Red Velvet Donuts
Serves 18
30 mins prep
15 mins cook
80 mins Rest Time
45 mins total
These no knead red velvet donuts are glazed with a cream cheese glaze and filled with luscious custard. The no knead dough couldn’t be any easier to make. It makes for soft and fluffy middles and a crisp outside. The cream cheese glaze ties in the subtle chocolate red velvet flavour. Cut out the dough in heart shapes for the perfect Valentine’s treat or gift for someone you love!
Filling
Red Velvet Donuts
Glaze
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Filling
Slice vanilla bean in half long-wise and scrape out the seeds. Add seeds and pod to a medium saucepan. Add milk, salt, and stir. Bring to a simmer on medium low heat and turn off to let steep.
⅕ 1 whole vanilla bean⅕ 1 milk⅕ ⅛ sea saltWhisk yolks and sugar just until combined. Add flour and cornstarch, whisk until smooth. Pour half of the hot milk into the yolks gradually, whisking well.
⅕ 3 large egg yolks⅕ ¼ granulated sugar⅕ ⅓ all purpose flour⅕ 1 cornstarchPour the egg yolk mixture back into the pot with the hot milk and whisk well. Cook on medium-low heat whisking constantly to prevent sticking and burning. Remove from heat as soon as it becomes thick.
Push the hot custard through a wire strainer to remove any lumps. Place into a container and place a piece of plastic wrap or parchment paper right on the surface to prevent a skin from forming.
Refrigerate until chilled. Before filling the donuts, whip the cold cream until medium-stiff peaks. Fold the cream into the chilled custard with a whisk until smooth. If the custard is too thick to fold cream into it, add milk a tablespoon at a time whisking well to thin it out.
⅕ ½ heavy whipping cream
Donuts
Combine yeast, warm water, and sugar in a bowl. Stir until dissolved and set aside for 5-10 minutes. A foam should form on top. If a foam doesn’t form, the yeast isn’t active and you will need to try with another envelope or container of yeast.
⅕ ½ water⅕ 1 packet active dry yeast⅕ 1 sugarSift flour and cocoa powder into a large bowl. Add sugar and salt, stir. Make a well in the middle and add softened butter, eggs, warm milk, food colouring, vanilla, sour cream, and dissolved yeast.
⅕ 5 all purpose flour⅕ ¼ cocoa powder⅕ ⅛ sea salt⅕ ½ granulated sugar⅕ ¾ unsalted butter⅕ 2 large eggs⅕ 1 pure vanilla extract⅕ 1 milk⅕ ¾ sour cream⅕ ¼ red gel food colouringStir until a wet, sticky dough forms. Cover the bowl with a towel and place into a warm place to rise until doubled in size, about 45 minutes (see notes).
Once risen, punch down the dough and dump onto a generously floured surface. Let sit for 5 minutes to make rolling out easier.
Roll out the dough to ¾” thick. Use large cookie cutter shapes (3-4” circles and hearts) to cut out shapes. Re-roll the scraps as needed, saving the last few bits. Transfer to parchment lined baking sheet, leaving a few inches of space in between for space to rise. Let rise in a warm place until doubled in size.
Pour the oil into a dry, large, heavy bottomed pot. Leave at least 4 inches of space to the top. Clip a thermometer to the side of the pot. Heat the oil until it reaches 370°F (190°C). While the oil is heating, prepare a tray lined with 4 layers of paper towel and a separate cooling rack beside.
⅕ 100 vegetable oilOnce the oil is hot, drop the pieces of scrap dough into the hot oil. Fry on each side for 2-3 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oil with tongs or a spider, gently shake for a few seconds to remove excess oil and place onto the paper towel lined sheet. Once cooled enough, check the inside to make sure it’s cooked through. This is practice frying and helps season the oil.
Drop the first few donuts into the oil gently, being careful not to touch the oil. Use a metal spatula or tongs to help. Continue frying them as before. Once the paper towel lined tray fills up, transfer the cooled donuts to the cooling rack. Let all of the donuts cool completely before filling.
Glaze
Make the glaze while the donuts cool. In a large bowl or stand mixer, beat butter, sugar, salt, and cream cheese until light and fluffy. Add vanilla and beat. Add milk 1 tablespoon at a time until you get a glaze-like consistency. You can make it a thicker “frosting” by adding less milk and spreading the cream cheese frosting on the filled donuts. Set aside
⅕ 4 unsalted butter⅕ 2 powdered sugar⅕ ⅛ sea salt⅕ 4 cream cheese⅕ 1 pure vanilla extract⅕- ⅕ 2-6 milkFill a piping bag or large zippered plastic bag. Fill with chilled custard (with whipped cream folded in at the end). Snip the end off.
Use a chopstick or back of a spoon to poke a hole through the tops of the cooled donuts. Insert the piping bag through the hole and fill with custard.
Dip the donuts into the glaze. Shake it off gently and let excess drip off by placing onto a cooing rack. The donuts are best enjoyed the day they’re fried and filled so dig in!
