💡 At a Glance
- •The Treat: Classic German jelly donuts made with an ultra-fluffy yeast dough, filled with sweet jam, and dusted with powdered sugar.
- •Time Commitment: Takes a little patience while the dough goes through two quick rises before frying.
- •Method: Your Thermomix® does all the kneading for you, and then you just fry them up on the stovetop.
You know those weekend mornings when you’re craving warm, fresh bakery treats, but you really don’t want to get out of your cozy clothes to go run errands? Same here! That’s exactly why making homemade German Jelly Donuts (Berliner) is an absolute game-changer.
Your Thermomix® does all the heavy lifting by kneading up a silky, pillowy yeast dough practically on autopilot. And honestly, frying them on the stove is *so* much easier than you might think!
It’s the absolute best way to bring that warm, fresh bakery magic right into your own kitchen without any fuss.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe:
- An absolute family classic everyone will love
- Made with a wonderfully light, fluffy yeast dough
- Super quick and easy to prep thanks to the Thermomix®
- Stuffed with your favorite jam or jelly
- Makes 8 generous, delicious donuts
- Perfect for weekend treats or afternoon coffee breaks
- Gorgeously golden brown and pillow-soft
- Just plain delicious!
Pro Tips for the Best Jelly Donuts
When shaping your dough balls, make sure not to use any extra flour on your work surface. The dough actually needs that little bit of grip against the counter so you can roll it under your cupped hand into a smooth, tight ball.
Take your time heating up the frying oil. Slow and steady heating keeps the temperature steady between 320°F and 340°F (160°C (320°F)–170°C (340°F)), preventing your donuts from browning too quickly before cooking through.
Don’t have a candy or deep-fry thermometer? No problem! Just use the wooden spoon trick: dip the handle of a wooden spoon into the hot oil. If tiny bubbles immediately start floating up around the wood, your oil is ready to go.
When adding the proofed dough balls to the hot oil, always place them top-side down first (the side that was facing up while rising). This helps them cook up into that beautiful, classic rounded shape.
Can You Make These Jelly Donuts Ahead of Time?
Naturally, these jelly donuts (Krapfen) taste absolute best freshly made and cooled down, when the yeast dough is impossibly soft and fluffy. But if you do have leftovers, just store them in an airtight container once they’ve cooled completely. They’ll stay super soft and delicious for the next day!
Delicious Variations
Switch up the filling: Feel free to get creative here! If jam isn’t your favorite, these donuts taste incredible stuffed with rich vanilla pastry cream or Nutella.
Sugar crust option: If you prefer a crunchy sugar coating over powdered sugar, simply toss the donuts in fine granulated sugar right after frying while they’re still slightly warm.
What You’ll Need to Make Homemade Jelly Donuts
- 125 g (approx. 4.5 oz) milk
- ½ block fresh yeast (or 1 packet active dry yeast)
- 30 g (approx. 1 oz) granulated sugar
- 250 g (approx. 9 oz) all-purpose flour
- 2 large egg yolks
- 50 g (approx. 2 oz) butter, softened (or margarine)
- 1 pinch of salt
Plus:
- Neutral oil for frying (such as canola or sunflower oil)
- Extra flour for dusting the baking sheet
- Your favorite jam or jelly
- Powdered sugar for dusting
How to Make Homemade Berliner Donuts
Instructions:
First, add the milk, crumbled fresh yeast, and sugar to your mixing bowl. Warm the mixture for 2 min / 37°C (100°F) / Speed 2.
Next, add the egg yolks, softened butter, flour, and a pinch of salt. Knead for 5 minutes on Dough Mode until you have a soft, smooth dough.
Divide the dough into equal portions weighing about 60 grams each (around 2 oz)—this will give you about 7 to 8 donuts. Now for the secret to picture-perfect donuts: rounding the dough to build surface tension! Place a piece of dough on an un-floured work surface (you want a little grip). Cup your hand over the dough like a little dome, then gently roll it in circular motions with light pressure. The dough ball should spin right underneath your palm. Make sure your pinky and thumb are lightly tucking the dough under as you roll. Once the dough ball has a silky-smooth, taut surface, it’s ready!
Transfer the dough balls to a generously floured wooden board, cover them with a clean kitchen towel, and let them rise in a warm spot for about 30 minutes.
After rising, use a cutting board to gently press down on the balls to flatten them just a bit, then let them rest for another 15 to 20 minutes.
In the meantime, slowly heat your frying oil in a pot to between 320°F and 340°F (160°C (320°F)–170°C (340°F)).
Add the dough balls to the hot oil in batches (about 3 or 4 at a time, depending on your pot size). Pro tip: Place them top-side down first—meaning the smooth side that was facing up while rising goes into the oil first!
Cover with a lid and fry for 3 minutes.
Then, carefully flip them over using a slotted spoon and fry uncovered for another 3 minutes. Scoop out the finished donuts with your slotted spoon and let them cool on a wire rack lined with paper towels.
Next, stir your jam in a small bowl until smooth, then transfer it into a piping bag fitted with a long, narrow filling tip (a Bismarck tip works great here!). Insert the tip into the side of each donut right around the middle and pipe in about 20g (approx. 0.5 oz) (roughly 1 tablespoon) of filling.
For the grand finale, dust a generous layer of powdered sugar right over the top.
Enjoy!
I hope you have so much fun making these delicious treats! Happy baking and enjoy!
You might also love this recipe: Jam Babka – Braided Yeast Bread
Best, Christoph
Berliners (Jelly Donuts)
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Start cookingIngredients
Ingredients
- 125 g milk (approx. 4.5 oz)
- 0.5 cube fresh yeast
- 30 g sugar (approx. 1 oz)
- 250 g flour (approx. 9 oz)
- 2 egg yolks from medium eggs
- 50 g softened butter or margarine (approx. 2 oz)
- 1 pinch salt
For Frying & Finishing
- frying oil for frying (sunflower or canola oil)
- flour for dusting the board
- jam or jelly of your choice
- powdered sugar for dusting
Instructions
- 125 g (approx. 4.5 oz) milk, 0.5 cube fresh yeast, 30 g (approx. 1 oz) sugarFirst up, add the milk, crumbled fresh yeast, and sugar to the mixing bowl. Warm the mixture for 2 min. / 37°C (100°F) / speed 2.
- 250 g (approx. 9 oz) flour, 2 egg yolks, 50 g (approx. 2 oz) softened butter or margarine, 1 pinch saltNext, toss in the egg yolks, softened butter, flour, and a pinch of salt. Knead everything together for 5 minutes on the Dough setting until you get a beautifully smooth and supple dough.
- flourDivide the dough into equal portions, roll them into tight little balls, and place them on a well-floured board. Cover and let them rise in a cozy, warm spot for 30 minutes. Gently press the dough balls down to flatten them just a bit, then let them rest for another 15–20 minutes.
- frying oilWhile they rest, slowly heat your frying oil in a heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven to 160°C (320°F) (and no higher than 170°C (340°F)). Carefully lower the dough into the hot oil in batches, starting with the smooth, pretty side facing down. Fry for 3 minutes with the lid on, then flip them and fry for another 3 minutes uncovered until perfectly golden.
- jam or jelly, powdered sugarCarefully remove the donuts and let them cool. Stir your jam until it’s nice and smooth, transfer it to a piping bag fitted with a long, narrow tip, and pipe about 20 g (approx. 0.5 oz) of filling right into the side of each donut. For the ultimate finishing touch, give them a generous dusting of powdered sugar. Enjoy!
