Peach cobbler donuts might be one of my favorite filled donut variations yet. The cloud-like milk bread donut dough fries up soft and fluffy, gets dipped in vanilla bean icing, then filled with gooey brown sugar cinnamon peaches and finished with a buttery cobbler crumble topping.
I use the same dough from my homemade glazed donut recipe here because nothing else gives that super soft bakery-style texture quite the same way!
How to Make Them
1
Cook the peaches in the brown sugar and cinnamon until soft and gooey. You want to do this step first, so they have time to cool before filling the donuts.
2
The tangzhong should thicken into a paste with a consistency similar to instant mashed potatoes.
Don’t be intimidated by it. It’s so easy to mix on the stove. Once I started using tangzhong in my bread recipes (like my peach cobbler cinnamon rolls), there was no going back…the texture stays soft for days!
3
Knead the donut dough until it looks smooth and feels tacky.
4
Roll the dough to ~3/4″ thickness. Then, use a ~3″ round cutter to cut out rounds.
You’ll want to transfer to them the individual parchment paper squares before using a smaller 1″ cutter to punch out the middle. Do not remove the centers!
5
Fry 2-3 donuts at a time to maintain a consistent frying oil temperature. You’re looking for a nice golden brown color, about 2 1/2 minutes total.
6
Once cooled, punch down the indented center to create a hole. This is for the peach filling!
7
You’re looking for the crumble to look evenly toasted and golden brown. It might seem soft at first, but as it cools, it will get crunchy.
8
Dip the donuts first in the vanilla bean glaze, then immediately sprinkle with some of the crumble. If you wait too long, the icing will set, and the crumb won’t stick!
Then, you can fill the center with the peach cobbler filling.
I wait allllll year for peach season because they’re easily one of my favorite fruits to bake with. They’re incredible in fried desserts like this recipe or my peach fritters, but I also love them stuffed inside other recipes like my peach cobbler cookies.
I hope you love them as much as I do!
— Cambrea 🫶🏻
If you tried this or any other recipe on my website, please let me know how it went in the comments; I love hearing from you! Also, please leave a star rating while you’re there! You can also tag me on Instagram or Facebook so I can check it out!
Peach Cobbler Donuts
Ingredients
Cinnamon Peach Filling
- 2 cups sliced fresh peaches
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar, packed
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon water
Cobbler Crumble
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
- 3/4 cup + 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar, packed
Tangzhong
- 2/3 cup water
- 1/4 cup bread flour
Donut Dough
- 3 cups + 2 tablespoons bread flour, *See notes below for measuring*
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon instant yeast
- 1 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/2 cup whole milk, room temperature
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- Tangzhong, from recipe above
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
- Neutral frying oil, like canola, vegetable, or shortening
Vanilla Bean Glaze
- 2 1/4 cups powdered sugar
- 4-5 tablespoons whole milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
Instructions
Make the Cinnamon Peach Filling
- In a sauté pan, combine the peaches, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Cook over medium heat until the peaches are tender and the sugar has melted into a thick, glossy syrup. Combine the water and cornstarch, and then stir it into the peaches. Cook 1 minute longer until thick and glossy. Set aside to cool.2 cups (273 g) sliced fresh peaches, 3 tablespoons (41 g) brown sugar, 1 teaspoon (3 g) ground cinnamon, 1 teaspoon cornstarch, 1 teaspoon water
Make the Cobbler Crumble
- In a sauté pan, melt the butter and vanilla over medium heat. Stir in the granulated sugar, brown sugar, and flour. Continue cooking, stirring frequently, until the mixture forms small crumbs that are golden brown and toasted, about 10–12 minutes.6 tablespoons (84 g) unsalted butter, 1/2 teaspoon (2 g) vanilla bean paste, 3/4 cup + 1 tablespoon (100 g) all-purpose flour, 1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar, 2 tablespoons (25 g) brown sugar
- Transfer to a bowl and let cool completely.
Make the Donuts
- In a small saucepan, whisk together the water and bread flour. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until the mixture thickens into a smooth paste, about 4–5 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl and set aside to cool slightly.2/3 cup (155 g) water, 1/4 cup (32 g) bread flour
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine the bread flour, sugar, yeast, and salt.3 cups + 2 tablespoons (406 g) bread flour, 1/3 cup (66 g) granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon (9 g) instant yeast, 1 1/4 teaspoon (6 g) fine sea salt
- Add the milk, egg, and tangzhong. Knead on low speed for 2 minutes, or until a rough dough forms.1/2 cup (120 g) whole milk, 1 (55 g) large egg, Tangzhong
- With the mixer running on low speed, add the softened butter 1 tablespoon at a time, allowing each addition to fully incorporate before adding more. Once all of the butter has been added, increase the speed to 2 on a KitchenAid mixer and knead for 12 minutes, or until the dough is smooth and elastic.5 tablespoons (70 g) unsalted butter
- Shape the dough into a ball and place it in a lightly greased bowl. Cover and let rest at room temperature for 30–45 minutes.
- Meanwhile, cut out 8 squares of parchment paper.
- Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Lightly flour the top of the dough and roll it to 3/4-inch thickness. Using a 3-inch round cutter, cut out 8 dough rounds and transfer them to individual squares of parchment paper. Use a 1-inch round cutter to cut a circle in the center of each donut, leaving the center piece attached and in place. This creates a shallow well for the peach filling after frying.
- Gently knead any scraps together and let them rest for 5–10 minutes before rerolling and cutting additional donuts.
- Arrange the donuts on a baking sheet, leaving them on their parchment squares. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let them rise until puffy and doubled in size, about 45–65 minutes.
- When the donuts are about halfway through their final proof, begin heating 3–4 inches of oil in a heavy-bottomed pot to 350°F (180°C). Line a baking sheet with a wire rack.Neutral frying oil
- Working in batches, use a metal slotted spoon to carefully lower 2–3 donuts (with the parchment attached) into the hot oil. Use tongs to peel away the parchment paper.
- Fry for about 2 1/2 minutes total, flipping halfway through, until golden brown. Transfer to the wire rack to drain.
Make the Vanilla Glaze
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla until smooth.2 1/4 cups (270 g) powdered sugar, 4-5 tablespoons (50 g) whole milk, 1 teaspoon (3 g) vanilla bean paste
- The glaze should be thick enough to coat the donuts but fluid enough to drip off slowly.
- Press the center of the donut hole in to create space for the filling.
Assembly
- Use your thumb or the back of a measuring spoon to gently press the center of each donut, creating a shallow well for the peach filling.
- Dip the tops of the donuts into the glaze, allowing any excess to drip off, then place them back on the wire rack.
- Immediately sprinkle the tops with some of the cobbler crumble. If you wait too long, the glaze will begin to set and the crumble won’t stick.
- Spoon the peach filling into the center of each donut, dividing it evenly between the donuts. Then top with more crumble.
- Serve immediately or the same day for the best texture.
