doughnuts

Chocolate Marshmallow Creme Filled Doughnuts

Are you looking for a weekend baking project that’ll knock the socks off your friends and family? If so, look no further than these chocolate marshmallow creme filled doughnuts.

This decadent treat is inspired by a doughnut I had in Seattle when my family was visiting. We had the softest, pillow-y-est doughnuts filled with yummy marshmallow creme. It goes without saying that we were all enamored. In fact, my sister and I originally just ordered one doughnut to split, but it was so good we had to buy another so we could each have our own!

Chocolate Marshmallow Creme filled doughnuts

Not wanting to spend $6 on a doughnut on a regular basis, I set out to recreate these fried treats!

Tips and Tricks

I started by researching how to make marshmallow creme from scratch. Of course, you don’t have to make the marshmallow creme from scratch if you don’t want to. In this case, add 1/4 cup coca powder to one jar of marshmallow creme in place of the homemade version. If you have the time (and a good mixer, I swear mine is the best purchase I’ve ever made!) I’d recommend making the marshmallow creme from scratch.

If making the creme from scratch, whip egg whites and cream of tartar until they are at the soft peak stage. This means that they hold their shape, but can’t stand stiffly upright on their own. 

Soft Peaks

Meanwhile, make a syrup of water, white sugar, and corn syrup and boil until the mixture reaches 240F. It’s important to measure with a kitchen thermometer or your creme won’t have the right consistency!

Once the egg whites are whipped and the sugar mixture reaches 240F, slowly pour a small amount of the sugar into the egg whites. Then, pour in the rest of the sugar while mixing the egg whites on high speed. Continue to whip until the mixture becomes glossy, fluffy, and generally resembles marshmallow creme!

Whipping the marshmallow cream

Next, add in cocoa powder, vanilla extract, and vanilla bean or paste. Whip until well incorporated.

chocolate marshmallow cream, whipped

The marshmallow cream can be made up to two weeks in advance. Just store it at room temperature in an air tight container until ready to use! Try the extra creme on ice cream, or in hot cocoa.

cocoa vanilla marshmallow cream

Once I felt confident I could make the marshmallow creme, I set off to create a fluffy, light, yeasted doughnut recipe. It was so important to me to recreate that soft pillow-y texture of the doughnuts that inspired this recipe. I used King Arthur Flour’s yeast-raised doughnut recipe as the basis for my dough, and they turned out perfectly light and fluffy!

Doughnuts rising

Prep and Timing

You can do all the steps in one day if you’d like. It’ll take you about 3-3 1/2 hours from start to finish, including rising times. However, if you’d like them ready in the morning for breakfast, I’d recommend making the marshmallow creme ahead of time, and making the dough the night before and letting it rise in the fridge. That way, the next morning you just have to shape and let the dough rise a second time, fry it, and fill it, which will take about 1 1/2 – 2 hours.

chocolate marshmallow creme filled doughnuts

My family was delighted to see that I had recreated that treat we all loved so much, and I’m sure your friends and family would love these treats as well!

stacked chocolate marshmallow creme filled doughnuts
doughnuts
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5 from 1 vote

Chocolate Marshmallow Creme Filled Doughnuts

Pillowy doughnuts filled with delicious homemade marshmallow creme!
Course Breakfast, Dessert
Keyword chocolate, doughnuts, marshmallow creme
Servings 12

Ingredients

Doughnuts

  • 1 cup milk
  • 1 7 g package instant dry yeast 2 1/4 tsp
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 cup granulated white sugar + extra for rolling doughnuts
  • 1 egg room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1/4 cup butter melted and cooled slightly
  • 3 cups all purpose flour
  • 1 quart vegetable oil for frying

Chocolate Marshmallow Creme

  • 3 egg whites
  • 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
  • 2/3 cup granulated white sugar
  • 3/4 cup light corn syrup
  • 1/3 cup water
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 vanilla bean or 1/2 teaspoon vanilla paste optional
  • 1/4 cup cocoa powder

Instructions

Doughnuts

  • Heat the milk in microwave until warm, but not hot, to the touch, about 110F-115F.
  • Sprinkle yeast into the water, and let bloom for 10 minutes, or until bubbly.
  • In a standing mixer, combine sugar, salt, eggs, vanilla extract, butter, and nutmeg, and whisk to combine slightly.
  • Add yeast mixture and about half of the flour. Begin mixing the dough with the bread hook. Add remaining flour, about 1/2 cup at a time, until all flour is incorporated. If dough is still sticky, continue adding flour about 2 tablespoon at a time until dough is not longer wet and sticky.
  • Knead dough for 4-5 minutes on medium speed. Dough should be smooth and should not be sticking to the sides of the bowl.
  • Grease a large bowl with cooking spray or vegetable oil, and place dough in bowl. Cover with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel and let rise in a warm spot until dough has doubled in size, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours. You can also let the dough rise overnight in the fridge (8 hours minimuif desired. If refrigerating overnight, let come to room temperature before working with the dough.
  • Punch down the risen dough, and roll it onto a clean work surface until it is 1/4 inch in thickness.
  • Using a biscuit cutter, cut dough into 3 inch circles.
  • Place circles onto parchment lined baking sheets, spacing them out generously to leave space for rising. Cover loosely with a clean kitchen towel until doubled in size, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Meanwhile, make the marshmallow filling.
  • Heat oil in a large dutch oven or deep fryer until 350F.
  • Fry doughnuts, about 2 at a time, for 1 minute on each side, until lightly golden brown. Remove with a slotted spoon.
  • Place doughnuts on paper towel lined plates or cooling racks and let cool slightly.
  • Toss in sugar, and let cool before filling.
  • To fill doughnuts, first make a hole in the side of the doughnut using either the handle of skinny wooden spoon or slender piping tip. Using a piping bag with a narrow piping tip, fill each doughnut with marshmallow creme. If you want to be really fancy, you can use a specialty piping tip made for piping creme filled doughnuts, but it isn't necessary to use this.
  • These are best the day that you make them, so serve immediately, and enjoy!

Filling

  • With a mixer, whisk egg whites and cream of tartar at medium speed until soft peaks form.
  • Meanwhile, add sugar, corn syrup, and water in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Do not stir sugar mixture while it is boiling. Use a high temperature thermometer, such as this one, to measure the temperature of the sugar. When mixture reaches 240F, remove from heat.
  • Reduce mixer speed to low and slowly drizzle in syrup. Do not add the syrup in too fast, especially at the beginning, or you could scramble the eggs!
  • Increase speed to high and beat until the cream is fluffy and glossy, about 6 minutes.
  • Add in vanilla extract, vanilla bean or paste if using, and cocoa powder and whip for another 2 minutes, or until cocoa powder is fully incorporated
  • Set aside until doughnuts are ready to be filled, or if making in advance place in an air tight container and store for up to two weeks at room temperature.

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