Here’s a classic recipe for Berliner Buns—also known as Berliner Pfannkuchen or just Berliners—which are fluffy German doughnuts filled with jam and dusted with powdered sugar. They’re typically fried and have no hole in the middle. Let’s get baking!
Classic Berliner Buns Recipe
Makes: ~12 Berliners
Time: ~2.5 hours (including rise time)
Ingredients:
For the dough:
500g (4 cups) all-purpose flour
1 packet (7g) active dry yeast
60g (1/4 cup) sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
Zest of 1 lemon (optional)
200ml (3/4 cup + 1 tbsp) warm milk
2 eggs
1 egg yolk
75g (1/3 cup) unsalted butter, softened
1/2 tsp salt
For frying:
1 liter (4 cups) neutral oil (like sunflower or canola)
For filling:
Jam (raspberry, strawberry, apricot—your choice!)
For topping:
Powdered sugar (or regular sugar if you prefer)
Instructions:
Activate yeast:
In a bowl, combine warm milk and 1 tsp of sugar. Sprinkle the yeast on top. Let it sit for 10 minutes until foamy.
Make the dough:
In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, remaining sugar, salt, vanilla, lemon zest (if using), eggs, egg yolk, and the yeast mixture. Mix until combined.
Add butter:
Gradually add the softened butter and knead (10 minutes by hand or 5-7 minutes in a stand mixer) until the dough is smooth and elastic.
First rise:
Cover the bowl and let the dough rise in a warm place for 1–1.5 hours, or until doubled in size.
Shape the buns:
Punch down the dough. Divide it into 12 equal pieces, shape into balls, and place them on a lightly floured surface. Cover loosely with a clean towel and let them rise again for 30–45 minutes.
Fry:
Heat oil to 170–180°C (340–355°F). Fry each Berliner for about 2–3 minutes per side, until golden brown. Drain on paper towels.
Fill:
Once slightly cooled, use a piping bag with a narrow tip to inject jam into the center of each bun.
Dust:
Sprinkle with powdered sugar or roll in regular sugar while still warm.
Tips:
Don’t overcrowd the pan when frying—fry in batches.
Use a thermometer for oil temp if possible to avoid under/overcooking.
You can also glaze them with a simple sugar glaze instead of powdered sugar.
