Light and fluffy Gingerbread Cheesecake Donuts - Fried brioche donuts filled with a spiced gingerbread cheesecake cream and coated in cinnamon sugar!
You have probably noticed by now how much I LOVE donuts! In fact, they are my all-time weakness and today, I’m sharing another delicious recipe with you. These adorable Gingerbread Donuts are so festive and are guaranteed to be a holiday favorite!
Be sure to check out some of my favorite donut recipes, including Cinnamon Toast Crunch Donuts, Nutella Donuts, Raspberry Cheesecake Donuts and Old Fashioned Donuts!
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♡ Why You Will Love These Gingerbread Cheesecake Donuts
- Amazing texture. These donuts are so soft and fluffy. The key is to not add too much flour in the dough and to use dry milk powder. I use it in nearly all my sweet yeast and brioche doughs.
- Taste. The gingerbread cheesecake filling with the cinnamon sugar coating is so delicious. Perfectly flavored with warm cozy spices.
- So festive. The gingerbread men shape is guaranteed to make you smile and to make you feel festive.
Ingredient Notes
Here are some notes about all the ingredients used for these Gingerbread Cheesecake Donuts. Quantities and full instructions are in the recipe card below!
Brioche Donut Dough
- Yeast. I am using dry active yeast for this recipe.
- Whole Milk. Whole (full-fat) milk is best for this recipe. Fat equals flavor and tenderness. Warm milk will be used to activate the yeast.
- White Sugar. A little bit of sugar will be used to feed the yeast when we activate it and ¼ cup will be added to the dough.
- Unsalted Butter. We’ll be using melted 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.
- Vanilla. Adds flavor. You can use vanilla paste or extract.
- Rum. This is optional as well, but it adds a bit of flavor.
- 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.
- Dry Milk Powder. Milk powder (not an affiliate link) is a secret ingredient for making the babka super soft. It also improves the texture and structure of the bread.
- Salt. Rounds out the flavor.
- Nutmeg. For flavor.
- Frying Oil. Any neutral oil such as Avocado, Canola or Vegetable oil will work. You can also use vegetable shortening like Cisco.
Gingerbread Cheesecake Filling & Coating
- 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.
- Spices. We'll be using a combination of cinnamon, ground ginger, nutmeg and cloves.
- Heavy Cream. Adds richness and makes the filling creamy.
- Vanilla. Adds flavor. You can use vanilla paste or vanilla extract.
- White Sugar + Cinnamon. We will simply coat the donuts with a combination of sugar and cinnamon.
*See recipe card for quantities.
Step By Step Instructions
Here are step-by-step photos and instructions on how to make these Gingerbread Cheesecake Donuts! Please find detailed instructions in the recipe card at the end of this post.
On Day 1
1: Combine bloomed yeast mixture, flours, sugar, milk powder, melted butter, salt, eggs, rum, vanilla and nutmeg into the bowl of your stand mixer.
2: Fit your stand mixer with the hook attachment and knead the dough on medium speed for 20 minutes.
3: The dough is ready when it passes the "window pane" test.
4: With oiled hands, form dough into a ball, then place into a well oiled bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to proof in the fridge overnight.
💡 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 it. If it tears, knead for an additional 1 to 2 minutes.
On Day 2
5: Remove dough from the fridge and gently punch it down to release any gas bubbles.
6: On a lightly floured surface, roll your dough to about ½ inch (1.27 cm) thickness. With a 3 inch (7.6 cm) gingerbread cookie cutter, cut out as many donuts as you can.
7: Place donuts on parchment paper squares and transfer to baking trays.
8: Allow to rise for 45 to 1 hour or until it passes the "poke" test.
💡 Tip
How to perform a “poke” test. Gently press your pointer finger into the dough and if 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.
9: Make Filling - In a medium bowl, combine cream cheese, powdered sugar, heavy cream, spices and vanilla until fluffy. Transfer filling to a piping bag fitted with a star tip.
10: In a small bowl, combine cinnamon and sugar for the coating. Set aside.
11: Once the oil reaches 360ºF (183ºF), fry a few donuts at a time for 1 minute and 30 seconds on each side. It's ready when they are golden brown.
12: Coat the donuts in cinnamon sugar.
13: Make a hole in the center of the donut and generously fill with the gingerbread cheesecake filling.
14: Serve immediately and enjoy!
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.
- Dry Milk Powder – You can substitute for malted milk powder. Although it’s not the same thing as dry milk powder, I’ve had great results in the past. You can also omit it completely.
- Rum - If you don't have rum, you can easily substitute with whiskey or omit completely.
Variations
- Glazes - Instead of coating the donuts with cinnamon sugar, try making a maple, chocolate or vanilla glaze.
- Other Fillings - Try filling them with Nutella, Biscoff cookie butter or a vanilla custard! Alternatively, you can keep them unfilled.
- 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.
- Festive Cookie Cutters - If you do not have cookie cutters, you can shape to donuts into buns, like my Nutella Donuts!
Storage
- Homemade donuts are best eaten right away, but can last up to 2 days. I like to store leftovers in a container, but keep it loosely covered. This will keep the sugar coating from breaking down and making the donuts wet.
⭐️ Expert Tips
For best results I always recommend using a kitchen scale to weigh all your ingredients as it’s the most accurate way to bake. I like using King Arthur’s Weight Chart to convert to grams.
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.
Make sure your yeast is fresh. Whether you use active dry yeast or instant yeast, always activate it by mixing with your warm liquid and a bit of sugar. Nothing is worse than continuing on with a recipe, and then discover later that your yeast is dead.
Don’t skip the overnight rest. The dough will ferment slowly overnight, which is essential to developing flavor. The dough is also much easier to work with when it’s cold.
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 360ºF to 375ºF (183ºC to 190ºF). 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 to temp, thermometer clipped to your pot, a cooling rack lined with paper towels, filling made and your sugar coating ready before you begin frying.
FAQ
Yes, you can! Believe it or not, I used to make all yeast doughs by hand. You will just need to knead the dough by hand for up to 15 minutes. It can get quite sticky, but refrain from adding too much flour. I like to knead the dough with oiled hands and use a plastic bench scraper to help move the dough around. Don’t forget to perform the window pane test to know that it has been properly kneaded.
Bread flour (aka strong flour) has a higher protein percentage than all-purpose flour, making it ideal for yeasted bread recipes. The higher protein means that it has more gluten in it, which makes the dough more elastic and light, resulting in a chewy and airy texture.
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.
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.
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📖 Recipe
Gingerbread Cheesecake Donuts
- Total Time: 1 Hr 30 Mins + Overnight
- Yield: 12 Donuts
Description
Light and fluffy Gingerbread Cheesecake Donuts! Fried brioche donuts filled with a spiced gingerbread cheesecake cream and coated in cinnamon sugar!
Ingredients
Brioche Dough
- 1 Cup (227g) Whole Milk, warmed to around 105ºF (41ºC)
- 2 ¼ Tsp (7g) Active Dry Yeast
- ¼ Cup + 1 teaspoon (50g + 4g) Granulated White Sugar, divided
- 4 Tbsp (57g) Butter, melted
- 2 Large Eggs + 1 Yolk, room temp
- 1 Tsp Vanilla Extract
- 1 Tbsp Rum (optional)
- 2 Cups (240g) Bread Flour
- 2 Cups (240g) All-Purpose Flour
- 2 Tbsp Dry Milk Powder (optional, but recommended)
- 1 Tsp Salt
- ½ Tsp Nutmeg
Gingerbread Cheesecake Filling
- 8 Oz (227g) Full-Fat Cream Cheese, room temp
- 1 Cup (113g) Powdered Sugar
- ¼ Cup (56g) Heavy Cream, cold
- 1 ½ Tsp Cinnamon
- ¾ Tsp Ginger
- ¼ Tsp Nutmeg
- ¼ Tsp Clove
- 1 Tsp Vanilla Paste or Extract
Coating
- 1 Cup (200g) White Sugar
- 1 Heaping tablespoon Cinnamon
For Frying Donuts
- Neutral Frying Oil such as Canola, Vegetable or Avocado. You can also use vegetable shortening like Cisco.
Instructions
- On Day 1: Make your dough. In a small bowl, combine warm milk (105ºF/41ºC), 1 teaspoon sugar and active dry yeast. Allow to "bloom" for about 8 to 10 minutes. The yeast mixture should be frothy. *See note below for instant yeast.
- In the bowl of your stand mixer, add yeast mixture, ¼ cup sugar, eggs, yolk, melted butter, vanilla, rum, bread flour, all-purpose flour, dry milk powder and salt to the bowl. With a wooden spoon, mix the ingredients together until a rough ball of dough forms (will be shaggy).
- Fit your stand mixer with a hook attachment and knead the dough on medium speed for 20 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 generously oil your bowl (I use the same one) and place the dough back in. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator overnight.
- On Day 2: Shaping your donuts. Remove the dough from the fridge and gently punch the 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) gingerbread cookie cutter, cut out as many donuts as you can. You can combine the scraps and cut out more donuts. Keep in mind that they will not be as pretty.
- Place 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 45 minutes to 1 hour or until they have doubled in size. The best way to know if 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 gingerbread cheesecake filling! In a medium sized bowl, add your cream cheese, powdered sugar, heavy cream, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, clove and vanilla. With a hand-held mixer, whisk until light and fluffy. About 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a piping bag fitted with a star tip or ziploc bag and set aside until needed.
- Next, make the coating by combining white sugar and cinnamon in a shallow bowl. Set aside.
- 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 at least 2 to 3 inches of vegetable shortening or neutral oil such as canola, vegetable, or avocado oil. Once the oil reaches 360ºF to 375ºF (183ºC to 190ºC), fry 2 to 3 donuts at a time for 1 minute and 30 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 and allow to cool for a minute, then roll in the cinnamon sugar mixture.
- Using a chopstick or small paring knife, create a small hole in the center of the donut and then fill with the gingerbread cheesecake filling. Devour right away and enjoy!!
Notes
*For Instant Yeast; Combine instant yeast with all the dough ingredients into the bowl of your stand mixer and proceed to step 3. Just make sure the salt and yeast are not touching and that your milk is warm.
**To perform the Window Pane 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.
***How to know when your rolls are done proofing - Perform a "Poke" test! Gently press your pointer finger into the dough and if it springs back slowly and leaves an indentation, it's ready for the oven. If the dough bounces back immediately, then it’s not ready.
- Prep Time: 1 Hr + 15 Mins
- Cook Time: 15 Minutes
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