Description
Soft, fluffy Thanksgiving brioche donuts filled or topped with cozy fall flavors like pumpkin and cranberry. Perfectly golden, lightly spiced, and sugar-dusted — a festive treat that’s irresistible warm.
Ingredients
Scale
- 3 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 2 ¼ teaspoons active dry yeast
- ¾ cup whole milk (warmed to 110°F)
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- 4 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ cup pumpkin puree (for filling or glaze)
- ½ cup cranberry sauce (for filling)
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup powdered sugar (for dusting or glaze)
- Vegetable oil, for frying
Instructions
- Warm the milk and combine with yeast and a teaspoon of sugar in a mixer bowl. Let sit until frothy.
- Add the rest of the sugar, eggs, flour, salt, and butter. Mix until smooth and elastic (about 8 minutes).
- Transfer to a greased bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1.5 to 2 hours.
- Roll out the dough to ½-inch thickness, cut into donuts, and place on a parchment-lined tray. Let rise for 30 minutes.
- Heat oil to 350°F in a deep pot. Fry donuts in batches, 1 minute per side until golden brown. Drain on paper towels.
- While warm, roll in cinnamon sugar or powdered sugar. Let cool slightly before filling.
- Use a piping bag to fill with pumpkin puree or cranberry sauce. Serve warm and enjoy!
Notes
- Let dough chill overnight after first rise for easier handling and deeper flavor.
- Use a thermometer to maintain correct frying temperature.
- Dust donuts while warm so sugar sticks better.
- Donuts are best fresh but can be frozen unfilled and reheated.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 donut
- Calories: 310
- Sugar: 12g
- Sodium: 180mg
- Fat: 15g
- Saturated Fat: 7g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 38g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 6g
- Cholesterol: 75mg
Keywords: Thanksgiving donuts, brioche donuts, fall dessert, pumpkin donuts, cranberry donuts