Bomboloni Italian Cream-Filled Doughnuts

Nov 3, 2026 · By VanillaGoods

Baking Pastries doughnuts Vanilla: Extract Medium

Bomboloni Italian Cream-Filled Doughnuts

Soft, golden fried doughnuts rolled in sugar and piped full of lemon-scented pastry cream. This is the classic cream-filled version. Makes 14 doughnuts in about 4 hr 15 min.

Prep 50 min

Cook 25 min

Cooling 3 hr

Total 4 hr 15 min

Yield 14 doughnuts

Ingredients

Adjust yield

doughnuts

2 cups (250 g)bread flour
2 cups (250 g)all-purpose flour
¾ cup (200 ml)whole milk, room temperature, for the dough
2 (100 g)large eggs
6 tbsp (80 g)granulated sugar, for the dough
⅓ cup (70 g)unsalted butter, very soft
¼ oz (5 g)instant yeast
1 ¼ tsp (8 g)salt
2 tsp (4 g)lemon zest
1 tsp (5 ml)vanilla extract
2 cups (500 ml)whole milk, for the pastry cream
4 (72 g)egg yolks
6 tbsp (80 g)granulated sugar, for the pastry cream
3 ½ tbsp (30 g)cornstarch
¼ oz (6 g)lemon peel, strips
6 ⅓ cups (1500 ml)neutral frying oil
14 tbsp (175 g)granulated sugar, for rolling, for the frying and coating

Fresh ingredient guides

LemonsHow to pick, season & nutrition · 24 kcal per 84 g

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Instructions

Make the pastry cream: warm the milk with the lemon peel. Whisk the yolks, sugar and cornstarch, whisk in the warm milk, return to the pan and cook, whisking, until thick and bubbling, then 1 minute more. Chill with plastic on the surface.
Mix the flours, yeast, sugar and lemon zest. Add the eggs, milk and vanilla, knead 6 minutes, add the salt, then the butter in portions, kneading 8 to 10 minutes until smooth and glossy.
Cover and let rise 2 hours at room temperature, until doubled.
Roll the dough 5/8 inch (1.5 cm) thick and cut 3-inch (8 cm) rounds. Set each on a square of parchment, cover, and rise 30 to 60 minutes until puffy.
Heat the frying oil to 340 F (170 C) in a deep, heavy pot. Fry 1 or 2 at a time for 30 to 60 seconds per side until deep golden.
Drain briefly and roll in sugar while warm.
When cool, poke a hole in the side and pipe in about 2 tablespoons of chilled pastry cream.

Tips

Keep the oil at 340 F; hotter and they brown before cooking through, cooler and they soak oil.
Never leave frying oil unattended.
Eat the day they're filled.
Cook pastry cream until thick and bubbling so eggs reach 160 F (71 C); keep filled doughnuts refrigerated. Use a thermometer when frying and keep the oil from overheating.

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Recipe FAQ

How long does it take to make bomboloni italian cream-filled doughnuts?

Plan on 50 minutes of prep and 25 minutes of cooking, plus 3 hours to chill. The recipe makes 14 doughnuts.

How should I store bomboloni italian cream-filled doughnuts?

Eat within a day. Refrigerate filled doughnuts and eat within 2 days.

Can I make bomboloni italian cream-filled doughnuts ahead?

Yes. It needs time to chill and set, so it is a good one to make the day before you serve it.

Can I use a different form of vanilla?

Yes. This recipe uses 1 tsp vanilla extract (5 ml). Each teaspoon of pure vanilla extract can be swapped for 1 teaspoon of vanilla bean paste, the seeds of half a vanilla bean, or 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla powder. Paste and seeds add the classic dark specks.

Bomboloni are Italian yeast-raised fried doughnuts without a hole, rolled in sugar and typically filled with pastry cream; they are popular in Tuscany. Serve it with espresso or cappuccino.

Estimated · per serving

Nutrition

Per serving = 1 of 14 servings this recipe makes.

391 Calories / serving

19.6g Fat

46.1g Carbs

7.2g Protein

19.6g Sugar

Whole recipe (14 servings): ~5474 cal · 274g fat · 645g carbs · 101g protein · 274g sugar

Estimated values per serving, calculated from standard ingredient data. Not verified Nutrition Facts; actual values vary with brands, measurements, and preparation.