Strawberry Cream Donut

Picture this – a soft and fluffy donut filled with luscious whipped cream, homemade strawberry sauce, and sweet fresh strawberries. It’s a delectable treat and a dessert lover’s dream come true. The very first time I bit into this strawberry cream donut, my mind could not comprehend the explosion of textures and flavors. Everything is so well-balanced, and not overly sweet.

Why you’ll love this recipe

The combination of fresh juicy strawberries embraced by the velvety whipped cream and sandwiched in between the pillowy donut makes this a delightful and irresistible treat. While the strawberry sauce is optional, I highly highly highly recommend adding it to the filling. It amplifies the strawberry flavor and complements the airiness of the cream and freshness of the strawberries. You can use store-bought strawberry sauce or jam, or even make it from scratch. To make it from home, check out my easy 3-ingredient Fresh Strawberry Sauce recipe.

While the recipe is made with strawberries, you can get creative and experiment with other fruits, including blueberries, raspberries, peaches, and more! The donut acts as the perfect canvas for your favorite fruit combinations, making this recipe easily customizable based on your preferences.

Ingredients & Substitutions

Bread flour: bread flour is great to develop the gluten in the donut. You can substitute bread flour with all-purpose flour. The result will be a light and fluffier donut.

Salt: the salt will add flavor to the donut and balance out the sweetness of the strawberries.

Whole Milk: the milk helps add richness to the dough and binds the ingredients together. For best results, I recommend sticking with whole milk.

Active dry yeast: substitute active dry yeast with instant dry yeast 1:1. If using instant dry yeast, you can skip the first step as you won’t need to activate the yeast.

Sugar: the sugar helps to activate the yeast in the dough.

Egg: the egg should be at room temperature before mixing into the dough.

Unsalted Butter: similar to the egg, the butter should be at room temperature.

Neutral Oil: choose any neutral oil with a high smoke point to fry the donuts. You can use vegetable, canola, corn, avocado, sunflower seed, or grapeseed oil.

Heavy Cream: be sure to keep the heavy cream chilled before whipping.

Vanilla Extract: the vanilla extract will add a subtle vanilla flavor to the heavy cream. It enhances the taste of the heavy cream however, you can omit it if you don’t have it on hand.

Powdered Sugar: the powdered sugar will add sweetness to the heavy cream. There is also cornstarch mixed into the sugar which will help stabilize the cream. You can substitute it with regular sugar however, it won’t be as firm.

Fresh Strawberries: since strawberries are a main component of this dessert, you want to use the sweetest and ripest strawberries. Feel free to substitute the strawberries with other fruits including blueberries, raspberries, peaches, and more!

Strawberry Sauce: the strawberry sauce amplifies the strawberry flavor in the donut filling. This is optional but I think the donut tastes much better with it. You can use store-bought strawberry sauce or jam, or you can make it at home. Check out my homemade recipe here!

How to prepare Strawberry Cream Donut

Don’t be fooled or intimidated by the elegance of this dessert. It’s fairly simple and straightforward to prepare, and your belly will be glad that you did! To get started, just follow the steps below:

Step 1: Activate the yeast

In a stand mixing bowl, combine warm milk, active dry yeast, and sugar. Mix to combine then set aside for 5 minutes.

*If you don’t have a stand mixer, just use a small mixing bowl*

Step 2: Prepare the donut dough

To the mixing bowl, add the room-temperature egg, bread flour, and salt. With the hook attachment in place, turn on the stand mixer and knead for 10 minutes. At this point, the dough should have formed into a ball. If the dough is still sticking to the side of the bowl, add a teaspoon of flour at a time and knead until it is no longer sticking. Slowly add the room-temperature butter and knead for an additional 10 minutes.

*If kneading by hand, extend the kneading time by 5 to 10 minutes.

Step 3: Rest the dough

Coat a large mixing bowl with cooking oil spray or butter then transfer the dough into the bowl. Cover with plastic wrap then set aside in a warm place to rise until it doubles in size, about 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

Step 4: Roll out the dough

Once the dough has doubled in size, punch it down and flatten it out, making sure all air bubbles are gone. Cut it into 8 equal pieces – I recommend weighing each piece out with a scale for more accuracy.

Take each piece of dough and flatten it out again to remove any remaining air bubbles. Using your fingers, pinch the edges around the dough together and form it into a ball. The top of the ball should be as smooth as possible. Repeat for the remaining pieces. Transfer to a lined baking sheet with parchment paper. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside to proof for 30 minutes to 1 hour, or until double in size.

Step 5: Fry the donuts

In a heavy-duty pot, heat oil to 340F (170C). To ensure the dough stays in shape, cut the parchment paper around the dough into a square. Then pick up the parchment paper with the dough on top and carefully place it into the hot oil. The parchment paper will slowly detach, at which point you can remove it from the oil. Work in batches to avoid overcrowding the pot.

Fry for 2 minutes on each side, making sure you keep an eye on the temperature. It may not seem like the donut is frying but that’s ok! It will slowly take on color while ensuring the inside is thoroughly cooked.

Step 6: Cool the donuts completely

Remove the donut and let it rest on a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat until all donuts are cooked.

Step 7: Prepare the strawberries

Slice off the stems of the strawberries and cut them however you like!

Step 8: Make the whipped cream

I recommend placing the stand mixer bowl and wire whisk in the fridge for 15 to 30 minutes before using them to keep everything chilled. This is going to help the whipped cream whip faster and stay colder for longer.

In the stand mixer bowl, combine heavy cream, vanilla extract, and powdered sugar. Whip until stiff peaks form. To check for stiff peaks, dip the wire whisk into the cream and flip it upside down. If the peaks stay in place and don’t move, they’re ready to use. If the peaks slightly droop over, whisk for 15 to 30 seconds at a time until it’s stiff.

Transfer the whipped cream into a piping bag with a piping tip. If you don’t have a piping tip, you can use a Ziploc bag and push the cream to the bottom corner. Using a scissor, snip off the tip of the corner and it’s ready to use.

Step 9: Assemble

Slice a donut in half horizontally. Pipe a layer of cream on the bottom half of the donut. Drizzle homemade strawberry sauce (see note) or store-bought strawberry sauce on top. Layer on fresh strawberries. Pipe another layer of cream on top of the strawberries. Crown the donut with the top half of the donut. Sprinkle powdered sugar on top and enjoy!

Cooking Tips for Strawberry Cream Donut

• I always recommend blooming the yeast (step 1) to ensure that it is active and ready to use.
• The egg and butter should be at room temperature before mixing into the dough. This will ensure it can be incorporated into the batter and rise more easily.
• For best results, chill the mixing bowl and whisk in the fridge until you’re ready to whip the cream. The heavy cream should be chilled as well. This will help the cream whip faster and stay colder for longer. If you’re not using the cream right away, cover it with plastic wrap and store it in the fridge until it’s ready to be used.
• Allow the donuts to cool completely before filling otherwise, the whipped cream will melt. You don’t want a big mess!

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make the donuts ahead of time?

Yes, absolutely! You can make the donuts one day in advance and store them in an air-tight container at room temperature. For the best results, however, I recommend making them fresh. To prevent the donut from getting soggy, make sure to fill the donuts right before serving.

Can I use frozen strawberries instead of fresh strawberries?

I recommend using fresh strawberries for the best result but you can use frozen strawberries too. Just make sure to thaw them completely before assembling otherwise, it will release excess liquid.

Can I make this donut with other fillings?

Yes, of course! Instead of strawberries, you can fill the donuts with any fruit you like. Some ideas include blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, peaches, grapes, and more!

Check out my other easy and delicious dessert recipes!

1. Easy Banana Pudding – This crowd-favorite dessert is inspired by the famous Magnolia’s Bakery but with a few modifications. It’s the best dessert you’ll bring to any party or gathering!
2. Hotteok – Hotteok or Korean sweet pancakes are a classic and popular street food in Korea. They’re ridiculously crispy on the outside and soft and chewy on the inside!
3. Mango Mochi – These soft and chewy mango mochis are popular Hong Kong street food that is so incredibly addicting. They have the perfect sweetness and QQ bounce, and the best part is, it only takes 10 minutes to make!
4. Miso Banana Bread – If you’re looking to jazz up your banana bread, the addition of miso will make you wonder why you haven’t been adding it to your banana bread!
5. Nutella Tangyuan – Tangyuan or glutinous rice balls are usually filled with black sesame or peanut butter but this Nutella variation is a delicious way to add a fun and unique twist!