Easy Homemade Bakery-Style Cream-Filled Donuts

Who doesn’t love a warm, bakery-style cream-filled donut? It’s the ultimate comfort food! The great news is that you can easily recreate this classic treat at home whenever you crave it. Let’s get to the recipe!

Ingredients for Bakery-Style Cream Donuts:

For the Dough:

• 3 cups (400g) All-purpose flour;
• 1 pinch of salt;
• 3 tablespoons (45g) granulated sugar;
• 1 large egg;
• 3.5 tablespoons (50g) unsalted butter, softened;
• 2.5 teaspoons (10g) instant dry yeast;
• ¾ cup (180ml) warm milk.

For the Filling (Pastry Cream):

• ¾ cup (180g) granulated sugar;
• 3 cups (720ml) whole milk;
• ½ cup (50g) cornstarch;
• 3 tablespoons (50ml) vanilla extract;
• 2 egg yolks.

How to Make Bakery-Style Cream Donuts:

Preparing the Dough:

1. In a large bowl, add half of the flour;
2. Add the sugar and yeast, and mix well;
3. Make a well in the center and add the egg, butter, warm milk, and salt;
4. Stir all ingredients together with a spoon until combined;
5. Gradually add the remaining flour;
6. Continue mixing with a spatula or spoon;
7. When it becomes too difficult to mix with a spoon, switch to using your hands;
8. To make kneading easier, turn the dough onto a floured surface;
9. Knead for about 15 minutes or until the dough is smooth and elastic;
10. Place the dough back into the bowl and cover with a clean kitchen towel;
11. Let it rise in a draft-free place for about 30 minutes, or until doubled in size;
12. Once risen, turn the dough out onto your work surface;
13. Divide it into 18 equal pieces (each will be about 40g);
14. Shape each piece into a tight, smooth ball;
15. Lightly dust a baking sheet with flour;
16. Arrange the dough balls on the sheet, leaving about 1.5 inches (3 cm) of space between them;
17. Cover with a towel and let them rise again for another 30 minutes;
18. Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C) for 15 minutes;
19. Bake for 15 minutes;
20. Alternatively, these can be deep-fried instead of baked if you prefer the traditional fried donut texture;

Preparing the Filling:

1. Strain the egg yolks into a bowl to remove the membrane;
2. In a saucepan (off the heat), whisk together the cornstarch and milk until the starch is completely dissolved;
3. Add the sugar and the strained egg yolks; mix well;
4. Place over medium heat;
5. Cook the cream, stirring constantly, until it thickens;
6. Once it starts to boil, continue cooking for another 2 minutes;
7. Remove from heat, stir in the vanilla extract, and let it cool completely before filling;

Assembly:

1. Slice each donut in half like a burger bun, but don’t cut all the way through—keep one side attached;
2. Pipe or spoon a generous amount of cream into the center;
3. Dust the tops with powdered sugar, and you’re done!
4. Enjoy!

Did you know?

A fun fact about these Brazilian-style cream donuts is that they go by different names across Brazil! While they are commonly called “sonho” (dream) in São Paulo, in Rio de Janeiro, they are often referred to as “bomba de creme” (cream bomb), and in other regions, you might hear them called “sonho mineiro.”

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