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Loading...Soft, pillowy Romanian doughnuts leavened with yeast and piped full of tart fruit jam, then rolled in snowy powdered sugar. They puff up golden in hot oil and stay feather-light inside, making them a beloved treat for weekend mornings, holidays, and street fairs across Romania.
Prep Time25 mins
Cook Time25 mins
Total Time50 mins
Servings6
Yield12 doughnuts
Nutrition Facts
Per serving (estimated)
- 345 kcalCalories
- 14 gFat
- 4 gSaturated Fat
- 52 gCarbs
- 1 gFiber
- 22 gSugar
- 6 gProtein
- 120 mgSodium
- 115 mgPotassium
- 55 mgCalcium
- 2 mgIron
- 3 mgVitamin C
- 180 mcgVitamin A
Ingredients
For the dough
- 500 g all-purpose flour
- 50 g granulated sugar
- 1 packet (7 g) active dry yeast
- 250 ml whole milk, warmed to 38°C
- 2 large eggs
- 60 g unsalted butter, melted
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- zest of 1 lemon
For the filling and finishing
- 300 g sour cherry or apricot jam (thick, seedless)
- 1 liter sunflower or canola oil, for frying
- 100 g powdered sugar, for dusting
Directions
- Whisk the warm milk, yeast, and 1 tablespoon of the sugar in a small bowl; let stand 8-10 minutes until foamy.
- In a large bowl, combine flour, remaining sugar, salt, and lemon zest. Add the yeast mixture, eggs, melted butter, and vanilla, then knead by hand 8-10 minutes until smooth and elastic (or 5-6 minutes in a stand mixer with a dough hook).
- Cover the bowl with a clean towel and let the dough rise in a warm spot for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, until doubled in size.
- Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and roll it out to 1.5 cm thick. Cut rounds with a 7 cm cutter, re-rolling scraps, and place them on parchment-lined trays. Cover and let rest 30 minutes to puff slightly.
- Heat the oil in a deep pot to 170-175°C. Fry 3-4 doughnuts at a time for about 2 minutes per side, until deeply golden. Drain on a wire rack.
- Transfer the jam to a piping bag fitted with a small round tip. Poke the tip into the side of each warm doughnut and squeeze in about 1-1 1/2 tablespoons of jam until the doughnut feels heavy.
- Roll the filled doughnuts generously in powdered sugar and serve immediately while still warm and pillowy inside.
Cook’s Notes
- Keep the oil at a steady 170-175°C; too cool and the doughnuts absorb oil, too hot and they brown before cooking through.
- A thick, low-moisture jam works best for piping – thin jam will leak out and make the doughnut soggy.
- For the most authentic Romanian flavor, use sour cherry (visine) jam, which provides a tart contrast to the sweet dough.
- Let the doughnuts cool just 1-2 minutes before piping in the jam so they stay warm but the filling doesn't melt through.
- Doughnuts are best eaten the same day but can be stored, unfilled, in an airtight container for 24 hours; re-crisp briefly in a 150°C oven before filling.
