Imagine biting into a soft, fluffy donut and hearing that satisfying crack of a thin caramel shell before reaching the creamy vanilla filling and sweet cinnamon apples inside. These apple crème brûlée donuts combine everything I love about homemade filled donuts with the flavours of a classic crème brûlée and warm apple dessert.
The donuts are made with a rich, buttery yeast dough, fried until golden and filled with homemade vanilla bean pastry cream and brown-butter cinnamon apple compote.
The finishing touch is a delicate caramel shell made by dipping the tops of the donuts into cooked sugar syrup. Unlike a thick caramel coating, this one sets into a thin, glass-like layer that cracks beautifully when you bite into it.
They’re a little project, but each component can be prepared ahead, making the final assembly much easier.
Why You’ll Love These Donuts
- Soft, fluffy brioche-style donut dough.
- Homemade vanilla bean pastry cream.
- Brown-butter apples with cinnamon and brown sugar.
- A thin, crunchy crème brûlée sugar shell.
- A beautiful creamy apple filling in every bite.
Ingredients You’ll Need
• Donut dough: Bread flour, granulated sugar, whole milk, unsalted butter, active dry yeast, eggs, vanilla, salt and honey. You’ll also need canola oil for frying.
• Vanilla pastry cream: Whole milk, egg yolks, sugar, cornstarch, vanilla bean or vanilla bean paste, butter and salt.
• Apple filling: Two apples, unsalted butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, vanilla, lemon juice and salt.
• Caramel shell: Granulated sugar, water, glucose syrup or light corn syrup and a pinch of salt.
How to Make Apple Crème Brûlée Donuts
1. Make the donut dough
Mix the warm milk, yeast and honey. Leave for 5–10 minutes until foamy.
Add the flour, sugar, eggs, vanilla and salt. Mix into a rough dough, then knead for 7–10 minutes until smooth and elastic.
Gradually add the softened butter, kneading until fully incorporated. The dough should be soft, elastic and slightly tacky.
Cover and let rise for 1–1½ hours until doubled. Refrigerate for 30–60 minutes before dividing into 12 pieces of approximately 65–70 g. Shape into smooth balls and place on parchment squares.
Cover and proof for 45–75 minutes until very puffy. Fry at 170–175°C for 1½–2 minutes per side until golden. Drain and cool completely.
2. Prepare the vanilla pastry cream
Heat the milk with the vanilla until steaming. Whisk the egg yolks, sugar, cornstarch and salt in a bowl.
Slowly whisk the hot milk into the yolk mixture, then return everything to the saucepan. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until very thick. Continue cooking for another minute after it begins bubbling.
Remove from the heat and whisk in the butter. Cover the surface directly and refrigerate until completely cold. Whisk until smooth before piping.
3. Make the brown-butter apple filling
Peel the apples and cut them into very small 4–5 mm cubes.
Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Continue cooking until golden brown and nutty-smelling.
Add the apples, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt. Cook for 6–10 minutes until tender and caramelized, with almost no liquid remaining. Stir in the vanilla and lemon juice.
Allow the filling to cool completely.
4. Fill the donuts
Make a small hole in the side of each cooled donut. Using two piping bags, fill each with approximately 20–25 g pastry cream and 15–20 g apple filling.
Pipe some pastry cream first, followed by the apple filling and a little more pastry cream. This creates a creamy vanilla layer around the apples.
5. Make the crème brûlée sugar shell
Combine the sugar, water and glucose syrup in a heavy saucepan. Stir gently until the sugar is moistened.
Heat over medium heat. Once boiling, stop stirring and cook until the syrup reaches 150–155°C. It should be a very pale golden colour.
Remove immediately from the heat and allow the bubbling to settle for a few seconds.
Make sure the donuts are completely cool and dry. Carefully dip only the top of each donut into the caramel, lift straight up and let the excess drip off. Place on parchment to set.
Be careful: Hot sugar can cause serious burns. Use a thermometer and handle the caramel carefully.
Tips for the Perfect Crunchy Shell
- Keep the caramel pale amber rather than dark.
- Don’t make the coating too thick; a thin shell gives the best crack.
- Make sure the donuts are completely cool and dry before dipping.
- Use glucose syrup to help prevent crystallization.
- Work quickly because the caramel sets as it cools.
Final Decoration
Once the shell has set, add 2–3 flakes of Maldon or flaky sea salt and a tiny piece of caramelized apple in the centre.
Keep the decoration simple so the glassy caramel top stays the star.
Storage
These donuts are best enjoyed on the day they’re assembled while the caramel shell is crisp. Because they’re filled with pastry cream and apple compote, refrigerate any leftovers. The caramel may soften over time as it absorbs moisture.
For the best presentation, cut one directly through the middle to show the caramel shell, fluffy dough, vanilla cream and glossy apple centre.
Donut dough
- * 435 g bread flour
- * 68 g granulated sugar
- * 185 g warm whole milk
- * 60 g softened unsalted butter
- * 7 g active dry yeast
- * 2 large eggs
- * 1 tsp vanilla extract
- * ½ tsp salt
- * 1 tbsp honey
- * Canola oil for frying
Vanilla bean pastry cream
- * 300 g whole milk
- * 60 g egg yolks
- * 60 g sugar
- * 25 g cornstarch
- * 1 vanilla bean or 2 tsp vanilla bean paste
- * 25 g butter
- * Pinch of salt
Brown-butter cinnamon apple filling
- * 2 large apples approximately 300 g after peeling
- * 35 g unsalted butter
- * 35 g light or dark brown sugar
- * 1 tsp cinnamon
- * ½ tsp vanilla
- * 1 tsp lemon juice
- * Pinch of salt
Crème brûlée shell
- * 200 g granulated sugar
- * 60 g water
- * 20 g glucose syrup or light corn syrup
- * Pinch of salt
Mix warm milk, yeast and honey. Leave for 5–10 minutes until foamy.
Add flour, sugar, eggs, vanilla and salt. Knead for 7–10 minutes. Gradually incorporate butter and knead until smooth and elastic.
Cover and rise for 1–1½ hours. Refrigerate for 30–60 minutes.
Divide into 12 pieces of 65–70 g. Shape into balls, place on parchment squares and proof for 45–75 minutes.
Fry at 170–175°C for 1½–2 minutes per side. Drain and cool completely.
Heat milk and vanilla for the pastry cream. Whisk yolks, sugar, cornstarch and salt. Temper with hot milk, return to the saucepan and cook until very thick. Cook for another minute after bubbling, then whisk in butter. Cover the surface and refrigerate until cold.
Brown the butter for the apple filling. Add diced apples, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt. Cook for 6–10 minutes until tender and almost dry. Stir in vanilla and lemon juice. Cool completely.
Fill each donut with 20–25 g pastry cream and 15–20 g apple filling, piping pastry cream first, then apple, then more pastry cream.
Heat sugar, water and glucose syrup until the syrup reaches 150–155°C. Stop stirring once boiling.
Carefully dip the tops of the cool, dry donuts into the pale caramel. Let excess drip off and place on parchment to set.
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