I don't usually dive into making doughnuts very often, but one afternoon when I wanted something sweet, quick, and without too much hassle, I returned to this recipe. It's one of those ideas that sounds more complicated than it actually is, especially since the jam is added directly to the dough before frying. You don’t even have to fill the hot doughnuts; everything is ready in one go. I started with a classic dough recipe and adapted the technique a bit based on what I found on a blog.
Quick Info
Total time: approximately 2 hours 30 minutes
Preparation time: 30-40 minutes (including kneading and shaping the doughnuts)
Rising time: 1 hour 30 minutes + 20 minutes (for the shaped doughnuts)
Frying time: 20-30 minutes
Servings: 30-35 doughnuts, depending on size
Difficulty: medium
Recipe type: classic homemade dessert, suitable for weekends or when you're in the mood for something sweet made at home
Ingredients
1 kg all-purpose flour
2 packets of dry yeast (14 g total)
8 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
vanilla extract (to taste)
4 eggs
400 ml milk
a pinch of salt
strawberry jam (enough for each doughnut)
powdered sugar for finishing
Preparation Method
1. First, warm the milk slightly, just enough to be lukewarm, not hot. In a small bowl, mix the dry yeast with a teaspoon of sugar, a teaspoon of flour, and about 50 ml of the warm milk. Stir to dissolve the yeast and let it sit for a few minutes until it starts to bubble up a bit.
2. In a large bowl, add the flour, lemon zest, cinnamon, the remaining sugar, vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt. Mix them together to distribute the flavors.
3. Beat the eggs separately with a fork or whisk and add them to the flour mixture.
4. When the yeast mixture has risen, add it to the bowl. Start kneading, gradually adding the remaining milk. I prefer to knead by hand; at first, the dough is quite sticky.
5. Continue kneading until the dough no longer sticks to your hands and becomes elastic. It took me about 5-7 minutes of vigorous kneading. If it's too sticky, sprinkle a little flour, but don’t overdo it, or the doughnuts will turn out too dense.
6. Cover the bowl with a clean towel and let the dough rise in a warm place. I leave it in the kitchen, away from drafts, for about 1 hour and a half or until it has doubled in size.
7. Once the dough has risen, turn it out onto a floured work surface. Take a piece and roll it out with a rolling pin to about 0.7-1 cm thick. Don’t roll it too thin.
8. Cut out circles with a glass or a cutter. On half of the circles, place about a teaspoon of strawberry jam. Be careful not to overfill them, or the jam will leak out while frying.
9. Brush the edges of these circles with a little milk (you can use your finger or a brush). Place another plain circle on top of each jam-filled circle and press the edges together to seal them well. If you want them to be even better sealed, you can gently press the edges with a fork.
10. Place the shaped doughnuts on a board or tray, cover them with a towel, and let them rise for another 20 minutes.
11. In the meantime, heat oil in a deep pot or skillet. The oil should be hot but not smoking.
12. Fry the doughnuts for a few minutes on each side until they turn golden. Don’t overcrowd the pan, as this will lower the oil temperature. Remove them immediately onto paper towels to drain the excess oil.
13. While they are still warm, dust them with powdered sugar.
14. Repeat the process until you finish all the dough.
Why I Make This Recipe Often
This is a recipe I return to because the dough is simple, it doesn’t require complicated ingredients, and the doughnuts come out fluffy with the jam filling already inside. There’s no extra work after frying. They are also good the next day if any are left.
Tips and Variations
Tips
If you want the jam not to leak out while frying, don’t overfill and seal the edges well.
The risen dough should be elastic but not tough for fluffy doughnuts.
If you don’t have a rolling pin, you can use your palm to flatten the dough, but it will be harder to achieve an even thickness.
Don’t cut the dough too thin; otherwise, the doughnuts won’t be airy.
Substitutions
You can use jam from other fruits, not just strawberries – apricot or plum jam works well if you don’t have anything else on hand.
If you don’t have dry yeast, you can also try using fresh yeast (the amount needs to be adjusted to about 40 g).
Variations
You can add a little orange zest to the dough if you want a different flavor.
If you don’t want cinnamon, you can leave it out, but it adds extra flavor.
The doughnuts can be rolled in granulated sugar immediately after frying if you prefer that over powdered sugar.
Serving Ideas
You can serve them plain, dusted with sugar, or with extra jam on top.
They also pair well with a glass of milk or coffee for breakfast or as a snack.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Why does the jam sometimes leak out of the doughnut while frying?
The most common reason is that the edges aren’t sealed well. Also, if you put too much jam, it’s harder to keep it inside.
2. Can I bake the doughnuts in the oven instead of frying them?
Not with this recipe. The dough is intended for frying and would dry out or become too dense in the oven.
3. What can I substitute for strawberry jam?
You can use any jam that isn’t too runny – apricot, plum, sour cherry, or even fruit spread.
4. Can I reduce the amount of sugar?
Yes, you can use less sugar in the dough if you prefer less sweet desserts. The doughnuts will still be sweet from the jam and powdered sugar at the end.
5. What should I do if the dough doesn’t rise?
Make sure the yeast isn’t expired and that the milk wasn’t too hot. Room temperature and avoiding drafts help a lot with rising.
Nutritional Values
An estimate for an average doughnut (with jam and powdered sugar):
Calories: 170-200 kcal
Carbohydrates: 30-35 g
Protein: 4-5 g
Fat: 4-6 g
Values may vary depending on how much jam you use and how much sugar remains on top. It’s not a diet dessert, but it’s fine for an occasional snack.
Storage and Reheating
The doughnuts are best on the day they are made. If there are any left, you can keep them for a day or two at room temperature, covered with a towel or in a cardboard box. If they harden, they can be briefly reheated in the microwave, but the texture won’t be as fluffy as at the beginning. I don’t recommend freezing or long-term storage, as the jam inside can make the dough soggy.
Quick Info
Total time: approximately 2 hours 30 minutes
Preparation time: 30-40 minutes (including kneading and shaping the doughnuts)
Rising time: 1 hour 30 minutes + 20 minutes (for the shaped doughnuts)
Frying time: 20-30 minutes
Servings: 30-35 doughnuts, depending on size
Difficulty: medium
Recipe type: classic homemade dessert, suitable for weekends or when you're in the mood for something sweet made at home
Ingredients
1 kg all-purpose flour
2 packets of dry yeast (14 g total)
8 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
vanilla extract (to taste)
4 eggs
400 ml milk
a pinch of salt
strawberry jam (enough for each doughnut)
powdered sugar for finishing
Preparation Method
1. First, warm the milk slightly, just enough to be lukewarm, not hot. In a small bowl, mix the dry yeast with a teaspoon of sugar, a teaspoon of flour, and about 50 ml of the warm milk. Stir to dissolve the yeast and let it sit for a few minutes until it starts to bubble up a bit.
2. In a large bowl, add the flour, lemon zest, cinnamon, the remaining sugar, vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt. Mix them together to distribute the flavors.
3. Beat the eggs separately with a fork or whisk and add them to the flour mixture.
4. When the yeast mixture has risen, add it to the bowl. Start kneading, gradually adding the remaining milk. I prefer to knead by hand; at first, the dough is quite sticky.
5. Continue kneading until the dough no longer sticks to your hands and becomes elastic. It took me about 5-7 minutes of vigorous kneading. If it's too sticky, sprinkle a little flour, but don’t overdo it, or the doughnuts will turn out too dense.
6. Cover the bowl with a clean towel and let the dough rise in a warm place. I leave it in the kitchen, away from drafts, for about 1 hour and a half or until it has doubled in size.
7. Once the dough has risen, turn it out onto a floured work surface. Take a piece and roll it out with a rolling pin to about 0.7-1 cm thick. Don’t roll it too thin.
8. Cut out circles with a glass or a cutter. On half of the circles, place about a teaspoon of strawberry jam. Be careful not to overfill them, or the jam will leak out while frying.
9. Brush the edges of these circles with a little milk (you can use your finger or a brush). Place another plain circle on top of each jam-filled circle and press the edges together to seal them well. If you want them to be even better sealed, you can gently press the edges with a fork.
10. Place the shaped doughnuts on a board or tray, cover them with a towel, and let them rise for another 20 minutes.
11. In the meantime, heat oil in a deep pot or skillet. The oil should be hot but not smoking.
12. Fry the doughnuts for a few minutes on each side until they turn golden. Don’t overcrowd the pan, as this will lower the oil temperature. Remove them immediately onto paper towels to drain the excess oil.
13. While they are still warm, dust them with powdered sugar.
14. Repeat the process until you finish all the dough.
Why I Make This Recipe Often
This is a recipe I return to because the dough is simple, it doesn’t require complicated ingredients, and the doughnuts come out fluffy with the jam filling already inside. There’s no extra work after frying. They are also good the next day if any are left.
Tips and Variations
Tips
If you want the jam not to leak out while frying, don’t overfill and seal the edges well.
The risen dough should be elastic but not tough for fluffy doughnuts.
If you don’t have a rolling pin, you can use your palm to flatten the dough, but it will be harder to achieve an even thickness.
Don’t cut the dough too thin; otherwise, the doughnuts won’t be airy.
Substitutions
You can use jam from other fruits, not just strawberries – apricot or plum jam works well if you don’t have anything else on hand.
If you don’t have dry yeast, you can also try using fresh yeast (the amount needs to be adjusted to about 40 g).
Variations
You can add a little orange zest to the dough if you want a different flavor.
If you don’t want cinnamon, you can leave it out, but it adds extra flavor.
The doughnuts can be rolled in granulated sugar immediately after frying if you prefer that over powdered sugar.
Serving Ideas
You can serve them plain, dusted with sugar, or with extra jam on top.
They also pair well with a glass of milk or coffee for breakfast or as a snack.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Why does the jam sometimes leak out of the doughnut while frying?
The most common reason is that the edges aren’t sealed well. Also, if you put too much jam, it’s harder to keep it inside.
2. Can I bake the doughnuts in the oven instead of frying them?
Not with this recipe. The dough is intended for frying and would dry out or become too dense in the oven.
3. What can I substitute for strawberry jam?
You can use any jam that isn’t too runny – apricot, plum, sour cherry, or even fruit spread.
4. Can I reduce the amount of sugar?
Yes, you can use less sugar in the dough if you prefer less sweet desserts. The doughnuts will still be sweet from the jam and powdered sugar at the end.
5. What should I do if the dough doesn’t rise?
Make sure the yeast isn’t expired and that the milk wasn’t too hot. Room temperature and avoiding drafts help a lot with rising.
Nutritional Values
An estimate for an average doughnut (with jam and powdered sugar):
Calories: 170-200 kcal
Carbohydrates: 30-35 g
Protein: 4-5 g
Fat: 4-6 g
Values may vary depending on how much jam you use and how much sugar remains on top. It’s not a diet dessert, but it’s fine for an occasional snack.
Storage and Reheating
The doughnuts are best on the day they are made. If there are any left, you can keep them for a day or two at room temperature, covered with a towel or in a cardboard box. If they harden, they can be briefly reheated in the microwave, but the texture won’t be as fluffy as at the beginning. I don’t recommend freezing or long-term storage, as the jam inside can make the dough soggy.