S’mores Donuts
These S'mores Donuts are pillowy soft and fluffy on the inside with a beautifully golden and slightly chewy exterior that makes every single bite absolutely irresistible. Each donut is filled with a light and smooth marshmallow buttercream and Nutella for the most indulgent and dreamy surprise in every single bite. Finished with a rich chocolate ganache coating, crushed graham crackers, and a perfectly toasted marshmallow on top for that classic s'mores flavor that feels like a campfire in every single bite!
If you try out this recipe, I’d love to see it! Leave a comment with a star rating below and tag @wellmadebykiley on Instagram and hashtag it #wellmadebykiley
Ingredients You Need:
Full ingredients and recipe are in the recipe card below. Read through this section for all the ingredients substitution and baking tips!
Milk: Warmed to around 110F to activate the yeast — it should feel like a warm bath. Any milk of choice works well for creating the most perfectly soft, pillowy, and fluffy donut dough throughout.
Granulated Sugar: Feeds the yeast during activation and adds a subtle sweetness to the donut dough throughout.
Active Dry Yeast: The leavening agent that gives these donuts their incredibly pillowy soft, fluffy, and perfectly chewy texture — make sure it is properly activated and frothy before adding to the dough.
Greek Yogurt or Sour Cream: Adds richness and moisture to the dough, keeping the donuts incredibly soft, tender, and fluffy on the inside throughout every single bite.
Salted Butter: Melted into the donut dough for a rich, buttery depth of flavor that keeps the interior incredibly soft and tender — also softened into the marshmallow buttercream for a light, smooth, and perfectly pipeable filling throughout.
Eggs: Provide structure, richness, and stability to the donut dough while helping the donuts hold together and fry up perfectly golden and fluffy throughout.
Vanilla Bean Paste or Extract: Adds a warm, sweet, and aromatic flavor that enhances the donut dough, the marshmallow buttercream, and the overall s'mores flavor throughout every single bite.
Bread Flour: Gives the donuts a slightly chewier, more structured texture that holds up beautifully during frying and creates that signature pillowy soft and slightly chewy exterior — all-purpose flour works as a substitute.
Salt: Balances the sweetness and enhances all the rich s'mores flavors throughout the donut dough and the marshmallow buttercream filling.
Avocado Oil: A neutral, high smoke point oil that is ideal for frying the donuts to a perfectly golden and slightly chewy exterior without any unwanted flavor throughout.
Marshmallow Fluff: The star of the light and dreamy marshmallow buttercream filling — creates an incredibly airy, smooth, and almost stretchy filling that is piped right into the center of every single donut for the most indulgent s'mores surprise throughout.
Powdered Sugar: Sweetens and thickens the marshmallow buttercream into a smooth, light, and perfectly pipeable consistency that fills every single donut beautifully throughout.
Heavy Cream: Added to the marshmallow buttercream for a smooth, silky, and perfectly light consistency — also heated and poured over the dark chocolate to create a rich, glossy, and perfectly dippable chocolate ganache coating throughout.
Almond Extract: Optional but recommended — adds a subtle nutty warmth to the marshmallow buttercream that pairs beautifully with the Nutella, chocolate ganache, and classic s'mores flavors throughout.
Nutella: The optional but highly recommended rich and hazelnut chocolate filling that is piped alongside the marshmallow buttercream for the most indulgent, dreamy, and deeply chocolatey s'mores surprise in every single donut.
Dark Chocolate Chips or Chopped Chocolate: Melted together with the hot heavy cream to create a rich, smooth, and perfectly glossy chocolate ganache coating that sets beautifully on top of every single filled donut for that classic s'mores chocolate layer.
Crushed Graham Crackers: Pressed into the chocolate ganache coating immediately after dipping for that signature s'mores crunch and classic campfire flavor that ties all the s'mores elements together beautifully in every single bite.
Toasted Marshmallows: The optional but show-stopping finishing touch — a perfectly toasted marshmallow placed on top of each donut adds the most beautiful, warm, and gooey s'mores experience that makes every single bite completely and utterly irresistible. I used my Homemade Vanilla Bean Marshmallows, which are linked in this recipe!
Why You’ll Love S’mores Donuts:
Pillowy Soft And Fluffy On The Inside: These donuts are incredibly pillowy soft and fluffy on the inside with a light, airy, and tender interior that melts in your mouth with every single bite — absolutely irresistible from the very first bite to the very last.
Beautifully Golden And Slightly Chewy Exterior: Each donut fries up with a beautifully golden and just slightly chewy exterior that gives the most satisfying texture contrast with the soft, pillowy, and fluffy inside.
Light And Smooth Marshmallow Buttercream Filling: A light and incredibly smooth marshmallow buttercream is piped right into the center of every single donut for the most dreamy, airy, and indulgent surprise in every single bite.
Nutella Filling: A generous amount of Nutella is piped right alongside the marshmallow buttercream for a rich, hazelnut, and deeply chocolatey filling that pairs absolutely beautifully with the light and fluffy marshmallow buttercream throughout.
Rich Chocolate Ganache Coating: A rich and silky chocolate ganache coats the top of every single donut for the most indulgent and deeply chocolatey finishing touch that ties all the classic s'mores flavors together beautifully.
Crushed Graham Crackers On Top: A generous sprinkle of crushed graham crackers adds that signature s'mores crunch and classic campfire flavor that makes every single bite feel warm, nostalgic, and completely irresistible.
Perfectly Toasted Marshmallow: A perfectly toasted marshmallow on top of each donut adds the most beautiful, warm, and gooey s'mores finishing touch that takes every single bite completely and utterly over the top.
Perfect For Any Occasion: Whether it is a weekend morning, a summer gathering, a special breakfast treat, or any time a s'mores craving hits, these s'mores donuts are always the ultimate crowd-pleasing treat that everyone will absolutely love.
Tips for Making S’mores Donuts:
Activate The Yeast Properly: Make sure the milk is warmed to around 110F — too hot and it will kill the yeast, too cold and it won't activate. It should feel like a warm bath. Look for a frothy, bubbly mixture after 5–7 minutes to know it is ready.
Use Room Temperature Ingredients: Greek yogurt or sour cream, eggs, and butter should all be at room temperature so they incorporate evenly into the dough for the smoothest, most consistent result.
Let The Flour Rest Before Kneading: After mixing the dough on low for 1 minute, let it rest for 5 minutes before kneading — this allows the flour to fully absorb the liquids for a smoother, more elastic, and perfectly pillowy dough.
Don't Overdo The Flour: The dough should be slightly sticky — only add extra flour one tablespoon at a time if it is too sticky to pull away from the sides of the bowl. Too much flour will result in dense, dry donuts rather than soft, pillowy, and fluffy ones.
Let The Dough Rise Fully: Give the dough a full 1–1.5 hours to double in size for the lightest, fluffiest, and most perfectly pillowy donuts — placing the dough in a warm environment helps it rise more consistently and evenly.
Prepare The Marshmallow Buttercream While The Donuts Proof: Make the marshmallow buttercream during the 30–45 minute proofing time so it is ready to pipe the moment the donuts are cooled after frying — having it ready ahead of time makes the whole process much smoother.
Beat The Marshmallow Buttercream Until Very Smooth And Fluffy: Beat the marshmallow fluff, softened butter, powdered sugar, heavy cream, and vanilla together until very smooth, fluffy, and almost stretchy — this texture is what creates that incredibly light, airy, and dreamy filling that melts into every single bite.
Use Parchment Paper Squares: Placing each shaped donut on a parchment paper square makes it so much easier to transfer them into the hot oil without misshaping them or deflating the proofed dough.
Roll The Dough To The Right Thickness: Roll the dough out to approximately 1/2 inch thickness — too thin and the donuts won't be fluffy enough, too thick and they may not cook through evenly during frying.
Proof Until Visibly Puffy: Allow the shaped donuts to proof for 30–45 minutes until visibly puffy before frying — under-proofed donuts will be dense and won't fry up as light and pillowy.
Use A Thermometer For The Oil: The oil should be between 350F–365F before frying — too low and the donuts will absorb too much oil and be greasy, too hot and they will brown too quickly on the outside before cooking through.
Fry Only 2 At A Time: Fry only 2 donuts at a time to keep the oil temperature consistent and give you enough room to flip them easily without crowding the pot.
Let The Parchment Paper Release Naturally: After placing the donuts in the oil, wait about 10–15 seconds until the parchment paper naturally releases before pulling it away — this keeps the donuts perfectly shaped and round.
Cool The Donuts Completely Before Filling: Allow the donuts to cool completely on a wire cooling rack before filling with the marshmallow buttercream and Nutella — filling warm donuts will cause the buttercream to melt and the filling to leak out.
Make A Small Hole And Create Room For The Filling: Use a small knife or chopstick to make a small hole in the side of each donut and gently move it around to create some room — this ensures the filling has enough space to fill the center without spilling out when the piping bag is removed.
Fill With Less Than You Think: When piping the marshmallow buttercream and Nutella into each donut, fill with a little less than you think — overfilling will cause the filling to spill out the moment you remove the piping bag and affect the presentation of every single donut.
Dip In Ganache And Press Into Graham Crackers Immediately: Dip the top of each filled donut into the chocolate ganache and immediately press into the crushed graham crackers before the ganache sets — this ensures the graham crackers adhere perfectly to the ganache for that signature s'mores crunch on top.
Toast The Marshmallows Right Before Serving: Toast the marshmallows and place on top of each donut right before serving — this creates the most beautiful, warm, and gooey s'mores finishing touch that makes every single bite completely irresistible.
How to Store S’mores Donuts:
Best Served Fresh: These s'mores donuts are at their absolute best served fresh the day they are made. The exterior is perfectly golden and slightly chewy, the marshmallow buttercream and Nutella filling is light and dreamy, and the toasted marshmallow on top is perfectly gooey and irresistible.
Room Temperature (Short-Term): The filled and topped donuts can sit covered at room temperature for up to 1 day. The chocolate ganache will set and the exterior will soften slightly as they sit but they will still be incredibly delicious and flavorful in every single bite.
Refrigerator: Store leftover filled and topped donuts in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Keep in mind the texture will soften slightly after storing — let them sit at room temperature for 10–15 minutes before serving for the best flavor and texture.
Make Ahead (Marshmallow Buttercream): The marshmallow buttercream can be made up to 2 days in advance and stored in an airtight container or piping bag in the refrigerator. Let it sit at room temperature for 15–20 minutes before piping for the smoothest and most pipeable consistency.
Make Ahead (Chocolate Ganache): The chocolate ganache can be made in advance and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Gently reheat in the microwave at 20-second intervals, stirring in between, until smooth and perfectly dippable before using.
Make Ahead (Dough): The dough can be made, allowed to rise, and then stored covered in the refrigerator overnight. When ready to use, let it come to room temperature before rolling, cutting, and proofing the donuts for the best result.
Make Ahead (Shaped Donuts): Shape the donuts, place them on their parchment squares on a baking sheet, cover tightly, and store in the refrigerator overnight instead of doing the second proof. When ready to fry, let them sit at room temperature for 20–30 minutes while the oil heats up.
Freezer: Freeze individual unfilled and untopped fried donuts in a freezer-safe bag or container for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, bring to room temperature, fill with fresh marshmallow buttercream and Nutella, dip in a fresh batch of chocolate ganache, and top with crushed graham crackers and a toasted marshmallow before serving.
FAQs:
Q: Can I make these s'mores donuts ahead of time?
A: Yes. The dough can be made, allowed to rise, and stored covered in the refrigerator overnight. The marshmallow buttercream and chocolate ganache can also be made in advance and stored separately in the refrigerator. Fry, fill, and top the donuts the day of serving for the freshest and most delicious result.
Q: Can I make the marshmallow buttercream ahead of time?
A: Yes. The marshmallow buttercream can be made up to 2 days in advance and stored in an airtight container or piping bag in the refrigerator. Let it sit at room temperature for 15–20 minutes before piping for the smoothest and most pipeable consistency.
Q: Can I make the chocolate ganache ahead of time?
A: Yes. The chocolate ganache can be made in advance and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Gently reheat in the microwave at 20-second intervals, stirring in between, until smooth and perfectly dippable before using.
Q: Can I use instant yeast instead of active dry yeast?
A: Yes. If using instant yeast, there is no need to activate it first — simply add it directly into the dough mixture and proceed with the recipe.
Q: Can I use all-purpose flour instead of bread flour?
A: Yes. All-purpose flour works as a substitute for bread flour, though bread flour gives the donuts a slightly chewier, more structured texture that holds up beautifully during frying and creates that signature pillowy soft and slightly chewy exterior.
Q: Can I skip the Nutella filling?
A: Yes. The Nutella filling is optional — the marshmallow buttercream filling alone is incredibly delicious and dreamy on its own. If you prefer just the marshmallow buttercream, simply fill each donut with a generous amount and skip the Nutella entirely.
Q: Can I use milk chocolate instead of dark chocolate for the ganache?
A: Yes. Any chocolate of choice works beautifully for the ganache — milk chocolate, semi-sweet, or dark chocolate all work well and pair beautifully with the marshmallow buttercream, Nutella, and crushed graham cracker toppings throughout.
Q: What oil is best for frying?
A: Avocado oil is recommended for its neutral flavor and high smoke point, but any neutral oil of choice works well for frying these s'mores donuts to a perfectly golden and slightly chewy exterior.
Q: How do I toast the marshmallows for the topping?
A: Use a kitchen torch to toast the marshmallows directly on top of each donut right before serving — alternatively, place the marshmallows on a baking sheet under the broiler for 1–2 minutes keeping a very close eye on them as they can go from perfectly toasted to burnt very quickly.
Q: Can I freeze these donuts?
A: Yes. Freeze individual unfilled and un-topped fried donuts in a freezer-safe bag or container for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, bring to room temperature, fill with fresh marshmallow buttercream and Nutella, dip in a fresh batch of chocolate ganache, and top with crushed graham crackers and a toasted marshmallow before serving.
Love these? Check out my other breakfast recipes:
Make sure to tag me @wellmadebykiley on Instagram and leave a review or comment if you make these s’mores donuts. Happy baking!
