Chocolate Cream Filled Vanilla Sugar Doughnuts

chocolate filled vanilla sugar doughnuts

I remember, very distinctly, a time when I believed in Santa Claus.

It was exciting! ย A thrill a holiday! ย I don’t think I was gullible… I just happened to believe in the things that my parents told me were true: ย Santa Claus is real, life is not fair, and eating broccoli makes you beautiful.

We had a Santa Claus nightlight my sister and I kept in our bedroom window during the holiday season. ย I figured it was like our Batman Bat Signal, but for Christmas presents not crime-stopping. ย It all made perfect sense.

I don’t remember when I stopped believing in Santa Claus. ย I think it was when I realized that all of our Christmas presents smelled like my mom’s clothes closet, and that broccoli was not, in fact, making me more beautiful.

Now that I’m an adult, Santa Claus has easily fallen by the wayside (thought I still love the nightlight)… but there are solid things I believe: ย I believe in God. ย I believe in doughnuts… and I believe in the merits of broccoli (I guess….).

chocolate filled vanilla sugar doughnuts

Let’s go let’s go doughnut town we go!

Have you ever made homemade yeast doughnuts? ย Have I convinced you? ย Can I try to convince you now? ย It’s a bit of time… it’s a bit of effort… it’s worth every single moment.

chocolate filled vanilla sugar doughnuts

Yeast doughnuts come together with a dough hook. ย We’re mixing together warm water and yeast, flour, sugar, salt, and some good fats from butter, egg yolks, and whole milk.

chocolate filled vanilla sugar doughnuts

There’s something I should tell you about this doughnut dough: ย it’s soft and sticky and that’s ok.

Part of the tenderness of these doughnuts comes from the softness of the dough. ย It’s not the sort of dough that you can knead with your hands. ย It’s too sticky. ย When it comes together in the mixing bowl, the dough may stick to the bottom of the bowl. ย Add an additional 1/2 cup of flour if the dough is sticking to the sides of the bowl as well.

When resting the dough, I added a touch of flour to the bottom of the bowl, added the dough, and topped it with a bit more flour. ย Cover with plastic wrap and rise away.

chocolate filled vanilla sugar doughnuts

While the doughnut dough is resting and rising, I make the Chocolate Cream. ย Ooooh man. ย SO GOOD!

This cream is like a cooked pudding thickened by both egg yolks and cornstarch.

It’s cooked over a low flame with some near constant whisking. ย This isn’t the sort of thing you can multi-task. ย The result of concentration is the most luscious, creamy chocolate.

chocolate filled vanilla sugar doughnuts

Now… should your glossy chocolate cream have just a few lumps… that just means you’re human (like me)… and we can just use a strainer if we’re feeling fancy.

chocolate filled vanilla sugar doughnuts

The doughnut batter will still be soft and just slightly sticky after it’s rising. ย That’s great!

The dough is gently kneaded on a lightly floured surface and cut into pretty little circles.

chocolate filled vanilla sugar doughnuts

Can we just fry these dang things already!?

These little doughnut globes are fried until golden brown and then instantly coated in a vanilla-scented sugar.

chocolate filled vanilla sugar doughnuts

See? ย I told you.

chocolate filled vanilla sugar doughnuts

I used the back of a slender spoon to create a hole in the side of each doughnut. ย This is where the pastry bag filled with chocolate cream is going to be inserted.

Wait… there’s no pictures of the pastry bag or tip insertion (stop laughing) here? ย You’re right. ย Are you trying to tell me I need a tripod? ย You would be correct.

chocolate filled vanilla sugar doughnuts

Dreams. ย These doughnuts are a dream come true. ย I’ve never been a fan of cream-filled doughnuts… turns out I just wasn’t eating the right cream-filled doughnuts. ย The chocolate cream is dark and unapologetic. ย The doughnuts are soft but sturdy. ย The vanilla sugar is fragrant, crunchy, and I added just a few pinches of salt for extra goodness. ย These doughnuts are once, twice, three times a lady. ย And if you have any poop jokes…. well you just stop it. ย Three times a lady! ย Three times!

Chocolate Cream Vanilla Sugar Doughnuts

makes about 10ย 3-inch doughnuts

doughnut dough adapted from Gourmet pastry cream from Epicurious

Print this Recipe!

For the Doughnuts:

1 (1/4-oz) package active dry yeast (2 1/2 teaspoons)
2 tablespoons warm water (105โ€“115ยฐF)
3 1/4 – 3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour plus additional for sprinkling and rolling out dough
1 cup whole milk, at room temperature
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, softened
3 large egg yolks
2 tablespoons sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

For the Vanilla Sugar:

1 1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 vanilla bean, scraped
two pinches salt

For the Chocolate Pastry Cream:

4 large egg yolks
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
3 tablespoons cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup whole milk
3 ounces bittersweet chocolate, cut into small chunks
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

About 6 cups vegetable oil for deep frying, you’ll need about 3 to 4-inches deep for frying

To Make the Doughnuts and Vanilla Sugar:

Stir together yeast and warm water in a small bowl until yeast is dissolved. Let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes. (If yeast doesnโ€™t foam, discard and start over with new yeast.)

In the bowl of an upright stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, mix together yeast mixture, flour, milk, butter, yolks, sugar, salt, and cinnamon. ย Beat at low speed until a soft dough forms. Increase speed to medium-high and beat 3 minutes more. ย The dough will be soft and sticky. ย If you’s too sticky to handle, add up to 1/2 cup more flour. ย Note: ย the doughnut dough should be soft and somewhat sticky so don’t add too much flour.

Scrape dough down side of bowl (all around) into center, then sprinkle lightly with flour (to keep a crust from forming). Cover bowl with plastic wrap and a clean kitchen towel. ย  Let dough rise in a draft-free place at warm room temperature until doubled in bulk, 1 1/2 to 2 hours. (Alternatively, let dough rise in bowl in refrigerator 8 to 12 hours.) ย This is a great time to make the Chocolate Pastry Cream (instructions below).

Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and roll out with a lightly floured rolling pin into a 12-inch round (1/2 inch thick). Cut out as many rounds as possible with 3-inch cutter and transfer doughnuts to a lightly floured large baking sheet. Cover doughnuts with a clean kitchen towel and let rise in a draft-free place at warm room temperature until slightly puffed, about 30 minutes (45 minutes if dough was cold when cutting out doughnuts). Do not reroll scraps (they’ll make for tough doughnuts). ย While the cut doughnuts rise, make the Vanilla Sugar. ย In a medium bowl, combine sugar, vanilla bean scrapings, and salt. ย Use your fingers to make sure the vanilla bean scrapings are evenly disbursed throughout the sugar. ย Set aside.

Heat 2 1/2 inches oil in a deep 4-quart heavy pot until it registers 350ยฐF on thermometer. Fry doughnuts, 2 at a time, turning occasionally with a wire or mesh skimmer or a slotted spoon, until puffed and golden brown, just over 2 minutes per batch (about 1 minute per side). ย Before removing the cooked doughnuts from the oil, quickly submerge them in the hot oil then immediately remove and place in the Vanilla Sugar mixture. ย  ย Toss in the sugar and them allow to cool on a paper towel lined baking sheet.

Return oil to 350ยฐF between batches before frying each pair of doughnuts.

To Make the Chocolate Pastry Cream:

In a medium saute pan, whisk together egg yolks, sugar, cornstarch, cocoa powder, and salt. ย The mixture will be fairly thick. ย Slowly whisk in the milk. ย Place pan over medium low heat and slowly heat. ย Stir near constantly so that the milk does not burn and the eggs do not cook. ย When mixture just comes to a boil it will quickly begin to thicken. ย Remove from heat and continue whisking until thick and smooth. ย The mixture will be the consistency of cold pudding. ย Add chocolate chunks, butter, and vanilla extract to the warm chocolate mixture and stir until all is melted and well incorporated. ย Transfer hot pastry cream to a small bowl and cover with plastic wrap so the plastic wrap touches the surface of the cream. ย Chill for about 2 hours.

To Fill the Doughnuts:

Doughnuts will already be coated in Vanilla Sugar before they’re filled with Chocolate Pastry Cream. ย Try to handle the doughnuts carefully, as to not knock off all of the sugar coating. ย Using the slender handle end of a spoon, create a hole in the side of each doughnut. ย This is where our pastry tip will go.

Fill a small pastry bag, fitted with a medium round tip, with Chocolate Pastry Cream. ย Twist to seal the bag. ย Carefully lift a doughnut and insert just the tip of the pastry tip into the doughnut. ย Squeeze pastry bag until doughnut feels just full. ย Imagine that you’re filling each doughnut with about 2 tablespoons of Chocolate Pastry Cream. ย Add too much pastry cream and you’ll know it. ย The cream will ooze out a bit. ย It takes just a bit of practice finding the right amount.

Fill each doughnut. ย Serve immediately or cover doughnuts for later serving. ย These doughnuts are best served the day they are made. ย They should be refrigerated after about an hour at room temperature, just to be safe. ย 

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156 Responses

  1. I’m making these! My boyfriend talks about chocolate creme filled donuts and I cannot find any bakery that has them..so I’m making him these!! Wish me luck!!

  2. I found and easy way to do this..I use grands biscuits..not as original as these but very easy and fast to do..then I dip in maple syrup and convectioners sugar, then in bacon bits..I love donuts..

  3. Can I leave the Dough in the fridge overnight? As well as the pastry cream? If so any tips for doing that as I would like to.makw them in advance

  4. I made these recently………the chocolate cream, the vanilla sugar…..made me go completely crazy! These are so delicious I might just have to make more.

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  6. Oh dear.

    I seem to have just licked my computer screen.

    That can’t be good.

    Not nearly as tasty as I imagine these donuts to be.

    *Sigh*

  7. Oh Joy, you shouldn’t have! I am very pregnant and nearly ate my computer screen when I saw these pictures. I really should be banned from your site until I have this baby!

  8. These look so scrumptious. Loved your collaboration with Cupcakes and Cashmere! Adding your blog to my favorites list for sure. I love to cook, so I cannot wait to try some of your delectable recipes.

  9. I made these this past weekend and they were delicious. I have totally been eating the leftover chocolate pastry cream on its own. So so so good.

  10. Joy, thank you so much for sharing this excellent recipe! I’m a Baking and Pastry major at Johnson and Wales University and we have made donuts such as these multiple times, and these are spot on with what we learned! Sometimes I have found that arrowroot is a good substitute for cornstarch if there needed to be a substitute. I love what you do with your blog, especially coming from a pastry chef in training’s perspective, you remain true to classic methods of pastry production. Thank you thank you thank you for sharing!

  11. oh my gosh! How did I not see these last week?! They look and sound fan-flipping-tastic and I’m going to have to make them immediately!

  12. Oh my God, these I cannot handle. They are so GOOD, but such a hassle! I devoted at least a good 5 hours to these babies, and my feet are killing me, but they are worth it. :) The only corrections I would make: this recipe makes wayyyy more than ten doughnuts! I ended up with…about 18? Also, I would recommend dissolving the sugar/salt in the milk, along with the cinnamon, and then mix in the yolks along with that. Mix in the yeast with the flour; I didn’t know if I should melt the butter, I left it solid. In my experience, the yeast will not make the dough rise if mixed with the liquid first. But awesome recipe!

  13. Ugh…….I’m on a cleanse right now. You’re killing me. These look just like the donuts I ate in Rome every day for a week this summer. Yum.

  14. These look so yummy!!

    I have a quick question. Can this dough be frozen? Ten doughnuts would be a little too much for my husband and I.

  15. ok – made a version of these: “caramel-glaze-filled donut holes”. the donut recipe is AMAZING. really lovely. i tossed the holes in cinnamon sugar and then piped them full of caramel glaze. we had these for the first time several years ago at a 5 star restaurant in arizona and have been dreaming of making them ever since, and once i saw your recipe i finally grew the…..donut balls! my husband was amazed and ate 12 donut holes!
    to anyone thinking about making these – the recipe is straight forward, fairly easy (careful with hot oil!) and absolutely worth it. can’t speak to the chocolate filling, but i’ll try it soon. thanks joy – as always, you deliver hits!

  16. Hi Joy, I would like to ask if (instead of frying these in oil) I can brush them with melted butter and bake them?
    Will it work? And if you think it will what temperature should I bake them at?
    Thanks!
    Ambika

  17. Is the 10 cups of vegetable oil for deep frying in the ingredient section a typo? I think 10 cups is too much.

  18. Hi joy! I was just wondering what you should do for this recipe if you don’t own an electric mixer or a dough hook. They look so dang good and I am so desperate to try them!

  19. Woah, these look mega-watt good. I’ve had the pleasure of finding homemade doughnuts at a local cafe, and have never looked back!

    On a more practical note, I’d love to make these but don’t have access to a mixer with a dough hook. Can this be made with any other method? Or will this be my five-hundred and eighty ninth reason to by a Kitchen Aid, once and for all?

    Thank you, Joy!

    1. I’ve used my bread maker to mix yeast doughs. Turns out to be pretty convenient as the rise and rest period is included in the ‘dough’ cycle.

  20. Oh my, these sound positively decadent! I am definitely a filled doughnut person and these sound like perfection. Definitely adding these to my to-make-asap list.

  21. Absolutely stunning! I can’t wait to give these a whirl.

    …and to prevent certain heartbreak, my mother told us as soon as we were born that there was no Santa Claus. I think she felt like she was protecting us, but instead she just created those monsters who went around telling the rest of their classmates about the myth of Santa. My poor classmates…

  22. Oh Joy, look, we have a problem. Every time I decide that it’s time to stop eating donuts and the occasional brownie {ok, maybe more often than I want to admit}, you go and post something like this.
    Way to go. Make me want More yumminess.
    ;)

  23. Wow….you’ve made my chocolate doughnut dream come true. Now, the real test is….do you deliver? Because I seriously don’t see me having the time to make those little dream bites to today before I go to work tomorrow….a girl can always dream right? ;)

  24. CHOCOLATE CREAM FILLED VANILLA SUGAR DOUGHNUTS was the FIRST thing I saw in my reader this morning.

    You had me at chocolate-cream filled.

    A title like this is almost too much for a pregnant lady to handle (my husband’s lucky I didn’t send him out to fetch doughnuts).

    As always, they look amazing! :)

  25. I really don’t go crazy for doughnuts…and I generally can pass up a cream filled doughnut for a bag of frittos… BUT my friend. You may have a changed woman on your hands. WOW. I think I could eat 7 of these just watching the Ellen Show!
    I have a tripod but haven’t mastered that skill yet. Over-rated.

  26. Splendid. Doughnuts are my life. They really get a bad rap, but I say, when made with love and care, what could be better?

    But I guess I would probably take one from a gas station, too . . .

  27. Now THESE are something that Steve will get out of bed for! Heck… I could care LESS that he gets out of bed if I make these…they would be my little guilty secret (for the few moments of their newborn lives before they expired…) and then another guilty little secret would be on the cards…and another…I might have to post about weight watchers soon…

  28. Joy! Why do you do this to me?!? I’m trying to lost weight and get fit. I just couldn’t fight the urge to see what you were up to. And now THIS?!?! Oh boy. There goes all my self control. Out the window. :) Linked up in today’s Friday post!

    xo,

    Lexy

  29. These look perfect, Joy. I make doughnuts about once a year and it’s getting to be that time. You may have just chosen the flavor for me!

  30. My grandmother used to make almost the same thing – they are to die for. I’ll have to try out your recipe. You are right too, they take time, but are completely worth it.

  31. Oh YUM. I’m so making these! I know some people work out so they can be fit, beautiful and healthy, but really, I just go to the gym so I can eat doughnuts. :)

  32. Oh Joy, if you can’t convince me to make yeast donuts, no one can. Doughnuts? Donuts? Doughnuts? Donuts? And I didn’t once think of a poop joke, but I did giggle.

  33. Dear Joy,
    I started graduate school six weeks ago.
    It has been six weeks since I’ve baked anything. At all.
    Having finished my fifth exam in two weeks this morning, I promptly opened up your website hoping to find a good doughnut recipe for the weekend.
    What the heck do you call a super power that allows you to know exactly what I need even though you live two time zones away and have never met me?
    I’m stumped, but I love it.
    Have a wonderful weekend!
    Lauren

  34. This is one of the most knockout recipes I’ve ever seen. My jaw is on the floor looking through your gorgeous photos. Chocolate filled homemade doughnuts is crazy ambitious and you’ve done it sooo beautifully!!

  35. Joy the baker you are my idol! I love your humor, recipes, wit and meaningful yet lighthearted reflections on life. I check your blog everyday when I get into work!!! I’m an Art Director by day and a baker by night and your blog gives me the inspiration I need to go home and whip something delicious up after a hard days work! It’s therapy and comfort and I’m thrilled that you’ve made this little home on the internet for people like me to visit and draw creativity from!

    YOU GO GIRL!

  36. I love you for not only having the courage to write “poop” in a blog post about food, but for making a “tip insertion” joke. I think that we’d be friends.

    These doughnuts look delicious, and infinitely better than the baked variety that has become so popular!

  37. I am finding I might adore you: the belief, the donuts, and the dirty jokes. Thanks for making my sad stale bagel breakfast just not good enough!

  38. Oh They look so good. I just might try making doughnuts.

    Fall weather is due this weekend so these doughnuts might just be what I need. They do look amazing.

  39. hi there! i tried to pin this recipe, but every time i click “pin it” i’m getting the pop up but it’s blank and the option to add is greyed out. :( i’m using chrome – maybe it’s some kind of bug?

    anyhow.. these look so so good :)

  40. Three times a lady!!!! haha doughnutty, chocolate-filled, vanilla-coated ladies? amazing Joy, amazing. I might just have to try making doughnuts. Although, not having a mixer, I might be off from the start.

  41. Stop, just stop with those delicious donuts. Love you recipe. Love your blog. Verge of obsession with the podcast.
    P.S. I tots LOLd when I read “tip insertion.” Thank you.

  42. Donuts are my favorite indulgence. I’ve only made the same old buttermilk cake donuts at home, but these simply inspire to try….try for puffy, cream-filled heaven. Thanks for the sugar push.

  43. Hi Joy,

    Thanks for posting this recipe. I was wondering if you had any advice for someone who likes baking but doesn’t own a standing mixer. I’d love to make this recipe but you did say it’s dough that couldn’t be kneaded by hand. Any thoughts on what I could do?

    Thanks!
    -Sue

  44. Joy, Joy, Joy — what are you doing here? These WILL be made in my home this weekend. Hubby adores homemade doughnuts, especially when they’re made by me. Filled with chocolate cream and rolled in vanilla sugar? Genius! There will be much adoration & dancing & love in my house this weekend… promise! Thank you.

  45. AHHHHH JOY! you have a fabulous sense of humor and personality thats so refreshing and oh, how I L.O.V.E. you for your doughnut recipes? Happy friday!

  46. if there was ever any doubt about what to do with extra egg yolks, there surely isn’t any doubt left now!!!

  47. My son will be coming home from college next weekend for a visit. Sounds like the perfect time to try these. Bet he’ll start making more trips home!!!!

  48. Ooooh my, I have to try it. This chocolate cream sounds delicious!
    So everybody, let send $1 each to Joy for a tripod! I have one from best buy, not expensive and good quality!
    I want more pictures, always more! :D

  49. I want to make these, but I want to add a bit of lemon zest to the batter and fill them with lemon curd. I hope you are OK with that.

    Lovely recipe as always!

  50. These look amazing! Alas, I have to get over my fear of deep frying first…

    PS – I remember when I found out Santa Claus wasn’t real… it was when I saw the candy stuffed stocking that my parents put every year under my pillow when i was asleep sold on a shelf at my local supermarket. I took my 7-year-old brain a little while to make the connection though!

  51. Joy, in addition to a tripod you might love having a remote for your camera — I bought one for eight bucks on amazon and it’s a life-changer. You set your camera up on a tripod (or a stack of books) and can click the remote from your doughnut-piping location instead of having to run back and re-set the self-timer on your camera every time.

  52. OMG, they look sooo good. I think I know them from Germany, my granny used to make them for the kids. Loooved them. Thanks for the recipe, will try it myself! :)

  53. I can’t even put in words how much I love the look of these. In a way it’s probably good I’m not a skilled enough baker to make these, because I would definitely eat about 11 a day. Every day. Until I can’t fit through doors anymore. And then it wouldn’t matter so much anymore anyway, so I’d probably increase the amount.

  54. wow-although they look so dang good-they also look hard work. last night i spent the evening reading your recipe-yes-reading i would say-not flicking-single girl pancakes is up!

  55. Joy, they are perfect in all respects! I don’t think I will be able to make them, it’s a bit too complicated considering my limited cooking skills but I can stare at yours in utter admiration

  56. I love that you stuffed them! That filling looks wonderful! And I’ve never made yeast donuts, just flour/baking soda and baked in molds. I want to try yeast donuts now.

    And I like the font you’re using in this post. It pops a little more on the page & easier to read :)

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