You will fall in love with these homemade Strawberry Cheesecake Donuts! Light and fluffy heart-shaped brioche donuts that are fried, coated in sugar and filled with an irresistible strawberry cheesecake cream!
We are kicking off the month of love with these adorable strawberry heart donuts! While these donuts are festive for Valentine's Day, they are also a wonderful treat for birthdays, Mother's Day, Teacher Appreciation Week or any special occasion.
If you're looking for more irresistible donut recipes, check out my Nutella Donuts, Raspberry Cheesecake Donuts and Baked Funfetti Donuts!
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♡ Why You Will Love These Donuts
- Easier to make than you think! I know the thought of making homemade fried donuts may seem intimidating, but it's really not. I've included easy step-by-step instructions with plenty of tips to help you along the way.
- Easy brioche dough. Most brioche doughs require soften butter to be added one tablespoon at a time towards the middle of the kneading process. In my brioche dough recipe, we eliminate that tedious process by mixing all ingredients together at the beginning, including the butter.
- Light-as-air donuts. I use a combination of all-purpose flour and bread flour to achieve the perfect texture. Dry milk powder also contributes to making the dough soft and tender.
- BIG strawberry flavor. Freeze-dried strawberries is the secret ingredient that gives the strawberry cream it's bold fresh strawberry flavor.
- Not too sweet! These donuts are the right amount of sweet and tang from the cream cheese filling.
- So versatile! Once you're comfortable with making donuts, you can fill/coat/glaze them with a variety of flavors.
Ingredient Notes
Brioche Dough
- Bread Flour & All-Purpose Flour. I like using a combination. Bread flour has a higher amount of protein, which will add structure to your donuts. If you're unable to find bread flour, you can use all-purpose.
- Milk. For best results, use whole milk.
- Yeast. I am using dry active yeast for this recipe.
- White Sugar. A little bit of sugar will be used to feed the yeast when we activate it and ⅓ cup will be added to the dough.
- Unsalted Butter. We'll be using softened butter.
- Eggs + Yolk. Adds richness and structure. We want the eggs to be at room temperature here. To quickly bring your eggs to temp, submerge them into a bowl of hot tap water for about 15 minutes.
- Salt.
Strawberry Cheesecake Filling
- Full-Fat Cream Cheese. Make sure to use cream cheese from the block, not whipped or cream cheese spread.
- Powdered Sugar. Also known as confectioners' sugar or icing sugar.
- Freeze-dried Strawberries. Adds SO much flavor.
- Heavy Cream. Adds richness and makes the filling creamy.
- Vanilla. Adds flavor. You can use vanilla paste or extract.
*See recipe card for quantities.
Step By Step Instructions
Here are step-by-step photos and instructions on how to make these Strawberry Cheesecake Donuts! Please find detailed instructions in the recipe card at the end of this post.
Step 1. Make the Dough - Combine bloomed yeast mixture, flours, butter, sugar, eggs and salt into the bowl of your stand mixer.
Step 2. With a spoon or spatula, mix until a shaggy ball of dough forms.
Step 3. Knead the Dough - Fit your stand mixer with the hook attachment and knead the dough on medium speed for 15 minutes or until it passes the window pane test.
Step 4. Let Double in Size - Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the dough rise in a warm place for about an hour or until it doubles in size.
💡 Tip
To perform the window pane test, take a small ball of dough and stretch it into a small square. It should be stretched thin enough to let light pass through without tearing. If it tears, knead for an additional 1 to 2 minutes.
Step 5. Cut out Donuts - On a lightly floured surface, roll your dough to about ½ inch (1.27 cm) thickness. With a 3 inch (7.6 cm) heart cookie cutter, cut out as many donuts as you can.
Step 6. Proof the Donuts - Place donuts on parchment paper squares and transfer to baking trays. Allow to rise for about 30 minutes or until it passes the "poke" test.
💡 Tip
How to perform a "poke" test! Gently press your pointer finger into the dough and if it springs back slowly and leaves a slight indentation, then it's ready to be fried. If the dough bounces back immediately, then it's not ready.
Step 7. Make Cheesecake Filling - In a medium bowl, add cream cheese, powdered sugar, heavy cream, strawberry powder and vanilla.
Step 8. Combine until light and fluffy. Transfer filling to a piping bag fitted with a star tip and set aside.
Step 9. Fry the Donuts - Fry donuts for 1 minute and 20 seconds on each side. It's ready when they are golden brown.
Step 10. Coat and Fill Donuts - Coat donuts in white sugar and then fill with cheesecake filling. Serve immediately and enjoy!
💡 Frying Tip
When frying donuts, it's important to monitor the oil by using a thermometer. You'll want it to be between 350ºF to 360ºF (176ºC to 182ºC). If the oil gets too hot, just turn the burner to low or off to bring the temperature down. Alternatively, if it dips too low, turn the burner up and then proceed with frying once it's to temp.
Substitutions
- Yeast - I almost always only use Active Dry Yeast, but you can also use instant yeast in this recipe. If using instant yeast, there is no need to bloom or activate it in the wam milk. Just combine all of the ingredients into the bowl of your stand mixer and proceed as written.
Variations
- Other Coatings - Instead of coating the donuts with white sugar, you can coat them in powdered sugar. You can also dip them in a chocolate or vanilla glaze.
- Other Fillings - Try filling them with strawberry jam, Nutella, Biscoff cookie butter, vanilla custard or a chocolate custard, like in my Chocolate Brioche Donuts!
- Other Shapes - You can use any cookie cutter of choice. You can also keep it traditional by shaping them into buns, like my Lemon Curd Donuts!
Key Equipment
- Stand Mixer - While having a stand mixer is helpful, you can also make by hand. Please see directions in the FAQ section.
- Thermometer - Having a thermometer that can clip to the side of the pot is crucial in order to monitor the temperature of the oil.
- Kitchen Scale - It's helpful to have when measuring ingredients.
Storage
- Homemade donuts are best eaten right away, or within the first day. It starts to dry out on day 2.
⭐️ Expert Tips
Use a kitchen scale to weigh all your ingredients. Baking in grams is the best and most accurate way to bake! All my recipes include gram conversions based on King Arthur's Weight Chart.
If you are not using a kitchen scale, measure your flour correctly. Fluff and aerate your flour first, then spoon into your measuring cup and finally level off with the back of a butter knife. Do not pack it in as it will add too much flour.
Your dough is done kneading when it passes the window pane test. To perform the test, take a small (2 tbsp) ball of dough and stretch it into a small square. It should be stretched thin enough to let light pass through without tearing it. If it tears, knead for an additional 1 to 2 minutes.
The best way to know if your donuts are fully proofed is to lightly press them with your finger. If it springs back slowly and leaves a slight indentation, then it's ready to be fried.
Use a thermometer to consistently check the oil's temperature. It can rise and lower as you move through the frying process. Keep a close eye on the temperature to ensure it stay between 350ºF to 360ºF (176ºC to 182ºC). If the temperature of your oil is too low, your donuts run the risk of absorbing too much oil and if the oil is too hot, the donuts will brown too quickly and the center can be uncooked.
Be prepared before you start frying. After your donuts are done proofing, this recipe moves quickly. Have your oil heated to temperature, thermometer clipped to your pot, a cooling rack lined with paper towels, filling and coating ready before you begin frying.
FAQ
Yes! There is no need to activate or bloom instant yeast in warm milk. Just combine all of the brioche ingredients into the bowl of your stand mixer and proceed with the recipe. Make sure your milk is warm though.
Yes, it can get quite sticky, but you can knead the dough by hand for up to 20 minutes. Use a plastic bench scraper to help move the dough around and add flour little by little as needed. It's properly kneaded when it passes a window pane test.
Proofing refers to the final rise right before frying the donuts. Perform a "poke" test! Gently press your pointer finger into the dough and if it springs back slowly and leaves a slight indentation, then it's ready to be fried. If the dough bounces back immediately, then it needs more time.
In the simplest of terms, freeze-drying is a process in which 98% of water is removed from a product while also retaining its nutrients and flavor. According to the FDA, freeze-drying or lyophilization removes water by freezing a product at a low temperature and then placing it under a vacuum. This allows the ice to change directly from a solid state to vapor, all while bypassing the liquid phase. This leaves the strawberries dry, light and crisp.
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📖 Recipe
Heart Shaped Strawberry Cheesecake Donuts
INGREDIENTS
Brioche Dough
- ¾ Cup (170g) Whole Milk warmed to 105℉ (40℃)
- 2 ¼ Teaspoons Active Dry Yeast
- ⅓ Cup + 1 Teaspoon (67g + 4g) Granulated White Sugar divided
- 2 Cups (240g) Bread Flour
- 2 Cups (240g) All-Purpose Flour
- 6 Tablespoons (85g) Unsalted Butter softened
- 2 Large Eggs + 1 Yolk room temp
- ½ Teaspoon Fine Salt
Strawberry Cheesecake Filling
- 1 ¼ Cups (19g) Freeze Dried Strawberries see note below
- 8 Ounces (227g) Full-Fat Cream Cheese Block room temp
- 1 Cup (113g) Powdered Sugar
- ½ Cup (113g) Heavy Cream
- 1 Teaspoon Vanilla Paste or Extract
Coating
- 1 Cup (200g) Granulated White Sugar
For Frying
- Frying Oil (canola, vegetable or shortening)
Instructions
- Make your brioche dough. In a small bowl, combine warm milk,active dry yeast and 1 teaspoon sugar. Allow to "bloom" for about 5 to 7 minutes. The yeast mixture should be frothy. See note below for instant yeast.¾ Cup (170g) Whole Milk2 ¼ Teaspoons Active Dry Yeast1 Teaspoon White Sugar
- In the bowl of your stand mixer, add yeast/milk mixture, ⅓ cup sugar, bread flour, all-purpose flour, softened butter, eggs, yolk, and salt. With a spoon or spatula, mix the ingredients together until a rough ball of dough forms (will be shaggy).⅓ Cup Granulated White Sugar2 Cups (240g) Bread Flour2 Cups (240g) All-Purpose Flour6 Tablespoons (85g) Unsalted Butter2 Large Eggs + 1 Yolk½ Teaspoon Fine Salt
- Fit your stand mixer with a hook attachment and knead the dough on medium speed for 15 minutes. The dough should be elastic and is ready when it passes the window pane test (see note below). If your dough is a bit wet, you can add up to 2 tablespoons of flour.
- Coat your hands with oil and lift the dough out of the bowl and form it into a ball. Then oil your bowl (I use the same one) and place the dough back in. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise in a warm place for 1 hour or until it doubles in size.
- Cut out your donuts. Gently punch the risen dough down to release gas bubbles. Transfer the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and roll it out to about ½ inch (1.27 cm) thickness. With a 3 inch (7.6 cm) heart cookie cutter, cut out as many donuts as you can.
- Place the heart donuts on 4x4 inch (10x10 cm) parchment paper squares and then transfer to baking trays. Make sure to place them 2 inches apart to give them enough space to proof.
- Loosely cover the trays with plastic wrap and allow to proof for about 30 minutes. The best way to know when your donuts are fully proofed is to lightly press them with your finger. If the indentation holds and does not bounce back right away, they are ready! (see note below)
- While the donuts are proofing, make your strawberry cheesecake filling. In the bowl of your food processor fitted with an 'S' blade, pulse freeze-dried strawberries into a fine powder. To a medium sized bowl, add cream cheese, powdered sugar, heavy cream, strawberry powder and vanilla. With a hand-held mixer, whisk until light and fluffy. About 2 minutes. Transfer to a piping bag fitted with a star tip or ziploc bag and set aside until needed. 1 ¼ Cups (19g) Freeze Dried Strawberries8 Ounces (227g) Full-Fat Cream Cheese Block1 Cup (113g) Powdered Sugar½ Cup (113g) Heavy Cream1 Teaspoon Vanilla Paste or Extract
- For your coating, simply add 1 cup of sugar to a shallow bowl and set aside. 1 Cup (200g) Granulated White Sugar
- Frying and finishing your donuts. Next, get your oil ready so that you can start frying right away. Fill a medium to large sized pot with 2 to 3 inches of vegetable shortening or neutral oil such as canola, vegetable, or avocado oil. Once the oil reaches 350ºF to 360ºF (176ºC to 182ºC), fry 2 to 3 donuts at a time for 45 seconds on each side and then an additional 20 seconds on each side (set a timer). Try not to overcrowd the pot as it will bring the temperature down. I HIGHLY recommend using a thermometer to monitor the oil.
- Transfer fried donuts onto a paper towel-lined cooling rack. Allow to cool for several minutes before rolling donuts in sugar. Using a chopstick or small paring knife, create a pocket or opening at the top of each donut and fill with your strawberry cream. Serve immediately and enjoy!
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