Boston Cream Donut (Copycat)

Name: Boston Cream Donut (Copycat)
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 1 h 5 min
Yield: 12 servings
Ingredients: 0.75 cup whole milk (warmed, for the dough); 2.25 tsp active dry yeast (1 packet); 0.25 cup granulated sugar (for the dough); 2 large eggs (room temperature, for the dough); 0.25 cup unsalted butter (softened, for the dough); 1 tsp salt (for the dough); 3.5 cups plain flour (plus a little more if needed); vegetable oil (for frying); 2 cups whole milk (for the custard); 0.5 cup granulated sugar (for the custard); 0.25 cup cornstarch (for the custard); 0.25 tsp salt (for the custard); 4 large egg yolks (for the custard); 2 tbsp unsalted butter (for the custard); 2 tsp vanilla extract (for the custard); 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (for the topping); 0.5 cup heavy cream (for the topping); 1 tbsp light corn syrup (optional, for shine)

Independent copycat-style recreation, not Tim Hortons’s official recipe (theirs is a trade secret) and not affiliated with Tim Hortons. This is a home version inspired by the menu item, worked out for a normal home kitchen.

A home version of the bakery donut format: soft yeast doughnuts filled with cool vanilla custard and topped with chocolate. The dough needs about 1 hour 30 minutes of rising in total, so this is a weekend bake, not a quick one. It has not been kitchen-tested for this site yet, so treat it as a starting point. The home cost below is an estimate per donut.

Servings

45 min

Prep

20 min

Cook

65 min

Total

Medium

Difficulty

360

Est. calories / serving

What it costs: restaurant vs home

Option	Cost
EggBoston Cream Donut at Tim Hortons (typical price, from the menu page)	$2.09
This home version, per serving	$1
You save	$1.09 (52%)

Restaurant price is the typical figure from our Tim Hortons menu data (prices vary by location). Home cost is an estimate for the ingredients listed, per serving.

Ingredients

Amount	Ingredient	Note
0.75 cup	whole milk	warmed, for the dough
2.25 tsp	active dry yeast	1 packet
0.25 cup	granulated sugar	for the dough
2	large eggs	room temperature, for the dough
0.25 cup	unsalted butter	softened, for the dough
1 tsp	salt	for the dough
3.5 cups	plain flour	plus a little more if needed
n/a	vegetable oil	for frying
2 cups	whole milk	for the custard
0.5 cup	granulated sugar	for the custard
0.25 cup	cornstarch	for the custard
0.25 tsp	salt	for the custard
4	large egg yolks	for the custard
2 tbsp	unsalted butter	for the custard
2 tsp	vanilla extract	for the custard
1 cup	semi-sweet chocolate chips	for the topping
0.5 cup	heavy cream	for the topping
1 tbsp	light corn syrup	optional, for shine

Method

Wake the yeast: stir the yeast and a teaspoon of the sugar into the warm milk and leave for 5 to 10 minutes until foamy. If nothing happens, the yeast may be old or the milk too hot or too cool.
Make the dough: stir in the rest of the sugar, the eggs, butter and salt, then add the flour a cup at a time until a soft, slightly tacky dough forms. Add a tablespoon more flour at a time only if it is very sticky.
Knead on a floured surface for 8 to 10 minutes, or 5 to 6 minutes with a dough hook, until smooth and elastic.
First rise: put the dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover, and leave in a warm spot for about 1 hour, until doubled.
Make the custard while the dough rises: whisk the sugar, cornstarch and salt in a saucepan. Whisk the yolks with about half a cup of the milk in a bowl, warm the rest of the milk in the pan, then whisk a little warm milk into the yolks to temper them and pour the yolk mixture back into the pan.
Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, for 5 to 8 minutes until thick like pudding. Take off the heat, stir in the butter and vanilla, then press plastic wrap directly onto the surface and chill until fully cold.
Shape: punch the risen dough down gently, roll to about half an inch thick and cut 3-inch rounds. Place on parchment lined sheets, reroll the scraps after a short rest, and let the rounds rise again for 30 to 40 minutes until puffy.
Heat 2 to 3 inches of oil in a heavy pot to about 175 degrees C. Fry 2 to 3 rounds at a time for 1 to 2 minutes per side until golden, then cool on a rack.
Make the topping: pour hot (not boiling) cream over the chocolate chips, leave for 2 minutes, then stir smooth and add the corn syrup if using.
Fill: pipe the chilled custard through a small hole in the side of each donut until it feels a little heavier, taking care not to overfill and split it.
Dip the top of each filled donut in the chocolate, let the excess drip off, and set on a rack until the topping sets. Best eaten the day they are made.

Tips

Do not overflour the dough, a softer dough makes a softer donut.
Cool the custard completely before filling, warm custard melts the topping and soaks the dough.
Make the custard the night before to split the work across two days.

Allergen caution: whether the home version contains allergens depends entirely on the ingredients and brands you use. Check every label, and take extra care with shared surfaces and frying oil if anyone eating has an allergy.

Recipe credit: adapted in our own words from the tested recipe by Simply Copycat Recipes. Their copycat Tim Hortons Boston Cream doughnut recipe was the reference point for the yeast dough, custard filling and chocolate topping structure here. Our wording and method above are our own. The recipe above is complete as published here; the original is credited only as a reference for readers who want to compare: original tested recipe at Simply Copycat Recipes.

See the full Tim Hortons menu & prices The original item: EggBoston Cream Donut