Chocolate Iced Kreme-Filled Doughnuts (Krispy Kreme Copycat)

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Airy, cloud-light yeast doughnuts with the classic melt-in-your-mouth bite.
• Fluffy vanilla kreme that tastes like the shop favorite but is simple and safe to make at home.
• Shiny chocolate glaze that sets to a soft gloss—no chalky crackle, just tender fudgy sheen.
• Step-by-step method designed for consistent results in a home kitchen.

Grocery List

• Produce: None
• Dairy: Whole milk, unsalted butter, heavy cream, large eggs
• Pantry: Bread flour, granulated sugar, powdered sugar, Dutch-process cocoa powder, instant yeast, light corn syrup, vanilla extract, fine salt, ground nutmeg (optional), instant vanilla pudding mix, marshmallow creme, neutral frying oil

Full Ingredients

Doughnuts (Yeasted Ring Dough)

• 1 cup (240 ml) whole milk, warmed to 105–110°F (40–43°C)
• 2 1/4 tsp (7 g) instant or rapid-rise yeast
• 1/4 cup (50 g) granulated sugar
• 2 large egg yolks
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 3 1/4 cups (390 g) bread flour
• 1 tsp (6 g) fine sea salt
• 3 tbsp (42 g) unsalted butter, softened
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg (optional, for classic doughnut aroma)

For Frying

• 2–3 quarts neutral oil (canola, peanut, or refined sunflower), enough for 1 1/2–2 inches depth

Fluffy Vanilla Kreme Filling

• 1 cup (240 ml) cold heavy cream
• 3/4 cup (150 g) marshmallow creme
• 1/3 cup (40 g) powdered sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tbsp (8 g) instant vanilla pudding mix (stability)
• Pinch fine sea salt

Soft-Gloss Chocolate Glaze

• 1 1/2 cups (180 g) powdered sugar, sifted
• 1/4 cup (25 g) Dutch-process cocoa powder, sifted
• 2 tbsp (28 g) unsalted butter
• 2 tbsp (30 ml) light corn syrup
• 4–5 tbsp (60–75 ml) whole milk, warmed
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• Pinch fine sea salt

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Make the enriched dough

In the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk warm milk, yeast, and sugar. Let sit 5 minutes until foamy. Whisk in egg yolks and vanilla. Add flour, salt, and optional nutmeg. Using the dough hook, mix on low until a shaggy dough forms, 2 minutes. Increase to medium-low and knead 3 minutes, then add the softened butter in small pieces. Continue kneading until smooth, elastic, and slightly tacky, 5–7 minutes more. The dough should stretch thin without tearing (windowpane test). Lightly oil a bowl and place the dough inside, turning to coat.

Step 2: First rise

Cover and let rise in a warm, draft-free spot until doubled, 60–90 minutes (ambient 75–80°F/24–27°C works well). If your kitchen is cool, place the bowl in an oven with the light on and a cup of hot water for gentle warmth.

Step 3: Roll, cut, and proof the rings

Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and roll to 1/2 inch (12 mm) thick. Cut 3 1/2-inch rings with a doughnut cutter (or a 3 1/2-inch round cutter plus a 1-inch center cutter). Place each ring on a small square of parchment to make transfer easy. Gather scraps, rest 10 minutes, reroll once, and cut again. Cover loosely and proof until puffy and delicate to the touch, 35–45 minutes.

Step 4: Fry the doughnuts

Heat 1 1/2–2 inches of oil to 350°F (175°C) in a heavy pot; monitor with a clip-on thermometer. Slide in 2–3 doughnuts at a time using the parchment as a sling, then remove the parchment with tongs. Fry 45–60 seconds per side until light golden with a pale ring. Maintain oil at 345–355°F by adjusting heat between batches. Drain on a wire rack set over a sheet pan. Cool completely before filling and glazing.

Step 5: Whip the vanilla kreme

In a bowl, whisk marshmallow creme, powdered sugar, vanilla, pudding mix, and salt until smooth. In a separate chilled bowl, whip cold heavy cream to stiff peaks. Fold one-third of the whipped cream into the marshmallow mixture to lighten, then fold in the rest just until no streaks remain. Transfer to a piping bag fitted with a Bismarck (5–8 mm) or long filling tip. Refrigerate until needed.

Step 6: Make the soft-gloss chocolate glaze

In a small saucepan over low heat, melt butter with corn syrup and 4 tbsp warm milk until steamy, not boiling. Off heat, whisk in powdered sugar, cocoa, vanilla, and salt until glossy and pourable. If too thick, add the remaining milk by teaspoons; if too thin, whisk in a bit more powdered sugar. Keep the bowl warm (set over a pan of 100°F/38°C water) so the glaze stays fluid and glossy.

Step 7: Fill the rings

Using the Bismarck tip, pierce the doughnut’s side and gently tunnel the tip along the ring’s interior. Pipe a tablespoon or so of kreme while slowly withdrawing the tip, then repeat on the opposite side to distribute filling around the ring. The doughnut should feel slightly heavier but not bulging. Wipe any seepage clean.

Step 8: Dip in chocolate and set

Dip the top half of each filled doughnut into the warm glaze, letting excess drip back into the bowl. Set on a rack and allow the glaze to set to a soft gloss, 15–20 minutes. Enjoy at peak tenderness within a few hours.

Pro Tips

• Weigh ingredients for consistency; enriched doughs are sensitive to small changes.
• Oil temperature is everything: too hot and the outside overbrowns; too cool and the doughnuts absorb oil. Aim for 350°F, adjusting heat between batches.
• Proof on parchment squares so you can slide rings into the oil without deflating.
• For neat filling in a ring, use two injection points opposite each other and rotate the tip inside the ring as you pipe.
• Keep the glaze warm; cooling glaze turns matte and thick. A warm water bath under the bowl maintains that perfect sheen.

Variations

• Boston Cream Ring: Swap the kreme for vanilla pastry cream and keep the chocolate glaze.
• Mocha Glaze: Add 1 tsp instant espresso powder to the chocolate glaze for a coffeehouse twist.
• Double Chocolate: Whisk 2 tbsp cocoa into the dough flour for a chocolate yeast doughnut before filling and glazing.

Storage & Make-Ahead

Best the day they are made. You can cold-rise the dough: after Step 1, cover and refrigerate 8–16 hours, then proceed with rolling and proofing. The kreme keeps refrigerated up to 48 hours; re-whisk briefly before piping. Filled doughnuts should not sit at room temperature for more than 2 hours due to the cream filling; refrigerate leftovers in a covered container up to 24 hours (glaze may dull slightly). To refresh, let come to room temp 20 minutes. Unfilled, unglazed fried rings can be frozen up to 1 month; thaw, warm in a 300°F (150°C) oven for 5–7 minutes, then fill and glaze.

Nutrition (per serving)

Approximate per doughnut (1 of 12): 360 calories; 16 g fat; 45 g carbohydrates; 5 g protein; 210 mg sodium; 7 g saturated fat; 65 mg cholesterol. Values will vary with oil absorption and glaze thickness.