Bavarian cream donut is soft and fluffy donut with mouth-watering cream inside. Want to know how to make the best Bavarian cream donuts?
My German friend Sabina from Osnabruck gave her grandma’s doughnut recipe. I must admit, this recipe is the best of all previous ones. It’s going to blow you away, it’s so simple. This Bavarian-filled donut melts in the mouth.
For those of you unfamiliar with Bavarian cream-filled donuts I’m about to tell you everything in detail. Let’s discuss the Bavarian cream doughnut, its ingredients and origin. So let’s get to it.
What is a Bavarian cream donut?
This donut is a yeast shell with Bavarian Kreme filling. It is fried and then coated with powdered sugar. At the very end, before serving, the donut is filled with Bavarian cream. Bavarian cream is made of milk, vanilla, eggs, sugar, cornstarch, butter, and whipped heavy cream.
Why you’ll love these donuts
- It is delicious
- It will please your sweet tooth
- You can make it for your family or friends
- It’s fluffy and perfect for a tea break
- Doughnuts with filling taste the best
- It’s perfect for birthday parties
- It’s a way cheaper and healthier option than store-bought doughnuts
What is Bavarian cream donut filling made of?
Originally, Bavarian cream donut filling was made of milk, sugar, heavy cream, and gelatin. The original filling resembles Italian Panna Cotta because of its similar ingredients and texture.
My Bavarian cream donut is filled with vanilla pastry cream that has been mixed with whipped cream.
I’m not using gelatin, so I don’t have to chill it overnight. That saves some time.
What is the difference between Bavarian cream and custard donuts?
Bavarian cream comes with a heavy cream, sugar, vanilla, and gelatin mixture. Custard uses egg yolks, milk, cornstarch, and butter.
Bavarian cream is white with a hint of yellow. It is chilled overnight to get it to gel. Vanilla custard is light yellow because of the egg yolks. Cornstarch thickens it up.
To stay closer to the original Bavarian cream recipe, stir whipped cream into vanilla custard and mix everything.
Ingredients
You’ll find the full recipe and detailed ingredients on the recipe card. Here’s what you’ll need:
- All-purpose flour for the dough. I use spelt flour as I consider it a healthier choice.
- Milk – I should say there is no difference in what type of milk you use. As I’m trying to avoid lactose, I use oat milk. It works perfectly.
- Dry yeast. You can use what you have on hand or what you used to work with. Remember, too-hot milk kills yeast microorganisms. Use warm milk and sugar to wake them up.
- Salt – make sure the butter is not salty. If the butter is salted, omit the salt.
- Sugar – I use raw cane sugar.
- Eggs – I recommend free range eggs. Studies showed that pastured free-range eggs tested from farms across the country contained three to six times more Vitamin D than conventional supermarket eggs.
- Butter creates a rich aftertaste. Use what you have on hand and like. I used vegan butter. Turned out perfectly. You can make dairy-free Bavarian cream doughnuts if you want to.
- Vegetable oil – make sure it has a neutral taste.
- Vanilla extract or ground vanilla bean. Vanilla adds a nice extra touch.
- Corn starch will thicken the custard. Do not use yellow cornflour. Use white cornstarch.
- Whipped cream – for the filling.
Kitchen equipment you may need
- Stand mixer or hand blender with the whisk attachment
- Ladle strainer
- Mixing bowl
- Saucepan
- Piping bag with cream puff piping nozzle
- Wooden spoon
- Paper towels
- Balloon whisk
How to make Bavarian cream donuts
1. Activate the yeast. Heat the milk until warm. Make sure it is not too hot. Heat kills yeast microorganisms. Donuts won’t rise if you use hot milk.
Pour warm milk into a large bowl, add sugar and yeast.
Mix everything together. Leave it to sit for five minutes. When the yeast foams, it means it has activated and you can move on to the next step.
2. Make the dough. Melt butter. In the meantime, beat the eggs. Add the cooled melted butter, then the beaten eggs to the yeast mixture. Make sure the butter is not too hot, otherwise, you will cook the eggs. You don’t want scrambled eggs. Stir until combined.
3. Kneading. Gradually add the flour and mix until you get a smooth and sticky dough. It should be really sticky. You can use an electric mixer or a wooden spoon.
4. Let it rise. Oil a large bowl and add the dough. Cover the bowl top with plastic wrap and transfer to the fridge. Leave overnight or for at least 2 hours.
5. Make the donuts. In the morning the dough won’t be sticky. Divide the dough into 18 pieces and form flat balls. Cut 3.5×3.5 inch squares of parchment paper and place them on your counter. Cover squares with oil and place dough balls. Make sure you leave enough space between them so they will not stick together as they rise.
6. Second rise. Leave them for 2 hours. The donuts should double in size. Room temperature should be 75°F/24°C.
7. Fry. Heat the oil, gently lift the paper square with the donut and drop the donut into the oil. Remove the paper at a time. It won’t be sticky since you greased it with oil. Fry the donuts for 4 minutes. Turn over after half the time. You can do this in a skillet or saucepan.
8. Transfer the donuts to a plate lined with kitchen paper to absorb excess oil. After frying shake them in a bag of powdered sugar.
9. Make the Bavarian cream. Fill the cooled donuts.
How to make the Bavarian cream
1. Pour milk and vanilla into the pot and heat it up.
2. Whisk the egg, yolks, sugar, and cornstarch together. Beat with an electric whisk until the mixture thickens and turns pale white. Slowly pour the boiled milk into the egg mixture stirring constantly.
3. Return the mass to the pot. Keep the heat low. Keep whisking with a hand whisk until the cream thickens, about 3-4 minutes. Turn off the heat.
4. Add butter, let it melt in. Mix everything. Pour the cream into a dry bowl. Cover the custard bowl with plastic wrap. Set aside and let it cool.
Now you have two choices.
1) Use vanilla custard as a filling.
2) Mix vanilla custard 1:1 with whipped cream. Whip up 1/2 cup (122g) of heavy cream and fold in the pastry cream. You will get a completely different taste and texture. Vanilla custard mixed with heavy cream is whiter, creamier, and way richer than the original Bavarian custard version. (It is made of heavy cream, vanilla, and gelatin.)
I suggest you taste them and decide which one you like better.
Vanilla custard
5. Fill the donuts. Cut a small slit on the donut side. Insert a chopstick and press it inside to create a cavity for the filling. Place the piping nozzle in the slit roughly in the center. Squeeze in your filling until you feel the piping bag pushed back.
6. Serve immediately. Decorate with whipped cream flowers on top. Bavarian cream donuts are best right after making.
Donuts filled with vanilla custard mixed 1:1 with whipped cream + whipped cream flowers on top
Filling variations
Can I use another filling?
Of course, you can. You can fill your donuts with the whatever you like.
Whipped cream and mascarpone filling. Whip heavy cream with sugar and vanilla, gently fold in the mascarpone and fill the donuts.
Jelly filling. Fill with your favorite jelly.
Chocolate glaze. If you want a chocolate glaze on top check out my vegan ganache recipe.
You may like these too:
Tips and Notes
- Frying donuts should be a slow process. The oil shouldn’t be very hot. The opposite of what we do when frying donuts with holes. If you fry Bavarian cream donuts at a high temperature, they may not be cooked inside.
- It’s best to eat Bavarian cream donuts right after frying. I mean the day you made them.
- Be careful not to add too much flour to the dough. It’ll make your doughnuts dense and dry.
- You won’t believe it, but I made buns for breakfast using this Bavarian cream donut dough. Bake the risen dough balls in the oven for 15 minutes at 360° F/180°C.
Buns made of Bavarian cream donut dough
Frequently Asked Questions
What is in Dunkin Donut Bavarian cream?
Dunkin Donut’s Bavarian cream filling is made of French custard and whipped cream mixed together. It’s also known as “Diplomat Cream ”. Whipped cream gives it a lighter and whiter texture but it still tastes like vanilla custard.
Do donuts with Bavarian cream filling need to be refrigerated?
The Bavarian cream filling can go bad because it is made of eggs, milk, and heavy cream. It’s best to refrigerate filled doughnuts in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
The doughnuts dry up over time. It is best to make and consume the same day. Divide the recipe in half, or bake the breakfast buns if you think you’ll have leftovers.
Can I make these ahead of time?
Make them 4-5 hours before serving. Or you can make the donuts and Bavarian cream the day before. Store the donuts in an airtight container at room temperature, and the custard in the refrigerator. Place the doughnuts in a microwave and heat them for 20-30 seconds. Fill them before serving.
Another option is to leave the dough overnight in a covered bowl. The next day, form balls, leave them to rise, then fry. Fill with custard you made ahead of time.
Can I make vegan Bavarian cream doughnuts?
You can make Bavarian cream doughnuts vegan by substituting the eggs for aquafaba (the water from a can of chickpeas, 3 tbs per egg) and butter for Nutelex.
Replace milk with oat milk and butter with vegan butter.
What do Bavarian cream donuts taste like?
An original Bavarian cream donut filling made of whipped cream and gelatin. It tastes like Panna Cotta. I fill them with vanilla custard, mixed 1:1 with whipped cream. The texture is so light it feels like heaven.
It’s all up to you which filling version you’ll use. Try and decide which one you like better.
What makes Bavarian cream different?
Bavarian cream is a custard thickened with gelatin. While its cousin vanilla custard is stiffened with eggs, butter, and cornstarch/flour.
In closing about the Bavarian cream donut
Why is it called Bavarian cream doughnuts? Bavaria is the largest state in Germany by land area. It has well-hydrated alpine meadows that Bavarians use to produce large quantities of quality milk.
Germans produce the finest cheese, yogurt, and butter. This could explain why Bavarian cream doughnuts are named after a German region.
Have you heard about the Bavarian Royalty – Wittelsbach’s dynasty? I firmly believe this family has left its mark on haute cuisine history. It is said that French chef Marie-Antoine created Bavarian cream. I would say the real recipe creators are lost in history.
Many people think of Germany as a country that produces high-quality cars, but it is much more than just good cars. Bavaria is one of the best places on the planet. Bavaria’s castles and cozy towns are surrounded by mountains, rivers, and lakes.
Fun fact. Bavarians consider themselves “Bavarians” first, “Germans” second.
I hope you liked my Bavarian cream donut recipe. If you find this Bavarian cream donut recipe good, please consider sharing it with others to enjoy. Thanks for stopping by.
1. Activate the yeast. Heat the milk until warm. Make sure it is not too hot. Heat kills yeast microorganisms. Donuts won't rise if you use hot milk. Pour warm milk into a large bowl, add sugar and yeast. Mix everything together. Leave it to sit for five minutes. When the yeast foams, it means it has activated and you can move on to the next step. 2. Make the dough. Melt butter. In the meantime, beat the eggs. Add the cooled melted butter, then the beaten eggs to the yeast mixture. Make sure the butter is not too hot, otherwise, you will cook the eggs. You don't want scrambled eggs. Stir until combined. 3. Kneading. Gradually add the flour and mix until you get a smooth and sticky dough. It should be really sticky. You can use an electric mixer or a wooden spoon. 4. Let it rise. Grease a large bowl and add the dough. Cover the bowl top with plastic wrap and transfer to the fridge. Leave overnight or for at least 2 hours. 5. Make the donuts. In the morning the dough won't be sticky. Divide the dough into 18 pieces and form flat balls. Cut 3.5x3.5 inch squares of parchment paper and place them on your counter. Cover squares with oil and place dough balls. Make sure you leave enough space between them so they will not stick together as they rise. 6. Second rise. Leave them for 2 hours. The donuts should double in size. Room temperature should be 75°F/24°C. 7. Fry. Heat the oil, gently lift the paper square with the donut and drop the donut into the oil. Remove the paper at a time. It won't be sticky since you greased it with oil. Fry the donuts for 4 minutes. Turn over after half the time. You can do this in a skillet or saucepan. 8. Transfer the donuts to a plate lined with kitchen paper to absorb excess oil. After frying shake them in a bag of powdered sugar to finish them off. 9. Make the Bavarian filling. Fill the cooled donuts with Bavarian cream or jam. 1. Pour milk and vanilla into the pot and heat it up. 2. Whisk the egg, yolks, sugar, and cornstarch together. Beat with an electric whisk until the mixture thickens and turns pale white. Slowly pour the boiled milk into the egg mixture stirring constantly. 3. Return the mass to the pot. Keep the heat low. Keep whisking with a hand whisk until the cream thickens, about 3-4 minutes. Turn off the heat. 4. Add butter, let it melt in. Mix everything. Pour the cream into a dry bowl. Cover the Bavarian cream bowl with plastic wrap. Set aside and let it cool. Now you have two choices. 1) Use vanilla custard as a filling. 2) Mix vanilla custard 1:1 with whipped cream. Whip up 1/2 cup (122g) of heavy cream and fold in the pastry cream. You will get a completely different taste and texture. Vanilla custard mixed with heavy cream is whiter, creamier, and way richer than the original Bavarian custard version. (It is made of heavy cream, vanilla, and gelatin.) I suggest you taste them and decide which one you like better. 5. Cut a small slit on the donut side. Insert a chopstick and press it inside to create a cavity for the filling. Place the piping nozzle in the slit roughly in the center. Squeeze in your filling until you feel the piping bag pushed back. 6. Serve immediately. Bavarian cream donuts are best right after making.
Ingredients
Instructions
How to make Bavarian cream donuts
How to make the Bavarian filling