Jelly Doughnuts

Name: Jelly Doughnuts
Prep time: 1 h 15 min
Total time: 2 h 45 min
Yield: 16 serving(s)
Ingredients: 1 c. warm milk (105°F to 110°F); 1 1/4 c. granulated sugar; 2 1/4 tsp. active dry yeast (one 0.25-ounce packet); 2 large eggs, at room temperature; 4 c. all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting; 1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt; 1/2 c. (1 stick) salted butter, cubed, at room temperature; Vegetable oil, for frying, plus more for the bowl; 3/4 c. seedless raspberry or strawberry jam, loosened with a whisk

Jelly inside. Sugar outside. Goodness all around.

By Leah PerezPublished: Nov 29, 2025

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C.W. Newell

Yields:

16 serving(s)

Prep Time:

1 hr 15 mins

Total Time:

2 hrs 45 mins

Some days call for an extra-special treat, and there's none better than a homemade jelly doughnut. These beauties are everything you want in a doughnut: soft, pillowy dough that fries up golden and light and is rolled in crunchy sugar. And then there’s the best part—the surprise jam center that takes them completely over the top. Whether you serve them warm or at room temperature, they are a special treat that disappears fast, especially around the holidays. Pile them on a platter for breakfast, brunch, or an afternoon coffee break!

Sweeten your day with more doughnut recipes and Christmas breakfast ideas here.

What is the best oil to fry doughnuts in?

Vegetable oil is one of the best choices for frying doughnuts because it has a neutral flavor and a high smoke point. Canola oil and peanut oil are also great options.

Can these jelly doughnuts be served as sufganiyot for Hanukkah?

Yes! These doughnuts make a delicious Hanukkah treat, especially after a dairy-based meal if you are keeping kosher. To make them as sufganiyot, follow the recipe with one small adjustment: In step 5, use a 2-inch round cutter to create smaller doughnuts. Skip rolling them in granulated sugar after frying. Sufganiyot can be filled from the side, just like the jelly doughnut version, or from the top. To fill from the top, use a chopstick or skewer to poke a hole halfway through the center of each doughnut, gently rotating to widen it to about ½ inch. Pipe in the jam until it just starts to peek out from the hole, then dust the tops with powdered sugar before serving.

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Ingredients

1 cup
warm milk (105°F to 110°F)
1 1/4 cups
granulated sugar
2 1/4 tsp.
active dry yeast (one 0.25-ounce packet)
2
large eggs, at room temperature
4 cups
all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1 1/2 tsp.
kosher salt
1/2 cup
(1 stick) salted butter, cubed, at room temperature
Vegetable oil, for frying, plus more for the bowl
3/4 cup
seedless raspberry or strawberry jam, loosened with a whisk

Directions

1. Step 1In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, stir together the milk and ¼ cup of the sugar until dissolved. Sprinkle on the yeast, cover, and let the mixture stand until the yeast is foamy, about 10 minutes.
2. Step 2Uncover and whisk in the eggs. With the mixer on low speed, add the flour, about ½ cup at a time, along with the salt, until all the flour is incorporated and the dough starts to form a ball around the hook. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl and mix on medium-low speed, adding the butter a few cubes at a time. When all the butter is added, continue mixing until the dough is smooth and elastic, 7 to 9 minutes. (Test the dough for elasticity by performing a windowpane test: Pinch off a walnut-sized piece of dough and flatten it. Gently stretch it out in all directions until it is so thin that light can pass through. If it tears before you can stretch it thin, it needs another minute or two in the mixer.) Remove the dough from the mixing bowl and roll into a large ball.
3. Step 3Lightly grease a large bowl with vegetable oil and add the dough. Cover with plastic wrap, a clean dish towel, or a large plate and let rise in a warm, draft-free place until doubled in size, 40 minutes to 1 hour. (Alternatively, if making ahead, tightly cover and refrigerate the dough overnight before proceeding to the next step.)
4. Step 4Dust 2 baking sheets with flour.
5. Step 5Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface. Roll out the dough to a ½ inch thickness. Cut out circles of dough using a floured 3-inch round biscuit cutter. Wait 15 minutes before re-rolling and cutting out the scraps (only re-roll once). Transfer the dough rounds to the prepared baking sheets, cover with plastic wrap or clean dish towels, and allow to rise in a warm place until they are puffy and visibly airy, 30 to 45 minutes.
6. Step 6About 15 minutes before the dough has fully risen, heat 1 ½ inches vegetable oil in a large pot fitted with a deep-fry thermometer until the temperature reaches 330°F. Line a baking sheet with several layers of paper towels and place a wire rack on top. Place the remaining 1 cup sugar in a shallow dish and spoon the jam in a pastry bag or zip-top bag with a ¼-inch round pastry tip.
7. Step 7Working two at a time, carefully pick up the doughnuts with your hands and add them to the oil. It is okay if they appear to deflate a little bit when you touch them; they will puff up again as they fry. Cook the doughnuts until deeply golden brown, 1 to 1 ½ minutes per side. Use a spider skimmer or a slotted spoon to remove the doughnuts from the oil, allowing any excess oil to drip off. Immediately place the doughnuts on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining dough, adjusting the heat as needed to keep the oil at 330°F.
8. Step 8When the doughnuts are cool enough to handle, roll them in sugar. Use a chopstick or skewer to poke a hole into the side of each doughnut, moving it around carefully to create a pocket and to widen the opening to about ½ inch. Working in batches, place some doughnuts opening side-up in a loaf pan. Pipe the jam gently into the hole of each doughnut until it just starts to come out of the doughnut around the piping tip. Keep the doughnuts in the loaf pan for at least 5 minutes to allow the jam to settle before serving.

Tip: The doughnuts are best enjoyed the same day they’re fried, but they can be stored, unfilled, in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. If you’d like to refresh them, warm the doughnuts in a 300°F oven for about 5 minutes. For the freshest texture, wait to fill the doughnuts until just before serving.