I left them. The lone exception was if I managed to find one that was filled with cream. Not icing, but cream. Bonus if it was Boston cream, but I would happily devour any cream-filled doughnut that crossed my path. It was only a matter of time before I made them appear in my kitchen!
I first began experimenting with doughnuts at home almost as a challenge to myself… I was practically willing myself to love doughnuts. As it turned out, like with many things, I found the doughnuts that I fried up at home to taste significantly better than the ones I was offered as a kid. I started off with easy buttermilk doughnuts (the sugar coated ones were my favorite!), then moved on to beignets and apple fritter doughnuts. The apple fritter ones were the first that I tackled in the “yeasted doughnut” category and I really loved the light and fluffy texture that the interior of the doughnuts had, so when I saw that these cream-filled doughnuts were yeast-based I was elated.
They turned out exactly as I had hoped – a thin, crisp exterior that gives way to an airy and tender center filled with a pastry cream that has been lightened up by whipped cream. The doughnuts are rolled in a coating of granulated sugar while they’re still warm, which causes it to just sort of melt onto the exterior of the doughnut. When you bite into them, they’re crisp, a little crunchy from the sugar and smooth and creamy inside. Basically, they are cream-filled doughnut perfection. They are a bit time-consuming (almost all of it is non-active prep time, though), so just be sure to plan ahead and accordingly. They are well worth it!
Next up… cake doughnuts!
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Watch How to Make These Cream-Filled Dougnuts:
One year ago: Texas Sheet Cake and Peanut Butter and Jelly Cupcakes
Two years ago: Moon Pies
Three years ago: Asiago Bagels
Vanilla Cream-Filled Doughnuts
Ingredients
For the Dough:
- 2½ teaspoons (2.5 teaspoons) active dry yeast
- ⅔ cup (162.67 ml) whole milk, at room temperature
- 3½ cups (437.5 g) all-purpose flour
- ⅓ cup (66.67 g) granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 3 eggs
- 7 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature, cut into 8 pieces, (3½ ounces)
For the Pastry Cream:
- 1½ cups (366 ml) whole milk
- ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- ¼ cup (31.25 g) cake flour
- ½ teaspoon (0.5 teaspoon) kosher salt
- 4 egg yolks
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 6 tablespoons heavy cream
For Frying:
- 1 gallon (3.79 l) canola oil
For the Coating:
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
Instructions
- Make the Dough: In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment, stir together yeast and milk; let stand until yeast is dissolved, about 1 minute. Add the flour, sugar, salt and eggs; mix on low speed until the dough comes together, about 3 minutes. Add the butter, two pieces at a time, mixing after each addition and until butter is fully incorporated and dough is soft, a total of 5 to 6 minutes. Remove the dough from the bowl and wrap tightly with plastic wrap. Refrigerate at least 6 hours and up to 15 hours.
- Make the Pastry Cream: While the dough is chilling, make the pastry cream. In a small bowl, whisk together the sugar, flour and salt. In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks until well combined, about 30 seconds. Slowly whisk in the flour mixture until thick and pasty. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, warm the milk until bubbles just start to form around the edges (do not let the milk boil).
- Remove the milk from the heat and slowly drizzle into the egg mixture, whisking constantly. Scrape the egg mixture back into the saucepan and place over medium heat, whisking constantly until the mixture thickens and comes to a boil, about 3 minutes. Boil, whisking, for 10 seconds (the cream will become thick and glossy and won’t have any foam on top), then immediately remove from heat.
- Pour the pastry cream through a fine mesh sieve set over a small bowl and whisk in the vanilla. Cover with plastic wrap, pressing the plastic wrap against the surface of the pastry cream to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate until chilled, at least 4 hours and up to 3 days.
- Prepare the Doughnuts: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spray lightly with non-stick cooking spray; set aside. Place the refrigerated dough on a well-floured work surface and gently roll into a 12-inch square (it should be about ½-inch thick). Cut the dough into 9 doughnuts using a 3½-inch round cutter. Transfer the doughnuts to the prepared baking sheet, cover with a piece of plastic wrap that has been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray, and place in a warm spot until they’ve doubled in height and feel poufy and pillowy, 2 to 3 hours.
- Fry the Doughnuts: Fill a large, heavy-bottomed pot with 3 inches of oil and place over medium-high heat until it reaches 350 degrees F on a deep-fry thermometer. While the oil heats, line a baking sheet with a double layer of paper towels for draining the doughnuts. Place the sugar in a small bowl and set aside.
- Working with three doughnuts at a time, carefully lower the doughnuts into the hot oil and fry until golden brown on the underside, 2 to 3 minutes. Carefully turn the doughnuts over and fry for an additional 2 to 3 minutes, or until the other side is golden brown as well. Using a slotted spoon or a spider strainer, remove the doughnuts to the paper towel-lined baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining doughnuts.
- As soon as the doughnuts are cool enough to handle, toss them in the sugar one at a time to evenly coat them. Return the doughnuts to the paper towel-lined pan and allow to cool completely, 30 to 40 minutes.
- Fill the Doughnuts: While you’re waiting for the doughnuts to cool, beat the 6 tablespoons of heavy cream on medium-high speed until still peaks form. Whisk the chilled pastry cream to loosen it up, then gently fold in one-third of the whipped cream. Fold in the remaining whipped cream until no white streaks remain.
- Transfer the cream to a pastry bag fitting with a small round decorating tip (a Wilton #12 would work well for this). Poke a hole in the side of each doughnut and fill with pastry cream. The doughnuts should be served as soon as they are filled. They are best the same day they are made.
Notes
Did you make this recipe?
Leave a review below, then snap a picture and tag @thebrowneyedbaker on Instagram so I can see it!
I have the Flour cookbook and have been meaning to make these since I bought it; they look divine. I recommend the book Top Pot Hand-Forged Doughnuts, which I bought almost solely for the photo of their Pershing doughnut. I made them last month and they were *unbelievable*, better than any I’d had from a bakery.
WOW!!! I made these puppies over the weekend and they were amazing. Thank you so much for this recipe. Mine were gluten free. If you want to see them, here is the link…http://www.goingcavewoman.com/gluten-free-vanilla-cream-doughuts.
You recipes are so reliable and your photography a delight. Thanks Brown Eyed Baker.
Hi Michelle
I made these a few days ago, they were so great! Thank you so much. I especially fell in love with the cream, I never expected it to turn out as good as it did. I did have 3 issues; when I tried to put the cream through the sieve it was a nightmare, is it supposed to be easy to do or is it difficult because of its thickness? Also, the doughnuts didn’t rise even after 3 hours of resting time, I covered them with a towel (maybe it was too heavy and didn’t allow them to rise?) and put them in the oven (switched off of course). Lastly, the dough was very very sticky, I had to add a significant amount of flour to even handle it, could that be the reason I had a lot more than 9 doughnuts at the end?
I would love to get feedback, because I can’t wait to make them again, thanks a lot
When pressing the cream through a sieve, it will be a little thick, but using the back of a large spoon to press it into the bottom of the sieve should do the trick. The dough should definitely rise – make sure you are using fresh yeast that has not expired or been sitting in a cabinet for a long time. It’s possible that the towel could have been too heavy; try using plastic wrap that’s just gently laid overtop, not secured down. The number of doughnuts would have more to do with the size. Unless you added a drastically large amount of flour, that wouldn’t have caused the quantity to change.
This is the second recipe of yours that I’ve clicked on from Pinterest in the last few minutes so now I’m following you on FB, Twitter and Pinterest! These doughnuts look irresistible!
These look amazing!! I’d love to make them but fear they would cause an addiction for me :)
I have never had good tasting Boston Cream filling and I’m over 65 years of age. I also prefer cake type doughnuts as yeast doughnuts are not my specialty either. Can you come up with a recipe for a cake type doughnut that can be creme filled?
my fiance would love if I knew how to make doughnuts!
Any tips for someone who does not have a mixer? I m new to “dough” and would love to make these!
Hi Keshia, Not using a mixer would be difficult when incorporating the butter. You could definitely mix by hand with a wooden spoon and/or knead by hand, but be sure the butter gets fully incorporated.
This looks great – question, do you think I could fill them with jam/jelly? Thanks!
Yippee! So happy you posted this recipe as I have been looking for a custard donut recipe for a while now and have found one that I like the look of!! I have a great recipe for jam doughnuts, but can’t wait to try this one. Will let you know how I get on.
Oh wow yum, your doughnuts look incredible!
I love doughnuts but it’s so hard to find super yummy ones. I keep wanting to make some at home and these might have to be the first recipe I try!
We think alike, I have this cookbook and have been meaning to make this recipe. This cookbook is sooo good.
I am in doughnut heaven right now! Omgggggggggggg
Holy moly these look Fantastic!! Great job Michelle:)
Holy moly. I know you’re just getting started, but you could stop here and the world would have its perfect homemade doughnut. ;) These look amazing.
The cream filled doughnuts were always my favorite!! These look better than any doughnut I’ve ever eaten!
The look like a lot of work, but they also look TOTALLY worth it. Maybe next time I have a few days i’ll surprise my family with some homemade doughnuts. YUM!! Pinned…
Most beautiful donut I have ever seen. If it tastes half as good as it looks it’s a keeper.
Thanks!
I am addicted to cream filled donuts!!!
I am going to try and make these tonight. If I can get them to look like this I wll love you forever!
Thank You
Filled doughnuts are one of my favorite things in the world. These look absolutely perfect!!
A M A Z I N G !!!
These look amazing! It’s probably a good thing I don’t own a fryer!!
Oh my gosh your photos! Of that cream filling in those donuts! They look amazing, I want to reach right into my screen and grab one! Yum! :-)
Ugh, YES!!! Those look like MALASADAS, a dessert we eat in Hawai’i. Can’t wait to try out this recipe! Thanks for posting it!
Whoa! Ten hours! I’ll just enjoy the pics and go to Krispy Kreme. These look scrumptious though!
Dana, That’s the total time, almost all which includes letting the dough rest, i.e. no work is required from you. There’s probably a total of 15-20 minutes of actual active time before you fry them!
Michelle – these look AMAZING!! Seriously…probably the prettiest donut I’ve ever seen. :)
I have been wanting to make these ever since I got the Flour book! I think I will be making these soon!
Michelle! These caught my eye right away on Facebook. :) They are gorgeous! I love cream filled doughnuts – but not as much as my fiance. He will just die when I show him these. And then beg me to make them. :)
I woke up to this recipe in my inbox this morning. Now if only I had woken up to a plate of them in my kitchen. Saturday can’t get here soon enough! Thanks for another great one!!