How to make custard filled donuts at home

Craving something creamy, dreamy, and downright delicious? Custard filled donuts are the ultimate indulgence, soft, pillowy pastries bursting with rich vanilla custard in every bite. Whether dusted with sugar or dipped in chocolate glaze, these donuts bring bakery-level bliss straight to your kitchen.

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What Is Custard Filled Donuts?

Custard filled donuts are a type of fried dough pastry that is soft, fluffy, and generously filled with rich, creamy custard. Unlike plain donuts or those topped with glaze or sugar, these donuts feature a smooth vanilla custard filling often called pastry cream, that adds a luscious, velvety texture and sweet flavor inside the airy fried dough. The custard is typically made from egg yolks, milk, sugar, and vanilla, thickened with cornstarch or flour to create a silky, pudding-like consistency. Custard filled donuts are popular worldwide and come in various regional variations, sometimes topped with powdered sugar, glaze, or chocolate. They offer a perfect balance of light, tender dough and indulgent creamy filling, making them a favorite treat for breakfast or dessert.

So, What Is a Custard Filled Donut Called? A custard filled donut is commonly referred to by several names depending on the region and style. One well-known name is the Boston cream donut, which is a round, yeast-raised donut filled with vanilla custard (also called crème pâtissière) and topped with chocolate icing, inspired by the Boston cream pie. 

Another popular type is the Long John (also called a filled bar, cream stick, or maple bar in some regions), which is a bar-shaped yeast donut that can be filled with custard or cream and often topped with glaze or icing. Filled Long Johns are especially common in the Midwestern U.S., Canada, and parts of the West Coast.

In general, donuts filled with smooth, creamy custard are simply called custard filled donuts or cream-filled donuts, but specific names like Boston cream donut or Long John filled bar are widely recognized.

History of Custard Filled Donuts

The history of custard filled donuts is intertwined with the broader story of the donut itself, which has a rich and somewhat debated origin. Early forms of fried dough pastries can be traced back to ancient civilizations, including Native American fry bread and sweet fried doughs from Europe and Asia. However, the modern donut’s roots are often linked to Dutch settlers who brought olykoeks (“oily cakes”) to North America in the 17th century. These early fried dough balls were sweetened and sometimes filled, though not yet shaped like today’s donuts.

The specific tradition of filled donuts, including custard and jelly varieties, is believed to have originated in Europe, particularly Germany. The jelly or custard-filled donut known as the Berliner dates back to 15th-century Germany and became popular across Europe and later America. The Berliner, often filled with fruit preserves or custard, is a direct ancestor of today’s custard filled donuts.

In the 19th century, donuts evolved significantly in America. The invention of the donut hole by Hanson Gregory in 1847, who punched a hole in the center to ensure even frying, helped popularize the ring-shaped donut. Filled donuts, however, remained a beloved variation, especially in German-American communities.

By the 20th century, custard filled donuts had become a staple in American bakeries and donut shops, celebrated for their rich filling and soft dough. Chains like Dunkin’ Donuts and Krispy Kreme helped popularize filled donuts nationwide, offering custard and cream-filled varieties alongside classic glazed and plain donuts.

Today, custard filled donuts continue to be a favorite indulgence worldwide, combining centuries-old traditions of fried dough and creamy fillings into a timeless treat.

Custard Doughnut Filling Recipe

Ingredients

• 2 ½ cups (600 ml) whole milk
• 5 large egg yolks
• ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar (divided)
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch (cornflour)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or 1 vanilla bean (split and scraped)
• ¾ stick (85 g) unsalted butter, softened
• Optional: pinch of salt

Detailed Instructions

Step 1: Prepare the Egg Mixture
In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks with 2 tablespoons of the sugar and the cornstarch until smooth and pale. This mixture will thicken the custard and give it a silky texture.

Step 2: Heat the Milk and Vanilla
In a saucepan, combine the whole milk with the remaining sugar and the vanilla (extract or seeds from the vanilla bean). Heat over medium-low heat until the milk is warm and just starting to steam do not let it boil.

Step 3: Temper the Eggs
Slowly pour a small amount of the warm milk mixture into the egg yolk mixture while whisking constantly. This gradual mixing, called tempering, warms the eggs gently to prevent scrambling. Continue adding the milk slowly until fully combined.

Step 4: Cook the Custard
Pour the tempered egg mixture back into the saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat, whisking constantly, until the custard thickens and starts to bubble gently. Allow it to cook for about 1 minute while whisking to ensure it is fully thickened and smooth. The custard should coat the back of a spoon and hold a line when drawn with your finger.

Step 5: Strain and Add Butter
Remove the custard from heat and strain it through a fine sieve into a clean bowl to remove any lumps or cooked egg bits. Stir in the softened butter until fully melted and incorporated, which enriches the custard and adds a smooth finish.

Step 6: Cool the Custard
Cover the surface of the custard directly with plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming. Let it cool to room temperature, then refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight to fully set and develop flavor before filling your donuts.

How to Make Smooth Vanilla Custard Filling

• Step 1: Whisk egg yolks, sugar, and cornstarch until smooth.
  In a mixing bowl, combine egg yolks, granulated sugar, and cornstarch. Whisk thoroughly until the mixture is smooth and free of lumps.
• Step 2: Heat milk with vanilla until warm.
  In a saucepan, gently heat whole milk with vanilla extract or vanilla bean until it’s warm and steaming but not boiling.
• Step 3: Temper eggs by slowly adding warm milk while whisking.
  Gradually pour the warm milk into the egg yolk mixture while whisking constantly. This prevents the eggs from curdling and ensures a smooth custard.
• Step 4: Cook custard over medium-low heat, whisking constantly until thick and glossy.
  Return the mixture to the saucepan and cook over medium-low heat, stirring or whisking continuously. The custard will thicken and become glossy, coating the back of a spoon. Avoid boiling to prevent curdling.
• Step 5: Strain custard to remove lumps.
  Pour the custard through a fine mesh strainer into a clean bowl to remove any cooked egg bits or lumps for a silky texture.
• Step 6: Stir in butter and cool completely, cover with plastic wrap touching surface to prevent skin.
  Add softened butter and stir until fully melted and incorporated. Cover the surface of the custard directly with plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming as it cools.
• Step 7: Chill custard for at least 2 hours or overnight for best flavor.
  Refrigerate the custard until fully chilled and set. Chilling enhances the flavor and thickens the custard to the perfect consistency for filling donuts.

How to Fill Custard Donuts

• Cool donuts completely before filling to prevent melting custard.
  Ensure your fried donuts are fully cooled on a wire rack before filling to avoid the custard melting and leaking.
• Use a piping bag with a filling tip.
  Fit a piping bag with a narrow filling tip to easily inject custard into the donuts.
• Poke a hole in the side of each donut with a skewer or chopstick.
  Create a small opening on the side or bottom of each donut for the filling tip.
• Pipe custard slowly until donut feels slightly heavy.
  Gently fill each donut with custard until you feel it’s adequately filled but not overstuffed.
• Optionally, dip filled donuts in chocolate glaze or dust with sugar.
  For extra indulgence, coat filled donuts with chocolate glaze or sprinkle with powdered or granulated sugar before serving.

Calories in Custard Filled Doughnut (100g)

A custard filled donut contains approximately 350 to 360 calories per 100 grams on average. For example, a Krispy Kreme Chocolate Iced Custard Filled Donut has about 353 calories per 100g. Other sources show similar values, with custard filled donuts ranging from around 298 to 361 calories per 100g depending on the recipe and toppings.

Here are some representative calorie values per 100g for custard filled donuts from various sources:

The calorie content varies mainly due to differences in dough ingredients, frying oil absorption, custard richness, and toppings like chocolate glaze or sugar coatings. Fried donuts with rich custard fillings tend to be calorie-dense because of the fat content from frying and the creamy filling.

If you are monitoring calorie intake, a typical 100g custard filled donut provides roughly 300 to 360 calories, making it a moderately high-calorie indulgence best enjoyed in moderation.

How Long Do Filled Donuts Last?

Custard filled donuts are perishable and require proper storage to maintain freshness and safety. Here are the general guidelines for their shelf life:

• Refrigerated Storage:
  Custard filled donuts should be stored in the refrigerator and will last 3 to 4 days when properly covered or sealed to prevent drying out. Refrigeration is essential because the creamy custard filling contains eggs and dairy, which can spoil quickly at room temperature.
• Room Temperature:
  It is generally not recommended to leave custard filled donuts unrefrigerated for more than 2 hours due to the risk of bacterial growth. While glazed or plain donuts can last longer at room temperature (up to 4-5 hours), filled donuts with dairy-based cream fillings spoil faster and should be consumed quickly if left out.
• Freezing:
  If you want to extend their shelf life, custard filled donuts can be frozen for 2 to 3 months. Wrap them tightly to preserve texture and flavor, then thaw in the refrigerator before eating.
• Overnight Storage:
  Leaving custard filled donuts out overnight is unsafe and not advised, as the filling can spoil and pose food safety risks.

Summary Table: 

Additional Tips

• Always cool donuts completely before filling to reduce spoilage risk.
• Keep filled donuts sealed to prevent drying and absorption of fridge odors.
• Consume custard filled donuts as fresh as possible for best taste and safety.

Conclusion

Custard-filled donuts are more than just a treat, they’re a celebration of texture, tradition, and flavor. From their humble European roots to their place in modern bakery displays, these donuts bring joy with every creamy bite. Whether you’re a seasoned home baker or just discovering the art of donut-making, mastering the custard-filled variety will reward you with golden rings of comfort and satisfaction. So gather your ingredients, warm up your kitchen, and let your donut journey begin because once you make them from scratch, there's no going back.