Austrian Jam Doughnuts (Krapfen)
Krapfen Say it: KRAHP-fen
Krapfen are Austria's beloved jam-filled doughnuts, made from a soft, buttery yeast dough that fries into a golden shell around a light, airy crumb. They appear in every bakery window during Fasching, the weeks between Epiphany and Ash Wednesday, and are eaten at parties, balls and family coffee tables. A spoonful of tart apricot jam hides inside, balancing the sweetness, and a thick veil of powdered sugar covers the top. Eaten warm, they are crisp at the edge and pillowy within — a simple treat that rewards careful frying.
Austrian Jam Doughnuts (Krapfen)
Krapfen
Pronounced KRAHP-fen
- Serves
- 4
- Prep
- 45 min
- Cook
- 25 min
- Total
- 1 hr 10 min
- Level
- Medium
Also nut-free.
Allergens: contains gluten, milk, egg. Check labels on packaged ingredients.
Ingredients
Amounts are scaled. Cooking times and pan sizes stay the same.
For the dough
For frying and finishing
Method
Warm the milk to lukewarm, about 100°F (38°C). Crumble the fresh yeast into a small bowl, add a pinch of the sugar and a few spoonfuls of the milk, and stir until dissolved. Leave for 8–10 minutes until a foamy cap forms.
In a large bowl, combine the flour, remaining sugar, salt and lemon zest. Add the yeast mixture, the rest of the milk, the egg, the yolks and the vanilla, and mix to a shaggy dough.
Knead on a floured surface or in a stand mixer for 8 minutes, then add the soft butter a little at a time. Keep kneading for 5–8 minutes more, until the dough is smooth and silky and pulls away from the bowl cleanly.
Shape the dough into a ball, cover and let it rise in a warm spot for 60–90 minutes, until doubled in size and a finger pressed into it leaves a dent that fills back slowly.
Knock the dough back and divide it into 12 equal pieces, about 2.5 oz (70 g) each. Roll each into a tight ball, set them seam-side down on a floured tray with space between them, cover and proof for 30–40 minutes until visibly puffed.
Heat the oil in a deep heavy pot to 340°F (170°C). Slide in 2–3 Krapfen seam-side down and cover with a lid for the first 2 minutes, until they puff up and turn pale gold.
Remove the lid and fry for 1–2 minutes more until deep golden, then turn and fry for 2–3 minutes uncovered on the second side. Lift out with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels; a pale ring around the middle shows the oil was at the right temperature.
Let the Krapfen cool completely. Fit a piping bag with a long narrow nozzle, fill it with apricot jam and push it into the side of each doughnut, squeezing in about 1 tbsp until it feels heavy. Dust thickly with powdered sugar and serve the same day.
Regional variant: Tyrolean Farmer's Doughnut (Bauernkrapfen)
In the Tyrol the same dough is made with less sugar and shaped into large, flat rounds that are stretched by hand rather than rolled into balls. Use 3.5 oz (100 g) pieces, press each into a disc about 1/2 inch (1 cm) thick, and fry for 3–4 minutes per side in lard. They are pulled apart rather than filled and served with sauerkraut, sour milk or jam.
Cook's notes
- Keep the dough soft but not sticky: add flour a tablespoon at a time if it clings, but too much flour makes dense Krapfen.
- Watch the oil closely — too hot and the crust browns before the centre cooks, too cool and the dough drinks the fat.
- Traditional Austrian bakers fry in lard for extra flavour; neutral oil gives the same texture and keeps the batch vegetarian.
Serve with
Strong coffee or tea, or a glass of Austrian sparkling wine at a Fasching party.
Make ahead and storage
The dough can rise overnight in the fridge; fried, unfilled Krapfen keep for a day in an airtight tin — fill and dust just before serving.
