Cherry Doughnuts
These fluffy cherry doughnuts are lavishly filled with whipped cream and homemade cherry preserves. All in a soft enriched doughnut base.
These are such a treat! I love the combination of airy whipped cream with the sticky, sweet cherry preserves – the cream balances everything so that the doughnuts aren’t too sweet. I add a little almond extract to the cherries to enhance their flavor.
The base is my fried doughnut dough, which is so simple to make in a stand mixer. You can do it by hand too, but you’ll need to ensure you knead it long enough. If you want to make things in advance, you can make the preserves and the dough the day before. Then, the following day, you can cut the doughnuts, fry them, and fill them.
Equipment
- Stand mixer. The doughnut dough is easiest to make in a stand mixer.
- A round cookie cutter to cut the doughnuts – around 3 inches.
- A large pot and candy thermometer, or a deep-dryer. If you’re not using a deep fryer, a candy thermometer to gauge the oil temperature is helpful.
Here’s how they’re made
- I start with the dough.
- Mix everything except the butter, to begin the gluten formation (because butter slows it down.)
- Then add in the butter and mix it in, then knead the dough until glossy and strong (around 10 minutes.)
- Then add the dough to a bowl or container, cover and let rise until doubled in size.
- Then, make the cherry preserves. Warm everything on low heat while the cherries release their juices.
- Bring it to a boil and simmer for 18-20 minutes until it has reduced and thickened.
- Then once the dough has risen, cut the doughnut shapes and let them rise again.
- Fry them and toss in superfine sugar.
- Slice them in half and fill with whipped cream and the cherry preserves.
More doughnut ideas
Doughnuts like this are perfect to fill with all sorts of delicious things! Try these:
Cherry Doughnuts
These fluffy cherry doughnuts are lavishly filled with whipped cream and homemade cherry preserves. All in a soft enriched doughnut base.
Ingredients
- 7 g instant yeast or active dried yeast
- 25 g granulated sugar
- 180 g whole milk lukewarm
- 405 g all-purpose flour
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 45 g unsalted butter softened
Cherry Preserves
- 450 g pitted cherries fresh or frozen, halved or chopped
- 150 g granulated sugar
- 1/2 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp almond extract
Frying
- 1-2 quarts neutral oil enough to fill the pot around 3" deep.
Coating
- 100 g superfine sugar
Whipped Cream
- 240 g heavy cream whipping cream
- 1 teaspoon powdered sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Add the warm milk and stir in the yeast and sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. If using active dry yeast, let this sit for 5-10 minutes until foamy.
- Add the eggs, flour, and salt to the milk mixture. Turn the mixer on low speed or use your hands to combine until it forms a sticky, thick dough. Mix this dough for around 2 minutes to begin developing the gluten.
- Add the softened butter. Turn the mixer on medium speed until the sticky dough strengthens and comes together. In the mixer, it should pull away cleanly from the sides of the bowl. Mix the dough for at least 10 minutes for the best gluten development. The dough should feel smooth, soft, and strong.
- Shape the dough into a ball and place it into a large bowl. Cover the bowl tightly and let it proof in a warm spot until doubled in size. You can also proof the dough in the refrigerator overnight for extra flavor.
Cherry Preserves
- Combine the cherries, sugar, lemon juice, and salt in a medium saucepan over low heat. Stir while the cherries begin to release their juices.
- Once a lot of the liquid has been released, turn the heat up to medium and bring it to a boil. Let them simmer for 18-20 minutes until thickened, stirring regularly.
- Take it off the heat and stir through the almond extract.
- Pour the preserves into a bowl and let it cool completely. Chill in the fridge until needed.
Shaping
- Punch down the dough and pull it from the bowl onto a lightly floured surface. If it is refrigerated, it will be stiffer.
- Form it into a mound and lightly flour the top. Then roll it into a ½ inch/ 1.3cm thick rectangle.
- Use a cookie cutter or jar lid to cut out round donuts about 3 inches /7.5 cm in diameter. Place each donut on parchment paper.
- Any dough scraps can be kneaded back into a ball and rolled out again. Leave the dough scraps to rest for a few minutes before rolling out again. This allows the gluten to relax again so the dough doesn't spring back when rolled.
- Let the donuts rest for 30-60 minutes until they are puffy. If drying out, lightly brush the tops with a little water. Use kitchen scissors to cut around each donut on the parchment paper so each donut is sitting on an individual piece of parchment.
Frying
- When nearly ready to fry, pour the frying oil into a deep fryer or a deep pot and heat it to around 340°F / 171°C – 347°F / 175°C.
- Carefully drop 1-2 donuts into the oil and remove the parchment paper with tongs. Fry the donuts for 2 minutes on one side, flip them, and fry for 2 minutes on the other side. Ensure the oil in the pot stays hot, but don't let it surpass 350°F / 180°C, or the donuts will burn before they can cook in the middle.
- Remove the fried donuts with a slotted spoon and let them drain for 20-30 seconds before placing them on paper towels to abosrb any excess oil.
- Toss the doughnuts in superfine sugar.
- Using a hand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, whip the heavy cream, sugar, and vanilla extract on medium-high speed until medium peaks form, take care not to overwhip.
- Once completely cooled, slice the doughnuts in half horizontally, nearly all the way through but not quite. Open the doughnut up and scoop or pipe on whipped cream. Top with a heaped spoonful of cherry preserves.
Nutrition
Calories: 292kcalCarbohydrates: 57gProtein: 5gFat: 5gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 41mgSodium: 189mgPotassium: 119mgFiber: 3gSugar: 29gVitamin A: 173IUVitamin C: 8mgCalcium: 37mgIron: 2mg
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