Fluffy Filled Yeast Donuts

Light and fluffy yeast raised donuts rolled in sugar and filled with a silky smooth chocolate hazelnut cream made from Nutella. 

Some days you just want something that feels a little special without turning the whole kitchen upside down. That’s usually when I end up making these fluffy filled yeast donuts. They’re soft, light, and comforting, but still feel bakery-level when you bite into them.

The dough fries up airy and tender, then gets rolled in sugar while it’s still warm. Inside, there’s a smooth chocolate hazelnut cream that’s rich but not heavy, so every bite feels balanced and not too sweet.

What is a yeast donut?

When it comes to donuts there are two distinctly different types: yeast-raised and cake donuts. Yeast raised donuts are typically lighter and fluffier whereas cake donuts are more moist and dense. Both have their charms!

A famous example of a yeast raised donut is the Krispy Kreme original glazed donut. That soft and fluffy airiness is exactly what yeast-raised donuts are all about.

Yeast donuts are typically the ones that are filled with creams, jams and custards because they are like a fluffy canvas. Cake donuts can have a lot of flavour packed into them through the use of butter, sour cream, yoghurt, etc, but yeast donuts have more of a bread-like base. This makes them perfect to fill with all your favourite fillings without becoming overbearingly sweet.

At-a-Glance – What You’ll Need Before We Start Rolling

Main Ingredients

• Plain flour – Forms the structure of the dough while keeping the crumb soft and light.
• Instant yeast – Gives the donuts their airy rise and fluffy, bread-like texture.
• White sugar – Lightly sweetens the dough and helps activate the yeast.
• Milk (room temperature) – Adds moisture and softness to the dough without weighing it down.
• Unsalted butter – Brings richness and tenderness, keeping the donuts soft even after frying.
• Egg – Adds structure, colour, and a slightly richer bite to the dough.
• Salt – Balances sweetness and strengthens the dough’s overall flavour.
• Caster sugar (for rolling) – Creates that classic crisp-sweet coating while the donuts are warm.

Optional – My Favourite Extras That Add a Little Magic

• Extra Nutella – Adds a glossy, indulgent finish on top for extra chocolatey flavour.
• Roasted hazelnuts – Bring crunch and nuttiness that cuts through the creaminess.

Substitutions – Smart Ingredient Swaps That Still Taste Amazing

• Plant-based milk – Works well for a dairy-light version without affecting texture much.
• Bread flour instead of plain flour – Gives a slightly chewier donut with more bite.
• Biscoff or peanut butter instead of Nutella – Keeps the filling creamy but changes the flavour profile.

Other fillings

I’ve chosen to fill these donuts with a simple whipped Nutella cream. Making the fluffy donuts itself is a lot of work, so a simple, light and delicious cream is perfect for filling these.

This filling is easily adaptable to whatever you like, simply replace the Nutella with a different spread of choice. This could be biscoff, peanut butter...chestnut?! You can also opt to fill these with your favourite jam, marmalade or curd. The options are endless to customise it to suit your tastes.

Troubleshooting – Quick Fixes I’ve Learned from My Bakery Kitchen

Comparison – How This Recipe Stacks Up Against Other Desserts

Tips for the Best Yeast Donuts

Use Bread Flour for a Chewier Texture

Switching from all-purpose flour to bread flour increases the gluten content, leading to a slightly chewier donut without sacrificing fluffiness. Bread flour is especially useful if you prefer a more elastic and chewy dough

Keep Oil Temperature Consistent

Maintaining a steady oil temperature (around 170°C/350°F) is essential. Frying in batches can cause the oil temperature to drop, resulting in greasy donuts. To prevent this, avoid overcrowding the pan, and allow the oil to come back to the right temperature between batches

If you love bite-sized treats, these fluffy Vegan Donut Holes are perfect for quick frying and sharing.

Test Proofing with a Finger

To check if your donuts are fully proofed and ready to fry, lightly press the dough with your finger. If it springs back slowly and leaves a small indent, the dough is proofed perfectly. If it springs back too quickly, the dough may need more time to rise

Variations

Cinnamon Sugar Coating

For a simple, yet delicious alternative, skip the filling and coat the donuts in cinnamon sugar right after frying. Mix together ½ cup of sugar and 2 tablespoons of ground cinnamon, and roll the donuts in this mixture while they are still warm

Want something visually dramatic and bakery-style? These Twisted Donuts use the same dough but bake up with irresistible spirals.

Jam-Filled Donuts

Instead of Nutella, try filling the donuts with your favorite fruit preserves, such as strawberry, raspberry, or apricot jam. This adds a fresh and fruity burst of flavor. You can either inject the jam with a piping bag after frying or serve it on the side

Chocolate Ganache Filling

For an even richer variation, make a thick chocolate ganache by melting dark chocolate with heavy cream. Let it cool until it’s thick enough to pipe into the donuts. This option is perfect for chocolate lovers and adds a decadent touch

Serving Suggestions

Drizzle with Chocolate Syrup

Enhance your filled donuts by drizzling them with warm chocolate syrup before serving. This adds an extra layer of indulgence, perfect for dessert or a special breakfast treat

Paired with Coffee or Hot Chocolate

Yeast donuts, especially those with a rich filling or a sweet glaze, pair beautifully with a hot beverage like freshly brewed coffee or hot chocolate. This makes for a comforting and satisfying combination, ideal for breakfast or afternoon tea

If you enjoy donuts with extra chew and crisp edges, classic French Crullers make a beautiful café-style pairing.

Serve as Mini Donut Holes

To make your donuts more shareable or snackable, roll smaller portions of dough into balls to create donut holes. Fry them just like the larger donuts, then roll in sugar or drizzle with glaze. These bite-sized treats are perfect for parties or as a fun snack

Common Mistakes to Avoid – Lessons I’ve Learned After Dozens of Batches

Rushing the First Rise

If the dough hasn’t doubled properly, the donuts won’t have that soft, airy crumb.
Give the yeast time to do its thing, even if it feels slow.

Adding Too Much Flour

Sticky dough can be scary, especially at home.
Resist the urge to keep adding flour or you’ll end up with dry, tough donuts.

Frying at the Wrong Temperature

Oil that’s too cool makes greasy donuts, and oil that’s too hot browns them too fast.
Aim for steady, calm bubbling rather than aggressive frying.

Skipping the Second Proof

That second rise after cutting shapes is what gives you lift.
If they go in too early, they’ll fry up flat and dense.

Filling Donuts While Warm

Warm donuts melt cream fillings quickly.
Always let them cool completely so the filling stays smooth and neat.

Overfilling the Donuts

It’s tempting to keep piping, I get it.
Stop once you feel resistance, or the filling will burst out the sides.

Fluffy Filled Yeast Donuts

Print Recipe

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Light and fluffy yeast raised donuts rolled in sugar and filled with a silky smooth chocolate hazelnut cream made from Nutella.

• Author: Catherine Zhang
• Prep Time: 3 hours
• Cook Time: 15 minutes
• Total Time: 3 hours 15 minutes
• Yield: 10 donuts 1x
• Category: Donut
• Method: Intermediate
• Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Units MUS Scale 1x2x3x

Donut dough

• 200g Plain flour (1 2/3 cup flour)
• 4g Instant yeast (1 tsp)
• 25g White sugar (2 tbsp)
• 90g Milk, room temperature (1/4 cup)
• 25g Unsalted butter, softened (5 tsp)
• 1 Egg
• Pinch of salt
• Caster sugar, for rolling

Filling

• 250g Thickened/heavy cream (1 cup)
• 100g Nutella, or any other spread (1/3 cup)
• Extra Nutella and roasted hazelnuts for sprinkling

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Instructions

Donut Dough

1. Combine flour, yeast, sugar, egg, milk and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitting with a dough hook
2. Combine the ingredients on low speed, before increasing the speed to medium-high and kneading for 5 minutes, or until smooth
3. Add the butter and continue to beat for 10 minutes
4. When the dough is slightly tacky, but doesn’t completely stick to your fingers it’s ready (more flour can be added if necessary, but don’t add too much)
5. Transfer the dough to your counter-top, dust lightly with flour and shape into a ball
6. Place the dough back into the bowl and cover with cling wrap
7. Place the covered bowl in a warm area for 1-2 hours, until the dough has doubled in size
8. Remove dough from bowl and release built up air by flattening the ball
9. Dust with flour
10. Roll out to 0.5″ / 1.5cm thickness
11. Cut out 2.5″ / 6cm round circles using a round cookie cutter
12. Place cut out rounds on a sheet of baking tray lined with baking paper and cover with cling wrap
13. Place in a warm place for 1 hour, or until doubled in size
14. Cut the baking paper with scissors so that each ball is on it’s own square of baking paper
15. Heat a pot of vegetable oil up to 170C / 340F
16. Carefully pick the donut up by the corners of the baking paper and place into the hot pot of oil
17. Fry for 2 mins on each side, or until golden brown, then drain on a wire rack or paper towel
18. Repeat with the remaining donuts, without overcrowding the pan (fry a maximum of three donuts at a time)
19. Roll the donuts in a bowl of caster sugar until well coated
20. Cool completely before filling

Filling

1. Once donuts have cooled combine cream and Nutella in the bowl of a stand mixer
2. Beat them together on medium speed until medium-stiff peaks, keeping an eye on the cream as you beat to prevent over-whipping
3. Transfer cream to a piping bag fitted with a small round piping tip 
4. Using a chopstick, or a thin and long utensil poke a hole on the side of each donut, taking care not to pierce the whole way
5. Give the utensil a little wiggle to create a pocket for the cream to fill
6. Place the tip of the piping bag into the donut and fill, leaving a small dollop of cream on top
7. Add another dollop of Nutella and sprinkle with roasted hazelnuts if desired
8. Enjoy!

Catherine Zhang

My name is Catherine, a food blogger and dessert lover. If I look familiar you may have seen me on NETFLIX's Zumbo’s Just Desserts S2! As an Australian-Chinese pastry chef and recipe developer I share recipes and tips on desserts inspired by amazing flavours, fresh produce and of course my Asian background.

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