Bavarian Cream Donuts Recipe: Soft Homemade Donuts with Custard Filling

Bavarian Cream Donuts Recipe

These Bavarian cream donuts are soft, fluffy, and filled with a rich homemade custard. A classic yeast dough meets a silky cream filling made with real vanilla and freshly whipped cream, so every bite tastes like a bakery favorite.

Serve them for breakfast, brunch, or dessert, and bring them out for special occasions or a slow weekend baking project. The recipe makes about 18 donuts and suits a deep fryer or an air fryer adaptation if that is the setup you have at home.

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Plan on roughly 2 hours 50 minutes from start to finish, though most of that time is hands off, spent letting the dough rise and the custard chill.

For best results, make the Bavarian cream the day before you plan to fry. A fully chilled custard folds more evenly and pipes far more cleanly.

Ingredients

This recipe has two parts, a custard cooked on the stove and a yeast dough that rises twice. Read both lists before you begin so the mixing and chilling stages line up without any last minute scrambling.

For the Bavarian Cream Filling:

• 3 egg yolks
• 1/4 cup (50 g) white sugar
• 1 cup (240 ml) whole milk
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/3 stick (38 g) butter
• 1 cup (240 ml) heavy cream

The filling is a cooked pastry cream that gets lightened with whipped cream at the very end. Let the butter sit out for a little while before you start so it blends into the hot custard smoothly instead of breaking it.

For the Donut Dough:

• 5 cups (600 g) all purpose flour
• 1/2 cup (100 g) white sugar, plus extra for coating
• 2 packs (14 g) active dry yeast, or instant yeast
• 1 cup (240 ml) whole milk
• 2 large eggs
• 2/3 stick (80 g) butter, melted
• 1 teaspoon salt
• Vegetable oil, for frying

Milk, eggs, and butter make this an enriched dough, and that is exactly what gives the finished donuts their tender, almost cakelike crumb. A kitchen scale is worth using here, because the amount of flour that fits in a cup can vary quite a bit from one baker to the next.

Instructions

The process runs in four stages, and the order matters. Make the cream first so it has time to chill completely while you mix, knead, and proof the dough. Set out your ingredients, clear a work surface, and keep a little extra flour within reach for shaping.

Make the Bavarian Cream (Prepare ahead)

1. In a bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the cornstarch and 2 tablespoons of the sugar.
2. Heat the remaining sugar, the milk, and the vanilla in a saucepan over medium low heat until warm.
3. Gradually pour the warm milk into the yolk mixture, whisking constantly.
4. Return the mixture to the saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring continuously, until it thickens.
5. Bring it to a boil for 1 minute, then remove it from the heat. Strain through a fine mesh sieve if needed.
6. Whisk in the butter, one tablespoon at a time.
7. Cover with plastic wrap touching the surface and refrigerate until fully chilled.

Pouring the warm milk in slowly while you whisk keeps the yolks from scrambling, which is the step most people worry about. Pressing the plastic wrap right against the surface stops a skin from forming on top of the custard. Give it several hours, or overnight, so it is genuinely cold before the whipped cream goes in.

Make the Donut Dough

1. Warm the milk to body temperature. Mix it with the yeast and 1 tablespoon of sugar. Let it sit 5 to 10 minutes until frothy. Skip this step if you are using instant yeast.
2. In a stand mixer, add the remaining sugar, the eggs, and the salt. Pour in the yeast mixture and stir.
3. Add the flour and mix on low speed until mostly combined.
4. Slowly drizzle in the melted butter with the mixer running. Increase to high speed and knead 3 to 5 minutes.
5. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead until smooth.
6. Shape it into a ball, place it in a greased bowl, cover, and let it rise until doubled, about 1 to 2 hours.
7. Punch down the dough. Roll it to 1/2 inch thick and cut rounds using a 2.5 to 3 inch cutter.
8. Place the rounds on a lined baking sheet, cover, and proof for 45 minutes or until puffy.

Drizzling the butter in slowly matters more than it sounds. If you pour it in all at once, the dough can slide around the bowl instead of coming together.

The dough is ready for shaping when it feels smooth and springs back gently under your fingers, and the cut rounds should look noticeably puffed before they go anywhere near the oil.

Fry the Donuts

1. Heat the oil, at least 2 to 3 inches deep, to 350°F (180°C).
2. Fry 2 to 3 donuts at a time for 1 to 2 minutes per side, until pale golden.
3. Transfer to a wire rack lined with paper towels. Roll in sugar while warm.

An instant read thermometer takes the guesswork out of this stage, and a steady temperature is what keeps the crust pale golden instead of dark.

Fry in small batches so the oil does not drop in heat, and turn the donuts gently with a slotted spoon or a spider. Rolling them in sugar while they are still warm helps the coating cling to every curve.

Fill the Donuts

1. Whip the heavy cream to stiff peaks. Fold it into the chilled pastry cream in two additions.
2. Poke a hole in each cooled donut with a chopstick or a straw.
3. Fill a piping bag with the cream and pipe it into each donut until full.

Folding the cream in two additions keeps the filling airy instead of deflating it. Move the piping tip around slightly inside each donut as you fill, and stop when the donut feels heavy and the cream just begins to show at the opening.

Filling them too early on a warm day can make the cream soften, so keep them cool until you are ready to serve.

Tips

Small details make the difference between a good donut and a bakery style one.

• Watch the oil closely. Some bakers hold it between 325°F and 340°F (165°C to 171°C) for a slower, more even fry that keeps the crust pale golden.
• Make the cream the day before. It needs to be fully cold before the whipped cream is folded in.
• Re roll the scraps only once. Working the dough again and again toughens it, and the texture will not stay light.
• Keep the cut rounds covered as they proof so their surface does not dry out and crack during frying.

A quick note on storage. These donuts are best eaten the same day they are fried. Unfilled donuts keep in an airtight container for up to two days. For longer storage, freeze the unfried dough rounds, then thaw them and let them rise before frying.

Variations and Substitutions

The base recipe is flexible, and a few simple swaps change the personality of the finished donut.

• Swap the vanilla extract for almond extract or orange blossom for a different aroma in the custard.
• Fill the donuts with jam or Nutella instead of Bavarian cream if you want a fruitier or chocolaty center.
• Use plant based milk and cream for a dairy free version of both the custard and the whipped filling.

One question that comes up often is whether these can be baked instead of fried. Baking changes the texture significantly, and this dough is at its best when fried.

If you change the filling instead, keep the same piping method and fill each donut until it feels heavy. Jam is looser than custard, so pipe a little more slowly and expect a slightly softer bite.

Serving Suggestions

These donuts are at their best shortly after they are filled. Dust them with powdered sugar and serve them the same day for the softest texture and the cleanest cream.

• Pair them with coffee or hot chocolate for a simple breakfast or an afternoon treat.
• Add a side of fresh fruit or a spoonful of jam for extra sweetness and a little contrast.
• Bring them to a brunch table as the dessert, or set them out on a platter for a celebration.

A plate of these next to a pot of coffee is my favorite way to end a weekend baking session. If you are serving a crowd, fill them just before they go out so the cream stays firm and the sugar coating stays crisp on the outside.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

The appeal here is the contrast. A light, fluffy dough wraps around a luscious cream center, and the combination of rich custard with a tender crumb is what makes these feel like a bakery style treat rather than a plain piece of fried dough.

• The dough is enriched and soft, so the donuts stay tender rather than bready.
• The filling is made from scratch with real vanilla and freshly whipped cream.
• They fit breakfast, brunch, or dessert, and they are worth the wait for a weekend project.

They also reward planning. Once the custard is chilling in the refrigerator and the dough is rising in its bowl, most of the work is already behind you, and the frying itself takes only a few minutes per batch.

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Bavarian Cream Donuts Recipe

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Bavarian Cream Donuts Recipe These Bavarian cream donuts are soft, fluffy, and filled with a rich homemade custard. A classic yeast dough meets a silky cream filling made with real vanilla and freshly whipped cream, so every bite tastes like a bakery favorite.

• Total Time: 170 min
• Yield: 18 1x

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

For the Bavarian Cream Filling
3 egg yolks
1/4 cup white sugar
1 cup whole milk
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/3 stick butter
1 cup heavy cream

For the Donut Dough
5 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup white sugar
2 packs active dry yeast, or instant yeast
1 cup whole milk
2 large eggs
2/3 stick butter, melted
1 teaspoon salt
Vegetable oil, for frying

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Instructions

Make the Bavarian Cream (Prepare ahead)
1-In a bowl, whisk egg yolks with: In a bowl, whisk egg yolks with cornstarch and 2 tablespoons of sugar.
2-Heat the remaining sugar, milk, and vanilla: Heat the remaining sugar, milk, and vanilla in a saucepan over medium-low heat until warm.
3-Gradually pour the warm milk into the: Gradually pour the warm milk into the yolk mixture, whisking constantly.
4-Return mixture to the saucepan and cook: Return mixture to the saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring continuously until it thickens.
5-Bring to a boil for 1 minute,: Bring to a boil for 1 minute, then remove from heat. Strain through a fine mesh sieve if needed.
6-Whisk in the butter, one tablespoon at: Whisk in the butter, one tablespoon at a time.
7-Cover with plastic wrap touching the surface: Cover with plastic wrap touching the surface and refrigerate until fully chilled.

Make the Donut Dough
8-Warm milk to body temperature: Warm milk to body temperature. Mix with yeast and 1 tablespoon sugar. Let sit 5-10 minutes until frothy (skip this step if using instant yeast).
9-In a stand mixer, add remaining sugar,: In a stand mixer, add remaining sugar, eggs, and salt. Pour in the yeast mixture and stir.
10-Add flour and mix on low speed: Add flour and mix on low speed until mostly combined.
11-Slowly drizzle in melted butter with mixer: Slowly drizzle in melted butter with mixer running. Increase to high speed and knead 3-5 minutes.
12-Turn out onto floured surface and knead: Turn out onto floured surface and knead until smooth.
13-Shape into a ball, place in a: Shape into a ball, place in a greased bowl, cover, and let rise until doubled (1-2 hours).
14-Punch down the dough: Punch down the dough. Roll to 1/2 inch thick and cut rounds using a 2.5-3 inch cutter.
15-Place on lined baking sheet, cover, and: Place on lined baking sheet, cover, and proof for 45 minutes or until puffy.

Fry the Donuts
16-Heat oil (at least 2-3 inches deep): Heat oil (at least 2-3 inches deep) to 350°F (180°C).
17-Fry 2-3 donuts at a time, 1-2: Fry 2-3 donuts at a time, 1-2 minutes per side, until pale golden.
18-Transfer to a wire rack lined with: Transfer to a wire rack lined with paper towels. Roll in sugar while warm.

Fill the Donuts
19-Whip heavy cream to stiff peaks: Whip heavy cream to stiff peaks. Fold into chilled pastry cream in two additions.
20-Poke a hole in each cooled donut: Poke a hole in each cooled donut with a chopstick or straw.
21-Fill a piping bag with cream and: Fill a piping bag with cream and pipe into each donut until full.

Last Step:

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• Prep Time: 0 min
• Cook Time: 20 min
• Method: stovetop