Lemon Curd Sugar Donuts

Lemon curd sugar donuts are the donut of the summer! I am obsessed with anything lemon curd as soon as June comes around, I will make a big batch of my infamous lemon curd and use it in every dessert possible.

To make these donuts you will use a simple yeast recipe. These donuts are fried in any vegetable oil of your choice and then tossed in white sugar while they are still hot. It is important to toss them in the white sugar right away so it sticks to the donut! Once the donuts have cooled completely you will stuff them with the lemon curd.

A great way to make these ahead of time is to prepare the dough and leave it in the fridge over night baking it the next day. You can also make the lemon curd up to a week in advance and keep it in the fridge until your donuts are ready!

Why I love This Recipe

I love recipes that intimidate me, and these donuts did that! Until I made donuts for the first time at home I really did think they were one of those special desserts I just couldn’t quite nail, I assumed the ones from a donut shop would just always be better. That was until I put in some practice, and we all know what practice makes … (almost) perfect!!!

I wouldn’t go as far to say that these are donuts are a labour of love, because you really can make them with less than an hour of active working time. Sure, yeast can be tricky to work with, but once you’ve perfected active yeast, it will not intimidate you anymore!

So to answer the question, I love these donuts because they test my abilities and knowledge in the kitchen and yield a dessert that people keep asking for more of. These donuts are fresh, fun and pack the most delicious sweet, lemon curd flavouring. I really am a sucker for anything lemon!

The Ingredients

The ingredients used in this recipe are quite simple. We use a combination of cream and water for fluffy yet rich dough and then most of the remaining ingredients are your typical pantry staples.

The ingredients in the lemon curd are fresh and tangy. I add a hint of lime juice in with the lemon juice and zest to keep it fresh with an extra hit. The recipe calls for a combination of whole eggs and egg yolk to yield the perfect consistency in the curd – trust me on this one!

How to make the donuts

1. Start by combining the sugar, flour, salt and yeast in a stand mixer. Once well combined, add in the cream, water, vanilla bean paste and let it combine. Whisk the eggs and then add, and then finally add the room temperature butter. Leave your mixer on medium speed with the dough hook attachment and allow this to knead for at least 8-10 minutes. While kneading you’ll add about 2 tbsp more flour to help with the kneading process. 

2. Once a smooth ball of dough forms, place it in a greased bowl and cover. You can leave this on the counter to rise for 2-3 hours or in the fridge overnight until it doubles in size. 

3. Once risen, remove the dough from the bowl and knead for just a couple minutes to remove the air. Roll out using a rolling pin to about 3/4 ” thickness and then use a donut cutter or the top of a glass to cut out donut shaped pieces of dough. Set these aside on a baking sheet for about 20 minutes to allow them to rise again. 

4. Once risen, it is time to fry them! Heat a large pot with vegetable oil on low heat, you will know the oil is ready if you get your fingers wet, flick some water into the oil andi it bubbles slightly.

5. Fry each donut for a few minutes on each side keeping the oil on low heat so they don’t burn. Once golden brown, flip over to the other side. 

6. Remove from the oil and transfer immediately to a bowl of white granulated sugar, shaking it around so both sides get coated. 

How to make the lemon curd

1. Create a double boiler situation on your stove. Add sugar, lemon and lime juice, butter and zest to the double boiler. Once it starts to warm and the butter starts to slightly melt, add in your whisked eggs. Its important to add them before the mixture gets too hot or the eggs will cook. Stir constantly as you add the eggs. 

2. Continue to stir constantly with the double boiler on medium heat until everything melts, combines and eventually starts to thicken, after about 10 minutes. Transfer to a dish, let it cool on the counter, and then let it thicken in the fridge for at least an hour. 

3. Once the lemon curd has cooled and thickened, and the donuts have thickened, it is time to stuff them! Use a wooden skewer to create a hole and opening in the donut and then use a piping bag to fill each donut with about a tbsp of lemon curd. 

4. If your house is cooler you can leave these on the counter, or keep in the fridge for a few days. 

Lemon Curd Sugar Donuts

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Prep Time 45 minutes mins

Cook Time 13 minutes mins

Servings: 12 donuts

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

  

For the donuts

• 1/3 cup cream
• 1/3 cup water
• 2 tsp active dry yeast
• 2 tbsp white sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla bean paste can sub for extract
• 3 cups all purpose flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup butter room temperature
• 1 cup white sugar for coating donuts

For the lemon curd

• 1 whole egg
• 2 egg yolks
• 2/3 cup white sugar
• 2 tbsp lemon zest
• 1/3 cup lemon juice
• 1 tbsp lime juice
• 6 tbsp butter

Method

 

For the Donuts

1. Start by combining the sugar, flour, salt and yeast in a stand mixer. Once well combined, add in the cream, water, vanilla bean paste and let it combine. Whisk the eggs and then add, and then finally add the room temperature butter. Leave your mixer on medium speed with the dough hook attachment and allow this to knead for at least 8-10 minutes. While kneading you’ll add about 2 tbsp more flour to help with the kneading process.
2. Once a smooth ball of dough forms, place it in a greased bowl and cover. You can leave this on the counter to rise for 2-3 hours or in the fridge overnight until it doubles in size.
3. Once risen, remove the dough from the bowl and knead for just a couple minutes to remove the air. Roll out using a rolling pin to about 3/4 ” thickness and then use a donut cutter or the top of a glass to cut out donut shaped pieces of dough. Set these aside on a baking sheet for about 20 minutes to allow them to rise again.
4. Once risen, it is time to fry them! Heat a large pot with vegetable oil on low heat, you will know the oil is ready if you get your fingers wet, flick some water into the oil andi it bubbles slightly.
5. Fry each donut for a few minutes on each side keeping the oil on low heat so they don’t burn. Once golden brown, flip over to the other side.
6. Remove from the oil and transfer immediately to a bowl of white granulated sugar, shaking it around so both sides get coated.

For the Lemon Curd

1. Create a double boiler situation on your stove. Add sugar, lemon and lime juice, butter and zest to the double boiler. Once it starts to warm and the butter starts to slightly melt, add in your whisked eggs. Its important to add them before the mixture gets too hot or the eggs will cook. Stir constantly as you add the eggs.
2. Continue to stir constantly with the double boiler on medium heat until everything melts, combines and eventually starts to thicken, after about 10 minutes. Transfer to a dish, let it cool on the counter, and then let it thicken in the fridge for at least an hour.

Putting them together

1. Once the lemon curd has cooled and thickened (overnight is best!), and the donuts have thickened, it is time to stuff them! Use a wooden skewer to create a hole and opening in the donut and then use a piping bag to fill each donut with about a tbsp of lemon curd.
2. If your house is cooler you can leave these on the counter, or keep in the fridge for a few days.
3. Recipe makes about 12 small donuts or 8 large ones.

I hope you love these as much as I do! If you do end up making them be sure to share them with me on Instagram.

Happy Baking!

If you like these donuts, check out my sweet lemon rolls here!