Fresh, light, and fluffy vegan donuts filled with pistachio pastry cream, glazed with vegan condensed milk, and coated in sweet pistachio sugar. These easy donuts can be fried or baked, depending on your preference.
Please read the instructions and recipe in advance. If you want to save time on the day of serving, you can prepare the pastry cream a day ahead and chill it in a sealed container. If you want to make a fried version of the recipe, see the FAQ section of the blog post.
Prepare: To make the coating, add the pistachios and sugar to a food processor and blitz until finely ground, place in a large bowl or on a plate and set aside.Add the flour, yeast, sugar, and salt for the donuts to a bowl, whisk, and set aside. Add the soy milk and apple cider vinegar for the donuts to a jug or glass, stir, and set aside for 5 minutes (to make vegan buttermilk).
Make the dough: Melt the butter in a saucepan and whisk in the condensed milk, olive oil, and buttermilk mixture.Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients and bring the mixture together using a spatula.
Knead the dough: Turn out the dough onto a clean surface - no need to dust it with flour. Knead the dough for 8 minutes, then let it rest for 3 minutes, before rolling it into a ball.
First prove: Place the dough into a lightly oiled bowl, dust the top with a pinch of flour, and cover the bowl with a clean towel. Let it prove in a warm part of your kitchen for an hour, or until it has doubled in size.
Cut out the donuts: Punch the proved dough with your first to knock out some of the air, and roll it out to approx ½" thick, and cut circles with a 2½" cookie cutter. You can re-roll any remaining dough.
Second prove and bake: Place the donut circles on a baking tray lined with parchment, leaving an inch or so between each one. Allow the to prove for another 20 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 180°C (356°F).Bake the donuts for 10-11 minutes until risen and golden brown.
Coat: While still warm, use a pastry brush or spoon to coat the baked donuts with a thin layer of condensed milk. Immediately coat the glazed donuts in the pistachio sugar mixture. Place the donuts on a wire rack to cool fully for 1 hour.Meanwhile, prepare the pastry cream.
Pastry cream: Add the soy milk, cornstarch, salt, and condensed milk to a saucepan and whisk until smooth without lumps. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes whilst whisking, until it becomes thick.Remove from the heat and whisk in the pistachio butter. Cool for 5-10 minutes then refrigerate for an hour until completely cold.
Fill the donuts: Use a skewer or small piping tip to poke a hole in each donut Transfer the pistachio cream to a piping bag or zip-lock bag and cut off the tip. Insert the piping bag into the donut and carefully fill it with the desired amount of cream.
Storage: These donuts are best served freshly baked, but you can keep them in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Notes
Nutritional information is calculated based on baked donuts.
Use organic sugar if US-based to ensure it's suitable for vegans.