Berliner

Berliner are Germany’s beloved jam doughnuts — golden, pillowy yeast doughnuts fried until puffed, filled with raspberry jam, and dusted with powdered sugar. They are the traditional treat of Carnival (Fasching) and New Year’s Eve across Germany and Austria, sold in bakeries by the dozen in the weeks before Lent. The most famous version is the Berliner Pfannkuchen, and in Berlin itself, they are simply called Pfannkuchen. Whatever the name, they are pure joy.

Why this recipe works: The dough is a rich, soft yeast dough — flour, milk, butter, eggs, and sugar — kneaded until silky and risen until doubled. Cut into rounds and proofed again, they are fried in hot oil until deep golden, then filled with jam through a pastry tip and rolled in sugar. The result: a crisp, golden shell around a featherlight interior with a bright fruit heart.

Key ingredients

• Flour, milk, yeast, and eggs: the soft dough.
• Butter and sugar: the richness.
• Raspberry (or apricot) jam: the classic filling.
• Oil for frying: at 350°F.
• Powdered sugar: the finish.

Tips for perfect Berliner

Knead the dough until silky and let it rise until doubled — patience makes them light. Cut even rounds and proof again until puffy before frying. Fry at 350°F, turning once, until deep golden on both sides, about 3 to 4 minutes total; a pale ring around the middle is the traditional sign of a properly fried Berliner. Drain, fill with jam through a pastry tip, and roll in sugar while warm. Eat the same day — they are best fresh.

Variations and storage

Fill with vanilla custard or chocolate, or use the classic apricot jam. Berliner are best fresh; the dough keeps 1 day in the fridge, and unfilled doughnuts freeze well for a month — warm briefly before filling.

German recipes →