These creme brulee donuts are a fun twist on a classic dessert that is crazy delicious! Consisting of light and airy yeast donuts filled with a vanilla pastry cream filling and dipped in a caramel sugar coating, each bite of these donuts is pure bliss. This recipe literally tastes like you are eating creme brulee but in the form of a donut!
What Makes This Creme Brulee Donut Recipe so Good?
- Fluffy, light, and airy yeast donuts
- Perfectly sweet and creamy vanilla pastry cream filling that is made from scratch
- Golden brown caramel sugar coating that provides a slight crunch and beautifully complements the soft texture of the donuts and pastry cream
Soft Yeast Donuts
This recipe for soft yeast donuts is absolute perfection. The texture of these donuts is so light and airy and tastes like biting into a cloud. Requiring less than 10 ingredients to make, here is what you will need to make this donut recipe:
Key Ingredients
- Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
- Active Dry Yeast
- Granulated Sugar
- Salt
- Whole Milk
- Large Egg
- Unsalted Butter
How to Properly Activate Yeast
- Heat – the liquid (water or milk) yeast will be activated to a temperature that averages between 100-110F. You want to be careful to not overheat the liquid as this will kill the yeast. Always read the back of the yeast package to verify the correct temperature to heat up the liquid for yeast activation.
- Mix – a small amount of sweetener, for example, sugar into the warmed liquid with the yeast for activation. Adding a sweetener to the warmed liquid mixture will fasten up the activation process as the yeast feeds on the sweetener to create energy. Yeast can most certainly be activated without the addition of sweeteners but it may take slightly longer.
- Rest – the yeast mixture at room temperature for 8-10 minutes to activate. If the resulting mixture looks frothy and bubbly in appearance with a fermented aroma, then yeast is good to use. However, if the mixture does not take on a frothy, bubbly appearance, yeast is not good to use.
Homemade Pastry Cream
What I love most about this pastry cream is its velvety, smooth and creamy texture. Replacing some of the milk in this recipe with heavy cream, resulted in more rich-tasting pastry cream that is irresistibly delicious. To make this recipe, you will need:
Key Ingredients
- Whole Milk
- Heavy Whipping Cream
- Egg Yolks
- Granulated Sugar
- Corn Starch
- Unsalted Butter
- Vanilla Extract
- Salt
Tips for Making the Best Pastry Cream From Scratch
- Temper Egg Mixture – to avoid ending up with scrambled eggs, the egg yolk mixture (egg yolks, sugar, and cornstarch) should be tempered with a small portion of the heated milk. To temper, the egg yolk mixture, whisk 1/3 of the heated milk into it to combine. This will prepare the eggs to be cooked without getting scrambled.
- Properly Cook Pastry Cream – since pastry cream is made with raw egg yolks, it needs to be cooked to a food-safe temperature of 170F before being consumed. This is the kitchen thermometer I use and recommend for checking the temperature of prepared foods.
- Whisk Butter into Hot Cream – for smooth, enriched-tasting pastry cream, room temperature butter should be whisked into the cooked pastry cream while it is still warm to the touch. This will allow the butter to melt and mix into the pastry cream more smoothly.
Caramel Sugar Coating
The caramel sugar coating is perhaps the most fun part of this donut recipe. Made with just 3 ingredients, this recipe comes together so easily and provides a lovely crunch that nicely complements the soft and creamy textures of the yeast donut and pastry cream filling. Here is what you will need to make the caramel sugar coating:
Key Ingredients
- Granulated Sugar
- Water
- Lemon Juice/White Vinegar
To make this recipe, add all of the ingredients into a medium saucepan under medium-high heat and whisk to combine. Cook the sugar mixture until it changes color and becomes a rich golden brown color. Remove from heat and use immediately.
Recipe Tips and Notes
Donut dough may be prepared in advance and refrigerated overnight for the next use. For longer storage, place the dough in a freezer-safe container and keep it in the freezer for up to 1-3 months. When ready to use frozen dough, thaw the dough overnight in the fridge or at room temperature until it is soft enough to cut and shape for frying.
Pastry cream can be made in advance. To store, transfer to an airtight container and keep refrigerated for up 4-5 days.
To help prevent the caramel from crystalizing as it cooks, use a wet pastry brush to remove any sugar granules from the sides of the pan.
If caramel coating starts to harden before you are done dipping all of the donuts, reheat the caramel under medium to loosen it back up.
Looking for Delicious Doughnut Recipes, Checkout the Links Below:
PrintCreme Brulee Donuts
Consisting of light and airy yeast donuts filled with a vanilla pastry cream filling and dipped in a caramel sugar coating, each bite of these donuts is pure bliss!
- Prep Time: 2 hours
- Cook Time: 55 Minutes
- Total Time: 2 hours 55 minutes
- Yield: 12 Large/16 Small Donuts 1x
Ingredients
Yeast Donut Dough
- 3 Cups (390g) Unbleached All-Purpose Flour, Plus More as Needed
- 3 Tablespoons (36g) Granulated Sugar, Divided
- 2 Teaspoons Active Dry Yeast
- 1/2 Teaspoon Salt
- 1 Large Egg (50g), Room Temperature
- 3/4 Cup (177ml) Whole Milk, Warmed to 100-110F
- 1/4 Cup (57g) Unsalted Butter, Melted, Cooled to Room Temperature
- 5–6 Cups Neutral Flavored Oil i.e. Vegetable Oil, for Frying
Vanilla Pastry Cream
- 2 Cups (472ml) Whole Milk
- 1/2 Cup (118 ml) Heavy Whipping Cream
- 1/2 Cup (96g) Granulated Sugar
- 8 Large Egg Yolks (144g)
- 6 Tablespoons (48g) Cornstarch
- 2 Tablespoon (29g) Unsalted Butter, Room Temperature
- 1 Tablespoon (15ml) Vanilla Extract
- 1/4 Teaspoon Salt
Caramel Coating
- 1 Cup (192g) Granulated Sugar
- 1/4 Cup (59ml) Filtered Water
- 1 Teaspoon (5ml) Lemon Juice/White Vinegar
Instructions
Yeast Donut Dough
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk together the warmed milk and 1 teaspoon of sugar. Next, whisk in the yeast and cover the bowl with a large plate or clean kitchen towel. Set aside for 8-10 minutes or until the mixture takes on a foamy, bubbly appearance with a fermented aroma.
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and remaining sugar. Set aside. Using a stand mixer with the dough hook attached, mix the egg and melted butter into the activated yeast at medium speed to combine.
- Reduce mixer speed to low and mix all of the dry ingredients into the liquid mixture until a shaggy-looking dough forms. Increase mixer speed to medium and knead dough for 6 minutes. The dough will feel soft and tacky to the touch.
- If the dough is too soft and difficult to handle, mix in additional flour 1 tablespoon at a time until it is more manageable to work with. For light and airy donuts take care to not add too much flour.
- Transfer the dough into a large greased mixing bowl and cover with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel. Place the bowl in a warm part of the kitchen and allow the dough to rise until it has doubled in size, about 60-90 minutes.
- Gently deflate the dough with a fisted hand, cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel, and let the dough rest for 5 minutes. Cut a large sheet of parchment paper into 12 (for larger donuts) or 16 (for smaller donuts) squares.
- Transfer the dough to a floured surface and lightly sprinkle the top with flour. Use a bench scraper or sharp knife to cut the dough into 12 equal pieces. For smaller doughnuts, cut dough into 16 equal pieces.
- Shape each piece of dough into a smooth ball and place on pre-cut squares of parchment paper before transferring to a large baking sheet. Loosely cover the baking sheet with plastic wrap and place in a warm part of the kitchen allowing the dough to double size, for about 30-35 minutes (this timeframe may vary depending on the warmth of your kitchen).
- Line a cooling rack with two layers of paper towels. Heat the oil in a medium deep bottom pan to 350F. In batches of one or two, carefully place the risen balls of dough into the oil. Use kitchen tongs to remove the parchment square.
- Fry the dough for 1 – 2 minutes per side or until golden brown. Use a slotted/spider spoon to transfer the donut to the prepared cooling rack. Continue this process until all the donuts are fried.
Vanilla Pastry Cream
- In a medium saucepan, add the milk, heavy cream, and salt. Heat the milk mixture under medium-high heat until it starts to simmer. Remove from heat.
- As the milk heats up, add the egg yolks, sugar, and cornstarch to a medium mixing bowl. Whisk ingredients together to combine into a smooth, thick mixture.
- Place a kitchen towel under the mixing bowl with egg mixture. Slowly pour 1/2 cup of the heated milk in a thin stream into the egg mixture while whisking constantly.
- Pour the tempered egg mixture into the pot with the remaining hot milk. Bring the custard to a boil under medium heat, whisking constantly, until it starts to thicken and you see boiling bubbles reach the top surface. Remove the pan from heat and strain the pastry cream through a fine strainer into a medium mixing bowl.
- Whisk in the butter and vanilla extract into the warm pastry cream. Place a sheet of plastic wrap directly over the surface of the cream and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled, about 2-3 hours.
Caramel Coating and Assembly
- Use a skewer/chopstick to make an opening at the top of each donut pushing the skewer or chopstick about 2/3 the way into the donuts to create a space for the filling.
- Give the pastry cream a thorough whisk and transfer it into a large pastry or Ziplock bag. Cut off 1/2 inch from the tip of the bag and fill the donuts with the filling.
- Make the caramel coating by adding the sugar, water, and lemon juice into a small saucepan under medium-low heat. Whisk the sugar mixture until all of the sugar is dissolved and the mixture starts to gently simmer.
- Use a dampened pastry brush to remove any sugar granules from the sides of the saucepan. Increase the heat to medium-high. Once the sugar mixture starts to boil, refrain from stirring or whisking. Allow mixture to boil until it reaches a rich golden brown (amber) color.
- Remove the caramel from heat. Carefully dip the top of each filled donut into the caramel and transfer to a cooling rack to allow the excess caramel to drip off. Please be careful here as the caramel is very hot.
- If the caramel starts to set before you are done coating the donuts, return the pan back to medium-high heat and swirl in a circular motion until the caramel loosens up.
- Transfer filled and coated donuts to a large serving plate/platter before serving.
Notes
- Creme brulee donuts are best eaten the day it is prepared.
- For small-batch donuts, divide the recipe in half for a yield of 6 large or 8 small donuts.
- To help prevent the caramel from crystalizing as it cooks, use a wet pastry brush to remove any sugar granules from the sides of the pan.
- If caramel coating starts to harden before you are done dipping all of the donuts, reheat the caramel under medium to loosen it back up.
V
These are delish and become a favorite in my house! Thanks for sharing!
nourished endeavors
Yay! So glad that you enjoy the recipe!