Heart Shaped Jelly Donuts
Is there anything better than a delicious, fresh donut? These Heart-Shaped Jelly Donuts are absolutely delicious and surprisingly easy to make. I am so excited to share this recipe with you all, and I hope that you enjoy it as much as I do! This is such a perfect Valentine’s Day recipe…I mean, what better way to say “I love you” to your Valentine than with a fresh batch of donuts? Not only are these easy to make, but they’re so fluffy, perfectly sweet, and the strawberry jam center is just to die for. Let’s dive right into this recipe!
How To Make Heart Shaped Jelly Donuts
Again, one of my favorite parts about this recipe, aside from how delicious they are, is just how easy they are to make. I know that homemade donuts can seem intimidating, but I’ll walk you through the whole thing!
- Making homemade heart-shaped donuts might sound intimidating, but the process is surprisingly easy!! The dough is soft and includes egg yolks and butter, which creates that classic bakery-style donut texture. You’ll be so surprised by just how delicious and easy these donuts will turn out! :)
- You’ll start by blooming the yeast in warm milk, then mixing in the egg yolks, sugar, butter, and flour until a sticky dough forms. After the first rise, the dough is rolled out and cut using a heart-shaped cookie cutter. A small snip at the top of each heart helps maintain the shape as the donuts puff and proof! This is super important – the first time I made these donuts, I didn’t make this snip, and they definitely didn’t have as clear a heart shape as these ones.
- Once the donuts have risen again, they’re fried until golden, coated in sugar, and filled with strawberry jam for the perfect finishing touch.
Tips For Making Homemade Donuts
- Sticky dough is normal. Donut dough should be soft and slightly sticky – resist the urge to add too much flour! I promise – just trust the sticky dough :)
- Use a thermometer. Oil temperature is key to cooking donuts evenly.
- Don’t rush the rise. Proper proofing creates light, fluffy donuts.
- Fry in small batches. This keeps the oil temperature stable and prevents greasy donuts.
- Cut the heart notch. Trimming a small triangle from the top keeps the heart shape crisp and defined.
How to Store Heart Shaped Jelly Donuts
These donuts are definitely best enjoyed right away or the same day but you can store them if you wanted to prep these or make them ahead of time :)
- Room temperature: Store in an airtight container for up to 24 hours
- Refrigerator: Not recommended — it dries them out
- Freezing: Unfilled donuts can be frozen for up to 2 months
How To Fry Donuts At Home
Frying donuts at home is easier than it sounds – it just requires a little attention and care :)
- Ideal oil temperature: 350–365°F
- Best oils: Canola or vegetable oil
- Fry time: About 2 minutes per side
Recipe Variations
- Different jam: Raspberry, cherry, or mixed berry
- Powdered sugar: Skip the granulated sugar and dust instead
- Chocolate-filled: Swap jam for chocolate spread or pastry cream
- Glazed donuts: Dip in vanilla glaze instead of rolling in sugar
- Mini hearts: Use a smaller cutter for bite-sized donuts
Heart Shaped Jelly Donuts
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12-15
servings15
minutes5
minutesKeep the screen of your device on.
Ingredients
2 1/4 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)
1 cup strawberry jam
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. Letthe dough rise for at least one hour or until it has doubled in size.
- 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 heart-shaped cookie cutter to cut out as many hearts as you can. Cut out circles with the remaining dough to make little donut holes. To the heart-shaped donuts, use scissors to cut a triangle out of the top of the heart to help exaggerate the heart shape so that when the donuts proof, they don’t just puff up into a blob shape.
- 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.
- After about 5 minutes of the donuts being out of the oil, toss them in some granulated sugar, then place them back onto the prepared cookie sheet while you continue this process for the remaining donuts.
- Once all of the donuts are fried and sugared, place your strawberry jam into a piping bag and gently insert the tip of the piping bag into the top of the heart and squeeze the jam into the donut. Repeat for each donut.
- Enjoy!
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