Nutella and Strawberry Filled Donuts (Ponchik)

These powdery Nutella and Strawberry Filled Donuts (Ponchiks) are so soft and fluffy, it’s like biting into a river of chocolate and strawberry paradise! They are soft on the inside and have a slight crisp on the outside! These tasty homemade Ponchiks are so irresistible, that once you eat them, you’ll want to make them again!

These Ponchiks / Ponchiki are love at first site, you’ll be dreaming of them day and night!

The first time I ever tried Ponchiks was when I was at a friend’s house. When I saw the donuts, I was excited to try them. But, when I tasted them, I thought they were out of this world. The texture of the dough with the creaminess of the nutella filling created such a magnificently blended taste that it just melts in your mouth. I knew from that moment, I had to make these myself! I personally really enjoy strawberry filling in my desserts. So, instead of making my Ponchiks with just Nutella filling, I also wanted to make them with a strawberry pie filling.

When you take a bite out of the Ponchik, you are greeted with a mix of buttery, lightly sweetened taste from the dough. Once you bite into the center, the filling literally pours into your mouth. The Hazelnut Nutella-filled Ponchik creates a smooth and creamy texture. On the other hand, the Strawberry pie filling has a silky texture which also has chunks of strawberries when you bite into it. And in that second, when you bite into the Ponchik, you’re in heaven!

WHAT IS PONCHIK / PONCHIKI?

Ponchik is a lightly sweetened and fried dough that’s traditionally filled with a variety of custard and fruit fillings, as well as Hazelnut spread Nutella coated with powdered sugar. There are a few other names for this recipe or similar to the Ponchik dessert, for example, Pączki (Polish), Pyshka (Russian), and Sufganiyah (Hebrew). But, this Ponchik pastry is VERY popular within the Armenian community! We call it Ponchik!

The dough in this recipe is similar to a Churro or a Donut. I noticed some make their Ponchik dough with farmer’s cheeses like Cottage Cheese or Ricotta cheese, creating a moister and textured type of dough. I don’t prefer it, which is why I went the easier and simpler way by making a donut recipe instead.

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IN THIS POST: EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW TO MAKE THE PERFECT PONCHIK RECIPE

• WHAT IS PONCHIK / PONCHIKI?
• 🍴INGREDIENTS YOU’LL NEED TO MAKE THIS PONCHIK RECIPE
• STEPS TO MAKE THIS PONCHIK RECIPE
• PREFER TO WATCH STEP-BY-STEP RECIPE VIDEO INSTEAD OF READING?
• JUMP TO RECIPE CARD

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“These Ponchik Donuts are very similar to Jelly Filled Donuts! They taste as good and fluffier than the regular donuts, in my opinion!”

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🍴INGREDIENTS YOU’LL NEED TO MAKE THIS PONCHIK RECIPE

💡Here are a few things to know before you start creating this recipe:

• Make sure to roll dough about 1/4″ in thick and weigh each Ponchik on a scale to make sure they weigh all the same so they all can be the same size.
• Don’t over flour dough during the splitting and cutting process.
• Roll out dough on top of parchment paper. This will help transfer dough into oil more easily without damaging the form of your dough.
• Be sure to use a cooking thermometer to monitor the temperature of the oil while frying to keep it at a consistent temperature. Keep oil temperature at 340°F-350 °F / 177 °C if your oil is too hot, your donuts will cook from the outside and stay raw inside. So make sure to keep your eye on the temperature at all times! Only place 2-3 Ponchiks into the oil as it will bring the temperature down if you place too many at one time.
• Allow your cooked Ponchiks to cool completely off before sprinkling the powdered sugar. If you do it sooner or if they are warm/hot, the powdered sugar will melt.

Here is a preview of the ingredients you’ll need to make this recipe! You can find these at your local grocery store or you can shop online. (Detailed Ingredients in Recipe Card down below)

Dough

• Unbleached All-purpose Flour
• Rapid Rise Yeast
• Water
• Whole Milk – is recommended but Low Fat Milk can be used as well.
• Sugar
• Salt
• Eggs
• Crisco Shortening
• Vanilla
• Vegetable Oil – for frying

Note: Some use a small amount of liquor such as Brandy or Vodka for a tiny kick of flavor in the dough. This step is optional I wouldn’t recommend too much of this if you plan to use it.

Filling

• Hazelnut Spread – Nutella contains nuts
• Strawberry Pie Filling
• Vegetable Oil

Equipment

• Stand Mixer – (optional)
• Piping bag with tip
• 3″ or 4″ Cookie cutter
• Rolling Pin
• Baking Pan with baking liner
• Cooking Thermometer
• Stand Mixer with hook- (optional)

STEPS TO MAKE THIS PONCHIK RECIPE

Step 1: YEAST FERMENTATION

Place yeast and sugar into hot water (120°-125°) and mix. Cover and set aside for 5 minutes.

Step 2: PREPARE MILK

In a small pot warm up the milk until steamed or a white film starts to form on top (do not boil). Remove from heat and allow this to cool off for a few minutes until it is about 105°. Ensure your milk cools off, if it’s too hot it will conflict with the dough rising correctly.

Step 3: PREPARE FLOUR MIXTURE WITH STANDMIXER (HOOK) OR BY HAND

In a large bowl mix your dry ingredients with a whisk and set aside. In a stand mixer bowl, pour warm milk and eggs and put the mixer to low-medium speed until it’s mixed. Add the fermented yeast mixture to your egg and milk mixture and combine. Gradually, add one cup of flour at a time to your wet ingredients. Add your next cup of flour once the first one has kneaded completely. Once you see your dough start to form knead for 15 minutes before adding shortening. Add in shortening and continue to add in the rest of the flour one cup at a time and knead until it reaches a smooth silky dough.

Meanwhile, pull the dough down from the hook by hand occasionally to allow the dough to release pressure off the stand mixer and continue kneading evenly. Form dough into a round ball, cover the bowl with plastic or its sealed cover, and place to rise for 1 to 2 hours at warm room temperature.

If you like, keep scrolling down to the printable recipe card for a list of full ingredients and instructions. You can also click on the “Jump to Recipe” button at the top of the page! 😀

Step 4: ROLL DOUGH AND CUT

Gently push down the dough with your hand and remove it onto a floured working surface. Split the dough into two equal parts and set one aside under a towel to prevent the dough from drying out. Roll dough with a rolling pin about 1/4″ inch in diameter and 1/4″ inch thick. Cut dough with a 3″ – 4″ inch round biscuit or cookie cutter, remove edges and place on parchment paper (placing it on parchment paper will help place the dough for the frying process easily. Also, you can place the cut edges into the second batch of dough or take the cut edges and re-roll them if you like. It might not come out pretty but I use them as taste testers.)

Step 5: FILLING AND RE-SHAPING

Mix hazelnut spread with 1 teaspoon of oil and combine. Fill the piping bag with your hazelnut spread and squeeze a nice amount (about 2 tablespoons) in the center of your dough (you can use a spoon as well). Next, follow the steps above and roll out the second batch of dough in the same way you did the first batch. Place this piece to cover the bottom layer to cover your filling. Use your fingertips by pushing down the edges closed. Place a towel over them and allow the proofing process to take place for another 1 hour, they should have doubled in size.

Note: This process will widen your pre-formed dough. You will need to use your biscuit/cookie cutter and cut the edges one more time. This will ensure your edges are completely sealed and will re-shape them into perfectly circled Ponchiks!

Step 6: FRYING – (See tips before you start this step!)

In a large frying pot, fill oil about 1 1/2″ of oil and set your fire to medium heat and make sure the oil temperature is at 350 °F / 177 °C. (see tips above). When placing dough into the oil, pick up dough by the parchment paper and place dough only into the oil for easy and safe placement. Fry the first side for about 15-20 seconds until a light brown color. Flip by scooping the dough into a frying spatula or a steel spider spoon and hold the top with a shape knife or a toothpick to help turn the dough over and cook the other side for another 50 seconds until it’s a darker golden color. Set them on a cooling rack and allow to cool off before sprinkling a generous amount of powdered sugar over them with a sifter and Enjoy!

💡Quick Tip: Be careful, when turning the Ponchik over the dough may splash hot oil on you. Please make sure to follow the steps carefully – Safety first!

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PREFER TO WATCH STEP-BY-STEP RECIPE VIDEO INSTEAD OF READING?

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