Boston Cream Football Donuts
The Super Bowl is just around the corner, and I just HAD to make these Boston Cream Football Donuts espiecially because my New England Patriots are playing, and these donuts are just a staple to a New Englander! Making these donuts surely has helped calm down the nerves before the game lol. In all seriousness, though, this recipe is so delicious and easy to make! I hope that you enjoy it as much as I do! While you’re here, you might want to try out some of my other donut recipes like my Homemade Maple Bar Donuts, or my Heart Shaped Jelly Donuts!
How To Make Boston Cream Football Donuts
I know that homemade donuts might seem intimidating, but I promise you that they’re so much easier than you might think :) Read the directions carefully, take your time, be patient, and I have no doubt that you’ll be left with the most delicious homemade Boston Cream Donuts.
- activate the yeast in warm milk and let it sit until foamy
- mix in egg yolks, sugar, butter, salt, and flour to form a soft dough
- knead until smooth, then cover and let rise until doubled in size
- prepare the vanilla custard on the stovetop and chill until thick and cold
- roll out the dough, cut into football shapes, and let rise again
- fry the donuts in 350–365°F oil until golden brown (watch them closely, they brown fast!)
- cool completely, then fill each donut with the chilled custard
- dip the tops in chocolate ganache and let set (if you try to pipe the laces immediately after dipping in ganache, it’ll be messy! trust me, I had to learn the hard way lol)
- pipe icing laces to create the football design and serve
More Recipes You Might Enjoy!
Heart Shaped Jelly Donuts
Homemade Maple Bar Donuts
Pumpkin Cinnamon Roll Pancakes
Banana Coffee Cake
Strawberry Cinnamon Rolls
Gingerbread Cinnamon Rolls
How to store Boston Cream Football Donuts
Boston cream donuts are best enjoyed the day they’re made, but they can still be stored properly for later! :)
- place the filled donuts in an airtight container
- store them in the refrigerator because of the custard filling
- they will stay fresh for up to 3 days
- let them sit at room temperature for about 15–20 minutes before serving for the best texture
Tips for making homemade donuts
- always check the temperature of your milk before adding yeast
- if the milk is too hot, it can kill the yeast
- sticky dough is normal for enriched donut dough
- lightly flour your surface, but avoid adding too much extra flour
- use a thermometer to keep your oil between 350–365°F
- oil that’s too hot will burn the outside before the inside cooks
- oil that’s too cool will make the donuts greasy
- fry in small batches to maintain the oil temperature! Don’t rush this step.
- let donuts cool completely before filling to prevent melted custard
What oil is best for frying donuts?
Neutral oils with a high smoke point work best for frying donuts. These oils won’t overpower the flavor and can handle the high frying temperature. Here are some good options
- canola oil
- vegetable oil
- peanut oil
- sunflower oil
Boston Cream Football Donuts
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12-15
servings15
minutes5
minutesKeep the screen of your device on.
Ingredients
2/4 tsp. yeast (one packet)
2 cups milk (warmed to (105-115 degrees F.)
3 egg yolks
3 Tbsp. sugar (plus extra for dusting)
3 Tbsp. unsalted butter, cubed (warmed to room temperature)
1/4 tsp. salt
3 cups flour
canola or vegetable oil (for frying)
- Vanilla Custard Filling
2/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/4 tsp. salt
4 egg yolks
1 1/2 cups whole milk
1/3 cup heavy cream
1 Tbsp. unsalted butter, room temperature
3 tsp. vanilla bean paste, or extract
- Chocolate Ganache
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup heavy cream
- Icing For Decorating
1 cup confectioner’s sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1 -2 Tbsp. water
Directions
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the yeast and warm milk (105-115 degrees F). Let it sit for about 5-10 minutes.
- Add the egg yolks, sugar, about half of the cubed butter, and salt. Begin to mix on low speed while slowly adding in the flour. Continue to mix on low speed. Stop occasionally to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl to ensure that everything is combining evenly. Mix for about 6-10 minutes.
- Add the remaining cubed butter to the bowl and continue to mix until the butter has disappeared and blended into the dough. The dough will be very sticky; this is normal.
- Transfer the dough to a generously oiled bowl, then place a damp towel on top. Let the dough rise for at least one hour or until it has doubled in size.
- In the meantime, prepare the custard since it will need time to chill. Whisk together the sugar, salt, and cornstarch in a medium-sized bowl.
- Add the egg yolks, whole milk, and heavy cream. Whisk to combine. Transfer this mixture to a medium-sized sauce pot and place over medium heat. Whisk this mixture constantly for 10-15 minutes until it begins to thicken.
- Remove the custard from the heat and add the butter and vanilla. Whisk to combine until the butter has melted.
- Transfer this to a heatproof bowl, then cover with plastic wrap. Gently tap the plastic wrap down so that it is touching the custard when securing it tightly. This will prevent the custard from forming a film on top as it cools. Place it in the fridge until we use it later.
- Once your dough has doubled in size, generously flour your countertop or workstation. Transfer your dough to the floured work station and spread the dough out until it’s about 1/2″ thick.
- Use a football-shaped cookie cutter to cut out as many shapes as you can.
- Place the donuts onto a floured piece of parchment paper. Cover and let them sit again for another hour.
- Once your donuts are ready, begin to heat your oil. Ideal frying temperature is 350 – 365 degrees F.
- Once you’re ready to start frying, prepare a cookie sheet with paper towels on top, then a wire rack on top of that.
- One donut at a time, carefully place them into the oil while keeping an eye on the oil temperature, ensuring that it stays between the ideal temperature range.
- Fry the donuts for about 2 minutes on both sides or until each side is golden brown. Remove the donuts from the oil once they’re done and place them on the prepared cookie sheet fitted with a wire rack.
- Let the donuts cool completely before filling and decorating.
- Prepare the icing in the meantime while we wait for the custard and donuts to cool completely. Stir together the confectioner’s sugar and vanilla while gradually adding in a little bit of water at a time until the icing is nice and smooth. Transfer to a piping bag.
- Prep the ganache by placing the chocolate chips in a medium-sized bowl. Heat the heavy cream in 30-second intervals until it begins to bubble. Pour the hot heavy cream over the chocolate chips. Let sit for one minute, then stir until smooth. Set aside.
- Once everything is completely cooled, place the custard in a piping bag. Insert the piping bag on both sides of the football. Gently squeeze and fill each donut.
- One donut at a time, carefully dip the tops in ganache allowing the excess chocolate to drip back into the bowl. Repeat for each one.
- Allow the ganache to set for about 10-15 minutes, then use the icing to pipe laces onto each one.
- Enjoy!
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