Nutella Stuffed Pumpkin Shaped Donuts
Nutella Stuffed Pumpkin Shaped Donuts
Ingredients
For the Dough
- 1 cup warm milk, (240g)
- 1 tablespoon active dry yeast, (10g)
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar, divided (65g)
- 2 large eggs, (100g)
- 1/3 cup butter, melted (76g)
- 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste
- 3 1/2–4 cups bread flour, as needed (420–480g)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
- as needed olive oil, for hands/work surface
For Frying
- as needed neutral oil
For the Cinnamon Sugar Coating
- 1 cup sugar
- 2–3 tablespoons cinnamon
For the Filling and Garnish
- as needed Nutella
- 12 small pretzel sticks
- as needed food-safe cotton/baking twine
Instructions
- 1
In a large bowl, combine the warm milk, active dry yeast, and 1 tablespoon of the divided granulated sugar. Let this mixture sit for 5–10 minutes until it becomes foamy.
⏱️ 10 min
- 2
Add the melted butter, the remaining granulated sugar, eggs, and vanilla bean paste to the foamy yeast mixture. Mix well to combine.
⏱️ 5 min
- 3
Gradually mix in the bread flour, salt, and cinnamon until a soft dough forms.
⏱️ 5 min
- 4
Transfer the dough to a lightly floured or oiled surface and knead until it is smooth and elastic. The dough should remain soft and slightly tacky; avoid adding too much flour. If needed, use a little olive oil on your hands or work surface. The 'slap & fold' technique against the counter can be used until the dough is smooth.
⏱️ 10 min
- 5
Place the kneaded dough in an oiled bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and then with a towel. Let the dough rise in a warm place until it has doubled in size, which typically takes about 1 hour. Be careful not to overproof the dough.
⏱️ 60 min
- 6
Once risen, gently punch down the dough to release the air, and then divide it into 12 equal portions. Roll each portion into a smooth ball.
⏱️ 5 min
- 7
To create the pumpkin shape, cut 4 pieces of food-safe cotton or baking twine for each dough ball, ensuring each piece is long enough to wrap around the ball. Arrange the 4 pieces of twine in a snowflake pattern on your work surface. Place one dough ball in the center of the twine arrangement. Take one piece of twine, pull it up and over the dough ball, tie it loosely, and double-tie it in place. Repeat this process with each of the remaining three pieces of twine, spacing them evenly around the dough ball to create 8 distinct sections. Do not pull the twine too tightly, as the dough needs room to puff up during the next rise. If the dough has already risen significantly, you can tie the twine slightly tighter to help maintain the pumpkin shape.
⏱️ 10 min
- 8
Cover the shaped dough balls and let them proof in a warm place for 20–30 minutes, until they appear puffy.
⏱️ 30 min
- 9
Heat neutral oil in a deep pot to 350°F (175°C). Fry the donuts in batches, turning them occasionally, until they are golden brown on all sides and cooked through. This should take approximately 2–3 minutes per side.
⏱️ 10 min•🌡️ 350
- 10
Carefully remove the fried donuts from the oil and place them on a wire rack to drain any excess oil. While the donuts are still warm, carefully cut through each piece of twine and remove all the strings.
⏱️ 5 min
- 11
In a separate shallow bowl, mix together 1 cup of sugar with 2–3 tablespoons of cinnamon.
⏱️ 2 min
- 12
Toss the warm donuts in the cinnamon sugar mixture until they are evenly coated.
⏱️ 3 min
- 13
Poke a hole in the top of each donut. Using a piping bag or a spoon, pipe Nutella into the hole until the donut is filled.
⏱️ 5 min
- 14
Insert a small pretzel stick into the top of each donut to serve as the pumpkin stem.
⏱️ 2 min
- 15
Serve the Nutella stuffed pumpkin-shaped donuts warm and enjoy!
⏱️ 1 min
Kitchen Tools
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
Nutella Stuffed Pumpkin Shaped Donuts
For the Dough
- 1 cup warm milk, (240g)
- 1 tablespoon active dry yeast, (10g)
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar, divided (65g)
- 2 large eggs, (100g)
- 1/3 cup butter, melted (76g)
- 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste
- 3 1/2–4 cups bread flour, as needed (420–480g)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
- as needed olive oil, for hands/work surface
For Frying
- as needed neutral oil
For the Cinnamon Sugar Coating
- 1 cup sugar
- 2–3 tablespoons cinnamon
For the Filling and Garnish
- as needed Nutella
- 12 small pretzel sticks
- as needed food-safe cotton/baking twine
Instructions
- 1
In a large bowl, combine the warm milk, active dry yeast, and 1 tablespoon of the divided granulated sugar. Let this mixture sit for 5–10 minutes until it becomes foamy.
⏱️ 10 min - 2
Add the melted butter, the remaining granulated sugar, eggs, and vanilla bean paste to the foamy yeast mixture. Mix well to combine.
⏱️ 5 min - 3
Gradually mix in the bread flour, salt, and cinnamon until a soft dough forms.
⏱️ 5 min - 4
Transfer the dough to a lightly floured or oiled surface and knead until it is smooth and elastic. The dough should remain soft and slightly tacky; avoid adding too much flour. If needed, use a little olive oil on your hands or work surface. The 'slap & fold' technique against the counter can be used until the dough is smooth.
⏱️ 10 min - 5
Place the kneaded dough in an oiled bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and then with a towel. Let the dough rise in a warm place until it has doubled in size, which typically takes about 1 hour. Be careful not to overproof the dough.
⏱️ 60 min - 6
Once risen, gently punch down the dough to release the air, and then divide it into 12 equal portions. Roll each portion into a smooth ball.
⏱️ 5 min - 7
To create the pumpkin shape, cut 4 pieces of food-safe cotton or baking twine for each dough ball, ensuring each piece is long enough to wrap around the ball. Arrange the 4 pieces of twine in a snowflake pattern on your work surface. Place one dough ball in the center of the twine arrangement. Take one piece of twine, pull it up and over the dough ball, tie it loosely, and double-tie it in place. Repeat this process with each of the remaining three pieces of twine, spacing them evenly around the dough ball to create 8 distinct sections. Do not pull the twine too tightly, as the dough needs room to puff up during the next rise. If the dough has already risen significantly, you can tie the twine slightly tighter to help maintain the pumpkin shape.
⏱️ 10 min - 8
Cover the shaped dough balls and let them proof in a warm place for 20–30 minutes, until they appear puffy.
⏱️ 30 min - 9
Heat neutral oil in a deep pot to 350°F (175°C). Fry the donuts in batches, turning them occasionally, until they are golden brown on all sides and cooked through. This should take approximately 2–3 minutes per side.
⏱️ 10 min•🌡️ 350 - 10
Carefully remove the fried donuts from the oil and place them on a wire rack to drain any excess oil. While the donuts are still warm, carefully cut through each piece of twine and remove all the strings.
⏱️ 5 min - 11
In a separate shallow bowl, mix together 1 cup of sugar with 2–3 tablespoons of cinnamon.
⏱️ 2 min - 12
Toss the warm donuts in the cinnamon sugar mixture until they are evenly coated.
⏱️ 3 min - 13
Poke a hole in the top of each donut. Using a piping bag or a spoon, pipe Nutella into the hole until the donut is filled.
⏱️ 5 min - 14
Insert a small pretzel stick into the top of each donut to serve as the pumpkin stem.
⏱️ 2 min - 15
Serve the Nutella stuffed pumpkin-shaped donuts warm and enjoy!
⏱️ 1 min