These soft and fluffy Austrian-style donuts are eaten year round but are particularly popular during carnival season (“Fasching”) and on Fat Tuesday. Fat Tuesday (or Mardi Gras) is called “Faschingsdienstag” in Austria and is the peak of carnival, reflecting the practice of the last day of eating richer, fatty foods before the ritual fasting starts on Ash Wednesday. And even though, most people don’t fast any more, they do enjoy the rituals of carnival.
On Fat Tuesday, people dress up to celebrate carnival … and they eat a lot of Krapfen on this day. Kids dress up for school or kindergarten and usually they get to eat this fluffy treat. Sometimes even employers are buying Krapfen for their employees to celebrate Fat Tuesday. I am not that kind of person who likes to dress up but I enjoy the perks of this day ;-)
I’ve made Krapfen before, using a different method for filling them. I used to cut out the dough, then put a spoon of jam in the center, put another dough round on top and cut the two layers of dough again with a slightly smaller cutter. This takes a lot of time, that’s why I switched to a way easier method: filling the Krapfen with a pastry bag. Making donuts or Krapfen takes a little time and practice, so don’t worry if the first ones you make don’t look like from a pastry shop. They will still taste amazing!
The characteristics of a Austrian Krapfen are the white ring that circles the center, the apricot jam filling (sometimes you can get them with vanilla custard filling) and the generously dusted top with powdered sugar.
I tried to do a step by step recipe with pictures so it makes it easier for you to follow the recipe. If you have any questions, I will gladly answer them. Just post a comment below!
Step by step recipe for Jelly Filled Doughnuts (Krapfen)
Mix all ingredients to a soft and slightly sticky dough. You can do that by hand or with a mixer with dough hooks attached. See recipe part below for detailed instructions.
Roll dough to 1/2 to 3/4-inch thickness.
Prepare a baking pan lined with floured wax paper. Using a 2½ to 3-inch-round cutter or drinking glass, cut rounds. Transfer the rounds to the floured baking sheet.
You can roll the very last dough scraps into firm balls and pat it flat so they look similar to the rest of the rounds.
Cover the dough with a tea towel and let it rise in a warm place for about 30-45 minutes or until they have puffed up noticeably. This is important – if you don’t let them rise long enough, they will not be high and fluffy in the end. Uncover them for the last 15 minutes so they will dry a little (only a little!) and will develop a “skin”.
Once the dough is risen, heat a medium saucepan or pot of oil over medium heat until it reaches 320-330 °F (160-165 °C) degrees. A cooking or deep frying thermometer comes in handy here but I’ve already made Krapfen without. It takes a little adjusting though… Dip a wooden skewer/chopstick or handle of a wooden cooking spoon into the hot oil for testing the temperature. If the oil starts steadily bubbling, then the oil is hot enough for frying. (bubbling vigorously = too hot, very few bubbles = not hot enough). As always: Be careful handling hot oil!
Using a flat spatula, carefully slip 3 rounds into the oil. Cover the saucepan so the Krapfen are able to rise further and will get a nice, white ring. Fry until golden, about 1 ½ to 2 minutes. Turn Krapfen over with a slotted spatula and fry uncovered until golden on other side. Carefully transfer the Krapfen to a paper-towel-lined baking sheet with a slotted spatula.
Let the Krapfen cool. Place the jam in a piping bag with a round tip. Stick a skewer or chopstick in the side of the Krapfen to create a tunnel. Pipe in some of the jam.
Dust the Doughnuts with confectioners’ sugar.
Enjoy! They taste best eaten on the same day.
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup (180 g) warm milk
- 4 ½ tablespoons (60 g) granulated sugar
- 1 ¾ teaspoons (5.25 g) active dry yeast
- 3 egg yolks from large eggs
- 4 ½ tablespoons (60 g) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons rum (any will do)
- 3/4 teaspoon fine salt
- 375 g all-purpose flour (about 2 2/3 cups) plus up to 2 tablespoons (15 g) more if you are kneading by hand
- For baking: Vegetable oil (you will need at least 2 cups, usually more depending on the size of your pan)
- For filling: About 3/4 cup (150 g) smooth, fine-textured apricot jam - not chunky (stir in 1 teaspoon rum if you like)
- For dusting: Confectioners’ sugar
- Additional: Medium sized frying pan or saucepan with lid
- Piping bag with a round tip
Instructions
- You can either make the dough using a mixer with dough hooks attached or knead it by hand. I recommend using a mixer since the dough is pretty moist and sticky. I’ve included both methods.
- Combine milk and sugar in a large mixing bowl. Sprinkle the yeast over the milk and set it aside for 5-10 minutes for the yeast to dissolve.
- Stir in egg yolks, lukewarm butter, vanilla, rum, and salt using a hand whisk until well combined.
- Add half of the flour and stir thoroughly using the hand whisk (the dough should resemble pancake batter at this point).
- With a sturdy spoon (or a mixer with dough hooks) stir in the rest of the flour. Mix the ingredients until they come together to a sticky dough.
- Mixer: Add the rest of the flour and knead it for 5 minutes until smooth.
- By hand: With floured or greased hands, try to fold the edges of the dough into the center a couple of times. If the dough is too sticky, add up to 2 more tablespoon (not more) flour, mix it into the dough and try again. If still too sticky, cover the bowl and let the dough rest for 5 minutes. After that, the dough will be better to work with.
- In the bowl, knead the dough (or fold the edges over itself) until smooth, about 5 to 10 minutes. The dough should still be moist and a little sticky.
- Grease a clean mixing bowl and return the dough to the bowl. Set in a warm place to rise until doubled in bulk, about 1 to 1 ½ hours.
- Plop the dough upside down onto a floured surface, lightly flour the top, and roll dough to 1/2 to 3/4-inch thickness.
- Prepare a baking pan lined with floured wax paper. Using a 2 ½ to 3-inch-round cutter or drinking glass, cut rounds. Transfer the rounds to the floured baking sheet. Repeat with the dough scraps until most of the dough has been used. You can roll the very last dough scraps into firm balls and pat it flat so they look similar to the rest of the rounds.
- Cover the dough with a tea towel and let it rise in a warm place for about 30-45 minutes or until they have puffed up noticeably. This is important – if you don’t let them rise long enough, they will not be high and fluffy in the end. Uncover them for the last 15 minutes so they will dry a little (only a little!) and will develop a “skin”.
- Once the dough is risen, heat 1 to 2 inches of oil a medium saucepan over medium heat until it reaches 320-330 °F (160-165 °C) degrees. A cooking or deep frying thermometer comes in handy here but I’ve already made Krapfen without. It takes a little adjusting though… Dip a wooden skewer/chopstick or handle of a wooden cooking spoon into the hot oil for testing the temperature. If the oil starts steadily bubbling, then the oil is hot enough for frying. (bubbling vigorously = too hot, very few bubbles = not hot enough). As always: Be careful handling hot oil!
- Using a flat spatula, carefully slip 3 rounds into the oil, upside down. Cover the saucepan so the Krapfen are able to rise further and will get a nice, white ring. Fry until golden, about 1 ½ to 2 minutes. Turn Krapfen over with a slotted spatula and fry uncovered until golden on other side. Carefully transfer the Krapfen to a paper-towel-lined baking sheet with a slotted spatula. Process the same way with the rest of the dough.
- Let the Krapfen cool. Place the jam in a piping bag with a round tip. Stick a skewer or chopstick in the side of the Krapfen to create a tunnel. Pipe in some of the jam.
- Dust the Doughnuts with confectioners’ sugar. They taste best eaten on the same day.
Did you follow this recipe? You could share your result here. All you need to do is take a picture with your smartphone and send it to [email protected] Magda followed the Krapfen recipe: "Great recipe - thank you! They taste even better than they look!"
When my Mutti used to own her Bavarian Delicatessen, she would have a local bakery deliver them to sell. I used to swipe at least one of them, relishing the delicious, sweet apricot jam in the middle. Now, that I love working with yeast and making my own jam, I’m definitely excited to try making my own Krapfen! I love mine, with fresh coffee and licking off the dusting of powdered sugar around my lips. Childhood memories! Danke!
That sounds like some great childhood memories!!!! I hope you will try making them. And ohhhh yes, the sweet aprocot filling is the best ;-)
Hi Ursula, thank you do much for the recipe. I have a question though, do I have to use rum? or can I substitute it with something else? Also, I would rather use vanilla sugar than vanilla extract, how much do you recommend using?
Hi Tamer! No, the rum is not that important, you can simply omit it. If you want to use vanilla suger, I would suggest using 1 teaspoon (5 ml) – but of course it depends on the brand. In case you speak German, I translated the recipe for my other blog, Taste of Travel:
https://www.tasteoftravel.at/flaumige-krapfen-berliner/
Hope you will try the recipe. It’s not the easiest, but it’s rewarding ;-)
My great-grandma from Hungary always said that adding rum to the dough was a MUST – and not just for great aroma but also for the dough not to absorb too much grease.
Congrats!
I Love it. Well done description, mouth watering pictures and a good recipe.
Hi Willy’z! Thanks so much. I am happy when my readers like my pictures and recipes ;-)
I tried your recipe today, and divided my batch in two, frying half and baking in the oven the other half. Both are exquisite, thank you! I’ll serve them tomorrow at a dinner filling some with homemade chocolate custard and others with black cherry and rum. Will feature them on my blog – expect a mention ^_^
Hi Gilda,
So sorry for my late reply. I only noticed your comment now. But I’ve seen your pics on Instagram and your Krapfen looked simply delicious!!!! Thanks so much for leaving a comment. Love to hear your feedback. See you, Ursula
Hi Ursula,
Thanks for the lovely recipe. They were so fluffy and light. The best part is that they didn’t absorb much oil at all. They are so easy to make and all the more easy to eat…
Hi Melba,
Thank you so much. I love to hear when a recipe turns out great ;-) Yes, the Krapfen aren’t overly greasy, one thing I really like about them! Thanks so much for trying the recipe.
Perfect! I have been trying to find the right recipe. Yours is it! All your instructions and pictures made it turn out just the way I thought it should. My husbands tante Berta used to make these. Thank you, now I’m his favorite!
Hi Valerie
lol. Happy that you are his favorite now ;-) and also happy to hear that you liked them! Take care, Ursula
Dear Ursula, you are not gonna believe, but in my inherited recipe notebook of three generations, I have the identical recipe of Kraphen, in Hungarian “fánk” with yours … :) word-for-word :) well, now as I am thinking, this might not be a big surprise as my great-grandma lived during Austrian-Hungarian monarchy …. all I can say is that this recipe is THE BEST to make this carnival delicate pastry. Happy Mardi Gras season 2021!
Hi Mona,
Wow, what a coincidence :) As you said, after all, Austria used to be Austria-Hungary. I haven’t made them last year but I am planning on making them this year. Oh, and I’ve heard your tip with the rum too several times. So it must be true ;-) Adding rum to my Krapfen in any case the next time! Ursula