Make an easy and simple but yummylicious treat that both kids and adults will love with this foolproof jam donuts recipe, filled with homemade strawberry jam! Nothing beats a classic dessert like these incredibly easy jam donuts!
I’m a sucker for classic desserts just like this jam donuts recipe! Making these delicious jam filled donuts takes little to no effort and they turn out super yum! I have yet to meet anyone who doesn’t love these donuts! In fact, donuts of any kind!
We all grew up eating donuts, most of them made by our mothers and grandmas, so it would be great for us to continue the tradition with this easy and delicious recipe. Here’s our family recipe for these delicious treats!
Jam Donuts recipe
Ingredients you need
- 4 to 4 1/2 cup all purpose flour plus more for dusting
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 1/2 teaspoons dry active yeast
- 1 cup warm milk
- 2 tbsp sugar
- two large eggs beaten
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter melted and cooled
- strawberry jam or jam of choice
- vegetable oil for frying
- icing sugar for dusting
Equipment you need
- mixing bowl
- small bowl
- rolling pin
- round cookie cutter (a drinking glass with thin walls will work just well if you don’t have a cutter at hand)
- baking sheet
- fryer
- pastry bag for filling (you can also use a pastry syringe)
- donut tip or 1/2″ round tip
Instructions to make the jam filled donuts
Prepare the dough
1. Mix the yeast with 2 tablespoons of the milk and 2 tablespoons sugar, stir until sugar is dissolved. Then let sit until foamy, about 5 to 10 minutes then add to the flour with the remaining milk.
2.In a large bowl whisk together 4 cups flour and salt then add the yeast.
3. Add the eggs and butter to the flour mixture.
4. Begin to mix the ingredients into a soft, but not sticky, dough. Using a dough hook is helpful. Add a little extra milk if needed, 1 tablespoon at a time or work in extra flour if needed, 1 tablespoon at a time.
5. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic.
Allow the dough to rise
6. Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl, cover, and let rise until doubled in size, about 2 hours.
7. Punch down the risen dough then turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for a few seconds.
8. Lightly flour a rolling pin then gradually roll out the dough to about 1/2″ thick. Cut out into 3 to 4-inch rounds with a lightly floured cookie cutter. Re-roll the scraps to make more rounds.
9. Place the doughnuts on lightly floured baking sheets, spacing them apart so they don’t touch when rising, and cover lightly with a dry towel. Let rise in a warm spot until doubled in size, about 20 minutes.
Fry the donuts
10. Fill a fryer 3-inches high with vegetable oil and heat at about 350 F. Fry the doughnuts, a few at a time, until golden and puffed, turning frequently, about 5 minutes.
11. Lift the doughnuts from the oil and place on a plate lined with a paper towel.
How to fill a donut with jam
12. Let cool slightly and fill a pastry bag, fitted with a 1/2″ round tip, with jam.
13. Dust each jelly doughnut with icing sugar and serve your strawberry jam donuts warm or cold, they’re just as delicious either way!
Frequently asked questions
What are jam donuts filled with?
A jam doughnut also known as jelly donut is a simple donut filled with jam filling. My recipe for jam donuts makes light, fluffy donuts, filled with just the right amount of strawberry jam for the perfect tea time treat.
The ultra traditional donut recipe could be played up all kinds of different ways but I personally prefer this simple version of strawberry jam donuts which I believe is a great dessert in any season.
There are countless fillings you can use for these donuts: jams of any kind – apricot, blueberry, rosehip, raspberry, cherry – marmalade, chocolate or vanilla cream, yoghurt, peanut butter sweet cheese, anything you like and can pump into them or spread on a dough round.
These jam filled donuts taste even better with homemade strawberry jam and I personally like them cold from the fridge but room temperature works just as great too. Some people even like to serve these hot! A glass of milk is a great companion for these delicious donuts!
There’s nothing quite like freshly cooked donuts! All it takes to make this jam donuts recipe is just a few simple ingredients to make wonderfully moist, puffy and difficult to resist jam donuts! An easy to follow recipe that produces an unbeatable treat, especially when served fresh and warm, dusted with sugar!
I remember when my grandma used to make these delicious treats. She would cook them, my mother would sprinkle and everyone else was eating even before they were all ready. I used to steal one at a time and run around the house while eating it, so that I wouldn’t get caught. It was the same with my cousins, but we were running from one another to avoid being stolen the precious desert. It was no use calling us back and telling us we should only eat them after eating “proper food” for lunch or dinner!
How are jelly donuts made?
To make this amazing dessert you won’t need a lot of ingredients and chances are you already have them or most of them in your pantry. You’ll need flour, salt, dry yeast, milk, sugar, eggs and butter. You’ll also need oil to fry the donuts and confectioners’ sugar to dust the donuts (optional).
Don’t just limit yourself to the sugar! For Christmas, for example, you can also sprinkle cinnamon on the donuts for a special flavor. If you want to go the extra mile, you can also sprinkle nutmeg. The taste will be even more special.
And of course you’ll need jam. I used strawberry jam but feel free to use your favorite jam. I like to make my own strawberry jam and use it fresh, right after making it but store bought strawberry jam would do the trick too. Just make sure it’s not too solid, you need it smooth and soft so you can pipe it easily into the donuts.
How to make fluffy donuts?
To get fluffy donuts, mix the yeast with some milk and sugar and let the mixture sit in a warm place until foamy, 5 to 10 minutes. Once the dough is prepared don’t rush making these jam filled donuts. Instead, let the dough rise for a couple of hours. Allow the donuts to rise some more after cutting into rounds and laying them on a flat surface, covered with a warm but dry towel. This will help the donuts become fluffy and airy which is not only good for your taste buds but it will make some room for the jam when you fill the donuts.
If you want the flavor to be stronger, you can add lemon or orange zest, vanilla essence or vanilla sugar. Another way of filling the donuts, if you don’t have a filling tool at hand, is to cut two rounds for one donut, add the filling on one of them, then add the second on top and press a bit to stick them. In this case, you will need to make a thinner dough and thinner jam.
For those that don’t like deep-fried donuts or are not allowed to eat fried foods, oven donuts are a great alternative. They may be a bit less puffy than usual donuts, but just as tasty!
How to make jam for donuts?
Place strawberries and sugar into a saucepan with just a bit of water and bring to boil over medium heat. Let it cook until the mixture is reduced by half the volume, about 15 minutes.
Remove from heat and puree with a hand mixer until smooth, then pass through a fine mesh sieve to remove any seeds.
Return to cooking until you’re happy with the consistency.
What can you fill a donut with other than jam and custard?
If you’re not too keen on jam fillings, bridge the gap with a mixture of custard and fruit jelly.
You can also keep it simple by filling them will Nutella or any other chocolate spread.
Another way I like to fill my donuts is by using Nutella and orange marmalade together.
What is the best way to fill donuts?
I recommend using a piping bag fitted with a donut tip or a 1/2″ round tip for more professional looking results. Fill the piping bag with the jam of your choice and cut the tip a bit. Inject the jam using a twisting motion.
Can you freeze jam filled donuts?
Yes, you can! Once they are cooled down after cooking, place them into freezer bags and seal tightly. You don’t have to thaw the frozen jam filled donuts before reheating them.
Now for some interesting donut facts:
- In the U.S., there are at least 10 people whose last name is “Donut” or “Doughnut” and at least 13 people with their first name “Donut”;
- Canada has the most donut shops per capita than any country in the world. In America, Boston is the city with most donut shops per person.
- The donut variety cooked in France, a bit different than the American round one, was called “Pet de nonne”, meaning “nun’s fart” LOL;
- The Guinness World record for eating donuts is held by John Haigh. He managed to eat no less than 29 donuts in just over 6 minutes;
- The largest donut ever was made on 21st January 1993 and weighed 1.7 tons. It was a jelly-filled donut;
- The most expensive donut in the world contains edible diamonds, 24k edible gold and aged chocolate balsamic vinegar. We don’t know the rest of the ingredients as they are secret, but these donuts sell for $100 per piece;
- Originally, donuts sold by Dunkin’ Donuts had handles;
- Speaking of Dunkin’ Donuts, no more than 8% of their sales actually come from donuts;
- It has been scientifically proved that the size of the hole in the donut is opposite to the quality of the economy – the better the economy, the smaller the hole;
- In Michigan there is one donut shop run entirely by cops;
- Why are cops always depicted eating donuts? Well, this iconic image emerged in the 40’s and 50’s, when policemen were working nightshifts. There weren’t a lot of food options available at the time, but donut shops would usually open very early in the morning and close very late at night, so most of the times this was the only thing at hand.
Celebrities fun donut facts:
- Clark Gable explained the proper etiquette for dunking donuts in 1934’s “It Happened One Night”. He said that dunking for too long will only make the donut soft and fall off. You only need to do a quick dip before you eat it;
- Renee Zellweger had to gain weight fast for her Bridged Jones role, so she had 20 donuts a day. Apart from this, she used to eat potatoes swimming in butter, milkshakes, pizza, a Big Mac and chips.
More donut recipes you’ll enjoy
What do you love most as filling for your donuts? Do you know any unusual donut recipes that you’d like to share? Also, if you have an interesting or funny story involving donuts, we would love to read about it in the comments section below.
Jam donuts recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 to 4 1/2 cups flour plus more for dusting
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 1/2 teaspoons dry active yeast
- 1 cup warm milk
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 2 eggs large
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter melted and cooled
- strawberry jam or jam of choice
- vegetable oil for frying
- icing sugar for dusting
Instructions
Prepare the dough
- Mix the yeast with 2 tablespoons of the milk and 2 tablespoons sugar and let sit until foamy, about 5 to 10 minutes then add to the flour with the remaining milk.
- In a mixing bowl combine 4 cups flour and salt then add the yeast.
- Add the eggs and butter to the flour mixture.
- Begin to mix the ingredients into a soft, but not sticky, dough. Add a little extra milk if needed, 1 tablespoon at a time or work in extra flour if needed, 1 tablespoon at a time.
- Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic.
Allow the dough to rise
- Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl, cover, and let rise until doubled in size, about 2 hours.
- Punch down the risen dough then turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for a few seconds.
- Lightly flour a rolling pin then gradually roll out the dough to about 1/2" thick. Cut out into 3 to 4-inch rounds with a lightly floured cookie cutter. Re-roll the scraps to make more rounds.
- Place the doughnuts on lightly floured baking sheets, spacing them apart so they don't touch when rising, and cover lightly with a dry towel. Let rise in a warm spot until doubled in size, about 20 minutes.
Fry the donuts
- Fill a fryer 3-inches high with vegetable oil and heat at about 350 F. Fry the doughnuts, a few at a time, until golden and puffed, turning frequently, about 5 minutes.
- Lift the doughnuts from the oil and place on a plate lined with a paper towel.
Fill donuts with jam
- Let cool slightly and fill a pastry bag, fitted with a 1/2" round tip, with jam.
- Dust with icing sugar and serve.
Freya says
These look so flaky and delicious, can’t wait to try the recipe!
Marta says
I filled my donuts with raspberry preserves and they were sheer perfection. Tender, flavorful, and easy to make. I can’t wait to make them again.
Bernice says
oh my gosh! These donuts are amazing. So pillow soft with the perfect texture and I have to say, I love a classic filling as well. STrawberry and raspberry are my favourite.
Liz says
These look so delicious! Is there another way to “fry” these donuts if one doesn’t have a fryer? My mouth is watering as I’m reading through your post!
Lauren Michael Harris says
We always called these jelly donuts and they are my absolute favorite to order from donut shops. I can not even tell you how excited I am to have found this recipe. I’m going to be making these jam donuts way too often now – ha!
Kayla DiMaggio says
These jam donuts were so delicious! Perfect treat before lent begins!
petro says
A deep frying pan would work too, Liz.
Kathryn says
I don’t think there’s any other donut better than this jam donut! The dough was so pillowy and fluffy and it has just the perfect amount of jam in the center. I loved how easy they were too! Definitely making them again soon!
Amanda Mason says
My son loves jelly filled donuts so I decided to make this recipe and boy were these SO DELICIOUS!!! And…they are not that difficult to make which is why I wanted to leave a comment on this post. So many donut recipes are hard…not this one! Great recipe!
Tammy says
These look better than store-bought! What a delicious and fun treat…they look so incredibly soft. Jelly donuts are my weakness…definitely making these!
Tristin says
Who needs to run to the donut shop on Saturday morning when you know how to make your own donuts at home?! The jelly filling was the best!! Making again next weekend.
Allie says
How long would you bake the doughnuts for if you don’t want to fry them?
petro says
I would bake them at 350 for 15-20 minutes, Allie.
Lauren says
Can I fill them with anything other then jam, my husband doesn’t like jam in his donuts, was wondering if I could fill them with nutella
petro says
Yes, Nutella would work well too.
Patricia says
They were delicious. I added a tad more sugar in them as I have a very sweet tooth
Shirley says
I just made these. Beautiful
Rosa R says
Instead of knead by hand can I use my kitchenaid with the dough hook and for how long? I have arthritis and kneading is hard.
petro says
You can use your kitchenaid and knead until dough is smooth and elastic
michelle sternbuch says
hi, can i use an oil instead of butter?
will that work?
thanks
michelle says
hi, can i use fresh yeast?
michelle says
also if i dont want to fry the doughnuts the same day. can i freeze the dough?
petro says
Hi Michelle. You can use vegetable oil.
petro says
You can use fresh yeast but the dough might taste a bit too yeast-y
petro says
It’s fine to freeze de dough, Michelle
michelle says
thank you petro for your answers. my dough didnt work out since my dry yeast was very old and my dought didnt rise. i thought it lasted years in the fridge. but im desperate to try again.
how much fresh yeast would you recommend per dry?
thank you so much
petro says
Michelle, you need to use twice as much fresh yeast than dry. Crumble it, and let it dissolve in some of the liquid the recipe calls for before adding it to your dry ingredients.
Elsie says
Can I use pie filling instead of jam?
Also can I use baking powder instead of yeast?
petro says
Elsoe, you can fill the donuts with your fa otite filling, pie filling too. But you can’t use baking powder instead of yeast.
Anastasia says
Hi. I wanted to ask if I can use this recipe to make classic non-filled donuts??
petro says
Hi Anastasia! Of course, these are classic donuts up until de filling part. They taste amazing without the filling too, dusted with sugar