Description
Fluffy brioche Thanksgiving Doughnuts coated in pumpkin spice sugar and filled with a creamy pumpkin cheesecake center. These festive homemade doughnuts make a memorable Thanksgiving breakfast, brunch treat, or alternative holiday dessert.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
- 250 grams whole milk, lukewarm
- 4 tablespoons granulated sugar, divided
- 565 grams all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon fine salt
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
- 100 grams unsalted butter, softened
- Neutral oil, for frying
- 200 grams granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 280 grams pumpkin puree
- 450 grams cream cheese, softened
- 100 grams powdered sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 1 pinch fine salt
Instructions
- Combine the yeast, lukewarm milk, and 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar in a small bowl. Stir well and let the mixture stand for 10 to 15 minutes until foamy.
- Add the flour, salt, and remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. Mix briefly to combine.
- Add the eggs, 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste, and foamy yeast mixture. Mix on low speed for 2 to 3 minutes until a rough dough forms.
- Increase the mixer to medium speed and knead for 5 minutes until the dough begins to look soft and smooth.
- Reduce the speed to low. Add the softened butter a little at a time, waiting until each addition becomes incorporated before adding more.
- Increase the mixer to medium and knead for another 5 minutes until the dough looks glossy, smooth, and elastic.
- Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl. Cover tightly and refrigerate for at least 3 hours or overnight.
- Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Divide the chilled dough into 75-gram portions and roll each portion into a tight ball.
- Place the dough balls on the prepared pans and flatten each one slightly. Leave enough room between them for expansion.
- Proof the shaped doughnuts for 20 to 60 minutes. They are ready when a light finger press leaves an indentation that slowly springs back.
- Combine 200 grams granulated sugar and 1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice in a shallow bowl.
- Heat about 3 inches of neutral oil in a heavy-bottomed pot to 350°F.
- Fry two doughnuts at a time for approximately 3 minutes on each side until deeply golden and cooked through.
- Remove the doughnuts with a slotted spoon and drain them on a wire rack for 30 seconds.
- Toss each warm doughnut in the pumpkin spice sugar, then place it back on the rack to cool completely.
- Place the pumpkin puree in a medium saucepan. Cook over medium heat for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring constantly, until slightly reduced.
- Cool the pumpkin completely, then measure 200 grams of the reduced puree.
- Whisk the reduced pumpkin, softened cream cheese, powdered sugar, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla bean paste, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, and salt until smooth.
- Poke a hole into the side of each cooled doughnut with a chopstick and widen the opening gently.
- Transfer the pumpkin cheesecake filling to a piping bag fitted with a round tip.
- Pipe filling into each doughnut until it feels pleasantly heavy, then finish with a small dot of filling at the opening.
- Serve the filled doughnuts on the same day for the softest texture and freshest flavor.
Notes
- Use plain pumpkin puree, not sweetened pumpkin pie filling.
- Keep the frying oil close to 350°F and allow it to recover between batches.
- Do not crowd the pot because a sudden temperature drop can create greasy doughnuts.
- Chilling the dough overnight improves flavor and makes the brioche easier to shape.
- Cool the doughnuts completely before adding the cream cheese filling.
- Filled doughnuts should be refrigerated and eaten within 2 days.
- Nutrition values are estimated per doughnut based on a yield of 14.
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Doughnuts
- Method: Deep-Frying
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 doughnut
- Calories: 515
- Sugar: 29
- Sodium: 330
- Fat: 28
- Saturated Fat: 14
- Unsaturated Fat: 12
- Trans Fat: 0.5
- Carbohydrates: 61
- Fiber: 2
- Protein: 9
- Cholesterol: 95