Thanksgiving doughnuts five ways - brioche doughnuts with fall and thanksgiving inspired fillings and glazes. These doughnuts use one base recipe and then vary the filling and topping based on the flavour for a choose your own adventure style recipe!

Table of contents
- Thanksgiving Doughnuts!
- Same Dough, Different Formats:
- Pumpkin Cheesecake Brioche Doughnuts
- Chocolate Pudding Brioche Doughnuts
- Apple Pie and Custard Brioche Doughnuts
- Apple Cider Glazed Doughnuts
- Maple Glazed Doughnuts with Candied Pecans
- Doughnut Holes
- FAQ for Brioche Doughnuts
- Troubleshooting Doughnuts:
- A few wee tips for Thanksgiving Brioche Doughnuts
- For more Doughnut Recipes:
- Made this recipe and love it?
- A note on salt and oven temperature
- Why is this recipe in grams?
Thanksgiving Doughnuts!
Hi hi! I am so excited to share these recipes with you! The other day my friend Mike came around, and we had a huge day making all these Thanksgiving inspired Doughnuts. Mike and I first met when he came to my place after a long time of being internet friends, and we made this cake. I'm not going to lie, making a cake together the first time we met gave Mike a true look at the real me (I find making cakes a wee bit stressful!) but we are still friends now and so something must have gone right! He's so so lovely and it's so nice having a friend you can text about anything you need (he's been a lifesaver switching my site over), and so I was so excited to collaborate again!
We wanted to come up with a whole bunch of recipes using one brioche base, and then switch up the format of the doughnut and the fillings depending on what flavour we were inspired by. Here's the Thanksgiving Doughnuts we ended up with, from five batches of Brioche:
- Pumpkin Cheesecake Stuffed Brioche Doughnuts
- Chocolate Pudding Stuffed Brioche Doughnuts
- Apple and Custard Stuffed Brioche Doughnuts
- Maple Glazed Doughnuts with Candied Pecans
- Apple Cider Glazed Doughnuts
- Assorted Doughnut Holes (pumpkin spice, maple glaze, apple cider glaze)
We had the best time! It's always so fun shooting with someone else and seeing what their setup is / how they would style a certain shot. We definitely learnt a lot along the way, but I can't wait for our next wee collab! For now, enjoy these Thanksgiving Doughnuts!
Same Dough, Different Formats:
I made five batches of dough for these doughnuts and we treated each slightly differently! We made three different types of doughnuts:
- Filled Doughnuts - These are made by dividing the dough into portions. We did 75g per doughnut. The portions get shaped into balls, and pressed slightly to flatten, then left to rise. These take a little longer than the cut-out doughnuts to rise as they are a bit more substantial. They then get fried off and drained slightly, then rolled in sugar. You can flavour the sugar or coating any way that you like! Once they are cooled, they get filled with your choice of filling.
- Cut-out Doughnuts - These are the classic round doughnut with the hole in the middle. The dough gets rolled to about ½" thick and then small ring doughnuts are cut out. You can use a doughnut cutter, but I just use two round cutters. We did two sizes - smaller apple cider glaze and larger maple glaze!
- Doughnut Holes - These are a fun byproduct of making cut-out doughnuts. I usually fry them first as they rise quicker. You can also use the round cutter you were using for the middle to punch out additional doughnut holes from any extra dough that you have. You can finish these however you like - we rolled some in sugar and then added some glaze to the others.
Pumpkin Cheesecake Brioche Doughnuts
These are a wee nod to pumpkin pie. We made regular 'filled' brioche doughnuts, then rolled them in a pumpkin spiced sugar. We then filled them with a pumpkin cheesecake filling, which is super simple and is made by whipping together cream cheese, a little vanilla, more pumpkin spice, and a little reduced pumpkin puree.
Reducing down the pumpkin puree concentrates the flavour and reduces some of the moisture. This stops the mixture from going runny when the pumpkin is added. I always reduce it down if I'm adding it to something like a buttercream or cheesecake, it helps so much!
Chocolate Pudding Brioche Doughnuts
These are super similar to the pumpkin cheesecake doughnuts, except that we rolled them in a granulated sugar mix and filled them with chocolate pudding. The chocolate pudding recipe is from the filling of this chocolate cream pie, which comes from my friend and Pie Queen Erin Mcdowell. There is a malted version here too. You could also roll them in this cacao sugar for an alternative finish - either leave out the tea or keep it for an Earl Grey Chocolate Pudding situation!
Apple Pie and Custard Brioche Doughnuts
These were possibly my favourite of the filled doughnuts. We filled them with a cooked apple pie filling, and then a vanilla bean pastry cream. The spiced apple filling paired perfectly with the smooth pastry cream. It reminded me of an apple crumb pie with custard.
If you can, make the custard and the pie filling ahead of time to give them time to thicken up. Make sure that you cut the apples nice and small so that they can fit through the hole in your piping bag when it comes to stuffing the doughnuts!
Apple Cider Glazed Doughnuts
These are super simple - we made smaller cut-out doughnuts (only 2 ½" in diameter - so cute!), and then finished them with an apple cider glaze. The glaze is made by reducing apple cider (if you're in NZ that's old fashioned apple juice - the cloudy one, NOT the vinegar), until syrupy. We then mixed it with some powdered sugar and heavy cream, dipped the doughnuts, and finished with a little sprinkle of cinnamon.
You could also make these in a larger format if you liked, the same size as the maple pecan doughnuts. You do you here!
Maple Glazed Doughnuts with Candied Pecans
These are slightly larger cut-out doughnuts, closer to the traditional ones you would get at a doughnut shop, and they are a classic for a reason. We kept things pretty simple with a fluffy brioche doughnut, which we finished with a maple glaze and a pecan. We candied the pecans, but you could easily just sub in regular toasted pecan halves!
The maple glaze is Mike's brainchild and is super good. It's not crazy sweet and goes so, so well with the fluffy interior of the doughnut.
Doughnut Holes
The Doughnut holes are kind of a fun byproduct of doughnut making, and I love them. The 'holes' come from the dough that is punched out from the inside of the cut-out doughnuts, although I have been known to make a whole batch of dough into doughnut bites before.
The best part about these is that you can finish them any way that you like. We dipped some into the remaining glaze, and tossed some in the pumpkin spice sugar from the cheesecake doughnuts. I love them best hot out of the fryer, tossed in sugar.
FAQ for Brioche Doughnuts
Absolutely. Because the dough is all the same, you could divide a batch of brioche in half, and then portion half out to be filled doughnuts. You could then roll the remainder out and cut out a few round doughnuts and some doughnut holes.
You can either re-roll them and cut out more (these ones tend to be a little wonky), or you can cut them into pieces similar to these doughnut bites and use them to test the oil. Then fry the rest off, toss them in sugar, and you have the best little doughnut bites!
You don't have to! I prefer to give my dough a cold rise though because it makes it easier to work with, so you can do either a minimum of 3 hours in the fridge, or you can do overnight. Don't leave it more than 24 hours or the yeast starts to lose it's rising power. If you really need to then you can do a room temperature rise but the dough is hard to work with, particularly for the cut-out doughnuts. If you have cold dough you will get really nice neat cut-outs.
I like to use a thermometer to check the internal temperature. This is particularly useful for the filled doughnuts as you can't tell as easily when they are done. I use an instant read thermometer - you want to shoot for somewhere around 190°f / 90°c. Alternatively you can do a tester and snack on it while you work, but the internal temp works well!
I had no idea when I moved to the States that pumpkin spice was a thing. It is also called 'pumpkin pie spice' and if you're outside the States, it's basically the same thing as mixed spice, so that will work great in it's place!
You will have burger buns. This brioche recipe is the same one that I use for my bread buns and babkas, so they are really only doughnuts if you fry them. If you want to make baked doughnuts, Mike has a couple of really great recipes! Alternatively you could bake these if you really wanted to but it will be more of a filled bun situation and not a doughnut.
Troubleshooting Doughnuts:
- My Doughnuts are raw inside: Your oil is probably too hot! If your oil is too hot, your doughnuts will brown too much on the outside before they are fully cooked. This will give you a melt in your mouth middle, and not in a good way. The best way to do this is to carefully monitor your oil temperature, you want it to stay around 350°f. I use a deep fryer which is really helpful with the added bonus of feeling like I have a tiny doughnut shop (both Mike and I never want to open one after this but frying things in the fryer is fun!)
- My Doughnuts are taking forever to cook / are Oily: This sounds like the opposite issue and that your oil is too cold. Again, watch it carefully! If you are using a thermometer make sure that it's suspended in the middle of the oil and not touching the bottom as this will give a false reading. Make sure you check the temp between batches too, as adding the doughnuts will drop the temperature.
- My Doughnuts are stodgy and dense: Sounds like they weren't proofed enough! Make sure that they are properly proofed. To do this I like to poke one. If the dough bounces back straight away then they aren't ready yet. If your finger leaves a little indentation in the dough which slowly bounces back, you are good to go. Remember that proofing takes a little longer if you started with cold dough. For the filled doughnuts to proof at room temperature for us, it was about 50-55 minutes. Remember that the weather makes a big difference too!
A few wee tips for Thanksgiving Brioche Doughnuts
- I made all my dough ahead of time. This made it easy to break up the workload. If you want doughnuts the next morning, you can make the dough the night before, and then rise them and fry them off. If you want them same day, you can make the dough in the morning and give it a cold rise and go from there.
- Make sure that you account for time for fillings to chill. The custard, apple pie filling, and chocolate pudding all need time to cool. Overnight is great if you can, otherwise if you put them in a shallow container then they will cool quicker too.
- To get the nice "tan line" on your doughnut (which isn't necessary, it is just the sign of a well fried and well proofed doughnut), you fry the doughnut on one side then flip it over. The tan line comes from the little piece of doughnut which comes in less contact with the oil so you get a lighter line around the middle.
For more Doughnut Recipes:
Made this recipe and love it?
I would LOVE for you to leave me a review below to let me know how you liked it! Make sure to tag me on Instagram if you make it!
A note on salt and oven temperature
It is important to note the type of salt that is called for in a recipe. I use Diamond Crystal salt throughout my recipes - if you use a different sort of kosher salt or regular table salt you will need to adjust accordingly as some salt is 'saltier' than others. Morton's salt is twice as salty, so you will need half the quantity. Same goes for a regular table salt. I am working to get gram measurements throughout my recipes for salt but still getting there.
All oven temperatures are conventional unless otherwise stated. If you are baking on fan, you will need to adjust the temperature. An oven thermometer is a great investment to ensure that your oven is the correct temperature.
Why is this recipe in grams?
I post my recipes in grams as it is the most accurate way to bake. Cups are not only inaccurate but they vary in volume worldwide. There is no way for me to provide one cup measure that works for everyone. However, posting in weight fixes this issue. If you would like the recipe in cups you are welcome to convert it yourself via google, but please do not ask me to do it for you as I am not comfortable providing a recipe using a method that I have not tested. Baking with a scale is easy, accurate, and also makes cleanup super simple. Here is the scale that I use if you would like a recommendation! Here's to accurate baking!
PrintPumpkin Cheesecake Brioche Doughnuts
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes
- Yield: 12-14 doughnuts 1x
- Category: Doughnuts
- Cuisine: American
Description
Fluffy Brioche Doughnuts, tossed in pumpkin spice sugar and filled with pumpkin spice cheesecake filling.
Ingredients
Brioche Dough
- 2 ¼ tsp active dry yeast
- 250g whole milk, lukewarm
- 4 Tbsp (50g) sugar
- 565g all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 eggs, at room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
- 100g unsalted butter, at room temperature
- Neutral Oil for Frying
Pumpkin Spice Sugar
- 200g granulated sugar
- 1 ½ tsp pumpkin pie spice
Pumpkin Cheesecake Filling
- 280g pumpkin puree (use 200 reduced in the filling, see belowT)
- 450g cream cheese, softened
- 100g powdered sugar
- ½ tsp vanilla bean paste
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1½ tsp pumpkin pie spice
- Pinch salt
Instructions
DOUGHNUTS
- In a small bowl, combine the yeast, milk and 2 Tbsp of the sugar. Mix well, and leave to sit for 10-15 minutes, or until foamy.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine the flour, salt, and remaining 2 Tbsp sugar. Mix briefly to combine. Add the eggs, vanilla, and foamy yeast mixture to the bowl. Mix on low for 2-3 minutes, until the dough is starting to come together. It may look slightly dry but do not worry - it will mix together nicely in the next steps. Increase the mixer speed to medium, and mix for another 5 minutes, until the dough is soft and smooth.
- Reduce the mixer speed to low, and add the butter a little at a time, waiting until it is fully incorporated into the dough before adding the next piece. This process should take 3-4 minutes. Once the butter is fully incorporated, increase the mixer speed to medium, and mix for a further 5 minutes, until the dough is very soft and smooth.
- Transfer to an oiled bowl, and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Place in the fridge for a minimum of 3 hours and up to overnight. Alternatively the first rise can be done at room temperature.
- Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Turn the dough out onto work surface (try not to use flour if you can). Divide into 75g portions. Roll each portion into a tight ball, making sure that they are well sealed on the bottom
- Place the rolled doughnuts on the baking sheets, flattening each one slightly, leaving adequate space between.
- Leave the doughnuts to proof for a second time. This rise time will depend on the weather and the temperature of your starting dough so will take anywhere between 20 minutes to an hour. When you poke them lightly with your finger, it should leave a small indentation that springs back.
- While the doughnuts are proofing, heat neutral oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot (cast iron works great). Heat the oil to 350°f / 180°c. Place a wire rack over a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Once the oil has come to temperature, test it with a few scraps of dough. Gently lower the doughnuts, two at a time, into the hot oil. Cook for 3 minutes on one side and then flip again, and cook for a further 3 minutes, until golden brown. Remove from the oil using a slotted spoon and place on a cooling rack.
- Allow to cool for 30 seconds before tossing in the sugar. Repeat the process with the rest of the doughnuts. Once the doughnuts are totally cool, poke a hole in them using a chopstick, and widen the hole using your finger.
PUMPKIN SPICE SUGAR
- Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Have ready for when frying the doughnuts.
PUMPKIN CHEESECAKE FILLING
- Place the pumpkin into a medium saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, for 4-5 minutes until reduced slightly. Set aside to cool, and then measure out 200g of reduced pumpkin.
- Place the reduced pumpkin along with all other ingredients in a medium bowl. Stir to incorporate with a rubber spatula, then switch to a whisk and whip until well incorporated. (If you like you can bang everything into a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and mix until combined).
ASSEMBLY
- Transfer the pumpkin cheesecake filling into a piping bag fitted with a round attachment. Fill each doughnut with pumpkin cheesecake filling, finishing with a little blob on the top.
Doughnuts are best eaten on the day that they are made.
Keywords: Pumpkin Cheesecake, Brioche Doughnuts, Pumpkin Cheesecake doughnuts, Pumpkin Spice Doughnuts
Chocolate Pudding Brioche Doughnuts
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes plus rising time
- Yield: 14 doughnuts 1x
- Category: Doughnuts
- Cuisine: America
Description
Fluffy Brioche Doughnuts filled with a rich, silky chocolate pudding.
Ingredients
Chocolate Pudding Filling
- 455g whole milk
- 90g cream
- 85g chopped dark chocolate
- 150g sugar
- 30g cornstarch
- ½ tsp espresso powder
- 100g egg yolks
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 22g unsalted butter, at room temperature
Brioche Dough
- 2 ¼ tsp active dry yeast
- 250g whole milk, lukewarm
- 4 Tbsp (50g) sugar
- 565g all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 eggs, at room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
- 100g unsalted butter, at room temperature
- Neutral Oil for Frying
- Granulated Sugar for Finishing
Instructions
CHOCOLATE PUDDING FILLING
In a medium saucepan, combine the milk, heavy cream, and dark chocolate. Warm over medium heat until it is just shy of a simmer.
Meanwhile, whisk together the sugar and corn starch in a medium bowl, then add the espresso powder and yolks, and mix to combine.
Pour the warm milk mixture into the egg yolk mixture, whisking constantly, then transfer back into the saucepan and place over a low heat. Stir constantly with a whisk until the mixture has become very thick and has come to the first boil, which is large bubbles in the middle of the saucepan.
Remove from the heat and add the vanilla and butter, and mix until combined. Transfer to an airtight container and press a piece of plastic wrap directly against the surface. Allow to chill completely.
DOUGHNUTS
- In a small bowl, combine the yeast, milk and 2 Tbsp of the sugar. Mix well, and leave to sit for 10-15 minutes, or until foamy.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine the flour, salt, and remaining 2 Tbsp sugar. Mix briefly to combine. Add the eggs, vanilla, and foamy yeast mixture to the bowl. Mix on low for 2-3 minutes, until the dough is starting to come together. It may look slightly dry but do not worry - it will mix together nicely in the next steps. Increase the mixer speed to medium, and mix for another 5 minutes, until the dough is soft and smooth.
- Reduce the mixer speed to low, and add the butter a little at a time, waiting until it is fully incorporated into the dough before adding the next piece. This process should take 3-4 minutes. Once the butter is fully incorporated, increase the mixer speed to medium, and mix for a further 5 minutes, until the dough is very soft and smooth.
- Transfer to an oiled bowl, and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Place in the fridge for a minimum of 3 hours and up to overnight. Alternatively the first rise can be done at room temperature.
- Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Turn the dough out onto work surface (try not to use flour if you can). Divide into 75g portions. Roll each portion into a tight ball, making sure that they are well sealed on the bottom
- Place the rolled doughnuts on the baking sheets, flattening each one slightly, leaving adequate space between.
- Leave the doughnuts to proof for a second time. This rise time will depend on the weather and the temperature of your starting dough so will take anywhere between 20 minutes to an hour. When you poke them lightly with your finger, it should leave a small indentation that springs back.
- While the doughnuts are proofing, heat neutral oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot (cast iron works great). Heat the oil to 350°f / 180°c. Place a wire rack over a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Once the oil has come to temperature, test it with a few scraps of dough. Gently lower the doughnuts, two at a time, into the hot oil. Cook for 3 minutes on one side and then flip again, and cook for a further 3 minutes, until golden brown. Remove from the oil using a slotted spoon and place on a cooling rack.
- Allow to cool for 30 seconds before tossing in the sugar. Repeat the process with the rest of the doughnuts. Once the doughnuts are totally cool, poke a hole in them using a chopstick, and widen the hole using your finger.
ASSEMBLY
- Transfer the pudding to a piping bag fitted with a round piping tip. Pipe chocolate pudding into each doughnut until you feel it fill, then finish with a dab of pudding on the top of each doughnut.
Doughnuts are best eaten on the day that they are made.
Notes
Chocolate Pudding recipe adapted from The Fearless Baker
Keywords: Brioche Doughnut, Chocolate Pudding Doughnut, Filled Brioche Doughnut, Chocolate Cream Pie filling
Apple Pie Brioche Doughnuts
- Prep Time: 1 hour
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes plus rising and chilling time
- Yield: 14 doughnuts 1x
- Category: Doughnuts
- Cuisine: American
Description
Fluffy Brioche Doughnuts filled with Apple Pie Filling and Vanilla Bean Pastry Cream
Ingredients
Spiced Apple Pie Filling
- 3 Tbsp unsalted butter
- 560g apples, peeled, cored, and diced into small pieces
- 150g brown sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 ½ tsp cinnamon
- ¼ tsp nutmeg
- 50g sugar
- 3 Tbsp All-purpose flour
Vanilla Bean Pastry Cream
- 132g egg yolks (about 8 yolks)
- 110g sugar
- 37g corn starch
- 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
- 550g whole milk
- 27g unsalted butter, at room temperature
Instructions
SPICED APPLE PIE FILLING
- In a medium saucepan, melt the butter then add the apples, brown sugar, vanilla, salt, and spices. Cook until the apples are just starting to soften. Combine the sugar and flour in a small bowl, then add to the apples. Cook, stirring constantly, until thickened. Transfer to an airtight container and allow to cool completely.
VANILLA BEAN PASTRY CREAM
- In a large bowl, whisk together the yolks, sugar and cornflour in a bowl.
- In a medium pot, warm the milk and vanilla paste until there is movement just around the edges of the milk - do not bring it to the boil.
- Remove the milk from the heat, and, whisking constantly, add half of the milk mixture into the egg and cornflour mixture to temper the egg yolks. Whisk briskly for 30 seconds. Transfer the milk-yolk mixture back to the pot, and return to a medium heat. Whisk constantly until very thick.
- Remove from the heat and whisk in the butter, mixing well until totally combined. Allow to stand for 5-10 minutes, whisking occasionally. Transfer to an airtight container, pressing a piece of plastic wrap against the surface of the custard, and allow to cool completely.
DOUGHNUTS
- In a small bowl, combine the yeast, milk and 2 Tbsp of the sugar. Mix well, and leave to sit for 10-15 minutes, or until foamy.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine the flour, salt, and remaining 2 Tbsp sugar. Mix briefly to combine. Add the eggs, vanilla, and foamy yeast mixture to the bowl. Mix on low for 2-3 minutes, until the dough is starting to come together. It may look slightly dry but do not worry - it will mix together nicely in the next steps. Increase the mixer speed to medium, and mix for another 5 minutes, until the dough is soft and smooth.
- Reduce the mixer speed to low, and add the butter a little at a time, waiting until it is fully incorporated into the dough before adding the next piece. This process should take 3-4 minutes. Once the butter is fully incorporated, increase the mixer speed to medium, and mix for a further 5 minutes, until the dough is very soft and smooth.
- Transfer to an oiled bowl, and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Place in the fridge for a minimum of 3 hours and up to overnight. Alternatively the first rise can be done at room temperature.
- Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Turn the dough out onto work surface (try not to use flour if you can). Divide into 75g portions. Roll each portion into a tight ball, making sure that they are well sealed on the bottom
- Place the rolled doughnuts on the baking sheets, flattening each one slightly, leaving adequate space between.
- Leave the doughnuts to proof for a second time. This rise time will depend on the weather and the temperature of your starting dough so will take anywhere between 20 minutes to an hour. When you poke them lightly with your finger, it should leave a small indentation that springs back.
- While the doughnuts are proofing, heat neutral oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot (cast iron works great). Heat the oil to 350°f / 180°c. Place a wire rack over a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Once the oil has come to temperature, test it with a few scraps of dough. Gently lower the doughnuts, two at a time, into the hot oil. Cook for 3 minutes on one side and then flip again, and cook for a further 3 minutes, until golden brown. Remove from the oil using a slotted spoon and place on a cooling rack.
- Allow to cool for 30 seconds before tossing in the sugar. Repeat the process with the rest of the doughnuts. Once the doughnuts are totally cool, poke a hole in them using a chopstick, and widen the hole using your finger.
ASSEMBLY
- Place the apple filling and pastry cream into piping bags either fitted with a round tip or with the end snipped off (end snipped will be easier for apple pie filling).
- Pipe apple pie filling into each doughnut, followed by the pastry cream, finishing with a little blob of pastry cream on the top.
Doughnuts are best eaten the day that they are made.
Notes
Pastry cream adapted from Bouchon bakery
Apple Pie filling adapted from Erin Mcdowell
Keywords: Brioche Doughnut, Apple Pie doughnut, Custard Doughnut, Apple Pie and Custard Doughnut
Apple Cider Glazed Doughnuts
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes plus rising time
- Yield: 14 doughnuts plus holes 1x
- Category: Doughnuts
- Cuisine: American
Description
Fluffy cut-out brioche doughnuts are finished with a reduced apple cider glaze and a sprinkle of cinnamon.
Ingredients
Brioche Dough
- 2 ¼ tsp active dry yeast
- 250g whole milk, lukewarm
- 4 Tbsp (50g) sugar
- 565g all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 eggs, at room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
- 100g unsalted butter, at room temperature
- Neutral Oil for Frying
Apple Cider Glaze
- 185g apple cider, reduced to 45g
- 180g powdered sugar
- 30 heavy cream
Instructions
DOUGHNUTS
- In a small bowl, combine the yeast, milk and 2 Tbsp of the sugar. Mix well, and leave to sit for 10-15 minutes, or until foamy.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine the flour, salt, and remaining 2 Tbsp sugar. Mix briefly to combine. Add the eggs, vanilla, and foamy yeast mixture to the bowl. Mix on low for 2-3 minutes, until the dough is starting to come together. It may look slightly dry but do not worry - it will mix together nicely in the next steps. Increase the mixer speed to medium, and mix for another 5 minutes, until the dough is soft and smooth.
- Reduce the mixer speed to low, and add the butter a little at a time, waiting until it is fully incorporated into the dough before adding the next piece. This process should take 3-4 minutes. Once the butter is fully incorporated, increase the mixer speed to medium, and mix for a further 5 minutes, until the dough is very soft and smooth.
- Transfer to an oiled bowl, and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Place in the fridge for a minimum of 3 hours and up to overnight. Alternatively the first rise can be done at room temperature.
- Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Turn the dough out onto a well floured surface. Roll the dough out to about ½” (1.2cm) thick. Using a circle cutter (we used a 2 ½” circle), cut out circles of dough and place on the prepared baking sheets, leaving room between.
- Cut holes from the middles of the circles using a 1” circle cutter. Place the doughnut holes on the sheet to proof alongside the doughnuts.
- Lightly cover the baking sheets with plastic wrap, and leave the doughnuts to proof for a further 30 minutes (you may need to increase this time if you have done the first rise overnight). They should rise and become a little puffy - when you poke them lightly with your finger, it should leave a small indentation that springs back.
- In the last 20 minutes of the doughnuts proofing, heat the oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot (cast iron works great). Heat the oil to 350°f / 180°c.
- Once the oil has come to temperature, test it with a few scraps of dough. Gently lower the doughnuts, two at a time, into the hot oil. Cook for 1 ½ minutes on each side until golden brown. Remove from the oil using a slotted spoon and place on a cooling rack placed over a baking sheet. Allow to cool while you repeat the frying process with the rest of the doughnuts.
GLAZE
- Place the apple cider in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to a simmer, and cook, stirring occasionally, until you are left with 45g cider (I find the best way to measure this is to put a bowl on the scale and pour the cider into that, check the weight, then reduce more if needed). Check after 5 minutes, then continue to reduce until it is 45g in weight. Set aside to cool.
- In a medium bowl, combine the reduced cider, powdered sugar, and heavy cream, and mix well to combine. Adjust to create the desired consistency - add a little more cream if it is too thick, and a little powdered sugar if it is too thin. Test a doughnut to check the consistency to make sure it isn't too runny.
- Dip each doughnut into the glaze and place onto a wire rack. Sprinkle immediately with cinnamon and then leave to set.
Best eaten on the day that they are made.
Notes
Fry the holes first as they tend to rise fastest. They are great dipped in leftover glaze.
Keywords: Apple Cider Doughnuts, Apple Cider Glaze, Cider glaze doughnuts, mini brioche doughnuts
Maple Pecan Brioche Doughnuts
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes plus rising time
- Yield: 8 doughnuts plus holes 1x
- Category: Doughnuts
- Cuisine: American
Description
Fluffy Brioche Doughnuts are finished with a maple glaze and candied pecans
Ingredients
Candied Pecans
- 125g pecan halves
- 50 sugar
- 1 Tbsp unsalted butter
- ½ tsp salt
Brioche Dough
- 2 ¼ tsp active dry yeast
- 250g whole milk, lukewarm
- 4 Tbsp (50g) sugar
- 565g all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 eggs, at room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
- 100g unsalted butter, at room temperature
- Neutral Oil for Frying
Maple Glaze
- 180g powdered sugar
- 60g maple syrup
- 45g heavy cream
Instructions
CANDIED PECANS
- Preheat the oven to 350°f / 180°c. Spread the pecan halves out on a baking sheet, and toast for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown (you can snap one open to check they are toasted throughout). Leave to cool.
- Line a small baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or some parchment paper. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine the sugar, butter, and salt.
- Add the toasted pecan halves and cook, stirring frequently and adjusting the heat as necessary, until the sugar has melted and the nuts are evenly coated in the sugar mixture. Tip out onto the prepared baking sheet and spread the nuts out with a spatula so they aren’t clumped together.
DOUGHNUTS
- In a small bowl, combine the yeast, milk and 2 Tbsp of the sugar. Mix well, and leave to sit for 10-15 minutes, or until foamy.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine the flour, salt, and remaining 2 Tbsp sugar. Mix briefly to combine. Add the eggs, vanilla, and foamy yeast mixture to the bowl. Mix on low for 2-3 minutes, until the dough is starting to come together. It may look slightly dry but do not worry - it will mix together nicely in the next steps. Increase the mixer speed to medium, and mix for another 5 minutes, until the dough is soft and smooth.
- Reduce the mixer speed to low, and add the butter a little at a time, waiting until it is fully incorporated into the dough before adding the next piece. This process should take 3-4 minutes. Once the butter is fully incorporated, increase the mixer speed to medium, and mix for a further 5 minutes, until the dough is very soft and smooth.
- Transfer to an oiled bowl, and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Place in the fridge for a minimum of 3 hours and up to overnight. Alternatively the first rise can be done at room temperature.
- Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Turn the dough out onto a well floured surface. Roll the dough out to about ½” (1.2cm) thick. Using a circle cutter (we used a 3 ¼” circle), cut out circles of dough and place on the prepared baking sheets, leaving room between.
- Cut holes from the middles of the circles using a 1” circle cutter. Place the doughnut holes on the sheet to proof alongside the doughnuts.
- Lightly cover the baking sheets with plastic wrap, and leave the doughnuts to proof for a further 30 minutes (you may need to increase this time if you have done the first rise overnight). They should rise and become a little puffy - when you poke them lightly with your finger, it should leave a small indentation that springs back.
- In the last 20 minutes of the doughnuts proofing, heat the oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot (cast iron works great). Heat the oil to 350°f / 180°c.
- Once the oil has come to temperature, test it with a few scraps of dough. Gently lower the doughnuts, two at a time, into the hot oil. Cook for 1 ½ minutes on each side until golden brown. Remove from the oil using a slotted spoon and place on a cooling rack placed over a baking sheet. Allow to cool while you repeat the frying process with the rest of the doughnuts.
GLAZE
- Combine all ingredients in a small bowl. Adjust for consistency with more powdered sugar or cream as needed.
- Dip each doughnut into the glaze and place onto a wire rack. Top with a candied Pecan.
Doughnuts are best eaten on the day that they are made.
Notes
Fry the holes first as they tend to rise fastest. They are great dipped in leftover glaze.
Keywords: Pecan Doughnuts, maple pecan doughnuts, brioche doughnuts, doughnut holes
Comments
Hi! I've been wanting to make your doughnuts for a long time! I am on the hunt for the perfect dough recipe and his looks like a contender. I noticed that this dough recipe has slightly different ratios than another recipe on your site (balsamic blueberry & cream cheese...drool) (one egg vs 2, different milk:flour ratio, amount of fats). What is the difference in the final product like? Or do you have a preference between the two?
Thanks!
Would these donuts still work if I baked them instead of frying?
Hi! I popped some info on this in the FAQ. You would end up with bread rolls 🙂
I made the custard donuts for Fathers Day. I'd never made donuts before or deep fried, so I was a bit concerned that I may not be able to deliver on my promised gift. But they were amazing! I wasn't sure on the cook but one bite and I knew I'd nailed it. Thanks Erin for the detailed instructions and fantastic recipe.
I also used the leftover dough to make the cinnamon buns for a freezer stash - which were so delicious that I don't think they'll last long in the freezer.
This sounds delicious! Can I substitute vanilla bean paste with vanilla extract?
Yes that will work great!
Absolutely perfect Brioche donut dough recipe. Worked an absolute charm and it’s great to see someone really caring about what they put out online as a recipe. I’m a professional chef and use a lot of the recipes here in the pastry section. Fluffy light and so flavourful
Bravo Cloudy Kitchen
Yay so happy you loved it! Thanks so much for the review!
I've never made donuts before, but these looks delicious. I am going to give it a go.