Boston creme donuts start with pillowy, warm dough filled with silky vanilla cream and coated in shiny chocolate. I love how the dough smells slightly sweet while frying into golden rounds.
This recipe addresses issues of dense, greasy donuts, uneven filling, and lack of desired texture, ensuring a satisfying homemade treat.
I used to end up with dense donuts that turned greasy. This easy boston creme recipe helps avoid dough that spreads too much or cream that leaks. It solves soggy centers and flat tops so I can enjoy each one.
I’ve let the dough rest for an hour (I got distracted by my kids’ homework) then chill the filling about 2 hours. Quick tip: brush the chocolate while donuts are warm so the glaze sets fast. I was thrilled when after 1 minute per side they stayed soft.
If you want another warm breakfast sweet, try my Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookies.
Table of contents
Dietary Considerations
- The recipe is not gluten-free due to bread flour and all-purpose flour.
- The recipe contains eggs and butter, so it is unsuitable for vegan diets.
- The recipe suits dairy-free diets only when using 1/3 cup coconut oil instead of butter and 1 cup coconut milk instead of whole milk.
- The recipe does not meet keto or low-carb diets due to high carbohydrate content from flour and sugar.
- The recipe is vegetarian and nut-free.
Why You Will Love This Recipe
- Long-lasting softness: I use the tangzhong starter so my boston creme donuts stay really pillow-soft up to 48 hours when sealed airtight.
- Stable vanilla filling: I thickened the pastry cream with cornstarch, letting me pipe a neat 1.5-ounce center into each boston creme donut without mess.
- Mirror glaze shine: I whisk a cream and corn syrup blend, then dip boston creme donuts in dark chocolate for a glossy finish in under two minutes.
- Flexible overnight proof: I chill the dough up to 12 hours, then shape and fry boston creme donuts in about 30 minutes the next morning with no fuss.
Boston Creme Donuts for Breakfast
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cool Time: 2 hours
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 2 hours 50 minutes
- Yield: 12 donuts 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
Boston creme donuts start with pillowy, warm dough filled with silky vanilla cream and coated in shiny chocolate.
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp bread flour
- ½ cup water
- 1 cup milk (110°F)
- 2¼ tsp active dry yeast
- 2 cups bread flour
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter, melted and cooled
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil (for greasing)
- 2 cups whole milk
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ½ cup sugar
- 3 tbsp cornstarch
- 4 large egg yolks
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter, cubed
- 1 tbsp vanilla bean paste
- 4 oz dark chocolate, chopped
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- 2 tbsp corn syrup
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter
- 3–4 cups canola oil
Instructions
- In a small saucepan, combine 3 tablespoons of bread flour with ½ cup water. Whisk until the mixture is smooth, with no lumps. Cook over medium heat, constantly whisking until it thickens into a paste, about 1–2 minutes. Transfer to a bowl, cover, and allow it to cool to room temperature. This step keeps the donuts tender and moist.
- In a small bowl, mix 1 cup of milk warmed to 110°F with 2¼ teaspoons of active dry yeast and a pinch of sugar. Let the mixture stand for about 5–7 minutes until it becomes foamy. The foamy appearance indicates that your yeast is active and ready to use.
- In a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, combine the cooled tangzhong, activated yeast mixture, 2 cups of bread flour, 1 cup of all-purpose flour, ¼ cup of sugar, 2 large eggs, and 4 tablespoons of melted butter. Start mixing on low speed until the ingredients come together to form a shaggy dough. Then, add 1 teaspoon of salt and increase the speed to medium, mixing for 6–8 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic. It should feel slightly tacky but not sticky.
- Lightly grease a large bowl with 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil, place the dough inside, and turn it to coat with oil. Cover and let it rise in a warm spot until it doubles in size, about 60 minutes. If you prefer, you can cover and refrigerate it overnight for a deeper flavor. Allow the dough to come back to room temperature before shaping.
- Turn the risen dough out onto a lightly floured surface and roll it to about ½ inch thick. Cut out 3-inch rounds and place them on parchment-lined trays, ensuring they are spaced approximately 1 inch apart. Cover with plastic wrap and proof for 30–40 minutes until puffy but not overstretched.
- In a heavy pot, heat 3–4 cups of canola oil to 350°F. To maintain this temperature, use a thermometer. Fry 2–3 donuts at a time for about 1–2 minutes per side, until they are golden brown. Transfer the fried donuts to a wire rack set over paper towels to drain excess oil. Maintain the oil temperature between 340–360°F for even frying and color.
- In a saucepan, combine 2 cups of whole milk and ½ cup of heavy cream over medium heat and bring them to a gentle simmer. In a separate bowl, whisk together 4 egg yolks, ½ cup of sugar, and 3 tablespoons of cornstarch until smooth. Slowly pour half of the hot milk mixture into the yolk mixture, whisking constantly to temper the eggs. Return the combined mixture to the saucepan and cook over medium heat, whisking continuously until it thickens and bubbles, about 1 more minute. Remove from heat and stir in 2 tablespoons of cubed butter and 1 tablespoon of vanilla bean paste. Strain the mixture into a bowl to ensure a silky smooth pastry cream. Cover with plastic wrap directly on the surface to prevent a skin from forming and chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.
- Using a piping bag fitted with a small round tip, fill it with the chilled pastry cream. Poke a hole in the side of each donut and pipe approximately 1.5 ounces of cream into each until you feel a bit of resistance. This technique helps prevent the donuts from splitting and ensures even filling throughout.
- Place 4 ounces of chopped dark chocolate in a heatproof bowl. In a small saucepan, heat ¼ cup of heavy cream and 2 tablespoons of corn syrup until it begins to steam. Pour the hot cream mixture over the chocolate and let sit for 1 minute. Stir until smooth and glossy, then mix in 1 tablespoon of unsalted butter for added richness. Dip the top half of each filled donut into the glaze, allowing any excess to drip off. Place them on a wire rack to set. If the glaze thickens, you can gently reheat it over a warm water bath.
Notes
- The tangzhong method keeps donuts soft for up to 48 hours when stored in an airtight container at room temperature.
- Use a high-gluten bread flour for greater structure and a mildly coarse texture, perfect for boston creme donuts.
- Opt for soft-wheat all-purpose flour for a better blend, enhancing the donut’s overall crumb.
- For extra richness, choose a full-fat whipping cream with at least 36% fat for both the pastry cream and the glaze.
- The use of vanilla bean paste intensifies the flavor profile, though you can swap it out for an equal amount of vanilla extract if needed.
- When frying, keep an eye on the temperature; maintaining the oil between 340°F and 360°F helps avoid greasy donuts.
- If donuts turn out a bit firm, reheating in a 300°F oven for 5 minutes can refresh their texture.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 donut
- Calories: 250
- Sugar: 12g
- Sodium: 150mg
- Fat: 12g
- Saturated Fat: 7g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 30g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 4g
- Cholesterol: 50mg
Ingredient Notes
- Bread flour: Pick a high-gluten brand, feels slightly coarse, helps the donuts hold shape and get a chewy crumb for boston creme donuts texture.
- All-purpose flour: Look for a soft-wheat variety, sifts easily, blends with bread flour to soften crumb without collapsing your boston creme donuts.
- Heavy cream: Pick at least 36% fat cream for silky pastry cream and mirror glaze; lower fat makes filling thinner.
- Cornstarch: Use regular cornstarch, no lumps, to thicken pastry cream quickly; whisk with sugar before adding liquid to avoid clumps.
- Vanilla bean paste: Offers flecks of vanilla and deeper aroma; you can swap vanilla extract at same volume if paste isn’t on hand.
- Dark chocolate: Choose a bar with at least 60% cocoa, chop finely so it melts gently for that shiny glaze on boston creme donuts.
- Corn syrup: Light corn syrup keeps chocolate glaze glossy and prevents cracking; you can use glucose syrup if needed.
- Canola oil: Choose a fresh bottle, neutral flavor and high smoke point help donuts brown evenly without off-flavors.
Recipe Baking Tips
- If dough sticks when shaping after the 60 minute first rise, dust the surface with 2 tablespoons flour before cutting shapes.
- If oil temperature falls below 340°F 1 minute into frying, increase heat and wait 30 seconds before frying next batch.
- If donuts feel wet on bottom after frying 1 batch, let drain 3 minutes on a rack over paper towels before filling.
- When glaze firms before dipping 15 minutes after mixing, place bowl over warm water and stir for 20 seconds before use.
- If dough feels cold after 12 hour fridge proof, let rest 20 minutes at room temperature before rolling.
Serving Suggestions
Serve Boston creme donuts alongside citrus fruit salad recipe and chia seed pudding recipe to balance flavors with berry bowl. Offer cold brew coffee recipe or vanilla latte recipe alongside Boston creme donuts to supplement each bite with beverage pairing.
Use Boston creme donuts to create French toast casserole recipe with cubed donuts soaked in custard then baked until set. Layer cut Boston creme donuts in pastry trifle recipe with berry compote and yogurt then chill before serving to guests.
Top Boston creme donuts with rhubarb compote recipe and drizzle chocolate ganache then dust almonds on each one donut portion. Serve Boston creme donuts with strawberry coulis recipe or lemon curd recipe in ramekins then let guests choose topping option.
Recipe variations
- You can use a simple gluten-free flour blend instead of bread flour and all-purpose flour for the dough, following proportions in Gluten-Free Amaranth Cake.
- Add 1 tablespoon matcha powder to the chilled pastry cream and whisk for 30 seconds, maintaining the 3 tablespoons cornstarch thickness from the original recipe.
- Either swap the dark chocolate glaze for 4 ounces warm milk chocolate ganache or drizzle 2 tablespoons salted caramel over the filled donuts before glazing.
- If using a double batch multiply ingredients by two, for example 4 cups bread flour, 2 cups all-purpose flour, 8 tablespoons sugar, 4½ teaspoons yeast.
Save This Recipe!
How to Store?
To keep your boston creme donuts fresh and delicious, follow these storage tips:
Room Temperature: airtight container at room temperature up to 2 days handles glaze gently avoids moisture build-up covers donuts loosely retains softness.
Refrigeration: airtight container in refrigerator at 40°F up to 4 days chills pastry cream slows spoilage drain condensation periodically preserves texture.
Freezing: freezer-safe bag at 0°F up to 2 months wrap donuts in plastic wrap prevent freezer burn thaw at room temperature.
Other Recipes You’ll Love
- Gluten-Free Chocolate Peanut Butter Ice Cream
- Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Gluten-Free Snickerdoodle Cookies
- Gluten-Free Chocolate Zucchini Cake
A Boston creme donut is a round, solid, yeast-risen donut topped with chocolate frosting and filled with custard, like a miniature Boston cream pie.
The filling in a Boston cream doughnut is pastry cream, a vanilla custard thickened with cornstarch and enriched with egg yolks.
Bavarian cream donuts use heavy cream and gelatin for a firmer, richer filling, while Boston cream donuts use only cornstarch, yielding a silkier, looser custard.
Boston cream is different because it uses cornstarch to thicken its custard filling, unlike creams such as Bavarian, which rely on heavy cream and gelatin.
If you enjoyed this boston creme donuts for breakfast or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a ⭐ star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. Thanks for visiting!
