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Home » Baking » Bread

Sugared Jam Doughnuts

October 29, 2021 by Jane Saunders 4 Comments

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Image of jam doughnuts with text overlay
Image of jam doughnuts with text overlay
Jam doughnuts image with text overlay
Image of jam doughnuts with text overlay

This recipe for jam doughnuts makes 6 large, soft, bouncy, fluffy and utterly delicious sugared doughnuts oozing with jam. Resistance is futile and licking of lips is mandatory.

This recipe was first published in October 2020 and revised in October 2021 with additional information.

Three jam doughnuts in a loaf tin - one has been bitten into.

This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Contents hide
1 Why Homemade is Best
2 Ingredients Notes
3 Step by Step Instructions
4 Expert Tips
5 Frequently Asked Questions
6 The best jam to use and alternative fillings
7 What to do with stale jam doughnuts
8 More treats featuring a jammie centre
9 Sugared Jam Doughnuts

Jam doughnuts are the ultimate food hug in my view. Totally indulgent, utterly sumptuous and more or less impossible to resist. They are a fantastic pick-me-up food to serve when spirits need raising.

My recipe for these easy sugared doughnuts is really a base. The satisfyingly large balls of sweet fluffy bread can be filled as desired or left unfilled. And they can alternatively be glazed rather than being coated in sugar.

Messy fingers and sticky lips are a given though. That’s all part of the fun of eating jam doughnuts, right?

Why Homemade is Best

Three sugared doughnuts filled with jam in a baking tin

If I told you that this easy jam doughnut recipe produces 6 large, light, bouncy and fluffy balls of sweet, vanilla-infused bread that is rolled in soft sugar before being pumped full of sweet and sticky oozing jam would that win you over?

But there are more reasons to make these sugared doughnuts:

  • Freshness – homemade doughnuts can be eaten at their freshest – within a few hours of making (all fried doughnuts go stale very quickly)
  • Quality ingredients: the dough is enriched with butter, egg, sugar and vanilla bean paste. These additions really do take the base dough up several notches
  • Filling choices – you choose what they are filled with or you can leave them plain
  • Size – you can make mini doughnuts perfect for dipping into sauces if you want to turn them into a fun sharing dessert
  • Small batch doughnut recipe – this recipe makes 6 fluffy doughnuts so there are unlikely to be leftovers. As fried doughnuts do need to be eaten on the day they are made there is little point in a recipe that makes too many to get through
  • Feed a crowd – that said, this jam doughnut recipe can easily be doubled if you are feeding more people though

Ingredients Notes

Jam Doughnut ingredients with text overlay

The ingredients used in this easy jam doughnut recipe are common pantry staples.

I’ve used bread flour (strong white flour) in this recipe as the yeast reacts well with this higher-protein flour. It gives the dough elasticity and helps trap pockets of air, resulting in soft, light, airy and bouncy doughnuts. Plain flour is not a suitable substitute in this recipe.

I always use fast-action dried yeast (aka instant yeast or rapid yeast) in my bread recipes. I find it stores well and gives consistent results when I use it. Feel free to substitute in fresh yeast if preferred though (take a look at this article explaining how to make the substitution)

To create a tasty enriched dough do use butter rather than baking margarine for this recipe. If you do not have vanilla bean paste then extract is fine to use instead.

Use any flavour thick jam you fancy, but ensure it is smooth enough to be piped (I had to puree mine using a stick blender).

Step by Step Instructions

There are really three distinct stages to this jam doughnut recipe:

  1. Make the dough
  2. Fry the doughnuts
  3. Roll them in sugar and fill

Let’s take a more detailed look at each stage in turn.

Stage 1: Make the Dough

  1. Put the flour, sugar, yeast, salt, butter, egg, vanilla bean paste and lukewarm milk into a large bowl
  2. Knead either by hand or in a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook until the dough is smooth and elastic (around 10 minutes)
  3. Lightly oil a clean bowl and transfer the dough to it. Cover with a tea towel and leave somewhere warm (but not hot) to rise until doubled in size (around 2 hours when air temperature is 20C/ 68F)
  4. When risen, knock back the dough and turn onto a lightly floured worktop. Divide into 6 equal portions (around 80g each – use scales for accuracy)
  5. Roll each piece of dough into a neat ball, then leave on the worktop, covered with the tea towel for another 45-60 minutes until doubled in size
Collage of images showing enriched dough being made.

Stage 2: Deep Frying

This sugared doughnut recipe does require the dough to be deep-fried. By far the safest way to do this is to use a thermostatically controlled deep-fat fryer. The following instructions assume you are using one too

  1. When the dough is almost risen for the second time turn on the deep fat fryer, add sufficient oil to fry the doughnuts and heat to 180C/ 350 (Please refer to your machine instructions for details on oil requirements as all machines will differ)
  2. When ready, fry the doughnuts two at a time to avoid overcrowding the pan. Simply slide each doughnut carefully into the oil to avoid splashes
  3. Time them as they cook and let them fry undisturbed for 2 minutes, then flip them over and cook for a further 2 minutes
  4. Remove using a slotted spoon, draining the oil and let cool slightly on kitchen paper
  5. Repeat steps 2, 3 & 4 with the remaining doughnuts
Collage of images showing doughnuts being deep fried.

Stage 3: Coat in sugar and Fill

  1. If necessary blitz the jam with a stick blender to break down any lumps of fruit
  2. Spoon into a piping bag fitted with a specialist nozzle suitable for filling doughnuts
  3. Put your sugar onto a large plate or a flattish bowl. Take a still hot doughnut and roll it in the sugar until fully coated. Repeat with the rest
  4. Insert the nozzle approximately half way into the sugared doughnuts and squeeze jam into each one
Collage of images showing filling being piped into doughnuts.

Expert Tips

  • Weigh the dough to ensure you get 6 equal-sized balls. This will ensure they cook evenly
  • It is best to cook the doughnuts in pairs to avoid overcrowding and lowering the temperature of the oil too much
  • Use a timer to keep check of how long your doughnuts have been cooking for. It is very easy to misjudge without one
  • Caster sugar or golden caster sugar are the best options for rolling the doughnuts in as they are soft and delicate
  • Stand the sugared doughnuts up in a tin or flat bowl before filling with jam. It is so much easier to fill them this way as you have both hands free. If they are lying flat on a worktop, one hand will always have to hold the doughnut still
  • Use a specialist piping nozzle to fill the doughnuts. It will still be a messy business, but this inexpensive bit of kit will make your doughnut-making life that much easier
  • Remember to puree any lumpy jam with a stick blender. Large pieces of fruit will clog up the piping nozzle
  • As these sugared doughnuts contain egg, milk and butter they are not easily adapted to suit a vegan lifestyle. If you are looking for a dairy-free and eggless vegan alternative try these
  • And if you are hoping to make some gluten-free doughnuts, these look good to me

Frequently Asked Questions

How long can they be stored?

Honestly, jam doughnuts are always best eaten as fresh as possible. In my view, this is when they are still warm.

They do certainly need using up by the end of the day they are fried on though, so it’s far better to make a batch to suit your needs, rather than scaling up the recipe to last for several days.

Can I freeze them?

Leftovers can be stored in the freezer for up to 2 months.

If you are going to freeze them it is best to do so as soon as they are cold. Don’t wait until they have already gone stale to freeze them, as they won’t be any better when defrosted.

Wrap each individual doughnut tightly in clingfilm, place in a freezer bag or container and freeze. When ready to use remove all covers and let defrost at room temperature for several hours.

I don’t have a deep fat fryer – can I use a saucepan?

In theory, yes you can. And I used to cook my doughnuts this way. But, after a near almighty disaster deep-frying using a saucepan in 2020, I now wholeheartedly do not and will not, recommend deep frying without a temperature controlled deep fat fryer.

I can, hand-on-heart, tell you that investing in an in-expensive thermostatically controlled deep fat fryer is a very wise decision. It’s a much safer way to make fried doughnuts or any fried food.

If I cannot talk you out of using a saucepan, please take very good care and read the advice of the professionals before you start.

Can I oven bake them?

Technically, yes you can oven bake these enriched yeast doughnuts. However, I guarantee that they won’t be half as good as when they are fried. The dough will likely be much heavier and be more akin to a rich bread rather than a pillowy soft and fluffy doughnut. For this reason, I don’t recommend baking them.

The best jam to use and alternative fillings

The best type of jam to use to fill these sugared doughnuts is thick so it stays inside of the doughnut rather than spilling out. It should also be a relatively smooth jam to avoid it getting stuck in the nozzle as it is injected into the doughnuts. In fact, American style jelly (smooth jam with no chunks or seeds) is ideal.

As for the flavour, raspberry jam is traditional, but really, plump for any variety that takes your fancy. They are, after all, your doughnuts. And if jam is not what you are craving, consider the following fillings instead:

  • Custard – again, it should be thick, not runny. Creme patissiere is ideal
  • Chocolate custard – like this one
  • Coffee custard – like this pastry cream
  • Apple – try blending an applie pie filling until smooth
  • Vanilla cream – whip double cream with a little icing sugar and vanilla bean paste
  • Jam and cream
  • Curds – lemon, lime, orange, raspberry, passionfruit – there are so many options

And rather than coating these jam doughnuts in plain sugar, try mixing in a little vanilla, cinnamon, pumpkin spice or chai spice to elevate that sweet outer layer.

What to do with stale jam doughnuts

I know it’s unlikely, but if you do find yourself with a few of these delicious sugared doughnuts leftover there are a few things you can make with them. Try using them up in the following clever recipes:

  • French toast
  • Bread pudding
  • doughnut trifle

And if you really want to eat the stale doughnut just as it is try heating it for 15 seconds in the microwave. It will be slightly revived. You could also chop it up and pour some vanilla custard over the top for an instant pudding.

Close up of sugar coated jam doughnuts filled with blackberry jam.

More treats featuring a jammie centre

Simple Sponge Cake
Check out this recipe
Close up of a vanilla sponge cake that has been cut into.
Blackberry and Almond Frangipane Tart
Check out this recipe
Close up of almond frangipane tart with blackberries
Peanut Butter Flapjack
Check out this recipe
Peanut Butter Flapjack
Easy Recipe for Jam Doughnuts - featured image

Sugared Jam Doughnuts

Jane Saunders
This recipe for jam doughnuts makes 6 large, soft, bouncy, fluffy and utterly delicious sugared doughnuts oozing with jam. Resistance is futile and licking of lips is mandatory.
5 from 6 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Worldwide
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Rising & Proving: 3 hours
Total Time: 3 hours 40 minutes
Servings: 6
Calories: 380kcal

Equipment

  • Thermostatically controlled deep-fat fryer
  • Sufficient oil to deep-fry (this will vary according to your machine – please check instructions)
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Ingredients

  • 250 g Bread flour
  • 30 g Caster sugar
  • 30 g Butter softened
  • ½ teaspoon Vanilla bean paste
  • 1 Egg small, free range
  • 120 ml Whole (full-fat) milk lukewarm
  • 1 teaspoon Fast action dried yeast / rapid yeast/ instant yeast
  • ⅛ teaspoon Salt

For Rolling and Filling

  • 4 -6 tbsp Jam use more/ less depending how jammy you like them
  • 4 tablespoon Caster sugar

Oil for Deep Frying

  • Sunflower oil or other flavourless oil suitable for frying
US Customary – Metric

Instructions

Make the dough

  • Put the flour, sugar, yeast and salt into a large bowl
  • Add the butter, vanilla bean paste, lukewarm milk and the egg
  • Mix and then knead either by hand or in a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook until the dough is smooth and elastic (around 10 minutes). The dough will start off quite loose but by the time it is fully kneaded it should be soft but not sticky. If it is too sticky during the kneading process, add a little more flour and continue to work the dough
  • Lightly oil a clean bowl and transfer the dough to it. Cover with a teatowel and leave somewhere warm (but not hot) to rise until doubled in size (around 2 hours when air temperatrure is 20C/ 68F)
  • When risen, knock back the dough and turn onto a lightly floured worktop. Divide into 6 equal portions (use scales for accuracy). Roll each piece of dough into a neat ball, then leave on the worktop, covered with the tea towel for another 45-60 minutes until doubled in size

Deep Frying

  • When the dough is almost risen for the second time turn on the deep fat fryer and heat sufficient oil (check your machine instructions for details on this) to 180C/ 350F
  • Cook the doughnuts two at a time to avoid overcrowding the pan. Simply slide each doughnut carefully into the oil to avoid splashes. Time them as they cook and let them fry undisturbed for 2 minutes, then flip them over and cook for a further 2 minutes
  • When the time is up they should look nicely browned. Remove using a slotted spoon, draining the oil and let cool slightly on kitchen paper
  • Cook the remaining doughnuts in the same way

Rolling and Filling the Doughnuts

  • Spread the caster sugar out over a flat bowl or plate and roll the slightly cooled doughnuts in the sugar until fully coated
  • Next, check the consistency of your jam. The jam needs to pass easily through the piping nozzle. If it has large chunks of fruit in it these will get stuck in the nozzle. Use a stick blender to pulse the jam until the large lumps have been broken down and a smoother consistency is achieved
  • Spoon the jam into a piping bag fitted with a specialist nozzle for filling doughnuts then pipe approximately ⅙ of the jam into the centre of each doughnut
  • Let cool slightly but consume within 12 hours to eat them at their prime

Notes

Expert Tips

  • Weigh the dough to ensure you get 6 equal-sized balls. This will ensure they cook evenly
  • It is best to cook the dough in pairs to avoid overcrowding and lowering the temperature of the oil too much
  • Use a timer to keep check of how long your doughnuts have been cooking for. It is very easy to misjudge without
  • If making 6 smaller jam doughnuts, the cooking time will be reduced slightly – aim for 2 minutes each side
  • Caster sugar or golden caster sugar are the best options for rolling the doughnuts in as they are soft and delicate
  • Ring the changes in this easy doughnut recipe by flavouring your sugar – vanilla-infused sugar is wonderful. Alternatively, mix a little cinnamon into your sugar before rolling the doughnuts
  • Stand the doughnuts up in a tin or flat bowl before filling with jam. It is so much easier to fill them this way as you have both hands free. If they are lying flat on a worktop, one hand will always have to hold the doughnut still
  • Use a specialist piping nozzle to fill the doughnuts. It will still be a messy business, but this inexpensive bit of kit will make your doughnut-making life that much easier
  • Use thick jam. Remember to puree any lumpy jam with a stick blender. Large pieces of fruit will clog up the piping nozzle

 

Storing

These doughnuts are best eaten fresh. They are delicious when still slightly warm and certainly need eating with 12 hours of being fried to ensure freshness.
Once cooked and cooled, these doughnuts can be frozen. Defrost fully at room temperature before consuming.
Freezing
If you are going to freeze them it is best to do so as soon as they are cold. Don’t wait until they have already gone stale to freeze them, as they won’t be any better when defrosted.
Wrap each individual doughnut tightly in clingfilm, place in a freezer bag or container and freeze. When ready to use remove all covers and let defrost at room temperature for several hours.

Nutritional Information

The values presented are calculated on the basis of 1 tablespoon of oil being absorbed by each doughnut during the cooking process. This is not an exact figure and will vary according to oil temperature and exact size of the doughnut. Please treat these figures as a guide only.

Nutrition Per Serving (Approximate)

Serving:1Doughnut | Calories:380kcal | Carbohydrates:46g | Protein:7g | Fat:19g | Saturated Fat:5g | Polyunsaturated Fat:1g | Monounsaturated Fat:12g | Trans Fat:1g | Cholesterol:40mg | Sodium:105mg | Potassium:99mg | Fiber:2g | Sugar:15g | Vitamin A:198IU | Vitamin C:1mg | Calcium:35mg | Iron:1mg
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  1. Jenn

    November 12, 2020 at 2:59 pm

    5 stars
    My little family of three is LOVING this small-batch recipe! I adore that I can make 6 small donuts and we each can scarf two – the perfect serving size for a delectable dessert – thank you!

    Reply
    • Jane Saunders

      November 12, 2020 at 4:58 pm

      That sounds like a great plan – so pleased they are going down well with you all. Thanks for the feedback.

      Reply
  2. Wilhelmina

    November 07, 2020 at 1:18 pm

    5 stars
    These were the best donuts I have ever made at home! The dough cake together super easily and then cooked up so fluffy! We used strawberry jam for filling, delicious!

    Reply
    • Jane Saunders

      November 12, 2020 at 4:57 pm

      Thankyou! So pleased you enjoyed them

      Reply

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