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–+ servings
Two rows of apple pie donuts lined up in a baking dish.

Apple Pie Donuts

Author: Gail Ng
Soft and fluffy brioche donuts rolled in sugar and filled with tender cinnamon apple pie filling
5 from 4 votes
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Prep Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Proofing Time 2 hours
Total Time 4 hours 45 minutes
Yield 12 donuts
Category Dessert
Cuisine American

Equipment

Ingredients
  

Apple Pie Filling

  • 600 g tart apples, peeled & finely diced (about 4 small apples)
  • 50 g brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
  • 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 150 g water
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice, about 1 lemon (optional)

Brioche Dough

  • 160 g warm water
  • 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 1 ½ teaspoons instant yeast or active dry yeast
  • 360 g all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • 115 g unsalted butter, roughly cubed, softened to room temperature

For rolling

  • 100 g granulated sugar

Instructions
 

Apple Pie Filling

  • Combine: In small saucepan, stir together the diced apples, brown sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, water, and lemon juice.
    Left: diced apples and spices in a saucepan. Right: mixing apples in brown sugar and cinnamon in a saucepan with a spatula.
  • Cook: Cover and bring to a boil over medium heat. Let it boil for about 5-10 minutes or until the apples are tender. Uncover and let most of the liquid cook off until the juices have thickened and the apples are coated in a glossy jam. Transfer the apple filling to a bowl to cool completely.
    Left: cooking apple compote in a saucepan. Right: a clump of cooked apple pie filling on a spatula above a saucepan.

Brioche Dough

  • Activate yeast: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, add the warm water, sugar, and yeast. Stir together and let it sit for 5 minutes until the yeast becomes slightly foamy.
    Left: sprinkling yeast into a stand mixer bowl of water. Right: foamy yeast in a stand mixer bowl.
  • Knead: Add the flour, eggs, and salt and mix on low speed for 1 minute until the dough comes together. Turn the mixer up to medium speed and knead for 6-8 minutes.
    Left: flour and eggs in a stand mixer bowl. Right: stand mixer kneading dough.
  • Knead in butter: With the mixer running, add the softened butter a few cubes at a time until combined into the dough. Continue kneading for 6-8 minutes until the dough cleanly pulls away from the sides of the bowl.
    Left: mixing butter into dough in a stand mixer bowl. Right: kneading dough in a stand mixer.
  • Oil the bowl: Push the dough to one side of the bowl and oil the sides of the bowl. Push it to the other side of the bowl and oil the other side of the bowl.
    Left: pouring oil into a stand mixer bowl while a hand holds the dough to one side. Right: hand oiling a stand mixer bowl.
  • First rise: Cover and let the dough proof at room temperature for 1-2 hours or in the fridge overnight until doubled in size.
    Left: hands covering a stand mixer bowl of dough with plastic wrap. Right: proofed brioche dough in a mixing bowl.
  • Prep: Cut parchment paper into twelve 4x4" squares and place them on a baking sheet. Set aside.
  • Punch down dough: Punch the air out of the dough and turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Press out the dough to remove any large air bubbles.
    Left: hand punching down into a bowl of proofed dough. Right: hands stretching dough into a log.
  • Divide dough: Roll the dough into a log and cut it in half. Cut each of the logs into 6 equal pieces. Weigh each piece and redistribute the dough until they weigh about 60-70g each.
    Left: cutting a log of dough in half with a bench scraper. Right: cutting dough into pieces with a bench scraper.
  • Roll dough: With your hand in a claw shape, roll each piece of dough with firm pressure against a lightly floured surface until it becomes a tight ball. Place the dough ball on a square of parchment paper. Repeat with the rest of the pieces.
    Left: hand rolling dough on a cutting board. Right: hand holding a rolled ball of dough.
  • Second rise: Let the dough proof for 1-2 hours at room temperature. Once risen and puffy, gently press each dough ball down to flatten slightly.
    Left: balls of brioche dough on squares of parchment paper on a baking tray. Right: hand pressing down on balls of proofed brioche dough.
  • Heat oil: In a large pot, heat about 2" of oil on medium-high heat until it reaches about 180°C (356°F).
  • Fry donuts: Lower the donuts into the oil by the corners of the parchment paper but don't overcrowd the pot. Use tongs to remove the parchment paper after about 10 seconds. Fry the donuts for 2-3 minutes on each side until golden brown.
    Left: hands lowering a donut into a pot of oil. Right: flipping a donut over in a pot of oil with a slotted spoon.
  • Roll in sugar: Remove the donuts from the oil with a slotted spoon and place them on a wire rack. Fill a shallow bowl with granulated sugar. While the donuts are still warm, roll them in sugar.
    Left: lifting a fried donut out of a pot of oil with a slotted spoon. Right: hand rolling a fried donut in sugar.
  • Fill donuts: Insert a knife into the side of each donut and twist it around to create an opening. Transfer the cooled apple pie filling to a piping bag fitted with a round piping tip. Insert the piping tip into each donut and squeeze until the donuts are filled.
    Left: hand inserting a knife into a donut to create a hole. Right: piping apple pie filling into a donut.

Nutrition

Calories: 274kcal | Carbohydrates: 45g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 48mg | Sodium: 208mg | Potassium: 107mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 20g | Vitamin A: 307IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 21mg | Iron: 2mg
Keywords apple donuts, apple pie brioche donuts, apple pie donuts, apple pie doughnuts
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