Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Donuts
Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Donuts offer a pillow soft brioche donut that is stuffed with edible chocolate chip cookie dough and finished with a smooth chocolate ganache. This dessert offers the best of both worlds so you don't have to choose between a cookie and a donut!
Servings: 12
Ingredients
Brioche Donuts:
- 1 cup whole milk, warmed to 105-115°F (240 ml)
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast, (see note)
- 2 tbsp granulated white sugar (25 g)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 1/2 - 4 cups all purpose flour (420 g)
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature (113 g)
Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Filling:
- 10 tbsp unsalted butter, melted and cooled
- 3/4 cup brown sugar, packed (165 g)
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup whole milk
- 1 cup all purpose flour, heat treated (see note)
- 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips,
Chocolate Ganache:
- 1/2 cup semi sweet chocolate chips, (85 g)
- 1/3 cup heavy whipping cream, (75 g)
Instructions
Brioche Donuts:
- Activate the Yeast: In a stand mixing bowl, combine the warm milk (105-115°F) and sugar. Sprinkle the yeast over the milk mixture and stir gently. Let it sit for about 5-10 minutes, until the mixture is frothy. This ensures the yeast is activated.
- Once yeast is activated, add flour, salt, vanilla extract, and eggs to the stand mixing bowl. Using the dough hook attachment, knead on low speed for 2-3 minutes until mixture comes together. Once the dough is formed, increase to medium speed and continue to knead for 5-7 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic.
- Gradually add the room temperature butter in two parts, allowing the butter to be fully incorporated in the dough before adding the second part. Continue kneading until the dough is fully incorporated and the butter is fully absorbed, about 8-10 minutes. The dough should be soft, slightly sticky, but should pull away from the sides of the bowl.
- Once the dough is smooth and elastic, remove it from the bowl and place it in a lightly greased bowl. Cover with plastic wrap, and let the dough rise in a warm environment for about 1 hour, or until doubled in size.
- Once the dough has doubled in size, gently punch it down to release the air. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide the dough into 12 even pieces. To do this, divide the dough in half, then divide each half into 6 even pieces (you can use a scale for more accurate measurement or just eyeball it). For each piece, gently fold the edges into the center, forming a tight seam. Roll the dough into a ball, ensuring the seam is on the bottom and the surface is smooth and tight. Arrange a large cookie sheet with 12 parchment paper squares and place the shaped brioche dough on parchment paper, place a piece of plastic wrap onto of dough. Allow to rise at room temperature for 30 minutes, or until puffed up.
- Heat oil in a deep fryer or large pot to 340-350°F, using a candy thermometer to monitor the temperature. Carefully drop the risen dough balls with parchment paper into the hot oil, a few at a time (I did 3 at a time). Once dropped in oil, remove parchment paper out from under the donut using tongs. Fry for about 2-3 minutes on one side, then flip the donuts and fry for another 2-3 minutes on the other side, or until golden brown and cooked through. Remove the donuts from the oil and place them on a plate lined with paper towels to drain excess oil. Let donuts cool while making the Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Filling.
Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Filling:
- In a large bowl with a handheld mixer or using a hand whisk, mix the melted butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, powdered sugar, and vanilla bean paste together until smooth and creamy.
- Add the heat-treated flour using a spatula or spoon to mix in until just combined. Slowly pour in the milk and mix until smooth and combined. Add in the mini chocolate chips and mix. Set aside.
Chocolate Ganache:
- In a microwave safe bowl, add your heavy whipping cream. Microwave in 30 second intervals until the cream is just simmering (you don't want this to be too hot!). Once simmering, add in the semi sweet chocolate chips and let it sit for 5 minutes.
- After 5 minutes, whisk until the ganache is thick and deepens in color (this might take a few seconds so don't panic). Allowing the ganache to sit at room temperature for a few minutes to thicken up before dipping the donuts.
Assembly:
- Once the donuts are cooled, use a small knife or a donut corer to carefully hollow out the center of each donut. Gently fill each donut with cookie dough filling using a pastry bag with a large enough hole cut out for the mini chocolate chips to pass through.
- Dip the top of each filled donut into the ganache, swirling slightly to coat the donut evenly. Allow any excess ganache to drip off before placing the donut on a wire rack to set.
Notes
How to Heat Treat Flour: In a microwave-safe bowl, add your flour. Microwave for 15 seconds, stir, then microwave for an additional 15 seconds. Check the temperature with a digital thermometer. The flour should reach 160°F. If it’s not quite there yet, continue microwaving in 5-second intervals until it reaches the desired temperature. Let the flour cool before proceeding.
*You can use Instant Yeast if you do not have active dry yeast, be aware that dough may rise faster if using Instant Yeast.
*If you need a warm environment, preheat oven to lowest temperature. Once preheated, place brioche dough in oven with oven door cracked open for the one hour rise.