Cheat's no-dough jam 'donuts'

Slightly crisp on the outside, soft and fluffy inside with a silky jammy centre, homemade jam-filled ‘donuts’ don't come much better than this. No one will ever know that these beauties take only 25 minutes to make. The secret to these quick and easy donuts? Woolworths Mini Soft Hamburger Rolls! They have a soft texture that’s essential for that donut-like experience.

How to make cheat’s no-dough jam ‘donuts’

No beating, no kneading, no proving, no frying, it’s no wonder that my cheat’s version of jam-filled ‘donuts’ are on the table in just 25 minutes. This simple recipe only requires 5 ingredients, most of them you will probably have at home. Simply pick up a fresh packet of Woolworths Soft Mini Hamburger Rolls and you’ll be good to go. Use a wooden spoon with a round handle to create a pocket in the bread rolls, twist the spoon, not just poke, as twisting widens and smooths the hole to hold more jam. I pipe in the jam, then it’s a matter of coating the rolls in butter, cinnamon and sugar, and baking!

With the jam filling and the double coating of cinnamon sugar, these treats are most certainly for those that have a sweet tooth. Feel free to serve half per person if you find these too sweet. This recipe can easily be halved or doubled and they’re best served within 2 hours of baking. 

What goes into these cheat’s homemade jam donuts?

We start with the humble bread roll! I tested these with a few types of bread rolls, but Woolworths Soft Mini Hamburger Rolls give these ‘donuts’ a wonderful texture. You could also use small brioche buns, but avoid using crusty bread as these will go tough. In this recipe I also use caster sugar, cinnamon, butter and jam. Caster sugar’s fine crystals give a delicate, crisp coat. Ground cinnamon is the classic doughnut spice. Increase to taste or add a pinch of mixed spice for depth. If you love the flavour of cinnamon, you could increase it to 1½ teaspoons. The butter acts as a flavour booster and functional binder, helping the cinnamon sugar stick pre‑bake and again while warm for that bakery‑style coat. The bread rolls should just start to turn golden in the oven, do not over-bake them as it will dry out the inside of the roll. Strawberry jam is the classic filling for jam donuts, but feel free to use any jam you like. 

Love donuts? Next up, try this 3-ingredient Nutella donut recipe.

Recipe, photography, video and recipe notes by Digital Food Director, Amira Georgy.