Why you’ll love these jelly donuts
With Fat Tuesday right around the corner, I didn’t want you to miss out on all the donut day fun, so I made sure we had a dairy free paczki recipe ready to go. Our local bakeries make thousands of them and you have to get there early if you want to get some before they sell out.
Sadly, most of them have dairy, so I figured we could easily make our own with my dairy free donut recipe. The method is pretty straight forward, and the only real difference is that you need to coat them in granulated sugar after frying and add filling once they’ve cooled.
More Fat Tuesday recipes: shrimp po boys / bananas foster pancakes / jambalaya pasta / shrimp and grits / my favorite gumbo recipe
Ingredient notes:
- All-purpose flour – I haven’t tested this with any other flours. Please don’t swap this out for a different type of flour unless you really know what you’re doing. If you want to make these gluten free, I recommend using a recipe that was developed specifically for gluten free donuts.
- Instant yeast – You want instant yeast (sometimes called rapid-rise) for this recipe, not active dry. Instant yeast doesn’t need to be bloomed and can be mixed directly into your dry ingredients.
- Dairy free butter – You can use any brand of dairy free butter. We normally use Earth Balance buttery sticks. Since most dairy free butters are salted, I typically skip adding salt to in my dough. If your dairy free butter isn’t, add a pinch of salt.
- Dairy free buttermilk – This gives our donuts a classic dairy flavor. You can make your own using my dairy free buttermilk recipe (try the creamy version for best results! You can also substitute full-fat canned coconut milk.
- Raspberry filling – After doing a few rounds of testing, I found that the best tasting filling was actually raspberry pie filling rather than jelly. It has a bit more tartness to it and the sweetness was closer to a real bakery filling than any of the jams I tested. If you do want to use traditional jelly, I would recommend a seedless jam.
Making changes to a recipe can result in recipe failure. Any substitutions listed below are simple changes that I believe will work in this recipe, but results are not guaranteed.
Melissa’s tips + tricks:
- Don’t kill your yeast. I recommend using a thermometer to measure the temperature of your buttermilk before adding it to the dough, but if you don’t have one. 45 seconds in the microwave should be just warm enough for 2/3 cup buttermilk.
- Watch your oil temp. I like to use my candy thermometer to monitor the temperature of my oil while frying anything. If your oil is too hot, the donuts will taste bitter, and if your oil is too low, they donuts won’t get that crispy exterior you want.
- Parchment paper hack: After you cut the donuts, place them on a small parchment square (about 4″x4″) for their second proof. When you’re ready to fry, use the parchment squares to help move and drop your donuts into the oil. Then remove the parchment after a few seconds with a pair of tongs. This helps keep your donuts from deflating or losing their shape.
- Storage: Filled donuts are best eaten the same day. The jelly will make them soggy after a day or two. Store in an airtight container at room temperature.
Frequently asked questions
What oil should I use for frying?
Use a neutral oil with a high smoke point like vegetable oil, peanut oil or even melted shortening. I prefer to use melted shortening because its solid state makes cleanup easier!
How do I know when the oil is hot enough?
Use a thermometer to check that the oil is between 340-350°F. If you don’t have a thermometer, drop a small piece of dough into the oil. If it sizzles and floats to the top immediately, the oil is ready. But, I really recommend using a thermometer to monitor the temperature.
How long do homemade last?
Homemade donuts are the best within 24 hours, but they will stay fresh in an airtight container at room temperature for 1-2 days. After two days, the texture just won’t be as great.
Can I make these donuts ahead?
Homemade donuts are best enjoyed the day you make them, but making them one day in advance would be ok. I would just hold off on filling them until right before serving to prevent them from getting soggy.
More dairy free breakfast recipes: dairy free crepes / pumpkin cream cheese muffins / million dollar bacon / dairy free overnight oats
Ingredients
- 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour - 330g
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar - 50g
- 1 packet instant yeast - 2 1/4 teaspoons
- 2 tablespoons dairy free butter - melted and cooled
- 2/3 cup dairy free buttermilk - heated to 115°F (can substitute canned coconut milk)
- 1 large egg
- 1 egg yolk
- Vegetable oil or shortening for frying
- 1 – 1 1/2 cups seedless raspberry jam or pie filling
- 1/2 – 1 cup granulated sugar - for coating
Instructions
- Prep the wet ingredients. In a small microwave safe bowl, melt the dairy free butter and set it aside to cool. Then, measure your dairy free buttermilk and microwave for 45 seconds to bring it to about115°F. If it gets hotter than 120˚F, allow it to cool before using or it will kill the yeast.
- Make the dough. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, whisk together the flour, yeast, and sugar until evenly distributed. Next, add the dairy free buttermilk, melted butter, eggs, and vanilla extract, mixing until combined.
- Knead the dough. Leaving the mixer on low, allow the hook to knead the mixture for about 5 minutes total, or until the dough is smooth and elastic. The dough should be slightly sticky, but if needed, add about 1/4 cup (30g) of flour at a time until the dough begins to pull away from the bowl.
- First proof. Transfer the dough to a lightly greased mixing bowl, cover with a clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap. Allow the dough to rise in a warm place for 1 to 1.5 hours, or until doubled in size. Rise time will vary depending on room and temperature conditions.
- Roll and cut the donuts. Working on a lightly floured surface, use a rolling pin to roll the dough to about 1/2-inch thickness. Then, use a 3.5-inch donut cutter to cut out donuts.Re-roll scraps and continue to cut doughnuts until you get 12. Place each donut on a 4"x4" parchment paper square on a baking sheet.
- Second proof. Cover and allow the donuts to proof again for about 30-60 minutes or until the donuts look doubled in size. Rise time will vary depending on room and temperature conditions.
- Fry the donuts. Heat 2-3 inches of cooking oil in a large Dutch oven or deep frying pan over medium heat until the oil reaches 340-350˚F. Then, working in batches of 3 donuts, carefully drop your donuts into the oil removing the parchment using tongs after about 10 seconds.Fry for about 1 to 2 minutes per side, or until lightly golden brown, using a spider strainer or slotted spoon to flip and remove them. Transfer the cooked donuts to a cooling rack set over a baking sheet. Repeat until all the donuts are cooked, adjusting heat as needed to maintain oil temperature.
- Roll in sugar. Place the granulated sugar in a shallow bowl. While the donuts are still slightly warm from frying, roll each donut in the sugar to coat all sides. Transfer to a cooling rack and allow them to cool completely before filling.
- Fill the donuts. Transfer the jelly to a piping bag fitted with a Bismarck tip (long piping tip). Insert the tip into the side of each donut, getting the tip as close to the center as possible. Then, gently fill the donut until you see the donut begin to expand. Repeat as needed until all donuts have been filled.
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