Cinnamon Donuts with Pumpkin Custard

Happy Chanukah!!!  It’s the first day of Chanukah and I have the most awesome donut recipe to share with you!  Cinnamon Donuts with Pumpkin Custard. 

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Getting ready for Chanukah this year has been quite the rush.  I usually begin full on Chanukah mode right after Thanksgiving.  That just wasn’t going to fly this year. With Chanukah starting on December 2, I had to try preparing for both simultaneously.  And I don’t mean just buying presents for my kids and making sure we have enough candles. We have a big family, so every night of Chanukah is a party at our house!  Not to mention, that we typically host a Chanukah party each year.

So after careful discussion, my husband and I decided NOT to host this year.  It was a tough decision, but passing on it this time allows me the opportunity to work hard on holiday recipes for Candidly Delicious.  Not to mention...I have to feed my family every night! (Of course, I feed them every night when it’s not Chanukah too.) During the holiday, the expectation is latkes every night with a varied menu of different foods and flavors each night to accompany them.  The menu itself takes planning not to mention the hour and a half I spend each afternoon over the fryer oil. 

It was with all that going on, that I worked on this donut recipe.  I had it slated to post the Thursday before Chanukah. As late as Thursday morning, the recipe was good...but…  I’m a perfectionist, and I just needed one more tweak and test. So, I held the recipe back and spent Thursday testing what became the final version.  And I spent the entirety of Sunday filming and photographing. All so that I can sit here today and share this recipe with you. 

These cinnamon donuts are crisp on the outside and light on the inside.  There is room to really load them up with custard if you like it that way.  Or you can squeeze in a more modest amount. I went with a cinnamon dough and plain sugar on the outside.  That gave a balanced cinnamon flavor without becoming bitter. And it’s a perfect pairing to the sweet pumpkin custard inside.

This is really two recipes in one.  You have the cinnamon yeast donut, which you can fill with whatever cream you want or even cut them into rings and eat them with no filling.  Then there is the pumpkin custard. Add a bit of pumpkin pie spice and top with some whipped cream and this custard becomes a dessert all on it’s own.  I have thoroughly enjoyed the creation of this recipe. I hope that you love making and eating it at home with your loved ones.

Happy Cooking! Be sure to comment.  I’d love to see your pictures, answer your questions and hear your experiences.  If you like my content, please subscribe and follow us on Pinterest, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube.  Don't forget to click that Yum Button! See all our recipes on your Yummly app. 

#BetheMasterofMealtime   #CandidlyDelicious

Serves: 6 Prep Time: 2 Hours 15 Minutes Cook Time: 10 Minutes

Ingredients:

DONUT

• 1 Tablespoon Yeast
• 2 Tablespoon Sugar, divided
• ¼ Cups Hot Water (~110F)
• ½ Cups Non-dairy Milk
• ¼ Cups Shortening
• 1 Egg
• 2 teaspoons Cinnamon
• 2-½ Cups Flour, divided
• 1 Tablespoons Kosher Salt
• Oil, for frying

CUSTARD 

• 2 Cups Non-dairy Milk
• ½ Cups Sugar, divided
• 2 Yolks
• 1 Egg
• ⅓ Cups Cornstarch
• ½ teaspoons Vanilla
• ¾ Cups Pumpkin Puree

TOPPING 

• ¼ Cups Sugar

Instructions: 

DONUT

1. In a large bowl, combine Yeast and 1 teaspoon Sugar.
2. Pour in the Hot Water and Whisk.  Allow to proof 5 Minutes.
3. Warm the Fatty Nut Milk until it’s about the temperature of the Hot Water.  (I say Fatty Nut Milk because a parve milk with a higher fat content is best.  Almond is fine, but I’m allergic. I used Macadamia Nut Milk for this recipe. )
4. Whisk the milk into the proofing liquid.  Immediately add Shortening and whisk well.
5. Add Egg and Cinnamon and beat until combined.
6. Add 1 Cup Flour and the remaining Sugar, mix thoroughly.
7. Add 1 Cup Flour and the Kosher Salt, mix thoroughly.
8. Switch to your hands.  Knead in the final ½ Cup of Flour.
9. Cover and let rise 20 minutes.
10. Knead the dough for 5 minutes.
11. Roll out to ½” thickness and cut six 3-¼” circles.  If you don’t have a cutter, you can use a large drinking glass to cut your circles.
12. Place the circles on a floured surface and lightly flour the tops.  Cover and proof up to 90 minutes. (Don’t let them rise past double their size)

CUSTARD

1. While the donuts are rising, prepare the custard.  On Medium Heat, warm the Fatty Nut Milk and ¼ Cup of Sugar.  Whisk to dissolve sugar, then bring the mixture to a boil.
2. While the milk is heating, place Yolks and Egg into a mixing bowl.  Beat about 1 minute.
3. Sift the Cornstarch and the remaining Sugar into the eggs.  (The sifting is critical here.) Beat on high until pale yellow.  Be sure to scrape the sides of your bowl partway through.
4. Here’s the tricky part of this recipe.  With the mixer moving on medium speed (High=boiling hot milk splattered all over you), drizzle in the boiling milk into the eggs until all combined.  You need to go slow to temper the eggs without cooking them. (Scrambled egg is not an attractive texture for custard.)  
5. Transfer the whole mixture back into your pan at Medium heat.  Whisk or stir constantly until the mixture thickens. It will be a thick cream when done.
6. Turn off the heat and stir in the Vanilla.  Immediately transfer the mixture back into the mixing bowl.  Beat on Medium-High. Do not stop the mixer. Don’t worry about the sides of the bowl.  
7. Add the Pumpkin Puree one scoop at a time (should be about 3 additions).  Keep that mixer moving until the entire mixture is about room temperature.
8. Congratulate yourself because you just made a real bakery quality pastry cream!  Then put that cream in the refrigerator.  

FINISHING

1. Heat 2” oil on Medium.
2. Fry the donuts for approximately 90 seconds on each side.  They should rise a bit more while they are in the oil. You want an even golden brown on each side.
3. Drain the donuts on a rack.  Coat each one in sugar about 30 seconds after it comes out of the frying oil.  
4. Allow the donuts to cool completely.
5. Using a Wilton #32 decorating tip or a similar sized serrated tip, create a whole in the side of each donut.  Insert the tip, twist, and pull it back out.
6. Place all of your custard into piping bags and snip open the tips.  You don’t need a piping tip for this.
7. Insert the tip of the pastry bag in your hole, hold the donut firmly in your other hand, and pipe in your desired amount of custard.  You will feel the weight of the donut as you fill it.

📖 Recipe

Cinnamon Donuts with Pumpkin Custard

Course: Breakfast, Dessert

Cuisine: Dairy-free, Kosher, Pescatarian, Vegetarian

Keyword: Chanukah, Entertaining, Fall, Husband-approved, Indulgent, Kid-friendly, Nut-free

Prep Time: 2 hours hours 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes minutes

Total Time: 2 hours hours 35 minutes minutes

Servings: 6

Calories: 559kcal

Cinnamon Donuts with Pumpkin Custard are crisp on the outside, light on the inside and perfectly paired for a pumpkin pie taste in this Chanukah treat.

Print Recipe

Ingredients

DONUT

• 1 Tablespoon Yeast
• 2 Tablespoon Sugar divided
• ¼ Cups Hot Water ~110F
• ½ Cups Fatty Nut Milk or Whole Milk
• ¼ Cups Shortening
• 1 Egg
• 2 teaspoons Cinnamon
• 2-½ Cups Flour divided
• 1 Tablespoons Kosher Salt
• Oil for frying

CUSTARD

• 2 Cups Fatty Nut Milk or Whole Milk
• ½ Cups Sugar divided
• 2 Yolks
• 1 Egg
• ⅓ Cups Cornstarch
• ½ teaspoons Vanilla
• ¾ Cups Pumpkin Puree

TOPPING

• ¼ Cups Sugar

Instructions

Cinnamon Donut:

• In a large bowl, combine Yeast and 1 teaspoon Sugar. Heat the water to 110F degrees
• Pour in the Hot Water and Whisk. Allow to proof 5 Minutes.
• Warm the Fatty Nut Milk until it’s about the temperature of the Hot Water. (I say Fatty Nut Milk because a parve milk with a higher fat content is best. Almond is fine, but I’m allergic. I used Macadamia Nut Milk for this recipe. )
• Whisk the milk into the proofing liquid. Immediately add Shortening and whisk well.
• Add Egg and Cinnamon and beat until combined.
• Add 1 Cup Flour and the remaining Sugar, mix thoroughly.
• Add 1 Cup Flour and the Kosher Salt, mix thoroughly.
• Switch to your hands. Knead in the final ½ Cup of Flour.
• Cover and let rise 20 minutes.
• Knead the dough for 5 minutes.
• Roll out to ½” thickness and cut six 3-¼” circles. If you don’t have a cutter, you can use a large drinking glass to cut your circles.
• Place the circles on a floured surface and lightly flour the tops. Cover and proof up to 90 minutes. (Don’t let them rise past double their size)

Pumpkin Custard:

• While the donuts are rising, prepare the custard. On Medium Heat, warm the Fatty Nut Milk and ¼ Cup of Sugar. Whisk to dissolve sugar, then bring the mixture to a boil.
• While the milk is heating, place Yolks and Egg into a mixing bowl. Beat about 1 minute.
• Sift the Cornstarch and the remaining Sugar into the eggs. (The sifting is critical here.) Beat on high until pale yellow. Be sure to scrape the sides of your bowl partway through.
• Here’s the tricky part of this recipe. With the mixer moving on medium speed (High=boiling hot milk splattered all over you), drizzle in the boiling milk into the eggs until all combined. You need to go slow to temper the eggs without cooking them. (Scrambled egg is not an attractive texture for custard.)
• Transfer the whole mixture back into your pan at Medium heat. Whisk or stir constantly until the mixture thickens. It will be a thick cream when done.
• Turn off the heat and stir in the Vanilla. Immediately transfer the mixture back into the mixing bowl. Beat on Medium-High. Do not stop the mixer. Don’t worry about the sides of the bowl.
• Add the Pumpkin Puree one scoop at a time (should be about 3 additions). Keep that mixer moving until the entire mixture is about room temperature.
• Congratulate yourself because you just made a real bakery quality pastry cream! Then put that cream in the refrigerator.

Finishing:

• Heat 2” oil on Medium.
• Fry the donuts for approximately 90 seconds on each side. They should rise a bit more while they are in the oil. You want an even golden brown on each side.
• Drain the donuts on a rack. Coat each one in sugar about 30 seconds after it comes out of the frying oil.
• Allow the donuts to cool completely.
• Using a Wilton #32 decorating tip or a similar sized serrated tip, create a whole in the side of each donut. Insert the tip, twist, and pull it back out.
• Place all of your custard into piping bags and snip open the tips. You don’t need a piping tip for this.
• Insert the tip of the pastry bag in your hole, hold the donut firmly in your other hand, and pipe in your desired amount of custard. You will feel the weight of the donut as you fill it.

Video

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Sodium: 668.2mg | Sugar: 30.4g | Cholesterol: 123.5mg | Calories: 559kcal | Fat: 22.8g | Protein: 9.07g | Carbohydrates: 79.8g