Korean Milk Cream Donuts (Printable Version)

Soft fried donuts filled with sweet milk cream, inspired by Korean bakeries

# What You'll Need:

→ For the Donut Dough

01 - 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 2 tbsp granulated sugar
03 - 1/2 tsp salt
04 - 1 tsp instant yeast
05 - 2/3 cup warm milk
06 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
07 - 1 large egg

→ For Frying

08 - 2 cups vegetable oil for deep frying

→ For the Milk Cream Filling

09 - 1 cup cold heavy cream
10 - 3 tbsp sweetened condensed milk
11 - 2 tbsp powdered milk
12 - 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

→ For Coating

13 - 1/2 cup powdered sugar

# Directions:

01 - In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, salt, and instant yeast until evenly mixed.
02 - Add warm milk, softened butter, and egg to the dry ingredients. Mix until a soft, shaggy dough forms.
03 - Knead the dough by hand or stand mixer for 8 to 10 minutes until smooth, elastic, and passes the windowpane test.
04 - Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap or a clean towel, and let rise in a warm, draft-free area for 1 hour until doubled in size.
05 - Punch down the risen dough and divide into 8 equal portions. Roll each piece into a smooth, tight ball and arrange on a parchment-lined baking tray.
06 - Cover the shaped dough balls loosely and let rest for 30 minutes until slightly puffed.
07 - Heat vegetable oil in a deep pot or fryer to 340°F, using a kitchen thermometer to maintain accurate temperature.
08 - Fry the donuts in batches of 3 to 4, turning occasionally with a slotted spoon, until deep golden brown on all sides, about 2 to 3 minutes per batch.
09 - Transfer fried donuts to a wire rack lined with paper towels. Allow to cool completely before filling.
10 - Whip cold heavy cream to soft peaks using a hand mixer or stand mixer. Add sweetened condensed milk, powdered milk, and vanilla extract, then continue whipping until stiff peaks form.
11 - Transfer the prepared cream to a piping bag fitted with a round tip. Make a small incision in the side of each cooled donut and pipe cream generously into the center.
12 - Roll filled donuts in powdered sugar until thoroughly coated. Serve immediately while fresh for optimal texture.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The cream filling tastes like upgraded whipped cream, lighter than pastry cream but more interesting than plain whipped topping
  • These donuts bring bakery magic into your kitchen without requiring professional equipment
  • That first bite of warm donut giving way to cool, milky cream creates the most incredible temperature contrast
02 -
  • Under-whipped cream will deflate inside the donut, leaving you with sad, flat pastries instead of puffy ones
  • Hot oil that is too cold makes greasy donuts, while oil that is too hot burns the outside before the inside cooks
  • The incision for filling should be small and strategic, or the cream will burst out when you take that first bite
03 -
  • Chill your mixing bowl and whisk before whipping the cream for faster, more stable results
  • Donut dough benefits from patience, rushing the rising time will give you dense, heavy results

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