Bismark Donut Recipe

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These homemade Bismark (Bismarck) Donuts are soft, fluffy yeast donuts filled with jam filling and finished with a sweet coating of sugar. Also known as filled donuts, Bismarks are a bakery favorite that can be stuffed with pastry cream, custard, jam, or your favorite cream filling. Freshly fried until beautifully golden, they're an irresistible treat for breakfast, brunch, or dessert.

Prep Time25

Cook Time12

Rest time17 15

Total Time17 52

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: German

Keyword: deep fried, dessert, donuts

Servings: servings

Calories: 314kcal

Author: Tara Noland

Equipment

Ingredients

1 cup Milk 240g, warmed to 100–105°F
1 tbsp Instant yeast
3½ cups All-purpose flour 420g, plus 2–4 tablespoons extra if needed
2 large Eggs room temperature
¼ cup Granulated sugar 50g
½ tsp Salt
4 tbsp Unsalted butter 56g, very soft
⅛ tsp Ground nutmeg can be left out, but is recommended
½ to ¾ cup Strawberry blueberry or raspberry jam for filling
Granulated sugar powdered sugar, or simple glaze for finishing
Plus oil for frying

Instructions

Instructions — Overnight Method (Recommended)

In a large bowl, whisk the warm milk and eggs until smooth. Add the flour, instant yeast, and nutmeg. Mix until the dough forms a shaggy, sticky mass. Cover the bowl and let the dough rest for 15–20 minutes to hydrate the flour and begin gluten development.
Add the sugar and salt and mix until incorporated. Add the softened butter one tablespoon at a time, letting each addition fully blend in. Continue mixing or kneading until the dough becomes smooth, elastic, and tacky but not gluey. If the dough still feels loose or overly soft, add 2–4 tablespoons of additional flour.
Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover, and let it rest at room temperature for 10–15 minutes. Transfer the covered bowl to the refrigerator and chill overnight for 12–16 hours.
The next morning, allow the dough to rest at room temperature for 20–30 minutes. Lightly flour your counter and gently roll or pat the dough to ½ inch thickness. Lightly flour the top and cut 3-inch rounds, pressing straight down. Use a thin spatula or bench scraper to transfer each donut to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Do not reroll the scraps; use them for donut holes.
Cover lightly and let the donuts rise until puffy and soft, about 45–75 minutes depending on kitchen temperature.
Heat oil to 340–350°F. Fry the donuts for 1–2 minutes per side until golden. Immediately toss warm donuts in granulated sugar, or let them cool and dust with powdered sugar. Place on a rack to cool before filling.
Use a piping bag (with or without a tip) to fill each donut with strawberry or raspberry jam. Take a steak knife and insert a small slit and hole. Insert the tip into the side and pipe until the donut feels slightly heavier and a small amount of jam pushes back toward the opening.
I recommend using the overnight method, as it is easier. Instructions for same-day are below, but if someone is more on the beginner side of doing donuts, I would do the overnight version as the dough is much easier to work with when chilled.

Same-Day Option

Follow the dough mixing instructions. After kneading, let the dough rise for 1–1½ hours until puffy, then chill for 30–45 minutes before rolling. This brief chill helps keep the dough firm and easy to cut. Proceed with shaping, proofing, frying, and filling as described above.
The overnight dough is easier to work with and yields the most consistent results.

Notes

*Very Important* See the post for more information, photos and tips especially for beginner donut makers.

Nutrition