If you love a donut that crunches on the outside and melts in your mouth with a rich, creamy filling — this one’s for you.
These 爆浆多拿滋 (bursting donuts) are coated in a thin layer of caramel that cracks beautifully with each bite, while the inside is pillowy soft and filled with a sweet, milky cream.
Perfect as a treat for yourself or to impress your friends — they look fancy, but are surprisingly easy to make!
Crispy Outside, Creamy Inside Caramel Donuts
✨ Why You’ll Love It:
- Crispy caramel glaze that shatters like sugar glass.
- Silky cream filling that oozes out with every bite.
- Soft, fluffy donut dough that’s satisfying but not overly heavy.
🍩 Ingredients
For the Donut Dough:
- 250g all-purpose flour
- 30g sugar
- 3g salt
- 5g instant yeast
- 1 egg
- 120ml warm milk
- 30g unsalted butter (softened)
For the Cream Filling:
- 200ml milk
- 2 egg yolks
- 30g sugar
- 10g cornstarch
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 50ml heavy cream (optional, for extra fluffiness)
For the Caramel Coating:
- 150g sugar
- 50ml water
- A few drops of lemon juice (to prevent crystallization)
👨🍳 Step-by-Step Instructions
🍞 1. Make the Dough
- In a bowl, combine flour, sugar, salt, and yeast.
- Add the egg and warm milk. Knead until a sticky dough forms.
- Add the softened butter and continue kneading until smooth and elastic (10–15 mins by hand or 8 mins in a stand mixer).
- Cover and let rise for 1 hour or until doubled in size.
🔥 2. Shape & Fry
- Punch down the dough and divide it into 6–8 pieces.
- Shape each into a smooth ball and let them rest for 15 minutes.
- Heat oil to 160–170°C (320–340°F). Fry donuts until golden brown on both sides, about 2–3 minutes per side.
- Drain on a wire rack.
🍮 3. Make the Cream Filling
- Whisk egg yolks, sugar, and cornstarch in a saucepan.
- Slowly add milk and stir over medium heat until thickened.
- Turn off the heat, add vanilla, and let cool completely.
- Whip heavy cream (if using) and fold it into the cooled custard for extra creaminess.
🧁 4. Fill the Donuts
- Once the donuts are cool, poke a hole in the side or bottom.
- Pipe the cream filling generously into each donut until it feels slightly heavy.
🍯 5. Caramel Coating (Crunchy Layer)
- In a clean saucepan, heat sugar, water, and a few lemon juice drops until it turns golden amber.
- Carefully dip the top (or whole) donut into the caramel using tongs or your fingers (with gloves).
- Place on a wire rack and let the coating harden for a few minutes.
- Don't overheat your oil or the donuts will brown too quickly and be raw inside.
- Make sure the caramel isn’t too dark — it should be golden, not burnt.
- Wear gloves when handling hot caramel. It’s beautiful, but dangerously hot!
Q: Can I make the donuts ahead of time?
A: Totally! You can fry the donuts a day ahead and store them in an airtight container. Just fill them and coat with caramel right before serving so they stay crispy and fresh.
Q: Do I need to use heavy cream for the filling?
A: Nope, it's optional! But adding whipped cream makes the custard extra light and fluffy—kind of like a bakery-style cream. Worth it if you’ve got some on hand!
Q: How do I stop the caramel from hardening too fast?
A: Caramel waits for no one! So make sure your donuts are ready to dip before the caramel hits that golden stage. A few drops of lemon juice help keep it smooth and less likely to crystallize.
Try it once, and you’ll be obsessed. This caramel-glazed, cream-filled donut is the ultimate dessert combo: crispy, soft, sweet, and luxurious in one bite.
