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Golden fried chai custard donuts on a wire rack cooling before glazing
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Chai Custard Donuts

These Chai Custard Donuts are fried until golden, filled with creamy chai-spiced custard, and finished with a sweet chai glaze. They’re soft, fluffy, and full of cozy chai flavor
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword donut, chai, custard, fall, dough
Servings 9 donuts
Author Molly Murphy

Ingredients

For the Dough:

  • 1 ¼ cups warm whole milk 110°F
  • 2 ¼ teaspoons active dry yeast
  • 1 teaspoon granulated sugar for yeast activation
  • ¼ cup granulated sugar
  • ½ cup unsalted butter softened
  • 2 large eggs room temperature
  • 2 large egg yolks room temperature
  • 5 ⅓ cups 725 g bread flour or all-purpose flour plus extra for rolling spooned and leveled
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 2 cups lard or canola oil

For the chai spiced

  • 2 tablespoons cinnamon
  • 2 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 2 teaspoons cardamom
  • 1 teaspoons allspice
  • 1 teaspoons nutmeg
  • 1 teaspoons ground cloves
  • 1 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon fine sea salt

For the chai custard

  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • 1 ½ cups whole milk
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • Half of the Chai spice recipe above
  • 3 egg yolks
  • ¼ cup cornstarch
  • 1 cup heavy whipping cream, divided

For the Glaze:

  • 4 cups powdered sugar
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 tablespoon melted butter
  • ⅓ cup milk
  • 1 tablespoon corn syrup
  • Chai spiced the other half recipe above
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Make the Dough

  • In a small bowl, mix warm milk, yeast, and 1 teaspoon of sugar. Let sit for 5–10 minutes until foamy.
    1 ¼ cups warm whole milk 110°F, 2 ¼ teaspoons active dry yeast, 1 teaspoon granulated sugar for yeast activation
  • In the bowl of a stand mixer with the dough hook, whisk flour and salt.
    5 ⅓ cups 725 g bread flour or all-purpose flour plus extra for rolling spooned and leveled, 2 teaspoons salt
  • Add ½ cup sugar, eggs, egg yolks, and the activated yeast mixture. Knead on low speed for 4 minutes until it starts to come together.
    ¼ cup granulated sugar, 2 large eggs, 2 large egg yolks
  • Add softened butter, one tablespoon at a time, letting each fully incorporate before the next. This should take 2–3 minutes.
    ½ cup unsalted butter softened
  • Knead on medium speed for 6–8 more minutes until smooth, stretchy, and slightly sticky.
  • If it still feels too sticky, let the dough rest 5 minutes, then knead for 1 more minute to allow the flour to absorb the butter.
  • Transfer to a greased bowl, cover, and refrigerate overnight (6–12 hours).

Chai Spice Mix:

  • In a small bowl, combine cinnamon, ground ginger, cardamom, allspice, nutmeg, ground cloves, and freshly cracked black pepper. Set aside.
    2 tablespoons cinnamon, 2 teaspoon ground ginger, 2 teaspoons cardamom, 1 teaspoons allspice, 1 teaspoons nutmeg, 1 teaspoons ground cloves, 1 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper, 1 teaspoon fine sea salt

For The Chai Spiced Custard (do the day before you fry the donuts)

  • In a medium saucepan, heat milk, sugar, and vanilla over medium-high until bubbling and foamy, 3–5 minutes. Watch closely so it doesn’t boil over.
    ½ cup granulated sugar, 1 ½ cups whole milk, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • In a medium bowl, whisk together egg yolks, cornstarch, and half of the chai spice mix until smooth.
    Half of the Chai spice, 3 egg yolks, ¼ cup cornstarch
  • Slowly drizzle about ½ cup of hot milk mixture into the egg mixture, whisking constantly to temper the eggs. The mixture should stay smooth and slightly warm, not scrambled.
  • Return saucepan with remaining milk to the stove. Add tempered egg mixture while whisking quickly.
  • Reduce heat to medium and cook, whisking continuously, until the custard thickens. It will look like thick pudding but a little stiffer. You’ll feel more resistance as you stir — almost like brownie batter. You may see slow, thick bubbles plop up in the center when it’s ready.
  • Remove from heat, transfer to a heatproof bowl, and press plastic wrap directly onto the surface to prevent a skin from forming. Cool 20–30 minutes at room temp, then refrigerate overnights. until fully chilled. You will finish the rest when you assemble the donuts,

Cut and Proof the Donuts

  • On a floured surface, roll chilled dough to ½-inch thick.
  • Cut out 9 rounds with a 3-inch cutter. Twist scraps into crullers instead of re-rolling.
  • Place on a lined tray, cover loosely, and let rise 1–2 hours until puffy and room temperature.

Fry the Donuts

  • Heat oil in a deep pot to 325°F.
    2 cups lard or canola oil
  • Fry donuts in batches, 60-90 seconds per side, until golden.
  • Transfer to a paper towel-lined wire rack to cool completely before filling.

Make the Glaze

  • In a large bowl, whisk powdered sugar, salt, vanilla, melted butter, milk, corn syrup, and remaining chai spice mix until smooth.
    4 cups powdered sugar, ¼ teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 tablespoon melted butter, ⅓ cup milk, 1 tablespoon corn syrup, Chai spiced

Assemble the Donuts

  • In a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, whip ⅔ cup heavy cream to medium peaks (peaks curl slightly at the tip).
    1 cup heavy whipping cream, divided
  • Add chilled chai custard and whip until smooth.
  • Fold in remaining ⅓ cup heavy cream with a spatula until evenly combined.
  • Transfer to a piping bag fitted with a round tip. Use a chopstick or wooden spoon handle to poke a hole in the top (or side) of each donut. Wiggle to make a pocket.
  • Pipe custard into donuts until they puff slightly.
  • Spoon glaze over donuts, let set 10 minutes, then pipe extra custard squiggles on top for garnish.