Tessa’s Recipe Rundown
Taste: Like a classic cheesecake, but with a touch of cinnamon and in doughnut form! Mmm mmm.
Texture: The doughnut is super light, fluffy, and tender while the cream cheese filling is thick, rich, and creamy.
Ease: Easier than frying, but still requires a bit of patience since we’re working with a yeast raised doughnut.
Pros: Better than most doughnuts at the bakery counter.
Cons: Makes a bit of a mess.
Would I make this again? Oh yeah, though I might add some Nutella to the cream cheese next time!
This post may contain affiliate links. Read our disclosure policy.
Confession time. Sometimes I hate getting text messages.
Which probably seems weird coming from a millennial who has had a cell phone within arm’s reach since age 14. But back then, you could only send like 50 texts a month and you had to type everything out on a number keypad. The texts you sent had to MATTER.
Now the texts we get are nonstop and endless. I feel like I constantly have 10 (often meaningless) conversations going at any given time and it makes it difficult to focus or be in the moment.
When I’m in the zone and have forgotten to silence my phone, getting a text message feels like a huge invasion. Does anyone else feel this way? Like… I didn’t invite you to have a conversation with me while I’m in the middle of finding out if Jon Snow is alive or dead on Game of Thrones!
But of course, the sender has no idea what you’re doing. It’s all just very weird. But without that kind of technology you might not be reading this post for Cheesecake Stuffed Baked Doughnuts on your phone right now!
I’m guessing you’re on your phone because over 70% of my readers are on a mobile or tablet device. It’s a crazy world we live in. I just hope no texts have interrupted you reading this right now 😉
Sprinkle of Science
Cheesecake Stuffed Baked Doughnuts Recipe Tips
Whenever possible, I like to include extra tips, tricks, and advice to help you along in the kitchen. I know there’s nothing more frustrating than having a question or getting stuck and not being able to get instant help. So, hopefully these tips answer any questions that might come up!
The Doughnuts
Even though these are baked doughnuts, there’s no batter involved. Instead, to make these as close to traditional fried doughnuts in taste, texture, and appearance as possible, we’re using a yeast-raised dough. It’s a super rich dough with egg yolks, sugar, butter, AND cream in order to mimic the rich, soft, and fluffy goodness of fried doughnuts.
I use instant yeast in this recipe because it’s so simple and easy and doesn’t need to be proofed. If you don’t have instant yeast, feel free to use the same amount of active dry yeast. Simple add it to the warm water and let it proof for 5 minutes before proceeding with the recipe.
Enriched doughs like this one may take longer to knead and rise, FYI. This dough is pretty sticky which helps the final doughnuts maintain and fluffy and light texture. Avoid adding too much extra flour or your doughnuts may become dense and heavy.
Also, since these doughnuts don’t have holes, you don’t need to worry about using a doughnut cutter or making one from two cookie cutters. One round cookie cutter does the trick here!
The Filling
Just a few ingredients makes up the cream cheese filling in this recipe. Feel free to add additional powdered sugar for a sweeter taste, if you prefer. I also like to top these doughnuts off with raspberry jam to give them a beautiful appearance and add a fruity fresh flavor. You can swap out raspberry for your favorite jam, or omit this step altogether.
Serving & Storing
The finished doughnuts are best served the day they’re made. The dough can be made and allowed to rise slowly overnight in the fridge if you need to make this recipe ahead of time.
More Recipes You’ll Love:
- Krispy Kreme Copycat Glazed Doughnuts
- Baked Strawberry Lemon Doughnuts
- Chocolate Old-Fashioned Doughnuts
- Pumpkin Old Fashioned Doughnuts
- Classic Cake Doughnuts
Become a Baking Genius!
Sign up for our free email newsletter for NEW recipes & baking science secrets.
Cheesecake Stuffed Baked Doughnuts
Ingredients
For the doughnuts:
- 1/2 cup warm water
- 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 1/4 teaspoons (1 packet) instant yeast
- 4 large egg yolks
- 1/3 cup (65 grams) granulated sugar
- 2 1/2 (319 grams) cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
- 4 tablespoons (57 grams) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
For the filling:
- 8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the topping:
- 3/4 cup (150 grams) granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons (28 grams) unsalted butter, melted
- Raspberry jam, for drizzling
Instructions
Make the doughnut dough:
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine the water, zest, vanilla, yeast, eggs, and sugar. Gradually add in the flour then salt, mixing until absorbed. Add the butter and cream and beat on medium speed for 6 to 8 minutes, or until a smooth sticky dough forms. Remove the dough to a lightly greased bowl, cover, and let rise until doubled in size, about 1 1/2 hours depending on the warmth of your kitchen.
For the cheesecake filling:
- Meanwhile, make the filling.
- In a medium bowl using an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese, cream, sugar, and vanilla until light and fluffy.
Finish the doughnuts:
- On a lightly floured work surface, roll the dough out to about 1/2-inch thickness. Using a round cookie cutter, cut out 6 rounds from the dough. Place on a large parchment-lined baking sheet spacing far apart. Cover and let rise until puffy, about 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350°F. Bake the doughnuts for about 10 minutes, or until golden brown and puffed. Let cool enough to be handled.
- In a shallow dish combine the cinnamon and sugar for the topping. Dip each warm doughnut in the melted butter, the coat in the cinnamon sugar.
- Remove the cream cheese mixture to a piping bag fitted with a long filling tip. Insert the tip into the side of a doughnut and squeeze the filling inside to fill. Repeat for the remaining doughnuts. Top each doughnut with a dollop of the cream cheese mixture then drizzle with jam.
- Doughnuts are best served the day they’re made.
Hi Tessa. I was wondering if the dough could be made in a bread machine.
I don’t own a bread machine, but I don’t see why not!
Thank you, Tessa for all your wonderful recipes. I made these doughnuts recently and they were a hit! I am making them again for an event this weekend. I appreciate your your philosophy about sweets!!
So happy to hear that!
Can they be deep fried in a fry daddy?
Would love to do this while fall camping..
Thanks!
I’m not sure, Billie. I’ve never used a fry daddy. But I can tell you this recipe was specifically developed to be baked. I have a few fried recipes in my archives that might work for you!
How would I make these without a stand alone mixer? I only have a hand mixer
You would just knead the dough by hand 🙂
I have had this recipe saved for months waiting for when I would have time to make these and today was the lucky day. It wasn’t as difficult as I expected and they are definitely yummy! Just curious what size cookie cutter you used? I had tons of dough leftover.
Wonderful, Krista! So happy to hear it. I believe I used about a 4 inch cookie cutter, but if you ever have leftover dough you can always make more!!
what if i dont have dough hook? can i just using my hand ?
Yep!
Is there a way to make the dough in advance and have it retard in the fridge and then go back to it?
Of course!
Wow!! Just made these. I have made fried doughnuts before and in comparison, these are amazing!!! I always thought the fried were good but these make my other recipe seem awful! Think I’ll be playing around with fillings and toppings! Thanks!
So happy to hear that!
I did use coconut milk in the filling and it worked out fine. Honestly didn’t change flavor.
How much yeast if your doing it from the jar? And how would you make the dough if your using the jar yeast? The same way it says in the recipe but after the yeast sits for a few? And can I use lemon juice instead?
Can I substitute anything for the yeast? I cannot have yeast in my diet and these donuts look too good to pass up!
Hi Mary! This recipe uses a yeast-raised dough, and we haven’t tried anything else as a substitute. You’re welcome to experiment though, we’d love to hear of your results! If you’re unsure what to use as a substitute, I’d then suggest looking for a yeast-free doughnut recipe instead, like our Old-Fashioned Sour Cream Doughnuts, Cookies and Cream Chocolate Doughnuts, Chocolate Fudge Cake Doughnuts, or our Homemade Chinese Doughnuts. Good luck!
These are what the baby inside me has been dreaming about all during the 1st trimester! Now that the nausea has passed I can make them for V-day!! Do you think I could sub coconut milk for the heavy cream?
Thanks!
Haha! Yay, glad you’re feeling better now! I’ve never tried with coconut milk so I’m not sure. If you did try that out, let us know how it went!
what size circle cutter do you use?