These homemade custard donuts are made with extra fluffy brioche dough, fried to golden brown, coated in sugar, and filled with a thick, luscious vanilla pastry cream.
No need to go to the local bakery or donut shop when you can make an ultra-fresh version in your own kitchen! The post provides instructions on how to make baked custard donuts, overnight rise options, and variations on coatings and fillings.
While yeast donuts can be a labor of love, most of the time is just waiting around for the dough to rise. Not only are they rewarding to make, but there's nothing better than a completely fresh donut. Try these Bakery Style Apple Fritter Donuts or Lemon Filled Donuts with Meringue for other fried donut options!
If you'd prefer baked donuts, these Baked Glazed Blueberry Donuts or Coffee Toffee Baked Donuts.
Jump to:
- Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Ingredients for Custard Donuts
- Substitutions and Variations
- Instant Yeast vs. Active Dry Yeast
- How to Make This Recipe
- Brioche Donut Dough
- Expert Tips
- How to Make Baked Brioche Donuts
- Overnight Rise Option
- Recipe FAQs
- Storage
- More Sweet Breakfast Recipes You'll Love
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
Fresh donuts - there's really nothing better than a freshly fried or baked donut. It's when they're the most fluffy and soft, taste absolutely perfect.
Creamy vanilla custard - if you've never made pastry cream, you'll be surprised how easy it is to make this vanilla pudding filling. It's soft, luxurious, packed with vanilla flavor, and is perfect next to the brioche dough.
Versatile - these custard donuts have tons of variations to make them your own. Change the outer coatings, add extra surprises to the filling, or change them up completely! See the Variations and Substitutions section for more ideas.
Ingredients for Custard Donuts
- Whole milk. Used in both the pastry cream and brioche dough. Be sure to use whole milk.
- Eggs. Both eggs and egg yolks are used in each portion of the recipe.
- Sugar. Granulated sugar is needed to create the recipe. Powdered sugar can be used to coat the donuts, however!
- Cornstarch. This is a key ingredient in the vanilla pastry cream to help it thicken and set.
- Butter. Unsalted, room temperature butter is needed.
- Flour. Standard all purpose flour is used to make the brioche donut dough.
- Yeast. The recipe calls for instant yeast. Active dry yeast can be substituted, but it needs to be activated in the warm milk prior to combining it with the rest of the ingredients.
- Vanilla. The recipe calls for one vanilla bean in the custard. Don't have a vanilla bean? No problem. Use vanilla paste or vanilla extract.
See recipe card for full ingredients list and quantities.
Substitutions and Variations
- Use active dry yeast in place of instant yeast. See next section for details.
- Dip the top in melted chocolate (with a splash of heavy cream) for boston cream donut variation.
- Pipe some of your favorite jelly or jam into the center after adding the pastry cream.
- Coat the donuts in granulated sugar, powdered sugar, cinnamon sugar, lemon sugar, etc.
- Fold whipped cream into the custard filling for a lighter variation
- Add ¼-1/2 teaspoon of flavored extract to the pastry cream (like almond or coconut) for flavor variations.
- Fill the donuts with any of your favorites - jelly, Nutella, peanut butter mixed with whipped cream, etc.
- Slice the donut in half and fill with vanilla ice cream to make donut ice cream sandwich!
Instant Yeast vs. Active Dry Yeast
Active dry yeast can be used interchangeably with instant yeast in these custard donuts, however, there is one major step needed in order to make the swap.
Instant yeast (as the recipe calls for) can be added directly to all ingredients and will begin the rising process.
Active dry yeast (as the name suggests), needs to be activated first. To do this, whisk together the active dry yeast and milk (be sure the milk is at 110℉), and wait about 5 minutes for the yeast to foam up on the top of the milk.
From there, you can add the milk and yeast in with the other ingredients and continue on with the recipe.
How to Make This Recipe
The vanilla pastry cream should be made at least 4 hours in advance. Allow it to rest overnight or for 24 hours before making the donuts is best, though.
Custard Filling Recipe
One: Whisk together the cornstarch and sugar until combined.
Two: Whisk it together with the eggs and egg yolk until smooth and combined.
Three: Split a vanilla bean and scrape out the center. Add to a saucepan with the milk and heat to steaming.
Four: Add one third of the milk to the egg mixture and whisk to temper the mixture (this is so the eggs don't curdle).
Five: Add the egg mixture to the hot milk, then heat over medium heat, whisking constantly.
Six: The cream will thicken and begin to bubble. Allow it to bubble for 1 minute while whisking. It will coat a spatula.
Seven: Pass the custard through a fine mesh sieve into a bowl. Scrape the underside to get off any remaining custard.
Eight: Wait five minutes, then whisk one tablespoon of butter into the pastry cream at a time until fully melted and combined. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until totally cold and set.
Brioche Donut Dough
One: Whisk together the milk and eggs.
Two: Add the flour, yeast, and salt. Mix with the dough hook until a shaggy dough forms together.
Three: With the mixer running, add one tablespoon of butter at a time, waiting to add the next until the first is incorporated.
Four: Increase the speed to medium-high and knead for 12-15 minutes until very smooth, subtle, and it has pulled away from the sides.
Hot tip! The dough will look very wet and sticky when adding the butter. Trust the process and continue mixing.
Rising and Shaping
One: Remove the dough, add olive oil, and add the dough back in, turning to coat. Cover with plastic wrap.
Two: Rise in a warm place until doubled in size. 1-2 hours.
Three: Punch down the dough to release the air, then transfer to a clean work surface.
Four: Cut the dough in half, then form into a log. Cut each log into 8 pieces. A bench scraper is a good tool for this.
Five: Pull the dough upwards an into the center in small sections, going around the ball 2-3 times.
Six: Pinch the dough closed at the center to fully seal.
Seven: Place the dough seam side down on the counter and roll the dough in a clockwise motion to finish sealing the bottom.
Eight: Add the balls to parchment squares on a sheet pan. Cover lightly with plastic.
Frying and Filling
One: Let the dough balls proof for 30 minutes until puffy.
Two: Heat the oil, then add the dough balls holding the very corner of the parchment, then remove it. You can also add the whole piece of parchment and remove it with tongs.
Three: Fry for 1-2 minutes on each side until golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack.
Four: Cool the donuts for 5 minutes, then coat them completely in sugar. Allow them to finish cooling.
Five: Use a chopstick to puncture the side of the donut, going ⅔ of the way in and moving in a small circular motion.
Six: Transfer the cool pastry cream to a piping bag, insert the tip, and fill each donut until the cream just starts to peek out. Serve.
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Expert Tips
- Make the custard one day prior so it has time to chill and set completely.
- Keep the frying oil at the correct temperature (150-170℉), and fry in batches, not overcrowding.
- Roll the donuts in the sugar about 3-5 minutes after removing them from the oil so it sticks.
- Allow the donuts at least 15 minutes to cool before piping in the pastry cream.
- Add the dough balls to parchment squares, then add whole thing to oil & pull out the parchment with tongs.
- Have the entire frying station set up and ready to go prior to frying.
How to Make Baked Brioche Donuts
- Follow all steps of making the donuts prior to the frying portion.
- Preheat the oven to 350℉.
- Bake the donuts (on the parchment paper pieces) for 10-12 minutes until lightly golden and the center reaches 190℉.
- Allow the donuts to cool for about 5 minutes, then roll through the sugar.
- Finish cooling, then make the opening and fill with pastry cream.
- Enjoy the baked version of custard donuts!
Overnight Rise Option
- Allow the donut dough to do the first rise in the bowl.
- Cut, form, and shape the dough balls, adding them to the sheet pan with parchment paper squares.
- Cover the pan edges completely with plastic wrap, but keep it loose so the donuts have a bit of room to expand.
- Remove the dough balls 1-2 hours before frying, allowing them to come to room temperature, get rather puffy, and finish their rise.
Recipe FAQs
No. While similar, bavarian cream is custard mixed with whipped cream so it's lighter and fluffier than custard (also known as pastry cream), which is more of a vanilla pudding consistency.
Brioche is an enriched dough made with eggs, butter, and a liquid (like milk or water) mixed in with dry ingredients and yeast.
This is because the donut wasn't cooked long enough, or the oil was at too high of a temperature so it browned considerably before the center cooked.
Storage
Serve and eat the custard donuts within 4-6 hours after making them. After this, they would need to be refrigerated due to the pastry cream filling, but they will then dry out considerably.
If you don't plan to eat or serve the entire batch, store the fried donuts in a sealed container for another day, then fill and serve.
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📖Recipe
Homemade Custard Donuts (Fried or Baked)
Equipment
- Stand mixer with dough hook attachment
- metal slotted spoon, spatula, or spider
- Chopstick
- Piping bag with tip, if available
Ingredients
Pastry Cream
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs + 1 egg yolk
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1 vanilla bean or 1 tablespoon vanilla paste or extract
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter cut into tablespoon pieces
Brioche Donuts
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 2 large egg yolks room temperature
- 1 cup whole milk or water warm
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 4½ cups all-purpose flour
- 2¼ teaspoon instant yeast
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar or powdered sugar
- 48 oz vegetable oil or canola oil
Instructions
Pastry Cream
- In a bowl, whisk together the cornstarch and sugar, then add the eggs, egg yolk, and whisk until smooth. Set aside.¼ cup cornstarch, ½ cup granulated sugar, 2 large eggs + 1 egg yolk
- Set aside another larger bowl with a fine mesh strainer - you will need this immediately after your pastry cream comes off the heat.
- Pour the milk into a medium saucepan. Split the vanilla bean, scrape out the paste with the back of a knife, and add to the milk. Add the salt.2 cups whole milk, 1 vanilla bean, ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- Note: If you're using vanilla paste or vanilla extract, DO NOT add it at this point (you will add it when you add the butter at the end).
- Set over medium-high heat and bring it to just under a boil and stir it every once in a while so you don’t burn the milk solids on the bottom of the pan.
- Once the milk is simmering, add ⅓ of the milk to the egg/sugar/starch mixture and whisk constantly to temper the eggs. Pour the egg mixture into the saucepan with the rest of the milk and return to medium high heat.
- Whisk constantly, the mixture will begin to thicken and you will see the small milk bubbles start to disappear. Once this has happened, the mixture will quickly thicken and bubble. Allow it to bubble for one minute (while whisking), then remove it from the heat and pass it through the sieve (with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula) into the bowl. Be sure to scrape the bottom of the sieve to get the leftovers.
- Allow the pastry cream to cool for 5 minutes, then whisk in one tablespoon of butter at a time. Don’t add a new piece until the other has been fully incorporated. Once all butter has been added, add the vanilla paste/extract (if not using a vanilla bean) and mix to combine.4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and press the wrap directly on the cream so it doesn’t form a skin. Put the cream in the fridge to chill for at least 4 hours, or up to 3 days.
Donut Dough
- Add the eggs, egg yolks, milk and salt to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the hook attachment. Turn to medium speed to break down the eggs.2 large eggs, 2 large egg yolks, 1 cup whole milk or water, 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- Add the flour, yeast, and sugar and mix on low speed until combined and shaggy. With the mixer running, add 1 tablespoon of butter at a time, waiting to add the next piece until the prior one is incorporated.4½ cups all-purpose flour, 2¼ teaspoon instant yeast, ¼ cup granulated sugar, ½ cup unsalted butter
- Note: when adding the butter, it will look very sticky and wet and like it's not coming together. Be patient.
- Once all the butter has been added, increase the speed to medium and knead for 12-15 minutes. The mixture will have pulled away from the sides (there may still be some stuck on the bottom), forms an elongated ball around the hook, and is slightly tacky, but not sticky. If still sticky and not pulled from the sides, add 2 tablespoons of flour at a time and continue kneading until it pulls away.
- Note: Pulling the dough will stretch quite easily. You can also test by pinching off a piece and pulling it into a square with your fingers - it should be transparent in the middle before ripping.
- Remove the dough from the hook and bowl and add a drizzle of olive oil around the sides and let it fall to the bottom. Add the dough back in and turn it over to coat. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel and allow it to rise in a slightly warm place. This can take 1-2 hours; it should double in size.
- Line 2-3 large baking sheets with 4x4” pieces of parchment paper (this prepares for the best method for frying the donuts).
- Set up 1-2 cooling racks, adding paper towels underneath to catch the drips.
- Add the desired sugar (powdered sugar or granulated sugar, or a bowl of each) to a bowl and set next to the cooling racks.1 cup granulated sugar
- Punch down the dough to release the air and turn it out onto your work surface. Split the dough in half (a bench scraper is great for this), then roll each half into a thick log (about 12" in length).
- Cut each log into 8 pieces, then pull the sides of the dough upwards and pinch to seal. Roll the dough gently on the counter (seam side down) in a clockwise motion (hand on top, wide fingers, not pressing down much) until a tight ball forms. Place it onto one of the square pieces of parchment paper, and continue with the remaining dough.
- Cover the dough balls lightly with plastic wrap and let proof for 30 minutes until they puff up again.
Frying
- 10-15 minutes before proofing time is over, add the oil to a heavy-bottomed pot and turn to medium-high heat. Bring the temperature to 360℉, then reduce to medium. It’s important to keep the oil at a steady 360-370℉ during the fry time. Adjust the heat as needed, checking the oil temperature in between each batch.48 oz vegetable oil
- Pick up the parchment square and donut and add the entire thing to the oil. Use tongs to remove the parchment. Fry 2-4 donuts at a time (leaving space), flipping at the one-minute mark or when golden brown. Flip again if they need to get more golden brown.
- Use a metal slotted spoon or spider tool to remove the donuts and place on the cooling rack. Repeat with the remaining donuts, being sure to check the oil temperature before adding more.
- While the donuts are still warm (about 5 minutes after frying), roll them through the sugar to coat completely and return to the rack.
Filling the Donuts
- Use a chopstick (or bottom side of a clean pen) and insert it into the side (where the white mark is) of the donut. Push it in ⅔ of the way and gently wiggle it around to create a bit of an opening.
- Transfer the cooled and set pastry cream to a piping bag (add a small opening piping tip if you have one), then pipe the custard into the center of the donut. Stop before it starts to ooze out, you will feel the donut getting heavier.
- Repeat with the remaining donuts, then serve within 4 hours. Add the donuts (opening side up) to a basket lined with parchment paper to help prevent a mess and maintain structural integrity.
Notes
- Follow all steps of making the donuts prior to the frying portion.
- Preheat the oven to 350℉.
- Bake the donuts (on the parchment paper pieces) for 10-12 minutes until lightly golden and the center reaches 190℉.
- Allow the donuts to cool for about 5 minutes, then roll through the sugar.
- Finish cooling, then make the opening and fill with pastry cream.
Tricia Hepler
I followed the recipe exactly and let the dough sit in the fridge overnight. I baked the rolls instead of frying, and they were soft, sweet, and delicious! The pastry cream thickened up way better than any I've attempted before! Thank you for the recipe!
Callan Wenner
Yay! So happy to hear this, Tricia. Thanks so much for trying it and reporting back.
Shelby
This pastry cream! I’ve never made a pastry cream before. I followed the recipe exactly and it was incredible. So luscious and a perfect texture. The tips and instructions made it super clear and helped me figure out what I was supposed to be doing and when. It turned out so perfect. I used the pastry cream for a fruit tart but I need to make it again along with these donuts next time!
The Cozy Plum
Ugh it's really the best ever!!