Bavarian cream donuts are soft, fluffy fried yeast donuts with a thick vanilla cream filling. They are just as delicious as any bakery donut and easy to make at home!
BAVARIAN CREAM VS. BOSTON CREAM DONUTS
Bavarian cream and boston cream donuts are both fried yeast donuts with a cream filling. The filling for bavarian cream donuts is made with vanilla pastry cream that's lightened up by folding with whipped cream. The filling for boston cream donuts is also pastry cream, but it isn't folded with whipped cream and it's usually thinner than the filling for bavarian cream donuts. The other main difference is that boston cream donuts have a chocolate frosting, while bavarian cream donuts are simply coated in sugar or powdered sugar.
INGREDIENT NOTES FOR BAVARIAN CREAM DONUTS
- Unsalted butter: Unsalted butter is best for making yeast doughs, since salt slows the activation of yeast.
- Whole milk: Whole milk makes the dough soft and rich, but any kind of milk or liquid will work.
- Granulated sugar: Sugar feeds the yeast to help activate it.
- Yeast: I prefer using active-dry yeast for making donuts, it's better for slow rising doughs and doughs with more than one rise time. Instant-dry yeast will also work if that's what you have or are comfortable with. Active-dry yeast needs to be 'activated' with warm liquid and sugar for about 5-10 minutes. Instant dry yeast is guaranteed active, it can be used in place of active-dry yeast but doesn't need to be activated.
- Eggs: 2 large eggs add flavor and enrichen the donut dough.
- Vanilla extract: For flavor.
- Flour: All-purpose flour is perfect for making donuts! For the best results add the flour gradually and add more as needed. I usually need about 5 cups of flour for these donuts.
- Salt: Add the salt after you've added some of the flour, that way it won't come in direct contact with the yeast.
- Ground nutmeg: Key for fresh bakery donut flavor!
- Oil: For frying. Any neutral-flavored oil with a light color will work such as vegetable, canola, or peanut oil.
BAVARIAN CREAM FILLING
- Butter: Salted or unsalted is fine.
- Whole milk: For a richer pastry cream you can also use half & half or any combination of milk and cream. I don't recommend using a low fat or non-dairy milk to make the pastry cream.
- Vanilla extract: Vanilla bean paste or seeds of a split vanilla bean will also work!
- Cornstarch: To thicken the pastry cream. Cornstarch works best, it's about twice as strong as flour so you don't need as much of it to get a thick pastry cream.
- Salt: Just a pinch to bring out flavor and cut down on sweetness.
- Egg yolks: Egg yolks help thicken the pastry cream. You will need 3 large egg yolks.
- Heavy whipping cream: Make sure it's very cold, otherwise it may curdle when you whip it.
- Powdered sugar: To make the whipped cream.
HOW TO MAKE BAVARIAN CREAM DONUTS
MAKE THE DONUTS
Activate the yeast: Add the unsalted butter to a medium bowl and microwave for about 30 seconds, or until soft and starting to melt. Add the whole milk and microwave in 15-second intervals until the temperature reaches 100-110°F on a digital instant read thermometer (about 45-60 seconds more). Whisk in the granulated sugar and active dry yeast. Let that sit for 5-10 minutes until bubbles form on the surface.
Transfer the mixture to a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer. Mix in the eggs, vanilla extract, half of the flour, salt, and ground nutmeg. Then add the rest of the flour and mix until the dough comes together.
Knead the dough: Knead the dough in the stand mixer with the dough hook attachment for about 5 minutes. It should be elastic, smooth, and bounce back when gently pressed in.
The dough for these donuts is very soft and slightly sticky, which makes it a lot easier to knead using a stand mixer. If you don't have one you can also knead the dough by hand.
To knead the dough by hand, turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Dust the palms of your hands with flour and knead the dough by pushing it away from you with the palm of your hand, then pulling it back towards you and pushing away again. Lightly dust your hands with more flour if needed, but try not to add any extra flour to the dough unless absolutely necessary. The dough will be very soft and slightly sticky.
First rise: Stretch the dough to shape it into a smooth ball and place it in a large bowl lightly greased with butter. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the dough rise for about 90 minutes, or until doubled in size.
*Note: If your house is chilly the dough can take several hours or more to double in size at room temperature. To speed up the rising process place the bowl in a warm area, such as a sunny spot near a window or next to a warm oven.
You can also let the dough rise, covered, overnight in the fridge. Take it out of the fridge and let the dough come to room temperature before continuing with the recipe.
Shape the dough: Punch the dough down to release the air. Divide it into 15 equal pieces and roll each into a round ball.
Use your hands to gently flatten each ball into a half-inch thick circle. Arrange the shaped dough on a baking mat or a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rise until puffed up slightly. About 60-90 minutes. Again, they will rise faster in a warm area, or you can let them rise overnight in the fridge. Take them out of the fridge and let the dough come to room temperature the next day before frying.
Fry the Donuts: Fill a large, heavy-bottom pot with oil, about 1-2 inches from the top of the pot. Heat the oil to 350°F. Use a deep-frying or candy thermometer for the best results. If the oil temperature is too low the donuts will absorb more oil and come out greasy. You also don't want the oil too hot or the donuts will burn on the outside before fully cooking in the center.
Working in batches of 2 or 3 at a time, fry the donuts for 5 minutes, flipping halfway. Remove from the oil and set on a wire rack to drain any excess oil.
Toss the donuts in a bowl of granulated sugar to coat.
MAKE THE BAVARIAN CREAM FILLING
The bavarian cream filling is made with vanilla pastry cream folded with whipped cream. The pastry cream needs to cool completely in the fridge after it's made, so make it first and a few hours or days in advance.
Vanilla pastry cream: In a large bowl, vigorously whisk the egg yolks, vanilla extract, and granulated sugar until well combined. The mixture should be fluffy and light pale yellow in color.
Add the butter to a medium saucepan and place over low heat to melt the butter.
In a medium bowl, whisk the whole milk, cornstarch, and salt. Add it to the pan with the melted butter. Cook over low heat, whisking frequently, until simmering and starting to thicken.
Pour the warm liquid into the bowl with the egg yolk mixture, whisking the yolk mixture constantly as you do. Add everything back into the saucepan and place the pan over medium-low heat.
Whisk the mixture frequently and bring to a boil. Once boiling, lower the heat and whisk constantly until thick.
Strain the pastry cream through a sieve and into a bowl. Don't skip this step! Straining gets rid of any possible lumps to make sure the pastry cream is silky smooth.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and press the plastic wrap onto the surface of the pastry cream to keep a skin from forming.
Let the pastry cream cool completely in the fridge for at least a couple of hours.
Whipped cream: Beat very cold heavy whipping cream and powdered sugar until fluffy and thick. Fold the whipped cream into the pastry cream before filling the donuts.
HOW TO FILL DONUTS WITH BAVARIAN CREAM
Add the bavarian cream to a large piping bag fitted with a long, round piping tip.
Use a chopstick, straw, or knife to poke a hole in the side of each donut. Wiggle it back and forth a little to make a pocket in the middle of the donut.
Insert the tip of the piping bag into the hole and gently squeeze to fill with the center with bavarian cream. You should be able to see the donut puff up as the cream gets piped in!
HOW TO STORE DONUTS
Donuts taste best the same day they're made. Without the filling they will stay fresh at room temperature, covered tightly, for 2 days. Once filled it's best to eat the donuts within 12 hours.
The donuts can also be frozen. For the best results freeze them without the filling and without coating in sugar. When ready to eat, reheat the frozen donuts in an oven or toaster oven until warm. Then toss with sugar to coat and add the bavarian cream filling.
📖 RECIPE
Bavarian Cream Donuts
Ingredients
Donuts:
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 cup whole milk
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 and ¼ teaspoons active-dry yeast, 1 standard packet
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 - 5 cups all-purpose flour*
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- vegetable oil, for frying
- granulated sugar, for coating the donuts
Bavarian Cream Filling:
Vanilla Pastry Cream:
- 3 large egg yolks
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- ¾ cup whole milk
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Whipped Cream:
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- ¼ cup powdered sugar
Instructions
Make the Donuts:
- Make the dough: Add the unsalted butter to a heat-safe bowl or liquid measuring cup and microwave for about 30 seconds. It should be soft and starting to melt.
- Add the whole milk and microwave in 15-second intervals until the temperature reaches 100-110°F on an instant read thermometer (about 45-60 seconds more).
- Mix in the granulated sugar and active-dry yeast. Let that sit for 5-10 minutes. The yeast should dissolve and there should be bubbles forming on the surface.
- Transfer the mixture to a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook attachment. Mix in the eggs and vanilla extract.
- Add half of the flour, salt, and ground nutmeg and mix until combined. Add the rest of the flour and mix until the dough comes together. Knead the dough by hand or in the stand mixer for about 5 minutes. The dough will be very soft and slightly sticky.
- First rise: Stretch the dough to form into a smooth ball and place it in a large bowl that has been lightly greased with butter. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the dough rise for 90 minutes or until doubled in size*. The dough will rise faster in a warm area, such as next to a window on a sunny day or near a warm oven. You can also let the dough rise overnight in the fridge. Take it out of the fridge and let the dough come to room temperature before continuing with the recipe.
- Shape the dough: Punch the dough down to release the air. Divide it into 15 equal pieces and roll each into a round ball.
- Use your hands to gently flatten each ball into a half-inch thick circle. Arrange the shaped dough on a baking mat or a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rise until puffed up slightly. About 60-90 minutes. Again, they will rise faster in a warm area, or you can let them rise overnight in the fridge. Take them out of the fridge and let the dough come to room temperature the next day before frying.
- Fill a large, heavy-bottom pot with oil, about 1-2 inches from the top of the pot. Heat the oil to 350°F. Use a deep-frying or candy thermometer for the best results. If the oil temperature is too low the donuts will absorb more oil and come out greasy. You also don't want the oil too hot or the donuts will burn on the outside before fully cooking in the center.
- Working in batches of 2 or 3 at a time, fry the donuts for 5 minutes, flipping halfway. Remove from the oil and set on a wire rack to drain any excess oil.
- Toss the donuts in a bowl of granulated sugar to coat.
Make the Bavarian Cream Filling:
- The bavarian cream filling is made with vanilla pastry cream folded with whipped cream. The pastry cream needs to cool completely in the fridge after it's made, so make it first and a few hours or days in advance.
- Vanilla pastry cream: In a large bowl, vigorously whisk the egg yolks, vanilla extract, and granulated sugar until well combined. The mixture should be fluffy and light pale yellow in color.
- Add the butter to a medium saucepan and place over low heat to melt the butter.
- In a medium bowl, whisk the whole milk, cornstarch, and salt. Add it to the pan with the melted butter. Cook over low heat, whisking frequently, until simmering and starting to thicken.
- Remove from heat and pour the warm liquid into the bowl with the egg yolk mixture, whisking the yolk mixture constantly as you do. Add everything back into the saucepan and place the pan over medium-low heat.
- Whisk the mixture frequently and bring to a boil. Once boiling, lower the heat and whisk constantly until thick.
- Strain the pastry cream through a sieve and into a bowl. Straining gets rid of any possible lumps to make sure the pastry cream is silky smooth.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and press the plastic wrap onto the surface of the pastry cream to keep a skin from forming. Place it in the fridge to cool completely for a couple of hours, or up to 2 days.
- Whipped cream: Beat very cold heavy whipping cream and powdered sugar until fluffy and thick. Fold the whipped cream into the pastry cream before filling the donuts.
- Fill the donuts: Use a chopstick, knife, or straw to poke a hole in the side of each donut. Wiggle it back and forth to make a pocket in the middle.
- Add the bavarian cream to a large piping bag fitted with a long, round piping tip. Insert the tip of the piping bag into the hole of the donut and gently squeeze the bag to fill with bavarian cream. You should be able to see the donut puff up as the cream gets piped in.
Minhoo Lee
Is the milk lukewarm or just room temperature?
Molly Walcome
Lukewarm. It should be between 90-110°F to activate the yeast.