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Bavarian Cream Doughnuts

Pillowy yeast doughnuts filled with vanilla bean custard and dipped in a thin vanilla glaze. Fill them from the side with a long piping tip so the custard reaches the middle.

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Bavarian Cream Doughnuts

What it's made of

DoughYeast Doughnut Dough for Filling FillingVanilla Bean Custard Glaze or frostingClassic Vanilla Glaze
Makes 12 doughnuts Active 1 hr 15 minChill or rest 2 hr 0 minParts 3
Contains milk, egg, wheat (check labels)

Each part is a full recipe as written; the Dessert Builder scales them to fit this doughnuts and merges the shopping list. Open it with the button above to adjust servings or swap any part.

Ingredients

Yeast Doughnut Dough for FillingDough · makes 12 doughnuts

  • 3.0 cupsall-purpose flour (375.0 g)
  • 0.25 cupgranulated sugar (50.0 g)
  • 2.25 tspinstant yeast (1 packet) (7.0 g)
  • 0.5 tspfine sea salt (3.0 g)
  • 0.75 cupwhole milk, warm (110°F, 43°C) (180.0 ml)
  • 2.0 large eggs (100.0 g)
  • 2.0 tsppure vanilla extract (10.0 ml)
  • 4.0 tbspunsalted butter, softened (57.0 g)
  • 6.0 cupsneutral oil, for frying (1400.0 ml)

Vanilla Bean CustardFilling · makes 12 doughnuts

  • 2.0 cupswhole milk (480.0 ml)
  • 2.0 tspVanillaGoods vanilla bean paste
  • 4.0 large egg yolks (72.0 g)
  • 0.5 cupgranulated sugar (100.0 g)
  • 0.25 cupcornstarch (32.0 g)
  • 0.125 tspfine sea salt
  • 2.0 tbspunsalted butter, cut into pieces (28.0 g)

Classic Vanilla GlazeGlaze or frosting · makes 12 doughnuts

  • 2.0 cupsconfectioners' sugar, sifted (240.0 g)
  • 1.0 tspVanillaGoods pure vanilla extract (5.0 ml)
  • 3.0 tbspwhole milk, plus more as needed (45.0 ml)
  • 0.125 tspfine sea salt

Method

1. Yeast Doughnut Dough for Fillingfull recipe

  1. Mix the flour, sugar, yeast and salt in the mixer bowl. Add the warm milk, eggs and vanilla and knead with the dough hook on low 3 minutes. Add the butter a piece at a time and knead 6 to 8 minutes more until smooth and elastic.
  2. Cover and let rise in a warm spot 1 hour until doubled.
  3. Roll the dough 1/2 inch thick on a floured surface and cut 3-inch rounds (no hole). Set on squares of parchment on a sheet pan, cover and proof 30 to 45 minutes until puffy.
  4. Heat 2 inches of neutral oil in a heavy pot to 350°F (175°C). Fry 3 at a time, 60 to 90 seconds per side, until deep golden. Drain on a rack; keep the oil between 340°F and 360°F (170°C to 180°C).
  5. Cool 10 minutes, then poke a hole in the side of each with a chopstick and pipe in the filling.

2. Vanilla Bean Custardfull recipe

  1. In a medium saucepan, combine the milk and heat over medium heat until steaming, with small bubbles around the edge, about 4 minutes.
  2. Meanwhile, in a medium heatproof bowl, whisk the egg yolks, sugar, cornstarch, and salt until smooth and pale, about 1 minute.
  3. Slowly pour about half of the hot milk into the yolk mixture while whisking constantly, then whisk everything back into the saucepan.
  4. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly and reaching into the corners of the pan, until the custard thickens and begins to bubble. Keep whisking for 1 minute more so the cornstarch thickens fully and the custard reaches at least 160°F.
  5. Remove from the heat and whisk in the butter and vanilla bean paste until smooth. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl.
  6. Press plastic wrap directly onto the surface and refrigerate until cold and set, at least 2 hours.
  7. Whisk the chilled custard briefly until smooth and creamy.
  8. Spoon the filling into a piping bag fitted with a long filling tip. Poke a small hole in the side of each cooled doughnut and pipe in about 2 tablespoons, until the doughnut feels heavy.

3. Classic Vanilla Glazefull recipe

  1. Sift the confectioners' sugar into a bowl that's wide enough for dipping, and whisk in the salt.
  2. Add the milk and vanilla and whisk until smooth. Add more milk, 1 teaspoon at a time, until the glaze falls from the whisk in a thick ribbon that settles back into itself in a few seconds.
  3. Dip the top of each cooled doughnut into the glaze, lift, and let the excess drip off. Set on a wire rack.
  4. Let the glaze set until dry to the touch, about 15 minutes.

4. Put it together

  1. Make the Yeast Doughnut Dough for Filling. For filled doughnuts cut rounds instead of rings.
  2. Make the Vanilla Bean Custard while the dough proofs and chill it until it pipes cleanly.
  3. Fry or bake the doughnuts and cool them 10 minutes on a rack.
  4. Poke a hole in the side of each doughnut with a chopstick, wiggle it to make room, and pipe in the Vanilla Bean Custard.
  5. Make the Classic Vanilla Glaze and dip or spread the tops while the glaze is still fluid.