How to Make Cream Doughnut?

Donuts are quite possibly the most delicious baked good you can eat. They are sure to delight any occasion and are just light, fluffy, and tasty enough to satisfy any sweet tooth.

And with so many different recipes, toppings, colors, and more – you can tailor them to any event, be it birthday parties, weddings, or simply a nice treat at home.

But many people don’t realize these tasty shop treats are just as easy to bake at home as they are to buy. And one of our favorite recipes is the delicious cream doughnut.

Don’t believe us? Our easy cream doughnut recipe has a track record for being easy to make and delivering on taste, texture, and sugary goodness. No matter your skill level, we’ll guide you through each step to create some of the best-tasting doughnuts ever!

History of the cream doughnut

Doughnuts have a colorful past in our history. They are often credited to Dutch immigrants from the 1620s, who settled in New York and brought ‘oliekoecken’ with them, which translates to oil or fried cakes.

The recipe for these early doughnuts was simple and used only a few simple ingredients, such as flour, eggs, apples, milk, and yeast. The real magic of the doughnut was how bakers would fry the pastry once the yeast mixture had risen, creating its signature flavor.

However, it took over two hundred years for the first recorded recipe for a doughnut to appear. The word’ doughnut’ was used in the 1809 History of New York. Many scholars think it was named this way because, at the time, bakers would use dried fruit and nuts in the pastry to help keep its shape.

History of the cream doughnut

Although the person who first put cream inside a doughnut remains a mystery, the fade of inserting cream into baked goods started in the 1800s. Many people credit baker Elizabeth Gregory for revolutionizing this, as she was one of the pioneers in doughnut making who stuffed her treats with different fillings, including walnuts and hazelnuts.

From the 1800s onwards, doughnuts were made in thousands of different styles, shapes, and flavors. But the cream-filled doughnut remained a staple favorite among all.

Arguably, the most popular version is the Boston cream pie doughnut, created by chef M. Sanzian in 1856 and consisted of sandwiching vanilla custard between two layers of sponge.

Nowadays, several brands of doughnut chains have cream doughnuts on their menus. Some shops like Krispy Kreme even have it in their names!

We even have a National Cream Filled Donut day celebrated worldwide every September 14^th. You have no excuse now – time to grease your baking bowls, gather your utensils, and pay homage to one of the world’s most beloved desserts!

Ingredients

Cream doughnuts are some of the easiest bakes you can make. All you need are everyday kitchen ingredients and equipment.

Here’s exactly what you need:

For the Dough:

• 2½teaspoons active dry yeast
• ⅔cup whole milk
• 3½cups of all-purpose flour
• ⅓cup granulated sugar
• 2teaspoons kosher salt
• 3eggs
• 7tablespoons unsalted butter

For the cream filling:

• 1½cup whole milk
• ½cup granulated sugar
• ¼cup cake flour
• ½teaspoon salt
• 4egg yolks
• 6tablespoons heavy cream

Some equipment you’ll need will include:

• Bowls
• Electric mixer with a dough hook or hand mixer
• Rolling pin
• Knife, pizza cutter, or donut cutter
• Candy thermometer
• Piping bag with a wide nozzle
• Plastic wrapping
• Baking sheets
• Cooling rack
• Paper towels

Step by step on how to make cream doughnut

We recommend making the cream first, as it will take some time to cool off.

Make the cream:

1. Whisk sugar, salt, and flour together in a medium-sized bowl. Add egg yolks and continue to mix to combine all ingredients. Add more flour as needed to thicken the mixture. At this point, some bakers like to add extracts to flavor the cream.
2. Pour milk into a saucepan on medium heat, and wait until bubbles form around the outer edges. Do not boil the milk!
3. Take the milk off the cooker and slowly pour it into your mixture. Whisk it until all ingredients have taken form. Put back on the ring on medium heat for 2 to 3 additional minutes.
4. This is when you must concentrate and act swiftly. With a stopwatch, only allow the cream to boil for 10 seconds. It will become thick, dense, and glossy. There should not be any foam on the top.
5. Sieve the cream over a small bowl and whisk. Wrap it tightly with plastic wrapping, and put it into your fridge to cool down. The entire chilling process can take between 4 and 3 days, so we recommend planning the cream well before baking the doughnuts.

Make the dough:

1. Stir the yeast together with milk until it dissolves fully. This takes about 1 minute with an electric mix – longer if done by hand. When you see foam or bubbles forming, you will know your yeast has dissolved.
2. Add flour, salt, sugar, and your eggs together, mixing slowly to bring all ingredients into the mixture. Gradually add small amounts of butter, churning them into the mix. Eventually, it will take a soft, dough-like form.
3. Gently remove the mix from the bowl and place it on a pre-floured surface. Continue to knead your mixture to ensure it becomes smooth and elastic.
4. Gently roll the mix into a square. You can use a dough cutter,  a knife, or even a pizza cutter to cut the desired amount of doughnuts from your dough. You will usually get 9 standard doughnuts from our recommended measurements.
5. Place your doughnuts on baking sheets, cover them tightly with plastic wrapping, and let them rise again until doubled. This process should take between 30-45 minutes.

Frying:

1. Heat the oil in your fryer or heavy pan to 350 F. We recommend using a candy thermometer to monitor the temperature throughout accurately.
2. Place a small number of donuts into the fryer gently. Do not put too many in, as they might fry unevenly, and you will need space to flip them halfway through.
3. Fry for 2 to 3 minutes before flipping the doughnut upside down. Fry for another 2 minutes, ensuring all sides have an even coat and turn a golden brown.
4. Don’t worry if they look deflated at first – they will gradually regain their shape by the end of the frying process.
5. Take your doughnuts out carefully, using a pair of tongs, and leave them on paper towels. The towels will absorb any excess hot oil and grease on the doughnuts. Leave them all to cool on a cooling rack to further drain.

Filling your doughnuts:

1. Before filling them with anything, you should wait until the doughnuts have thoroughly cooled. Otherwise, the cream will melt inside. When ready, whisk the premade cream to loosen it. If it’s too thick, consider adding store-bought whipped cream to dilute it slightly.
2. Spoon or pour the cream into a pastry bag with a wide nozzle. Poke a small hole in the side of each doughnut using a fork or chopstick, and slowly fill it with cream. Finish the doughnuts with a sprinkling of confectioner’s sugar or dip in a topping of your choosing; serve and enjoy!

Conclusion

Cream doughnuts are one of the most delicious treats you can bake at home.

Our step-by-step recipe shows how easy it is to make and fry your doughnut and mix up a delicious frothy cream to inject inside! And all the equipment you need is sitting right at home, waiting!

The only thing left to do is enjoy these mouth-watering treats! We guarantee they won’t last too long on your kitchen counter, and no doubt you’ll be asked for seconds, thirds, and fourths!

FAQ

How many calories are in a cream doughnut?

There are, on average, 297 calories in a fresh cream doughnut. Total nutrients include 35g of carbs and 5.1g of protein.

Are cream doughnuts vegan?

Vegans cannot eat any animal byproduct. And although we naturally assume cream doughnuts can only be made of cow’s milk, many recipes are flexible with vegan alternatives.

All you need to do is substitute ingredients, such as soy milk, vegan butter, custards, and vegetable oil.

Can you freeze or reheat cream doughnuts?

Cream doughnuts will last 3 to 5 days in the refrigerator before spoiling. Although they taste the best fresh, you can freeze them for future occasions. Simply:

• Allow them to fully cool
• Wrap them individually in plastic wrapping
• Zip them in airtight containers.
• Label the bag with the date they were baked and place it in the freezer.
• We recommend only decorating doughnuts on the day they are to be eaten.