🍩 Creamy Strawberry Cheesecake Donuts Recipe 🍓
Ingredients;
For the Donut Dough:
1 cup warm milk
2 teaspoons active dry yeast
2 tablespoons granulated sugar, divided
2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon fine sea salt
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
1 large egg, at room temperature
For the Strawberry Cheesecake Filling:
1 cup (8 ounces) full-fat cream cheese, softened to room temperature
½ cup powdered sugar, sifted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup strawberry jam or preserves
For the Glaze:
1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
2 tablespoons milk
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
For Frying:
Vegetable or canola oil, for deep frying (about 2-3 inches deep in the pot)
Instructions:
Activate the yeast. In a small bowl, combine the warm milk with 1 tablespoon of the granulated sugar. Sprinkle the active dry yeast over the surface and let it sit undisturbed for 5 to 10 minutes. The mixture should become frothy and bubbly, indicating the yeast is active.
Make the donut dough. In a large mixing bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, salt, and the remaining 1 tablespoon of sugar. Add the activated yeast mixture, melted butter, and the egg. Stir with a wooden spoon or a dough hook attachment on a stand mixer until a shaggy dough forms.
Knead the dough. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 8 to 10 minutes, or until it becomes smooth, elastic, and slightly tacky but not sticky. If using a stand mixer, knead on medium-low speed for about 6 minutes. The dough should spring back when pressed gently.
First rise. Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, turning it once to coat the surface. Cover the bowl with a clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap. Let it rise in a warm, draft-free place for about 1 to 1.5 hours, or until it has doubled in size.
Shape the donuts. Gently deflate the risen dough and turn it onto a lightly floured surface. Roll the dough out to a thickness of about ½ inch. Using a 3-inch round donut cutter or a biscuit cutter, cut out as many rounds as possible. Place the rounds on a parchment-lined baking sheet, leaving space between them. Re-roll the scraps and cut additional rounds. Cover the rounds loosely with a towel and let them rise for 15 to 20 minutes, until slightly puffed.
Heat the frying oil. While the shaped donuts rise, pour vegetable oil into a heavy-bottomed pot to a depth of 2 to 3 inches. Heat the oil over medium heat until it reaches 375°F on a deep-fry thermometer. Use a thermometer for accuracy.
Fry the donuts. Carefully place 2 to 3 donuts into the hot oil, being careful not to crowd the pot. Fry for 1 to 2 minutes per side, until they are deep golden brown and puffed. Use a slotted spoon or a spider skimmer to flip them once. Remove the fried donuts and drain them on a wire rack set over a paper towel-lined baking sheet. Let them cool completely before filling. Repeat with the remaining dough.
Prepare the strawberry cheesecake filling. In a medium bowl, beat the softened cream cheese with an electric hand mixer until it is completely smooth and free of lumps. Add the sifted powdered sugar and vanilla extract, and beat until well combined. Gently fold in the strawberry jam with a spatula until the mixture is evenly pink and swirled.
Fill the donuts. Transfer the filling to a piping bag fitted with a long, narrow filling tip (like a Bismarck tip). If you don’t have a piping bag, use a sturdy zip-top bag and snip a small corner off. Insert the tip into the side of each cooled donut, pushing it about halfway through the center. Gently squeeze a small amount of filling into the donut until you feel it resist or the donut feels slightly heavier. Repeat for all donuts.
Make the glaze and finish. In a small bowl, whisk together the sifted powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract until you have a smooth, pourable glaze. Hold each filled donut over the bowl and drizzle the glaze over the top using a spoon, or dip the top of the donut lightly into the glaze. Return the glazed donuts to the wire rack to allow the glaze to set for a few minutes before serving.