Baked Donuts Filled with Jelly (VIDEO)
Baked Donuts filled with jelly are incredibly soft, airy and melt-in-your-mouth delicious. Just like our donut holes, this homemade donut recipe is easy and always gets rave reviews!
Donuts are the ultimate comfort food. The aroma from the oven and the little hint of jelly peeking out of the side make these irresistible. I am a sucker for classic home-baked treats like blueberry muffins or chocolate chip banana bread and these baked donuts do not disappoint!
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Baked Donut Recipe:
Baked donuts are cotton-candy soft and fluffy. I remember my Mother making apple piroshki (Russian fried doughnuts) after school and it is one of the food memories I will always treasure. Baked yeast donuts are even easier and is a tradition I’m continuing with my own family.
I’ll take one of these over a Krispy Kreme any day because they are way more satisfying – the perfect balance of fluffy center to sugar coated surface without the greasy mouth feel and my belly is always happier eating a homemade baked donut!
Is it Donuts or Doughnuts?
Which is the correct spelling? This is heated debate because donuts… mmm doughnuts! There’s even a National Donut Day and it’s the first Friday of June. It is the ultimate comfort food. The real question is – when were doughnuts invented? ‘Doughnut’ is the original old-school spelling but ‘donuts’ took off when Dunkin’ Donuts launched in 1950.
Most people will search for “donuts” online and it is the clear winner in popularity. The dictionary now recognizes ‘donut’ as a variant of doughnut so the word doughnut came first but both terms are technically correct.
Here’s our argument – old school doughnuts are deep fried, but these are new school baked donuts so we called them so.
Are Baked Donuts Healthy?
To put it delicately, baked donuts are the healthier option compared to traditional deep-fried donuts. They don’t leave you feeling as guilty about your choices. You only need 1 Tbsp of melted butter to coat all 12 donuts! Are donuts good for you? In the end, they are still sugar covered carbs… glorious carbs! Eat responsibly.
What is the Best Filling for Donuts?
We enjoy changing up the type of jelly in these baked donuts; strawberry, blueberry, raspberry, huckleberry,.. you name it! Whether you are using jam, preserves or jelly, pick one that is:
- Thick – a thick jelly won’t run out of the donut as easily
- Fairly Smooth – so the piping tip doesn’t get clogged
- Your favorite flavor – these are, after all, for you!
How to Make Cream Filled Donuts:
For a cream filling, you will need a stable, thick cream that won’t ooze out. The pastry cream from our eclairs is easy and excellent. Let the cream cool then fill the pastry bag fitted with a sharp tip and generously pipe into each donut.
For Cinnamon Sugar Donuts:
If you choose to omit the jam inside, you can add more flavor with a cinnamon sugar coating. In a small bowl, stir together and roll hot buttered donuts in this mixture:
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
Love Glazed Donuts?
We enjoy these without glaze but if you desire glazed donuts, you can skip brushing with butter and rolling in sugar. Once donuts are cool enough to handle, dip into this glaze mixture then place on racks until glaze hardens:
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1/4 cup milk or water
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
More Classic Home-Baked Treats:
- Baklava – once you try homemade, there’s no going back
- Chocolate Chip Cookies – soft, moist and perfect
- Snowball Cookies are melt-in-your-mouth good
- Russian Tea Cookies – buttery and studded with walnuts
- Italian Cookies a chocolate filled sandwich cookie
How to Ensure Super Fluffy Donuts?
The correct balance of wet to dry ingredients is critical in any dough recipe. Be sure to measure the ingredients correctly. Stir your flour with a spoon then spoon it into a dry ingredient measuring cup. Pushing a measuring cup into a flour bin can result in 25% more flour than is called for which will result in dense donuts.
Also, be sure to allow your dough to proof in a warm room (never more than 110˚F) or you will deactivate the yeast and the donuts will not rise properly.
Baked Donut Video Tutorial:
Watch Natasha make this easy and super fluffy baked donut recipe. P.S. There’s a guest star in this episode!
I hope this becomes your go-to baked donut recipe! They are irresistibly soft and there is nothing like warm homemade donuts.
Baked Donuts Filled with Jelly
Baked Donuts are incredibly soft, airy and melt-in-you-mouth delicious. This homemade donut recipe is easy and always gets rave reviews! The little hint of jelly peeking out of the side makes them irresistible.
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour divided, plus more for dusting*
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 2 1/4 tsp instant yeast quick acting, (1 packet = 7 grams)
- 2/3 cup warm milk 110˚F - microwave 35 sec.
- 4 Tbsp unsalted butter melted, divided
- 2 egg yolks
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup jelly or jam (no large fruit pieces)
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar to roll donuts
Instructions
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In a large mixing bowl, whisk together 1 cup flour, 1/4 cup sugar, 2 1/4 tsp (1 packet) instant yeast and 1/4 tsp salt.
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Add warm milk, 3 Tbsp melted butter, 2 egg yolks and 1/2 tsp vanilla extract, and whisk vigorously to combine well.
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Cover with plastic wrap and rest at room temperature 10 minutes, until some bubbles form on the surface.
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Add remaining 1 1/2 cups flour, adding just enough until dough holds together and no longer sticks to the sides of the bowl. Knead in the bowl 5 minutes. If dough is really sticking to your hands, dust lightly with flour then continue kneading with clean dry hands. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let rise in a 100˚F oven for 45 min or at room temperature for 1 1/2 hours, or until doubled in size.
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Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and preheat oven to 375˚F with rack in the center of the oven.
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Turn dough out onto a floured surface and roll the dough out to just under 1/2” thick. Cut circles using a 2 1/2 inch round cookie cutter. Re-roll scraps if needed to make 12 donuts total. Place donuts on prepared baking sheet, cover with a tea towel and let rise in a 100˚F oven for 20 min or at room temperature 45 min, or until puffed. Bake uncovered in the center of a preheated oven at 375˚F for 10-12 minutes or until lightly golden on top.
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Right out of the oven, brush a hot bun all over with remaining 1 Tbsp melted butter and roll in a bowl of sugar to coat lightly with sugar. Cut a deep slit in the side of each donut and pipe jam with a pastry bag into each one.
Recipe Notes
*For best results, be sure to measure the flour correctly - spoon it into the cup and level off the top for an accurate measure.
If you make this recipe, I’d love to see pics of your creations on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter! Hashtag them #natashaskitchen
Enjoy your home-baked donuts and “Do-nut Worry, be Happy!” I couldn’t resist! 😉
Natasha Kravchuk
Hi! I'm Natasha Kravchuk. Here you'll find delicious, trusted recipes with easy step-by-step photos and videos. 
What is the best temperature for the warm milk? Trying this tomorrow!
Hi Katie, warm milk is usually 105 – 110 degrees.
Never really liked doughnut but these are yum! Came out really light and soft . Totally loved them! I’ve tried 3 of your recipes they are all no fail and delicious ❤️
That’s just awesome! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review, Natasha!
Hi Natasha,
This is the best baked donut recipe. I made them with holes which baked in about 9 minutes. They were melt in mouth soft and so yummy. I also made a batch filled with vanilla custard. Thank you for sharing such a wonderful recipe 😋
You’re welcome, GK! I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with me!
Can i use a silicon donut mold for this?
Hi Lourdes, I’m honestly not sure and I haven’t tried that yet to advise. If you do an experiment, please share with us how it goes.
After making this, all that’s left is 7 egg whites, some crumbs, and a happy family. 🙂
That’s the best feeling — a happy and fed family! I’m so glad you all enjoyed it!
Simple and superb….
I’m so glad you enjoyed that, Ann!
Would love to try this recipe but could I cut them with a 1” cookie cutter instead of the 21/2” one. Will they still rise and be fluffy!?
Hi Aly, I haven’t tried with the smaller ones, but they should still rise and be fluffy. They may bake a little faster being significantly smaller.
I love the recipe but mine are coming out almost bread-like. Is there a way to get them lighter? Am I under kneading? Over kneading? Do you have any suggestions?
Hi. Frank, be sure to measure the flour correctly to avoid adding too much flour.
I tested this and this is probably the best-baked donut recipe out there. I tried other recipes and they aren’t as delicious as this one. I got more than 12 donuts out of this batch lol.
That’s so great! It sounds like you have a new favorite!
Donuts are one of my favorite comfort foods. My friends and I always get donuts, and a homemade donut will surely be great. Especially when it looks this good. I am so excited to make these. Thank you so much for sharing this 🙂
I hope this becomes your new favorite!
We tried this recipe to make healthier donuts and they turned out great! Thanks for the delicious recipe.
You’re welcome, Maha! I’m happy you enjoyed that!
Donuts, or doughnuts…or “dough-naughts.” Originally they were called dough-naughts. A “naught” is an archaic word for zero…or “not.”
Can you make these without using eggs?? If so what do you use in its place?
Thank you!!
Hi Carol, I haven’t tried any substitute for eggs to advise. If you do an experiment and find another substitute, please share with us how it goes.
I just found this recipe and looks amazing. I know fresh is best, but what if I made these the day before and served them for an early morning breakfast the next day? Would they be too dry at that point? Regardless, I will make them at some point. Thank you for the recipe.
Hi Jennifer, I haven’t tested them as make-ahead donuts but being a yeast dough, that should technically work if you refrigerate it before baking. If I were to experiment with making them as overnight donuts, I would place the rounds onto a prepared baking sheet, cover them and refrigerate before the last rise. Let them puff/rise the next day at room temperature before baking.
My husband lazily asked for doughnuts with jam today, so never having made them before, (because I hate the idea of deep-fat frying!), I did a quick bit of research on the computer, and came across your recipe.
Had them baked for brunch this morning! And they were truly delicious – your recipe worked perfectly. Thank you. 🙂
That’s just awesome! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review & I’m so glad you discovered our blog!
Thank you for a delicious (and foolproof) recipe. They taste every bit as good as the fried ones. A question from a hopeful relative: will the recipe still work with rice/gluten-free flour?
Hi Hazel, I haven’t tested that with gluten-free flour, so I can’t advise. If you experiment, let me know how you liked the recipe.
What can we substitute for the eggs in this recipe?
Hi there, I haven’t tried any substitute for eggs to advise. If you do an experiment and find another substitute, please share with us how it goes.
It was good! But it kinda just asd like sweet bread and was a little tough, it was my first try so I think I might have messed up! The recipes great though!
Oh no, I’m sure it will be perfect on your next try. I suggest re-watching the video tutorial and making sure that the ingredients are measured correctly.
Surely you must know that no one measures flour like you do Natasha. What makes this correct? I ruined my first batch even after cutting back the flour. It was like bread 🙁
Hi Loulou, it is the most consistent way to measure flour unless you have a kitchen scale which is even better. We always include weight measurements as well to double check, just click metric in the recipe card.
I loved this recipe!! It was delicious and super easy. Just a quick question, i feel that mine came out slightly more dense than I would like them. My dough wasn’t as wet as yours looked though it was still moist and easy to knead and roll. What could I do to make them more airy and melt in mouth?! Thanks 🙂
Hi Yamini, using too much flour will cause them to be denser and bread-like. Be sure to measure by fluffing the flour first with a spoon then spoon it into a dry ingredient measuring cup and scrape off the top. If you push your measuring cup into a flour bin, you will get up to 25% too much flour. Also, do not tap the flour down in the measuring cup.
I made them today for the first time but they turned out amazing, it’s a great recipe I’ll definitely make these again. Thanks
I’m glad you loved it, Elizabeth. Thank you for your great comments and feedback!
Hi Natasha. My daughter is asking for donuts and I want to give these a try today. Can I use a break maker to make the dough?
Hi Sandra, I honestly haven’t tried the dough in a bread maker, but I imagine it could work fine to put the mixture in on the dough setting and let it run through the full dough cycle. If you experiment, please let me know how it goes!
Love your recipes.
This sounds delicious.
What if I don’t have rapid rise yeast-can I use regular yeast?
Your lobster tails were the best-better than restaurant!
Hi Anne, I have always made these with instant yeast, but typically, when substituting with active dry, you would use 25% more active dry yeast and you would need to let it proof first in the warm milk for 7 minutes or so. Mix the other dry ingredients together in step 1 (except for the yeast). Add warm milk to a bowl and sprinkle the top with yeast and let that sit for 7 minutes then add remaining wet ingredients and whisk together per the recipe. Here is an article that helps with understanding the various types of yeast and how to substitute.
Just came across your recipe and can hardly wait to try it. I just finished making a batch of strawberry jam that would go perfectly! I do have one question though, can I do the kneading in my mixer or do you recommend only doing it by hand?
Hi Alana, I imagine that should work too.
Followed exact recipe and measurements but my dough came out really thick, the donuts ended up tasting more like bread.
Hi Jenn, Be sure to measure by fluffing the flour first with a spoon, then spoon it into a dry ingredient measuring cup and scrape it off the top. If you push your measuring cup into a flour bin, you will get up to 25% too much flour. Also, do not tap the flour down in the measuring cup. This post on measuring has all of our measuring tips.
Great info, thankyou! That mustve been the issue then. I’ll give it another go
Súper easy, huge hit!
Filled with lemon curd.
Will be making again.
When a crowd loves it, you know it’s good!
Love this recipe! And came out perfectly ❤️
That is awesoem! Thank you so much for your great comments, Kiki.
If I use salted butter (purchased by mistake) how much salt do I now add?
I haven’t tried making these with salted butter but that should work fine.
I’ve used many of your recipes. They all have been top notch and these donuts were the best! We opted to fill with the eclair creme and top with chocolate. My guys loved them so much! Can’t wait to actually do the jelly filled. Thanks for sharing this recipe.
You’re welcome, Jen! Thank you for sharing that awesome review with me!
Hello Natasha
Thank you I made the donuts today. Very tasty.
Would this recipe work with gluten free flour?
Thank you
Hello Clori, thanks for sharing. I haven’t tested that with gluten-free flour so I can’t advise. If you experiment, let me know how you liked the recipe.
Amazing recipe! Made these this morning and they came out DELICIOUS!
That’s so great, Andrea! Thank you for that wonderful feedback.
Can you refrigerate the dough to bake them the next day?
Hello Megan, I haven’t tested them as make-ahead donuts but being a yeast dough, that should technically work if you refrigerate it before baking. If I were to experiment with making them as overnight donuts, I would place the rounds onto a prepared baking sheet, cover them and refrigerate before the last rise. Let them puff/rise the next day at room temperature before baking.
Scrumptious! And easy to make. Thank you for a new favourite recipe. The only downside is that they are very ‘more-ish’ & we will get fat.
They are addicting! I’m glad you all enjoeyd this, Phyllis!
Thank you sooo much for this recipe, Natasha! You CAN substitute caster sugar for granulated sugar. Measurements were accurate and the outcome was delicious. Not too sweet not too bland. And it was sooo light and fluffy! I have been looking for a donut recipe for a long time; I have made other recipes and the donut was always too dense. This one was perfect!! This is my first time baking one of your recipes and it was amazing. Going to be following your recipes more often! I will definitely be making this recipe again. Ahh, I am licking my lips right now!!!
That’s just awesome, Beth! Thank you for sharing that excellent review with me!
Awesome donuts! Made them for my grandkids but my husband had to try them out.. I did get a bakers dozen!
Thank you,
Barb
THat’s so great! I’m happy you enjoyed this recipe.
Hello Natasha,👋👋👋
Is it possible to substitute caster sugar for granulated sugar ?I really want to bake some of your seemingly delicious Donuts in 2-3 days and I am not sure if I will be able to go to the shops and by granulated sugar by then😯
Hi Beth, I haven’t tested that substitution to advise on the outcome. If you happen to experiment, I would love to know how you like that.
Okay I was searching for a baked donut recipe for the longest time since I hate frying, and this is simply amazing! You can totally use a bread maker, just dump the liquids in, then the flour, then the yeast. The dough will be a little sticky, but a generous dusting of flour will remedy it right away! I rolled out the scraps and got 18 beautiful donuts which tasted exactly like fried ones without the oil, and they stayed fresh the next day too! A truly great recipe Natasha, thank you for this gem!
You’re welcome, Andrea! I’m so happy you enjoyed this recipe!
My baked donuts were too dense despite the fact that I measured accurately. My oven does not measure below 140F so I warmed the oven slightly for a few minutes then turned it off. The dough looked fine and doubled. They were still dense and the uneatable the next morning. I threw them out!😞
Hi Joanie, if the flour was measured correctly, it sounds like maybe they were over-proofed. If you proof at too high of heat, you can deactivate the yeast and also exhaust the yeast, causing them to be dry and and not rise properly. I hope that helps for next time.
Hi Joanie, if the flour was measured correctly, it sounds like maybe they were over-proofed. If you proof at too high of heat, you can deactivate the yeast and also exhaust the yeast, causing them to be dry and not rise properly. I hope that helps for next time.
I followed the instructions exactly, weighing the ingredients so as not to have too dense a doughnut. I used a glass jar instead of a cookie cutter and ended up with about twenty circles, so I stacked them on top of one another and let them rise that way. I ended up with thirteen. The glaze made them taste exactly like a glazed doughnut, and the eclair filling recipe made twice what I needed, but I put it in the fridge for later! The doughnuts were soft and pillowy, and the filling was decadent. I will definitely make them again!
Hello Tricia, thanks for sharing your experience making this recipe. I’m glad you enjoyed it!
Hi I made these yesterday and they turned out great! Except my filling (whip cream) kinda disappeared into the donuts
should I be filling them right away or let them cool before filling? Or is it just the whip cream with the heat causing it to melt/disappear thank you!!
Hi Megan, you do want to let them cool before filling if using whipped cream. Cold whipped cream will melt when it touches something warm.
Absolutely delicious and so easy to make! Better than any jelly donut I’ve eaten. Another great recipe! Thank you!
You’re welcome! I’m so happy you enjoyed it, Motria!
I am very happy with the donut very nice n fluffy. Thank you for the recipe ❤️
You’re welcome! I’m happy you enjoyed that, Aza!
Hi Natasha,
I’ve been trying different Donut recipes but haven’t found one yet that is light and fluffy and close to the ones you get at the Donut shop.
I followed your directions to the T. I measured the flour exactly as you suggested. Even with these measurements and the dough proofing, it still came out to sticky. I was hesitant to add more flour since previously when I tried that the donut came out too heavy.
This time I decided not to add more flour but instead leave it sticky. I carefully filled a piping bag and filled my donut molds. They came out better than the previous ones… much lighter.
Super tasty and such a hit at our house! Oddly though only about half of my donuts puffed up after 1.5 hours of proofing. Still super tasty and inside is fluffy, but some were on the flat side.
Thank you for sharing that with me, Kiki! I wonder what happened to half of the batch. Was it possibly something during the process that was impacting the outcome.
Hey Natasha, my name is Vinnie and I really enjoy your videos. One thing I notice on all cooking shows is the incredible waste of plastic wrap. We have cut down on the use of plastic wrap by using these reusable plastic thingies with elastic on the bottoms of them. It would be neat to see you using them. They come in all sizes and festive colors. Thank you for your time. Vinnie
Thanks for your feedback and suggestion, Vinnie. I’ll check that out.
Aloha, Natasha.
This recipe has caught my attention. I would like to fill these with pastry cream/cream custard and dust with powdered sugar which means they would need to be kept in the fridge. How do you think these will taste if they are kept cold? Do you think they will get hard?
Hi Ellen, you could keep these at room temperature until adding the cream. These taste the very best when they are freshly baked so I would bake, fill with cream and serve and then refrigerate leftovers. As with any donut or baked good, they will firm up when chilled.
I made these yesterday and like a lot of other comments, I too ended up with lovely jelly filled rolls with sugar in top. Probably added too much flour while trying to kneed it, but the dough is just too sticky to work with any other way.
Hi Mary, using too much flour will cause them to be denser and bread-like.
i tried this over 6 times. i used different flour, yeast, activation methods, proofing time, temperature, everything. did not work. the last try turned out more like a sad bread roll – and im usually quite good at baking.
Hi Rosa, I wonder if you are using too much flour? Check out our post on measuring flour.
Could the dough be made in a bread machine? I always have good luck with dough in it, but not doing it all by hand.
Hi Steph, I haven’t tested that but here is what one of our readers wrote: “I just made these modified to use my bread machine. I did not do steps 1 and 2 – just added ingredients in the order that works with my breadmaker. – used 300 grams of AP Flour (all at once) – let go on dough cycle – skip to step 5.” I hope that helps.
I’ve tried several of your recipes and they are always great! I followed this one to the T and measured exactly as you instructed and my donuts came out more like biscuits. I’m not sure where I went wrong since I didn’t miss any steps. 😥 I’m still a huge fan or yours!
Hi Sylvia, make sure you are using the same kind of flour and also, double-check that you are measuring ingredients the same way we do. I hope that helps!
Thank you for responding! I am determined to try again and hope they come out fluffy. I will let you know! I really love your approach in always trying to offer healthy options for even something so unhealthy as donuts! Keep it up!
Hi Sylvia, I made this mistake the first time too is I didn’t realize that yeast was alive and in order to keep it alive it should be refrigerated. You’ll know if your yeast is good if it bubbles and creates a foamy layer. If not you’ll end up with a dense biscuit texture. Just an FYI
I’ve tried several of your recipes and they are always great! I followed this one to the T and measured exactly as you instructed and my donuts came out more like biscuits. I’m not sure where I went wrong since I didn’t miss any steps. 😥 I’m still a huge fan or yours!
Hi Sylvia, I’m sorry to hear that. Maybe too much flour was used. Make sure to measure flour correctly and also use the same kind of flour.
THEY ARE SOOOO GOOD!
Thank you, glad you liked it!
They are so good
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Tracy!
Mine turned out dense. and dry. Is the recipe missing something? water perhaps? Only hydration appears to be from milk and butter.
The correct balance of wet to dry ingredients is critical in any dough recipe. Be sure to measure the ingredients correctly. Stir your flour with a spoon then spoon it into a dry ingredient measuring cup. Pushing a measuring cup into a flour bin can result in 25% more flour than is called for which will result in dense donuts.
Hi Natasha,
Thank you this recipe. These are so delicious.
Question: Can we double the recipe?
Hi Viktorija, I always make a single batch but that should work. It may need a longer rising and kneading time.
Super easy to make, just need to be patient with the proofing. Made them for the first time and they turned out delicious! Thank you!
You’re welcome! I’m so happy you enjoyed it, Danira!
These were super easy and taste delicious😋 I made some with jelly and some I filled with the eclair filling. Out of this world!!!
Yay so perfect! I’m very happy that you loved these donuts.
Donuts were fantastic the first day. By the second day they became very dense and heavy. Any pointers about storage? Should they be filled when you want to eat them? Any reheating hints?
Hi Ellen, if stored properly in the fridge, the donuts will be kept well for about 5 days. We recommend an airtight container to keep them from drying out.
I’m looking forward to making these. I have salted butter. Is that going to be a problem?
Thanks
Hi Brenda, I haven’t tried making these with salted butter but that should work fine.
Easy and delicious! Not frying means my health doesn’t have to suffer and my house doesn’t get to smell. This recipe will be a go-to from now on in my household. Mine were filled with my homemade lemon and tangerine jellies. Thanks!
Yes, definitely an advantage. I’m glad this is going to be your favorite donut recipe, Deanna!
I made these substituting water for milk, half the flour for whole wheat flour, and smart balance for the butter to make it healthier and also parve. I also included the whole egg for more protein (which of course results in a little more flour to create good consistency dough). They turned out great! I used this healthier version (identical recipe on epicurious) fried earlier this week and now baked them with this recipe and although fried is definitely much more heavenly (the baked one is more biscuit like), it satisfies the cravings.
Thank you for sharing that with us, Ariel! I’m glad you enjoyed this recipe!
Outstanding!!! As good or better than deep fried. Definite repeater.
Thank you for an awesome review, Jan. We appreciate it!
Hi Natasha,
What if you’re working with dry yeast instead of instant? Is there a way to incorporate that and how and when would that step fit into your recipe? Thanks so much for your help!
Hi Esther, I haven’t tested these with active dry yeast, but typically, when substituting with active dry, you would use 25% more active dry yeast and you would need to let it prove first in the warm 105˚F milk for 7 minutes or so. Mix the other dry ingredients together in step 1 (except for the yeast). Add warm milk to a bowl and sprinkle the top with yeast and let that sit for 7 minutes then add remaining wet ingredients and whisk together per the recipe. Here is an article that helps with understanding the various types of yeast and how to substitute
Made these today using cake flour. They came out perfectly fluffy and soft. We rolled them in cinnamon and sugar and did not end up filling them. The texture was too nice to ruin with a jam. I think I rolled the dough a little thinner as I got closer to 24 donuts but they were perfectly baked.
So great to hear that you got great results with this recipe. Thanks for sharing that with us!
I made it today and they turned out awesome. Instead of jelly I stuffed butter cream and Nutella. Thank you chef, these are the best donuts I have ever had😀
That’s just awesome! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review!
Hello! Just made these in honor of Hanukkah. Everyone devoured them! They were little bites of heaven. Yummy in the tummy deliciousness. I chose to skip stuffing them and instead offered lemon curd, applesauce, or Nutella on the side. A small scoop on the plate for dipping or smearing on was quick and easy. I will definitely make these again. Thanks for the recipe.
So nice to know that, Kimberlee. Thank you for your wonderful review and feedback!
Just made them today for Hanukkah – absolutely delicious! Everyone in the family raved about them. I’ve always been intimidated by complicated recipes for yeasted donuts. Thanks for this easy recipe and video – it was great to actually see what the dough should look like at each step.
Awesome! I’m so happy to read your good comments and feedback, Ann. Thank you for sharing!
Making these for Hanukkah….filled with lemon curd. Yummy!
Sounds delicious, enjoy!
Hi. I just made these today. and they did not rise. I put them on a baking sheet covered with a tea towel as per the recipe, and it was as if the towel flattened them. I don’t know what I did wrong.
Hi Jane, be sure to allow your dough to proof in a warm room (never more than 110˚F) or you will deactivate the yeast and the donuts will not rise properly. It sounds like maybe they needed more time to rise. It could also mean that the yeast could have been either expired or gotten deactivated by overheating during the rising stage. Also, consider if there could have been too much flour added – make sure you measure as we suggest in the post. I hope that helps to troubleshoot.
I find that adding the yeast to the warm milk with the sugar causes the yeast to bloom better. Then, add it to the flour mixture and it rises correctly every time. When I mix the yeast with the flour, sugar and salt, then add the warm liquid, it most often kills, or mostly kills, the yeast due to the salt. Hope this helps.
Can you make the dough a couple of days in advance and then bake them?
Hi Izzy, if stored properly in the fridge, the donuts will be kept well for about 5 days but I have not tried having the dough sit for that long. I worry it won’t have the same outcome.
Okay, I am making them for a Hanukkah party for school, and I should just make them the night before?
Hi Izzy, I haven’t tested them as make-ahead donuts but being a yeast dough, that should technically work if you refrigerate it before baking. If I were to experiment with making them as overnight donuts, I would place the rounds onto a prepared baking sheet, cover them and refrigerate before the last rise. Let them puff/rise the next day at room temperature before baking.
I made this recipe recently and I actually made it with 1 cup substitute of cake flour. It was so soft with just a hint of sweetness in the dough. Will definitely do it again.
Thank you so much for sharing that with me! I bet our readers will find this helpful!
Is there a substitute for milk as my daughter is lactose intolerant. I will replace the butter with margarine. This recipe looks amazing and I’m very anxious to make it.
You may use water instead of milk. Please let us know how you like that if you give that a try!
I made it with almond milk today – and they came out delicious! I empathize with your daughter… I am also lactose intolerant. Let me know if you find a good substitute for the butter!
Hi Natasha
I was wondering if you can fry them instead?
Hi Cally, you can; we like to bake it since it’s healthier (not deep-fried), the house doesn’t smell like deep frying, and the cleanup is nicer.
can you bake these instead of frying them?
These are baked donuts.
Have you ever tried air frying the donuts?
Hi Ann, I have not tried it in an Air Fryer to advise.
These donuts taste like sweet bread rolls. When you eat these warm, right out of the oven, they are soft and chewy, however, as soon as they cool to room temperature, they are not soft and chewy at all, they are more on the dense bread bun side as far as texture goes. I followed the directions per gram, and I also attempted 3 times with the same results. They tear apart like bread would and a bit dense for a donut. The flavor is actually very tasty though, it is not too sweet. If you plan on eating these fresh, I highly recommend. But, if you plan on baking in advanced, they don’t taste soft after they come to room temperature.
Hi Xithra, donuts are definitely best on the day they are made but we have still enjoyed them even into the second day with them being soft. I wonder if yours needed a little more time to proof? If you start at a colder room temperature, they would need more time.
Do these jelly donuts freeze well or is that not a good idea? Thanks!
Hello Denise, I haven’t tested that to advise one. If you experiment, let me know how you liked the recipe. Someone else also shared this “Due to a mix up in my day I had to freeze the dough after the first rise and cook the next day – truly wonderful.
Thank you!” I hope that helps.
I have been trying to find a choc walnut crunch bar dounut that is bakes do u have any ideas my mom and I have used a lot of ur receipts we just love them
Hi Aimee, thank you for that suggestion, I do not have a recipe like that at this tie.
These are so delicious! They came out perfect for Donut Friyay.
I use margarine all the time, it gives you a slightly different taste ,just use the same amount as if you where to use butter.
Thank you so much for sharing that with me!
Hi Natasha, can you freeze these?
Hi Carol, I haven’t tested that to advise one. If you experiment, let me know how you liked the recipe
Good morning from Alberta, Canada
What suggestions do you have if my stove will not heat below 170F?
Hi Tina, you might have to experiment, but I would preheat to 170˚F then turn the oven off. Put the bowl on a hot pad in the oven (so the bottom of the bowl doesn’t get too hot, then prop the door open with a wooden spoon. After it’s done rising, don’t forget to take the hotpad out of the oven.
Hi Natasha,
Can I use dry active yeast instead since I dont have quick yeast?
Hi NF, I haven’t tested these with active dry yeast, but typically, when substituting with active dry, you would use 25% more active dry yeast and you would need to let it prove first in the warm 105˚F milk for 7 minutes or so. Mix the other dry ingredients together in step 1 (except for the yeast). Add warm milk to a bowl and sprinkle the top with yeast and let that sit for 7 minutes then add remaining wet ingredients and whisk together per the recipe. Here is an article that helps with understanding the various types of yeast and how to substitute
Hi Natasha! will you please share fried donuts with chocolate glaze and chocolate filling…….thanks in advance…….Maryam
Thanks for your suggestion, Maryam. Hopefully, we can try to do this in the future.
YOU’RE WELCOME!
Hi, can margarine be used in place of butter?
Hi Crys, I have not tested that with margarine to advise but I imagine that should also work. If you do an experiment, please let me know how you like that.
Hi Natasha try your homemade donuts. Filled them with Apricot jam they were fantastic. I love all your recipes. They ate easy an quick. You are Fantastic. Thank You. Antionette Smith Jacksonville, Fl
Great idea with the apricots! Thank you so much for sharing that with me!
Beautiful..
Is there any substitution for egg yolk though?
Hi, I haven’t tested with anything else.
I tried this recipe several months ago, but I guess I’d done something incorrectly, because they came out very small and dense. However, I knew I wanted to try again sometime. I’ve been craving donuts lately, so I tried this recipe again yesterday… they are PERFECT! I can’t wait to keep making them and experiment with different jelly flavors.
I’m so glad that worked our Kelley! Thank you for sharing this great review with me!
ABSOLUTELY DELICIOUS! I will never ever eat a store-bought donut again! I have never tasted a donut as good and wholesome as this!
THat’s just awesome Henna! Sounds like you found a new favorite!
Easy to make, looks great, light and fluffy but They tasted a bit yeasty.. not sure if I did something wrong or if that is the norm. Any thoughts?
Hi Patti, I haven’t had that experience with yeast taste. I would be sure your ingredients are not expired. Was anything else possibly altered in the recipe or process?
Delicious! I’m so glad I found this recipe for BAKED donuts! I used active yeast and filled half with custard and the other half with raspberry preserves. I got 10 big and 10 mini donuts out of the written recipe. Next time will make the dough a day ahead so I can let them proof early the next morning and enjoy for breakfast!
Hello Becca, that sounds like a great plan! Thanks for giving this recipe a perfect rating, we appreciate you sharing your experience with us!
Hi Natasha,
I am looking forward to making these donuts. The only instant yeast that I have is Bread Machine instant yeast. Do you know if that should work.
Hi Heather, to be honest, I haven’t tested with that before. You may need to alter the recipe slightly based on the package instructions for the instant yeast.
Hi! Great recipe and super easy to follow!
May I just ask if I could substitute the melted butter with oil instead to make it even healthier? And would it be possible to fill the donuts with cheese before baking? If so, would it be advisable to fill it before the last proof or after the last proof?
Thank you, Pat. I have not tested that with oil to advise but I imagine that should also work. If you do experiment, please let me know how you like that.
Would anyone know the measurement of active yeast? I don’t have instant active yeast
Hi Lee, I haven’t tested these with active dry yeast, but typically, when substituting with active dry, you would use 25% more active dry yeast and you would need to let it prove first in the warm 105˚F milk for 7 minutes or so. Mix the other dry ingredients together in step 1 (except for the yeast). Add warm milk to a bowl and sprinkle the top with yeast and let that sit for 7 minutes then add remaining wet ingredients and whisk together per the recipe. Here is an article that helps with understanding the various types of yeast and how to substitute.
Hi Natasha, I love this recipe! Made it a couple of times already:) Can I make the dough the night before? If so, what is the process please?
Thanks!
Hi Rachel, I haven’t tested them as make-ahead donuts but being a yeast dough, that should technically work if you refrigerate it before baking. If I were to experiment with making them as overnight donuts, I would place the rounds onto a prepared baking sheet, cover them and refrigerate before the last rise. Let them puff/rise the next day at room temperature before baking.
Hi Natasha,
I just made these doughnuts, I made some adjustments to make them dairy free, I was worried they wouldn’t turn out. But they did! They taste amazing. I tried them without the jam filling and they where absolutely Devine. Thank you for sharing great recipes.
You’re welcome, Kristina! I’m so happy you enjoyed this recipe!
Hi, Natasha just want to clarify something. Is it 4tbsp butter or 3tbs butter? Your youtube recipe says 3tbsp. Just want to make sure. Hope you see this and reply to me. Thank you!
Hello! I suggest following the recipe which is 4 Tbsp unsalted butter melted, divided.
It’s 3 Tablespoons of butter IN the dough and 1 Tablespoon to brush ON top of the donuts when they are done baking.
Hi Natasha i am not able to get this recepie right
Hi Emily! I’m happy to troubleshoot! Can you provide some details of what you are experiencing? Was anything possibly altered in this recipe?
As a cook in my 60’s, and having spent a lifetime hating frying food, I just had to try these. They are amazing! Light, fluffy, exactly as I remember from childhood but without the calories or smell of the oil. Due to a mix up in my day I had to freeze the dough after the first rise and cook the next day – truly wonderful.
Thank you!
Fantastic! I am so glad you loved it, Mandy.
Hey! Can I cut a whole In the
Middle? You know like not whole donut
I haven’t tried that yet to advise but others commented and shared this “I used the dough recipe to make donuts with holes and covered with glaze. Yum yum yum!”
Thank you! Can I refrigerate the dough?
Hi Nuri, I haven’t tested them as make-ahead donuts but being a yeast dough, that should technically work if you refrigerate it before baking. If I were to experiment with making them as overnight donuts, I would place the rounds onto a prepared baking sheet, cover them and refrigerate before the last rise. Let them puff/rise the next day at room temperature before baking.
Hi there!
I’m just wondering if this recipe needs adjustment if I am baking from a high altitude
Hi Megan, I haven’t tried baking this yet from a high altitude but I hope this guide can help.
Hi Natasha,
Thanks for such a good recipe. I followed the instructions to the letter and the doughnuts were perfect. Even the cooking time was spot-on (10 minutes). Most online recipes I’ve tried have had to be tweaked in one way or another but not this one.
Perfect!
Correction: The cooking time should have been 10 minutes. My mistake!
That is so awesome to hear! Thank you so much for your kind words and excellent feedback, we appreciate it.
Hi Natasha.
We love your recipes❤️
Can I use a kitchenaid mixer to knead the dough?
Love from Canada!
Hello Victoria, I imagine that should work too.
These were AMAZING!! Wow, I had no idea they would taste so good and would be like biting into a pillow. I can’t wait to make them for others.
Sounds like you found a new favorite! Thank you for that amazing feedback!
Hello Natasha! Just the recipe I was looking for! Instead of regular white sugar for powdering the donuts with, can I use powdered sugar and do I still need to brush it with butter before powdering? Thanks!
Hi Christie! I bet the powder sugar will work great! If you experiment I would love to know how you like this! Also, one of our readers wrote in saying they used non melt powdered sugar, I’m curious if that will make the difference of needing to brush it with butter or not.
Hey Natasha
I want to make it eggless what substitute should i use
Pls let me know
Hi Navya, I have not tested that without eggs so I cannot advise. We do have this amazing Chocolate Cake Recipe that is eggless.
Hey Natasha
I want to make it eggless what substitute should i use
Haven’t tried any substitute for eggs yet, but I have an eggless Chocolate Cake if you want to try it.
hey
i want to make it eggless what to use ?
Hi Navya, I have not tested that without eggs so I cannot advise. We do have this amazing Chocolate Cake Recipe that is eggless.
hi Natasha! i tried your donuts and they were so soft i was like, ” whaaaaaaaat??!!” they’re so good! have u tried adding some nutmeg for a more doughnut-y flavor?
Thank you for sharing your good experience with us. I haven’t tried that yet but that’s a good idea. Let us know how it goes if you give it a try!
Hi Natasha..Greetings from Sri Lanka..Thank you for the amazing recipe and the result was absolutely delicious! I filled my donuts with strawberry custard and it was super!!
Hi Yasangi, YUM!! That’s just awesome! Thank you for sharing that with me!
Made these last night and they are incredible! Easy to follow recipe. Will be making again!! Thank you!
Thank you so much, Tina. I appreciate your awesome feedback!
Hi natasha!greetings from kenya huge fan of your easy recipes and very entertaining videos!had a question, been trying to search for a good no fail fried donuts recipe, something that gives you mouth melting soft donuts. I will give the baked ones a try today and I am sure they will be great!I however have been trying fried donut recipes and nothing ever gives me what I want. Kindly share a fried donut recipe if you got any.
Thank you for that suggestion Naheeda! We have only baked these particular donuts, but I suspect it would work well. If you test it out, please let me know how it goes.
Good recipe. The first time baking these, I used flour. Now I’d like to use a one-for-one flour substitute. We thought this might be a good recipe for dinner rolls if the sugar were cut back to just a speck (to feed the yeast.) Definitely better when fresh. Thank you for sharing!
You’re welcome Maryse! Thank you for sharing that with us!
I used the dough recipe to make donuts with holes and covered with glaze. Yum yum yum! Whole family loved them! Definitely coming back to these!!!
Awww that’s the best! Thank you so much for sharing that with me! I’m all smiles
Hi Natasha!
I’ve tried this recipe twice and both times they came out great! I haven’t been able to find instant yeast at the store so instead I used active dry yeast. All I changed was to put a little bit more yeast (2-4/5 tsp.) into the warm milk with an additional pinch of sugar and let that sit for about 10 minutes. Then I added that mixture into the dry ingredients and followed the rest of the recipe as written. Mine were done baking at exactly 10 minutes. I would recommend eating them while they are still warm because the next day they aren’t as soft and fluffy. But overall they were really delicious and would definitely make them many more times in the future.
Thank you for the wonderful review! I’m so happy you enjoyed that, Viridiana!
These donuts are absolutely brilliant! I had to add slightly more flour when kneading the dough but they were amazing. I filled half with strawberry jam and the other half with chocolate ganache.
I will definitely use this recipe again, and I honestly think these are nicer than deep fried donuts!
Yum! Thank you for sharing that awesome review with me Nina!
Hello! Would the recipe still work if I made holes in the donuts, with no filling? Also, can I do cinnamon sugar for the topping?
Yes, I imagine that should work although I haven’t really tried that yet. Please share with us how it goes if you do an experiment.
Hi Natasha,
Good day from Perth, Western Australia. I tried your recipe last night. It is a success. I’m quite impressed with the result. Not only my donuts are light & fluffy, they’re also not too sweet. Thank you for sharing.
Yay excellent! So great to hear that you loved the result of the donuts. Thanks for sharing that with us.
Can I use active dry yeast the same way as instant? or what should I do differently? Thank you!
Hi Penny, I haven’t tested these with active dry yeast, but typically, when substituting with active dry, you would use 25% more active dry yeast and you would need to let it prove first in the warm 105˚F milk for 7 minutes or so. Mix the other dry ingredients together in step 1 (except for the yeast). Add warm milk to a bowl and sprinkle the top with yeast and let that sit for 7 minutes then add remaining wet ingredients and whisk together per the recipe. Here is an article that helps with understanding the various types of yeast and how to substitute.
My 11 year old granddaughter mad these and everyone loves them. She even brought a sample to her great grandma living in the lodge. She was the queen of baking and she loved these! Can we multiply this recipe?
Aww that’s the best! Thank you so much for sharing that with me Jennifer! I’m so glad you enjoyed this recipe! Yes, you can definitely make more of this recipe.
Can you do any of these ahead of time? We want them for a celebration lunch tomorrow and worries I can’t do it all tomorrow morning. Thanks
Hi Melissa, if stored properly in the fridge, the donuts will be kept well for about 5 days
Hi Natasha, could I roll those filled donuts in powdered sugar and fill with Lemon? I love lemon…
I bet that could work! I’d love to know how you like it if you experiment!
Hi Natasha! I would love to try your recipe, just wondering whether I could fry those donut instead of baking?
Hi Anna, we have only baked these particular donuts, but I suspect it would work well. If you test it out, please let me know how it goes.
I tries this recipe twice!
The first time went smoothly!
The second time I made double the quantity, but the dough failed to rise to double its size.
Any advice?
Also is there anyway to keep them tasting fresh and soft (as in not dry) for a few days?
Hi Maryam, with a larger quantity of dough, it will take longer to rise so I would give it more time.
I used the base recipe for the donut but instead of jam, I filled with Holland Cream. I didn’t have regular milk on hand so I had to use evaporated milk. The donut was very tasty but definitely not soft and airy. It had some chew and was a tad dry. I weighed the flour and kneaded for 5 minutes as instructed. Could the evaporated milk have been the problem? I actually made them twice since the recipe left me with half the can of milk. The second batch I baked 1 minute less (9 min) and they were exactly the same. 24 dounuts in a house with only 2 people is not a good thing. Hope I can find some friends to take them off my hands! Thank you for such an easy to follow recipe. The video was super helpful! I’ll have to try again with regular milk 🙂
Hi Stacie, I would always recommend making a new recipe as written before making substitutions, and without tested this with evaporated milk, I can’t speak to that. I’m glad you enjoyed the recipe!
Hi made the donuts yesterday they tasted great but they are dry,i made them in a airfryer 5mins 180c i was hoping they would be fluffy please help ty
Hi Maxii, it should not be dry. I’m curious if that would happen using an air fryer but without testing that I cannot advise.
Hi Natasha ty for your reply i’m thinking that maybe i need to use a little less flour i will let you know how it goes.
Yes please update us with how it goes.
Hi Natasha i made some donuts today and they where light and fluffy, i used bread flour this time and it worked yay. airfryer for 10mins at 160 c ty for a great recipe
So wonderful to hear that yay! Thanks for sharing that with us.
Can I use gluten free cup for cup flour?
Hi Marie, I haven’t tested that with gluten-free flour so I can’t advise. If you experiment, let me know how you liked the recipe.
Anybody ever try with gluten free flour?
delicious
Thank you!
Can I let the dough sit overnight? How long will the donuts be good for?
Hi Whitney, I haven’t tested them as make-ahead donuts but being a yeast dough, that should technically work if you refrigerate it before baking. If I were to experiment with making them as overnight donuts, I would place the rounds onto a prepared baking sheet, cover them and refrigerate before the last rise. Let them puff/rise the next day at room temperature before baking.
I just did this lady night n it worked out great!
I just did this last night and it worked great!
Awesome. I’m glad you loved it!
I was going to ask the same question! I want to have them baked fresh in the morning,
but with so many other things to do for my breakfast guests, I was hoping I could try refrigerating before the final rise. Your recipes are ALL great! Thank you!
Could I substitute yeast for baking powder ? I’ve read that some recipes do use baking powder instead, just I can’t go to the shops right now for the yeast
Thanks X
Hi Vikki, baking powder and yeast work very differently in recipes and most of the time can’t be substituted without other modifications. I haven’t tested this through with baking powder so I won’t be able to give recommendations for that.
My husband loves lemon. Would you recommend using lemon curd?
I haven’t tried that yet to advise but I imagine that should be delicious too. Please share with us how it goes!
Can you make this with nutella filling?
Hello Summer, I haven’t personally tried that yet but I imagine that should work! If you do an experiment, please share with us how it goes.
Yes i will try this weekend. Your recipes are AMAZING. Im addicted to your blog and make at least 1-2 things every week. Thank you!!!
Aww! That’s the best! Thank you for that great feedback!
Hi Natasha
Can these be maked with half coconut oil and half butter?
Or all coconut oil?
I have only 2 tbps butter atm and cannot go to the grocery store atm.
Hi Felicia, I have not tested that with coconut flour to advise. If. you experiment, please let me know how you like that