Sweet Pampushky (Ukrainian Filled Doughnuts)

Nov 3, 2026 · By VanillaGoods

Baking Pastries doughnuts Medium

Sweet Pampushky (Ukrainian Filled Doughnuts)

Soft, tender yeast doughnuts with a thick cherry jam center, fried until golden and rolled in powdered sugar. They are the sweet cousin of the garlic buns served with borscht. Makes 16 doughnuts in about 2 hr 55 min.

Prep 40 min

Cook 25 min

Cooling 1 hr 50 min

Total 2 hr 55 min

Yield 16 doughnuts

Ingredients

Adjust yield

doughnuts

4 cups (500 g)all-purpose flour
¼ oz (7 g)instant yeast
¼ cup (50 g)granulated sugar
¾ tsp (5 g)salt
1 cup (250 ml)whole milk, lukewarm
2 (100 g)eggs
1 (18 g)egg yolk
3 ½ tbsp (50 g)unsalted butter, melted
¾ cup (250 g)thick cherry jam
6 ⅓ cups (1500 ml)neutral oil, for frying
½ cup (60 g)powdered sugar

Fresh ingredient guides

CherriesHow to pick, season & nutrition · 88 kcal per 140 g

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Instructions

Whisk the flour, yeast, sugar and salt. Add the milk, eggs, yolk and melted butter and knead 8 minutes to a soft, smooth dough.
Cover and rise in a warm place about 60 minutes, until doubled.
Punch down and roll 1/2 inch thick on a floured surface. Cut 2 1/2-inch rounds with a cutter or glass and place 1 teaspoon jam in the center of half of them.
Brush the edges with water, cover with the remaining rounds and pinch to seal firmly. Place on a floured tray, cover and rest 20 minutes.
Heat the oil to 350 F (175 C) in a deep pot. Fry 4 or 5 at a time, 2 to 3 minutes per side, until deep golden and cooked through.
Drain on paper towels, cool 5 minutes and roll in powdered sugar. Serve warm.

Tips

Seal very well so the jam stays inside.
Use thick jam; thin jam bubbles out.
Keep the oil temperature steady; do not crowd the pot.
Keep frying oil at 350 F (175 C) and never leave hot oil unattended.

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Recipe FAQ

How long does it take to make sweet pampushky (ukrainian filled doughnuts)?

Plan on 40 minutes of prep and 25 minutes of cooking, plus 1 hour 50 minutes to chill. The recipe makes 16 doughnuts.

How should I store sweet pampushky (ukrainian filled doughnuts)?

Best the day they are made. Cover at room temperature up to 1 day.

Can I make sweet pampushky (ukrainian 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.

A small, soft Ukrainian yeast bun; the sweet version is deep-fried, filled with jam or poppy seed and dusted with sugar, and is common at Christmas. Serve it with hot tea or hot cocoa.

Estimated · per serving

Nutrition

Per serving = 1 of 16 servings this recipe makes.

301 Calories / serving

12.3g Fat

42.4g Carbs

4.9g Protein

15.4g Sugar

Whole recipe (16 servings): ~4816 cal · 197g fat · 678g carbs · 78g protein · 246g sugar

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