I finally made this Peanut Butter Jelly Donut Recipe at home, and wow, they were worth every minute. The dough puffed up soft and golden, and the two fillings made every bite taste like a childhood sandwich.
I piped jam into one side and a creamy peanut butter filling into the other. My kitchen smelled like a bakery, and the batch disappeared before dinner. If you have been searching for peanut butter and jelly donuts near me, skip the drive and try this version instead.
Cooking Time
Plan for a relaxed afternoon project. Most of the time is rising, so your hands are free for long stretches.
- Prep Time: 1 hour 45 minutes (includes yeast proofing and both rises)
- Cooking Time: 25 minutes (frying in small batches)
- Total Time: 2 hours 10 minutes (plus a few minutes for cooling and filling)
Ingredients
Everything here is simple pantry stuff. A few small habits make a big difference in the final texture.
For the donuts:
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour: gives the dough its soft, chewy structure.
- 1/4 cup sugar: feeds the yeast and adds light sweetness.
- 1/2 teaspoon salt: balances the flavor, so don’t skip it.
- 2 tablespoons of warm water: wake up the yeast, but keep it warm, not hot.
- 1 envelope (2 1/4 teaspoons) active dry yeast: makes the dough rise fluffy.
- 3/4 cup lukewarm milk: softens the crumb, so use it just warm to the touch.
- 1 large egg: adds richness and helps the dough hold together.
- 3 tablespoons vegetable shortening: keeps the donuts tender, so soften them first.
- Vegetable oil for frying (about 3 inches deep): use a neutral oil with a high smoke point.
For the filling:
- 1/4 cup softened cream cheese: adds tang and a smooth, thick body.
- 1/4 cup smooth peanut butter: use a creamy, no-stir style for a silky filling.
- 3 tablespoons sugar: sweetens the filling, so beat until fully dissolved.
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract: rounds out the nutty flavor.
- 1/4 cup chilled heavy cream: whips into soft peaks for a light, fluffy filling.
- 1 cup fruit jam (strawberry or grape): choose a smooth jam that pipes easily.
- Confectioners’ sugar for dusting (optional): adds a pretty, bakery-style finish.
Note: serves several (makes 8 donuts).
Equipment You Need
You don’t need anything fancy, but a thermometer is a real helper here.
- Stand mixer with dough hook and paddle attachments: kneads the dough and beats the filling smooth.
- Large greased bowl: gives the dough room to rise without sticking.
- Clean dish towel: keeps the dough warm and covered while it rests.
- Parchment-lined sheet tray: holds the cut donuts during the second rise.
- 3-inch round cutter: shapes even donuts that fry at the same speed.
- Large heavy-bottomed pot: holds steady heat for frying.
- Frying thermometer: helps you keep the oil at 350°F.
- Two pastry bags: pipe the jam and peanut butter filling separately.
- Small knife: pokes the filling pockets into each donut.
How to Make Peanut Butter Jelly Donut Recipe?
This recipe moves in clear stages: dough, rise, fry, then fill. Take it one step at a time and you will get soft, bakery-style donuts. Here is exactly how I do it.
Whisk the Dry Ingredients
Add the flour, sugar, and salt to a bowl. Whisk them well so the salt and sugar spread evenly. Set the bowl aside while you wake up the yeast.
Activate the Yeast
Pour the warm water into your mixer bowl and sprinkle in the yeast. Stir gently and let it sit for about 10 minutes. It should look dissolved and a little foamy, which tells you it is alive.
Mix the Dough
Add the milk, egg, and shortening to the yeast and mix for 1 minute. Then add the dry ingredients and mix until everything comes together. The dough should look smooth, soft, and just a little sticky.
Let the Dough Rise
Move the dough into a lightly greased bowl and cover it with a clean towel. Set it in a warm spot for 40 to 50 minutes. It is ready when it has doubled in size.
Roll and Cut the Donuts
Dust a parchment-lined tray with flour. Roll the dough to about 1/4 inch thick and cut rounds with a 3-inch cutter. Place them 1/2 inch apart so they have room to puff.
Give Them a Second Rise
Dust the cut rounds lightly with flour and cover them. Let them rest for 20 to 25 minutes until they double again. This second rise is what makes the donuts light instead of dense.
Fry Until Golden
Heat about 3 inches of oil to 350°F in a heavy pot. Fry a few donuts at a time for 2 to 3 minutes per side until deep golden. Let the oil return to 350°F before each new batch.
Cool the Donuts
Lift the donuts out and set them on a rack or paper towels. Let them cool completely before you fill them. Warm donuts will melt the filling and turn it runny.
Make the Peanut Butter Filling
Beat the cream cheese, peanut butter, sugar, and vanilla on low speed until smooth. In another bowl, whip the cold cream to soft peaks. Fold the whipped cream into the peanut butter mixture gently so it stays airy. This is my go-to peanut butter donut filling recipe, and it works in other desserts too.
Fill and Finish
Spoon the jam into one pastry bag and the peanut butter filling into the other. Poke a small hole on opposite sides of each donut with a knife. Pipe jam into one side and peanut butter filling into the other, then dust with confectioners’ sugar if you like.
Additional Tips for Making This Recipe Better
These are the small lessons I picked up after a few batches. They save time and help you avoid disappointment.
- I always use a thermometer, because oil that is too cool makes greasy donuts and oil that is too hot burns them.
- I place my dough bowl in the oven with just the light on, which gives me a perfect warm rising spot.
- I fry only 2 or 3 donuts at a time so the oil temperature doesn’t drop.
- I let the donuts cool fully before filling, and my filling stays thick and neat every time.
- I chill the heavy cream and the bowl for 10 minutes first, and it whips up faster and fluffier.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Most donut problems come from temperature and timing. Here are the mistakes I made myself, so you don’t have to.
- I once used water that was too hot, and it killed the yeast. Use warm water that feels comfortable on your wrist.
- I rushed the rise one day and got heavy, flat donuts. Wait until the dough has truly doubled.
- I crowded the pot and the oil temperature crashed. Fry in small batches and let the oil recover.
- I filled warm donuts and the cream melted right out. Cool them completely first.
- I over-whipped the cream and the filling turned grainy. Stop at soft peaks and fold gently.
How to Serve Peanut Butter Jelly Donut Recipe?
These donuts look cute and taste even better when you put in a little effort on the plate. Serve them fresh for the softest bite and the best filling texture.
- Dust them with confectioners’ sugar right before serving for a bakery-style look.
- Arrange them on a wooden board with a small bowl of extra jam on the side.
- Add a few crushed roasted peanuts on top for crunch and a pretty finish.
- Pair them with cold milk, coffee, or hot chocolate for a cozy treat.
- Serve them next to a plate of peanut butter oat energy balls for a full peanut butter dessert table.
Variations
Once you master the base recipe, it is easy to switch things up. Here are my favorite ways to change it.
- Dairy-free: use oat milk, vegan shortening, and a dairy-free cream cheese, and whip coconut cream for the filling.
- Sugar-free: swap the sugar for a sugar-free baking blend and use a no-sugar-added fruit spread.
- Chocolate twist: pipe in chocolate hazelnut spread instead of jam for a richer bite.
- Crunchy version: use crunchy peanut butter in the filling for extra texture.
- Different jams: try raspberry, apricot, or blackberry for a tart contrast.
Nutritional Information
Here is an approximate breakdown for one filled donut. Values will change depending on the jam, oil, and brands you use.
- Calories: about 430 kcal
- Protein: about 8 g
- Carbohydrates: about 58 g
- Fat: about 19 g
Make Ahead and Storage
These donuts taste best on the day you make them. A few simple steps help you plan ahead and keep leftovers fresh.
Make Ahead
Prepare the peanut butter filling a day early and keep it chilled in a covered bowl. You can also fry the donuts in the morning and fill them just before serving. This keeps the dough soft and the filling fresh.
Storage
Keep filled donuts in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. The cream cheese and whipped cream need to stay cold. Let them sit out for 10 minutes before eating for the best flavor.
Reheating
Warm unfilled donuts in a 300°F oven for 5 minutes to bring back their softness. Fill them only after they have cooled slightly. I don’t recommend microwaving filled donuts, because the filling turns runny.
Freezing
Freeze unfilled, fully cooled donuts in a freezer bag for up to 1 month. Thaw them at room temperature, warm them briefly, and then fill. I don’t freeze the filling, because the whipped cream loses its texture.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe?
This recipe brings bakery magic to your own kitchen. It is fun to make and even more fun to eat.
- Classic flavor you know and love: Peanut butter and jelly is a combination everyone enjoys. In donut form, it feels like a nostalgic treat with a fancy twist.
- Better than a shop run: Fresh homemade donuts beat any search for peanut butter filled donuts near me. You control the freshness, the fillings, and the size.
- Mostly hands-off time: Most of the recipe is resting and rising. You can clean up, relax, or prep the filling while the dough does the work.
- Easy to customize: Change the jam, the nut butter, or the coating to suit your family. It is just as good with chocolate spread or a sugar-free fruit spread.
FAQs
Can I use crunchy peanut butter?
Yes, you can. Crunchy peanut butter adds a fun texture, but smooth is easier to pipe through a bag.
Can I make the donut dough the night before?
Yes. After the first rise, cover the dough and chill it overnight. Let it warm up for 30 minutes, then roll, cut, and continue with the second rise.
What can I use instead of heavy cream?
Chilled full-fat coconut cream whips up well and works nicely. You can also use a store-bought whipped topping for a quicker filling, just like the easy sweet bites in these chocolate chip energy balls.
Why are my donuts greasy?
The oil was most likely too cool. Keep it at 350°F, and fry in small batches so the temperature stays steady.
Peanut Butter Jelly Donut Recipe
Ingredients
Method
- Add the flour, sugar, and salt to a bowl. Whisk them well so the salt and sugar spread evenly. Set the bowl aside while you wake up the yeast.
- Pour the warm water into your mixer bowl and sprinkle in the yeast. Stir gently and let it sit for about 10 minutes. It should look dissolved and a little foamy, which tells you it is alive.
- Add the milk, egg, and shortening to the yeast and mix for 1 minute. Then add the dry ingredients and mix until everything comes together. The dough should look smooth, soft, and just a little sticky.
- Move the dough into a lightly greased bowl and cover it with a clean towel. Set it in a warm spot for 40 to 50 minutes. It is ready when it has doubled in size.
- Dust a parchment-lined tray with flour. Roll the dough to about 1/4 inch thick and cut rounds with a 3-inch cutter. Place them 1/2 inch apart so they have room to puff.
- Dust the cut rounds lightly with flour and cover them. Let them rest for 20 to 25 minutes until they double again. This second rise is what makes the donuts light instead of dense.
- Heat about 3 inches of oil to 350°F in a heavy pot. Fry a few donuts at a time for 2 to 3 minutes per side until deep golden. Let the oil return to 350°F before each new batch.
- Lift the donuts out and set them on a rack or paper towels. Let them cool completely before you fill them. Warm donuts will melt the filling and turn it runny.
- Beat the cream cheese, peanut butter, sugar, and vanilla on low speed until smooth. In another bowl, whip the cold cream to soft peaks. Fold the whipped cream into the peanut butter mixture gently so it stays airy. This is my go-to peanut butter donut filling recipe, and it works in other desserts too.
- Spoon the jam into one pastry bag and the peanut butter filling into the other. Poke a small hole on opposite sides of each donut with a knife. Pipe jam into one side and peanut butter filling into the other, then dust with confectioners’ sugar if you like.
Notes
- I always use a thermometer, because oil that is too cool makes greasy donuts and oil that is too hot burns them.
- I place my dough bowl in the oven with just the light on, which gives me a perfect warm rising spot.
- I fry only 2 or 3 donuts at a time so the oil temperature doesn’t drop.
- I let the donuts cool fully before filling, and my filling stays thick and neat every time.
- I chill the heavy cream and the bowl for 10 minutes first, and it whips up faster and fluffier.
