If you’ve never tried krapfen before, get ready to fall in love with these fluffy, slightly chewy jam-filled donuts. They’ll turn your home into a sweetly scented bakery!
Tim and I just came back from the beautiful Dolomites in Italy, and one of the highlights was trying krapfen for the first time. Although these donuts are not Italian in origin, we saw them in every bakery there — and of course we had to taste-test all of them lol. Before the plane had even touched down back home, I was already planning how to recreate them. Can you tell we’re still dreaming about them?
Krapfen originated in Germany and Austria, and they’re typically enjoyed during the carnival “Fasching.” They remind me of our brioche donuts, but they’re also similar to Italian bomboloni and Polish paczki. The soft texture and crispy fried exterior is unbelievable!
How To Make Krapfen
The process of making krapfen is as simple as combining ingredients and waiting for the dough to rise. I always say that I’m not a baker, but I had a ton of fun making these!
- Activate the yeast: In the bowl of a stand mixer, gently mix together the lukewarm milk, yeast, and 1–2 tablespoons of the sugar. Let it sit for 2–3 minutes until it becomes foamy.
- Mix the dough: Add the remaining sugar, softened butter, egg yolks, vanilla, and salt. Combine the mixture on low speed, then add the flour and knead on medium speed for 8 minutes.
- Let the dough rise: Transfer the dough to a large greased bowl and cover it with plastic wrap. Let the dough rise until it doubles, about 45–60 minutes.
- Roll and cut the donuts: On a lightly floured work surface, roll the dough out to ½-inch thickness. Cut out 20 rounds with a 3-inch cutter.
- Allow the donuts to rise again: Place the donuts on a floured surface and loosely cover them with plastic wrap. Allow them to rise for 30 minutes, or until they are puffy.
- Fry the donuts: Heat the oil in a large pot to 320°F. Fry 2–3 donuts at a time for 3 minutes, then flip and fry them for another 2 minutes. Transfer the donuts to paper towels to drain excess oil and allow them to cool slightly.
- Fill the donuts: Fill each donut with jam using a piping bag fitted with a long tip, then dust the donuts with powdered sugar.
Tips For the Best Krapfen
These European donuts may sound super fancy and complicated, but they’re like any other donut recipe. I’ve learned quite a few tips while testing krapfen, and now I’d love to share them with you!
- Use lukewarm milk. Overly hot milk will kill the yeast, so aim for a temperature of 100–110°F.
- Resist the urge to add extra flour. For the lightest and fluffiest donuts, the dough should feel soft and slightly sticky. Avoid adding any extra flour unless the dough is overly wet after kneading. This is my favorite brand of flour.
- Watch the oil temperature. In all my experimentation, I’ve found that 320°F is the sweet spot. Use a thermometer to keep the temp consistent — if the oil goes over 330°F, the donuts will brown too fast while staying raw in the center. If the temp drops too low, the donuts will soak up too much oil and become greasy.
- Allow the donuts to fry undisturbed. Avoid splashing any oil on top of the donuts before flipping — the top needs to stay dry in order to puff up and form that classic white “ring”.
- Cool the donuts before filling them. If the donuts are too hot, the jam will melt and leak out.
- Choose your favorite filling. Apricot jam and raspberry jam are the classic choices, but plum jam, vanilla custard, and Nutella are also quite popular (and delicious!).
- Fill the donuts correctly. If you have a long piping tip, use it. Insert the tip into the side of the donut and push it almost all the way into the center. Gently squeeze the filling in to create an even pocket until the donut feels heavy.
Make Ahead & Storage
Whether you choose to keep these krapfen as your little secret treat (no judgement here) or share them with loved ones, planning ahead for the future can make all the difference.
- Make ahead: To make the donuts ahead of time, place the shaped donuts on a parchment-lined baking sheet, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate overnight. The next day, allow the donuts to rise until they are puffy, then get to frying.
- Storage: Once fried, the donuts are absolutely best enjoyed fresh. If you have leftovers, I recommend storing them for up to two days in an airtight container at room temperature or in the fridge.
More Donut Recipes
- Beignets — Square-shaped donuts dusted with plenty of powdered sugar
- Air Fryer Donuts — Made with storebought biscuit dough and ready in 15 minutes
- Farmer’s Cheese Donut Holes — Aka “ponchiki”… irresistibly crispy and fluffy
- Apple Fritters — Fill your house with the aroma of fall!
Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cup milk lukewarm (100°F)
- 4 tsp instant or active dry yeast
- ½ cup granulated sugar divided
- ¼ cup unsalted butter room temp
- 4 large egg yolks room temp
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- ½ tsp salt
- 4 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- oil for frying about 5 cups
- 1 cup jam raspberry, plum, (Nutella works too)
- powdered sugar for dusting
Instructions
- Pour the lukewarm milk into the bowl of a stand mixer. Add the yeast and 1–2 tablespoons of the sugar. Stir the mixture gently and allow it to sit for 2–3 minutes until it is foamy.
- Add the remaining sugar, softened butter, egg yolks, vanilla, and salt. Combine the mixture on low speed. Add the flour and knead on medium speed for 8 minutes, or until the dough is smooth and elastic (don't worry if it's slightly sticky).
- Transfer the dough to a large greased bowl and cover it with plastic wrap. Let the dough rise until it doubles, about 45–60 minutes.
- Lightly flour a clean work surface. Turn the dough out and gently knead it to remove air bubbles. Roll it out to ½-inch thickness. Cut out 16 rounds with a 3-inch cutter.
- Place the donuts on a floured surface and loosely cover them with plastic wrap. Allow them to rise for 30 minutes, or until they are puffy.
- Heat the oil in a large pot to 320°F. Fry 2–3 donuts at a time for 3 minutes, then flip and fry them for another 2 minutes. Transfer the donuts to paper towels to drain excess oil. Allow them to cool slightly.
- Fill each donut with jam using a piping bag fitted with a long tip.
- Dust the donuts with powdered sugar and serve them fresh. Enjoy!
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