Boston cream is a family favorite donut. It has always been the one we reach for first, the one that disappears fastest, and the one my kids request by name. Vanilla custard, chocolate glaze, soft fried dough. There is nothing quite like it.

So when I had my high protein Greek yogurt donut dough perfected and sitting on my counter, the only logical next step was to fill it with pastry cream and dip it in chocolate. These are the same donuts we have always loved, built on a dough that delivers over 15 grams of protein before you even add the filling.

The pastry cream adds a small amount of additional protein from the egg yolks and whole milk, and yes it adds calories too. But compared to a Dunkin Boston Creme Donut which delivers 300 calories and only 4 grams of protein at 76 grams, these are in a completely different category. More protein, less sugar, real ingredients, and a donut that actually tastes homemade because it is.

This is not a compromise version. This is the real thing, just made smarter.

High protein Boston cream donuts with chocolate glaze and vanilla pastry cream filling on parchment dark background — That little dot of pastry cream peeking out of the side is not a mistake. That is how you know they are properly filled.

Choose Your Dough
About the Pastry Cream
How to Shape and Fry Boston Cream Donuts
How to Fill the Donuts
The Chocolate Glaze
Recipe
Tips for Success
Shop This Recipe
Storage
Frequently Asked Questions
Make These and Share the Love
More High Protein Recipes You Will Love

Choose Your Dough

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This recipe works with either of my two high protein Greek yogurt donut doughs. Both use nonfat Greek yogurt and bread flour as the protein foundation and both fry up with the same pillowy crumb that holds filling beautifully.

If you have an active sourdough starter and want the long fermented, more complex flavor version, use my High Protein Sourdough Donuts with Greek Yogurt. Plan for a same day bake with a 6 to 7 hour bulk ferment plus a 1 to 3 hour second proof.

If you want these on the table in about 3 hours with no starter required, use my High Protein Donuts with Greek Yogurt (Same Day, Yeasted). Active dry yeast, same dough philosophy, same result.

For Boston cream donuts, shape the dough into solid rounds rather than rings. Divide into 90 gram portions and roll each into a tight smooth ball. The solid round shape is what gives you the interior space for the pastry cream filling.

Four high protein Boston cream donuts filled with pastry cream lined up in loaf pan with piping bag — Lined up and ready to glaze. The loaf pan keeps them upright and contained while you work through the batch one at a time.

About the Pastry Cream

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This is a classic vanilla pastry cream, nothing fussy. Egg yolks, sugar, cornstarch, whole milk, butter, and vanilla. It comes together in about 10 minutes on the stove and needs at least an hour in the refrigerator before it is ready to pipe.

The pastry cream recipe below is scaled for 11 donuts at approximately 60 grams of filling each, which is a generous, homemade Boston cream pie level of fill that is proportionally right for a 90 gram donut. If you want a lighter fill, the same batch will cover 14 to 15 donuts at a standard bakery fill of about 40 grams each.

Make the pastry cream while the donuts are cooling after frying. It needs to be fully chilled and set before piping or it will run out of the donut rather than hold its shape. Do not rush this step.

For an extra layer of flavor, scrape one vanilla bean pod into the milk when heating and leave the seeds in throughout. It is optional but makes a noticeable difference.

Piping bag filled with vanilla pastry cream next to high protein solid round donuts ready to fill — Everything you need to fill a Boston cream donut. Let them cool completely before you pick up that piping bag. This step is non-negotiable.

How to Shape and Fry Boston Cream Donuts

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Shaping. After the bulk rise or bulk ferment depending on which dough you are using, divide the dough into 90 gram portions using a digital scale. Roll each piece into a tight smooth ball by cupping your hand over the dough and using a circular motion against the counter. Place each shaped donut on its own small square of parchment paper.

Step by step guide to shaping sourdough burger bun dough into smooth balls — *Shaping enriched dough takes a gentle touch. Follow the numbered steps to build surface tension and get a smooth, tight ball that proofs evenly and bakes up with a beautiful dome.*

Second proof. Cover loosely and proof at room temperature until visibly puffed. For the yeasted version this takes 45 minutes to 1 hour. For the sourdough version plan for 1 to 3 hours depending on your kitchen temperature. Use the float test to confirm readiness. Lower one donut into the oil. If it floats immediately, the whole batch is ready.

High protein donut dough shaped into solid rounds on parchment squares before second proof — Each ball is 90 grams. The solid round shape is what gives you the space inside for the pastry cream. Place each one on its own parchment square so you can lower it into the oil without deflating it.

Frying. Heat avocado oil in a heavy bottomed pot or Dutch oven to 350 degrees F. Lower each donut into the oil parchment side down. The parchment releases within about 30 seconds and can be removed with tongs. Fry for 1 minute 20 seconds to 1 minute 30 seconds per side until deep golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before filling.

This step is critical. The donuts must be fully cool before you pipe in the pastry cream. Warm dough will melt the filling and it will run out rather than hold. Give them at least 30 minutes on the rack.

Hand holding unglazed high protein solid round donut fresh from fryer showing golden equator line — Fresh out of the oil. Let this cool completely on a wire rack before you even think about filling it. At least 30 minutes. The pastry cream will thank you.

How to Fill the Donuts

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You will need a piping bag fitted with a bismarck tip or a long narrow filling tip. This is the tip specifically designed for filling donuts and pastries and it makes the process much easier than improvising with a different tip.

If you do not have a bismarck tip, you can still fill these without any special equipment. Use a straw, a chopstick, or the tip of a small knife to poke into the side of the donut at the equator line and gently wiggle it around to create a small pocket inside the dough. Then fit a piping bag with a plain round tip, or simply snip the corner off a zip lock bag, and insert the opening into the hole you created. Squeeze gently to fill. It is a little less precise than a bismarck tip but it works completely fine and gets the job done.

Insert the tip into the side of the donut at the equator line, the natural seam that forms around the middle during frying. Push the tip about halfway into the donut and squeeze gently while slowly pulling the tip back out. You will feel the donut get heavier as it fills. Stop squeezing just before the tip exits so the filling does not spill out the entry point.

Fill each donut until you feel resistance or see a small amount of pastry cream at the entry point. That is your signal that it is full.

A small dot of pastry cream peeking out of the side is actually a beautiful visual cue that tells anyone looking at the donut exactly what is inside. Do not stress about it.

Piping bag with bismarck tip inserting vanilla pastry cream into side of high protein donut at equator — Insert the tip at the equator line and squeeze gently while pulling back slowly. You will feel the donut get heavier as it fills. Stop when you feel resistance.

The Chocolate Glaze

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Use the same chocolate glaze from the base donut recipes. Powdered sugar, cocoa powder, whole milk, melted butter, vanilla, and a pinch of salt. Whisk the dry ingredients together first, then add the butter and milk a little at a time until smooth and glossy.

Dip the top of each filled donut into the glaze 3 to 5 minutes after the donut has been filled, once the pastry cream is set inside. Let the excess drip off and set on a wire rack. The glaze sets to a crackly shell within about 5 minutes.

The chocolate glaze recipe in the base donut posts makes enough for the full batch of donuts. Make it fresh right before you are ready to dip since it begins to thicken as it sits.

Hand holding high protein Boston cream donut freshly dipped in chocolate glaze above glaze bowl — Dip at 3 to 5 minutes after filling and let the excess drip back into the bowl. That glaze sets to a crackly shell within minutes and it is everything.

Recipe

Boston cream donut cut open showing vanilla pastry cream filling and chocolate glaze on high protein Greek yogurt dough

Print Recipe

Boston Cream Donuts (High Protein, Greek Yogurt Dough)

Homemade Boston cream donuts built on a high protein Greek yogurt dough, filled with a real vanilla pastry cream, and dipped in a crackly chocolate glaze. Over 17 grams of protein per donut with no protein powder.

Course: Breakfast, Brunch, Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Boston cream donuts

Calories: 380kcal

Author: Noelle Reed

Equipment

– Stand mixer with dough hook
Electric Deep fryer Heavy bottomed pot or Dutch oven with Instant read thermometer
Medium saucepan
Whisk
Wire cooling rack
Bismarck tip or long donut filling tip with Piping bag
Parchment paper cut into squares
Tongs
Digital Kitchen Scale

Ingredients

For the Donut Dough

1 full batch High Protein Sourdough Donuts with Greek Yogurt dough shaped into 90g solid rounds
OR
1 full batch High Protein Donuts with Greek Yogurt Same Day, Yeasted dough, shaped into 90g solid rounds

For Frying

Avocado oil enough for 2 to 3 inches depth in pot

For the Pastry Cream

65 g egg yolks 4 large egg yolks
69 g granulated sugar 6 tablespoons
29 g cornstarch 4 tablespoons
436 g whole milk 1 and 3/4 cups
51 g unsalted butter 4 tablespoons
9 g vanilla extract 2 teaspoons
1 vanilla bean pod seeds scraped (optional)

For the Chocolate Glaze

120 g powdered sugar 1 cup
20 g unsweetened cocoa powder 3 tablespoons
15 to 22 g whole milk 1 to 1 and 1/2 tablespoons
1 g vanilla extract 1/4 teaspoon
4 g unsalted butter melted (generous 1/2 tablespoon)
Pinch of fine sea salt

Instructions

Prepare your dough.

Make one full batch of either the High Protein Sourdough Donuts with Greek Yogurt or the High Protein Donuts with Greek Yogurt (Same Day, Yeasted).
After the bulk ferment or bulk rise, divide the dough into 90 gram portions using a digital scale and roll each into a tight smooth ball.
Place each shaped donut on its own small square of parchment paper.

Second proof.

Cover loosely and proof at room temperature until visibly puffed. For the yeasted version this takes 45 minutes to 1 hour.
For the sourdough version plan for 1 to 3 hours depending on kitchen temperature. Use the float test before frying. Lower one donut into the oil. If it floats immediately the whole batch is ready.

Make the pastry cream.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, granulated sugar, and cornstarch until pale and smooth.
In a medium saucepan, heat the whole milk over medium heat until steaming. If using a vanilla bean, add the scraped seeds and pod to the milk while heating and remove the pod before the next step.
Slowly pour the hot milk into the egg mixture in a thin steady stream while whisking constantly to temper the eggs.
Pour the mixture back into the saucepan and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until the pastry cream thickens and begins to bubble, about 2 to 3 minutes.
Remove from the heat and whisk in the butter and vanilla extract. Pour into a clean bowl and press plastic wrap directly onto the surface to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour until fully chilled and set.

Fry the donuts.

Heat avocado oil in an electric fryer, heavy bottomed pot or Dutch oven to 350 degrees F.
Lower each donut into the oil parchment side down using tongs.
The parchment releases within 10 seconds and can be removed with tongs.
Fry 2 to 3 donuts at a time for 1 minute 20 seconds to 1 minute 30 seconds per side until deep golden brown.
Transfer to a wire rack and cool completely before filling. This takes at least 30 minutes.

Make the chocolate glaze.

Whisk the powdered sugar and cocoa powder together first to remove any lumps. Add the melted butter, vanilla extract, and pinch of salt.
Whisk in the whole milk one tablespoon at a time until smooth and glossy.

Fill the donuts.

Transfer the chilled pastry cream to a piping bag fitted with a bismarck tip. Insert the tip into the side of each donut at the equator line and squeeze gently while slowly pulling the tip back out.
Fill until you feel resistance or see a small amount of pastry cream at the entry point. If you do not have a bismarck tip, use a straw, chopstick, or the tip of a small knife to poke into the side of the donut and wiggle gently to create a pocket.
Then fit a piping bag with a plain round tip or snip the corner off a zip lock bag and insert into the hole to fill.

Glaze the donuts.

Dip the top of each filled donut into the chocolate glaze 3 to 5 minutes after filling. Let the excess drip off and set on a wire rack. The glaze sets to a crackly shell within about 5 minutes.

Notes

Choose your dough. This recipe works with both the High Protein Sourdough Donuts with Greek Yogurt and the High Protein Donuts with Greek Yogurt (Same Day, Yeasted). The sourdough version has a slightly more complex flavor from the long ferment. The yeasted version comes together in about 3 hours with no starter required. Both produce the same pillowy crumb that holds filling beautifully.

Cool completely before filling. This is the most critical step in the entire recipe. Warm dough melts the pastry cream and it will run out rather than hold. Give the donuts at least 30 minutes on a wire rack after frying before filling.

Press plastic wrap directly on the pastry cream surface while it chills. This prevents a skin from forming on top. A skin will clog your piping tip and create lumps in the filling.

Filling amount. This pastry cream recipe fills 11 donuts generously at approximately 60 grams each. For a lighter fill it will cover 14 to 15 donuts at a standard bakery fill of about 40 grams each.

Glaze timing. Dip at 3 to 5 minutes after filling. Too warm and the glaze runs off. Fully cold and it goes dull. Make the glaze right before dipping since it thickens as it sits.

Troubleshooting lumpy pastry cream. Lumps happen when the hot milk is added to the egg mixture too quickly, cooking the eggs before they can be tempered. Always add the hot milk in a slow, steady stream while whisking constantly. If you end up with lumps, strain the pastry cream through a fine mesh sieve before chilling.

Troubleshooting pastry cream that will not thicken. If the pastry cream is not thickening after 3 minutes of cooking, increase the heat slightly and keep whisking. It will thicken suddenly once it reaches the right temperature. Do not walk away from the stove during this step.

Make ahead. The pastry cream can be made up to 2 days ahead and stored in the refrigerator with plastic wrap pressed directly on the surface. Give it a good whisk before transferring to the piping bag to loosen it back up. Unfilled fried donuts can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 day before filling and glazing.

Storage. Filled donuts must be refrigerated within 2 hours of filling and consumed within 2 days. The glaze softens in the refrigerator but the flavor stays excellent. Let them come to room temperature for 10 to 15 minutes before eating. Do not freeze filled donuts as the pastry cream does not freeze and thaw well.

Protein content. Each donut delivers approximately 17 to 18 grams of protein from the high protein Greek yogurt dough plus the egg yolks and whole milk in the pastry cream. No protein powder needed.

Tips for Success

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Make the pastry cream first. It needs at least an hour in the refrigerator before piping. If you are using the sourdough dough version, you can make the pastry cream during the bulk ferment and have it fully chilled and ready well before the donuts are fried.

Press plastic wrap directly on the surface of the pastry cream while it chills. This prevents a skin from forming on top. A skin in the pastry cream will clog your piping tip.

Cool the donuts completely before filling. This is the most important step in the whole process. Warm dough melts the filling. Thirty minutes minimum on a wire rack.

Use a bismarck tip. The long narrow tip is designed specifically for filling donuts. A star tip or round tip will not give you the control or the reach to fill the center properly.

Fill from the equator line. The natural seam that forms around the middle during frying is the perfect entry point. It is already slightly separated and the tip slides in cleanly.

Do not overfill. Once you feel resistance stop squeezing. An overfilled donut will split or push filling back out when you dip it in the glaze.

Three high protein Boston cream donuts with chocolate glaze and pastry cream filling straight on dark background — Three in a row and each one is generously filled. At 17 grams of protein per donut these are the Boston cream donuts you can actually feel good about making for your family.

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Storage

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Filled donuts are best eaten the day they are made. The pastry cream is perishable and the filled donuts must be refrigerated if not eaten within 2 hours of filling.

Store filled donuts in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. The glaze will soften in the refrigerator but the flavor stays excellent. Let them come to room temperature for 10 to 15 minutes before eating if you prefer a softer glaze.

Do not freeze filled donuts. The pastry cream does not freeze well and the texture will change significantly on thawing.

If you want to make ahead, the unfilled fried donuts can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 day, then filled and glazed the following day.

Frequently Asked Questions

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How much protein is in each Boston cream donut?
The base dough delivers approximately 15 to 16 grams of protein per 90 gram donut from bread flour, nonfat Greek yogurt, and eggs. The pastry cream adds a small additional amount from the egg yolks and whole milk, bringing each filled donut to approximately 17 to 18 grams of protein. For comparison, a Dunkin Boston Creme Donut at 76 grams has only 4 grams of protein.

Can I use store bought pastry cream or pudding instead?
You can use instant vanilla pudding as a quick substitute if you are short on time. Make it slightly thicker than the package directions by reducing the milk slightly. It will not have the same richness as a homemade pastry cream but it works in a pinch. Store bought pastry cream from a bakery supply also works well.

My pastry cream is lumpy. What went wrong?
Lumps usually happen when the hot milk is added to the egg mixture too quickly, cooking the eggs before they can be tempered. Add the hot milk in a slow, steady stream while whisking constantly. If you end up with lumps, strain the pastry cream through a fine mesh sieve before chilling.

Can I make the pastry cream ahead of time?
Yes. The pastry cream can be made up to 2 days ahead and stored in the refrigerator with plastic wrap pressed directly on the surface. Give it a good whisk before transferring to the piping bag to loosen it back up.

What tip do I use to fill the donuts?
A bismarck tip is the standard donut filling tip. It is long and narrow with a closed end and a small opening at the side near the tip. It is specifically designed for filling donuts and pastries without making a large visible hole.

Can I use a different filling?
Absolutely. The solid round donut shape works beautifully with any filling. Jam, Nutella, lemon curd, or whipped cream all work well. For a lighter version, a stabilized whipped cream filling keeps the protein count high without the added sugar of pastry cream.

Do I need to refrigerate these after filling?
Yes. Once filled with pastry cream the donuts are perishable and should be refrigerated within 2 hours and consumed within 2 days.

Hand holding high protein Boston cream donut bitten in half showing pastry cream filling and golden crumb — The crumb is soft and the filling is generous. This is what a real Boston cream donut looks like when it is made from scratch with ingredients you actually care about.

Make These and Share the Love

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If you make these high protein Boston cream donuts I want to hear about it. Leave a comment below and let me know which dough you used, sourdough or yeasted. If you share your bake on social media, tag me so I can see your results.

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