Baked Jelly Filled Donuts Recipe
Baked jelly filled donuts are easy to make at home. This recipe makes a fluffy donut that is as good as any donut you get at a bakery!
Jelly filled donuts are delicious when made from scratch. I prefer using yeast and then baking the donuts to achieve the ultimate texture so they taste like they come straight from a bakery. They turn out fluffy and sweet every time! Brush the donuts in butter, roll them in sugar and fill with your favorite kind of jam. What’s not to like?
Why this recipe works: The recipe yields soft, pillow-y donuts. Instant yeast makes rising time easy and reliable. The donuts are baked in the oven, which is easier than frying them in oil.
Step by step instructions
- Combine ingredients: Whisk together milk, sugar and yeast. Let it sit for 5 minutes. Add melted butter, egg yolks and vanilla and mix until combined. Finally, stir in flour, salt and nutmeg.
- Knead the dough: Use a dough hook to knead dough in a stand mixer for 5 minutes. Transfer to lightly floured surface and knead by hand for 2 minutes.
- Let dough rise: Place dough in bowl and cover it. Let dough rise for 1 hour.
- Shape donuts: Roll dough until ½-inch thick. Use a 3-inch biscuit cutter to cut the donuts. Place them on a parchment lined baking sheet, cover and let them rest 10 minutes.
- Bake the donuts: Preheat the oven to 375 F while the donuts rest. Uncover the donuts and bake for 10 minutes.
- Butter, sugar and add jelly: Brush melted butter over warm donuts, roll in sugar and use a pastry bag to fill with jelly.
I own a piping bag and a filling tip, which is elongated for filling desserts with jelly, custard, chocolate and more! Get it here.
Frequently Asked Questions
My dough isn’t rising. What happened? It sounds like your yeast is expired or inactive. The mixture should have foamed up during the first 5 minute rest.
My dough is too stiff (not pillow-y). How do I fix it? This can happen if you are baking in a dry climate or high altitude. Add a little more warm milk, 1 tablespoon at a time while you are kneading the dough.
My dough is wet and not pulling away from the sides of the bowl. What do I do? Add more flour one tablespoon at a time while kneading the dough until it does comes together.
How do you store donuts? Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Can you make donuts ahead of time? Yes, there are a few options. After kneading the dough, place it in the bowl covered with plastic wrap and let the dough rise in the refrigerator overnight. If it hasn’t risen fully by morning, keep it at room temperature for 30 minutes or until doubled in size. Another option is to wrap and freeze the individual donuts before baking. Freeze for up to 1 month and defrosting in the refrigerator before bringing to room temperature and baking.
Related Recipes
- Baked birthday donuts taste like funfetti cake topped with donut glaze!
- Guinness chocolate donuts are made with stout beer and topped with Irish cream glaze.
- Apple cider donuts covered with cinnamon sugar are a seasonal favorite.
- Glazed donuts – Eitan Bernath blog
These jelly-filled donuts are simply delicious. You can control how sweet they are with how much sugar you use on the outside and by your choice of jam! I love Trader Joe’s naturally low sugar raspberry preserves. I use it in my raspberry oatmeal bars too.
What’s your favorite type of jelly to put inside of donuts? Let me see on social media by tagging @ifyougiveablondeakitchen.
Get the Recipe: Jelly Filled Donuts
Ingredients
- ⅔ cup (166 mL) warm milk (about 110˚F)
- ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar
- 2 ¼ teaspoons instant yeast, (1 packet = 7 grams)
- 4 Tablespoons (56 g) unsalted butter, melted
- 2 egg yolks, room temperature
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 ½ cups (312 g) all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- Pinch of nutmeg
- 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted (to brush donuts)
- ⅓ cup (66 g) granulated sugar , (to roll donuts)
- ⅓ cup jelly or jam, no large fruit pieces
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk together warm milk, ¼ cup sugar and instant yeast. Cover and let sit 5 minutes (it should foam up). Add melted butter, egg yolks and vanilla. Whisk until combined.
- Add flour, salt and nutmeg. If using a stand mixer, attach dough hook and mix/knead on medium speed until the dough pulls away from the sides. Then transfer to a lightly floured work surface and knead 2 minutes by hand. The dough should be soft and pillow-like. See notes for make donuts by hand.
- Place dough back into the bowl and cover it with a clean kitchen cloth or plastic wrap. Let dough rise for 1 hour or until doubled in size.
- Punch the dough down and transfer to a lightly floured work surface. Roll the dough until it’s about ½-inch thick. Use a 3-inch round biscuit cutter or cookie cutter to cut the dough into circles. Place them on a parchment-lined cookie sheet 2 inches apart. Cover with clean kitchen towel and let them rest for 10 minutes.
- While the donuts are resting, preheat the oven to 375 F. Bake the donuts for 10 minutes or until light golden on the tops.
- Immediately brush the doughnuts with melted butter, roll in sugar and fill with jelly. I like to use a piping bag and this elongated tip to fill the donuts with jelly. Serve while still warm.
