This Bismark donuts recipe makes golden, fluffy donuts filled with vanilla cream! They’re topped off with a simple chocolate glaze for an impressive and indulgent homemade treat.
There are few things in this world as satisfying as a freshly made donut. There’s just something about biting through the crisp exterior and into the fluffy interior, that’s supremely satisfying. Do you agree?
For years now my favorite homemade donuts have been these beignets, then last summer I fell in love with these French Toast donuts. And now today, I’m going to share with you a new way to bring donut deliciousness to your kitchen: Bismark donuts!
What Are Bismark Donuts?
Bismark donuts are golden fried donuts filled with cream and topped with chocolate glaze. The name comes from Bismark, Germany, which is where these donuts originated.
Bismark donuts are similar to a Boston Cream donut. The main differences are that the Bismark donut is a bit fluffier and can be filled with a wider variety of things. As the name implies, a Boston cream donut is only filled with cream. By contrast, you can fill a Bismark donut with custard, stiff cream, pudding, and even jams or jellies. In other words, all Boston cream donuts are a kind of Bismark donut.
For this recipe, we are going to make a simple vanilla cream filling that is thickened with cornstarch and then pipe it into our fried donuts.
Why You’ll Love This Bismark Donuts Recipe
- Easy. If you haven’t made donuts at home before, this is a good recipe to start with. All you have to do is make the dough, fry it, then use a pastry tip to fill it with cream.
- Delightful. Between the chocolate glaze, fluffy donut, and creamy vanilla filling there is a whole lot of deliciousness going on with this recipe.
- Impressive. Even though Bismark donuts are easy to make, the end results are totally impressive. Everyone will be amazed you made donuts from scratch in the first place. Then they’ll be extra amazed that you filled the donuts with cream and added a chocolate glaze!
How to Make Bismark Donuts
Here is a quick step-by-step showing you how to make Bismark donuts from scratch. Be sure to scroll down to the recipe card below for ingredients and more detailed instructions.
Make the Vanilla Cream
- Heat the half-and-half, milk, and vanilla extract. Use a medium saucepan set over medium-low heat, then heat the liquid, stirring frequently, until it starts simmering.
- Make the egg mixture. In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, sugar, and cornstarch.
- Combine. Gradually pour the egg mixture into the hot milk, whisking constantly. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until thickened. Make sure you don’t stop whisking or your eggs will scramble instead of transforming into a rich and creamy base.
- Add butter. Remove the mixture from the heat and add the butter, 1 tablespoon at a time, continuing to whisk until melted and smooth.
- Cool and Chill. Let the cream cool to room temperature, then place a piece of plastic wrap on the surface of the cream. Chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
Make the Donut Dough
- Combine dry ingredients. In a large mixing bowl, combine 3 ½ cups of flour, sugar, yeast, and salt.
- Mix wet ingredients. In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together the water, eggs, melted butter, and vanilla extract.
- Combine. Gradually add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, mixing until a dough forms. Add the remaining ½ cup flour as needed to form a soft, elastic dough.
- Rise. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the dough rise for 1 hour in a warm, draft-free place until the dough has doubled in size.
- Roll it out. Once the dough has doubled in size, roll it out on a floured surface to ½ -¾ inch thickness.
- Shape the donuts. Using a donut cutter, cut out circles of dough and place them on a baking sheet covered with pieces of parchment paper to rise for another hour.
Fry and Fill the Donuts
- Heat the oil. Heat vegetable oil (about 3 inches deep) in a medium-sized heavy-bottomed saucepan to 350°F.
- Prep your tools. While the oil heats, line a baking sheet with paper towel and set aside.
- Cook. Fry the donuts until golden brown, turning once. Remove the donuts from the oil and let them cool on the paper towel-lined tray.
- Add the cream. Using a piping bag with a small round tip, fill the donuts with prepared cream.
Make and Add the Chocolate Glaze
- Make the chocolate glaze. Heat the whipping cream in a small saucepan over medium-low heat until simmering. Add the chopped dark chocolate and stir until melted and smooth.
- Glaze the donuts. Dip the tops of the cooled donuts into the chocolate glaze and let them set.
Tips for the Best Cream Filled Donuts
- Don’t rush the rising time. Make sure you give the dough plenty of time to rise, both right after the dough is made and after the donut shapes are cut. Allowing the dough to rise properly will lead to fluffier donuts.
- Watch the oil temperature. Use a candy thermometer to keep an eye on the oil temperature. You want it to stay right around 350F. If it gets too hot it, your donuts will burn on the outside, yet remain raw on the inside. If the oil is not hot enough, then the donuts will take too long to cook can will absorb some of the oil.
- Pay attention to the cream, and the chocolate. When you are making the vanilla cream and the chocolate glaze it is important not to step away from your stove. You don’t want them to overcook and you also need to keep an eye on their texture to know when they are done.
How to Store Extras
Donuts are based enjoyed the same day they are made, but you can save them for later. The best way to store them is in a paper bag and then I recommend eating them within a day. Don’t place them in an airtight container or both the chocolate glaze and the vanilla cream will “sweat” moisture and affect the texture of your donuts.
More Donut Recipes to Try
PrintBismark Donuts
These homemade Bismark donuts are easy to make, yet so impressive! Fluffy, golden donuts filled with vanilla cream and topped with a simple chocolate glaze.
- Prep Time: 1 hour
- Chill and Rise Time: 3 hours
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 4 hours 30 minutes
- Yield: 10 donuts
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Donuts:
- 3 ½ – 4 cups all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ⅔ cup water
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- ¼ cup unsalted butter
- 2 ¼ teaspoons instant/rapid rise yeast
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Vegetable oil for frying
Vanilla Cream:
- 5 egg yolks
- 1 cup half and half
- 1 cup milk
- ⅔ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 2.5 tablespoons cornstarch
Chocolate Glaze:
- ½ cup whipping cream
- 3 oz chopped dark chocolate
Instructions
Make the Cream
- Heat the half and half, milk, and vanilla extract. Use a medium saucepan set over medium low heat, then heat the liquid, stirring frequently, until it starts simmering.
- Make the egg mixture. In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, sugar, and cornstarch.
- Combine. Gradually pour the egg mixture into the hot milk, whisking constantly. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until thickened. Make sure you don’t stop whisking or your eggs will scramble instead of transforming into a rich and creamy base.
- Add butter. Remove the mixture from the heat and add the butter, 1 tablespoon at a time, continuing to whisk until melted and smooth.
- Cool and Chill. Let the cream cool to room temperature, then place a piece of plastic wrap on the surface of the cream. Chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
Make the Donut Dough
- Combine dry ingredients. In a large mixing bowl, combine 3 ½ cups of flour, sugar, yeast, and salt.
- Mix wet ingredients. In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together the water, eggs, melted butter, and vanilla extract.
- Combine. Gradually add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, mixing until a dough forms. Add the remaining ½ cup flour as needed to form a soft, elastic dough.
- Rise. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the dough rise for 1 hour in a warm, draft-free place until doubled in size.
Shape and Fry the Bismark Donuts
- Roll it out. Once the dough has doubled in size, roll it out on a floured surface to ½ -¾ inch thickness.
- Shape the donuts. Using a donut cutter, cut out circles of dough and place them on a baking sheet covered with pieces of parchment paper to rise for another hour.
- Heat the oil. Heat vegetable oil (about 3 inches deep) in a medium-sized heavy-bottomed saucepan to 350°F.
- Prep your tools. While the oil heats, line a baking sheet with paper towel and set aside.
- Cook. Fry the donuts until golden brown, turning once. Remove the donuts from the oil and let them cool on the paper towel-lined tray.
Fill the Donuts and Add the Chocolate Glaze
- Fill with cream. Using a piping bag with a small round tip, fill the donuts with the prepared cream.
- Make the glaze. Heat the whipping cream in a small saucepan until simmering. Add the chopped dark chocolate and stir until melted and smooth.
- Glaze the donuts. Dip the tops of the cooled donuts into the chocolate glaze and let them set.
Last Step:
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