Halloween is the one time of year where desserts get to be just a little creepy — and that’s exactly what makes them fun. Enter these Bloody Halloween Donuts: pillowy-soft fried dough, rolled in sugar, dipped in white frosting, and oozing with a thick strawberry butter that looks eerily like blood. They’re festive, delicious, and just the right amount of spooky.
Imagine setting out a plate of these at your Halloween party — the glossy white frosting cracking open to reveal a shocking red filling. It’s dramatic, playful, and guaranteed to earn gasps of delight. And the best part? They taste as incredible as they look.
Why This Recipe Works
- The Donut Dough – Enriched with milk, egg, and a touch of oil, these donuts fry up light, fluffy, and melt-in-your-mouth tender.
- The Strawberry Butter Filling – Unlike jam, this slow-cooked spread has a richer, darker “blood-like” look with a velvety smooth texture. It also adds a fruity sweetness that balances the fried dough.
The White Frosting – Simple, glossy, and sweet, it provides the perfect blank canvas for that striking red drizzle.
Step-by-Step Guide
Step 1: Make the Dough
You’ll start by waking up the yeast in warm buttermilk with a little sugar. Once it’s bubbly, in go the flour, salt, egg, and oil. The stand mixer does most of the work here — about 10 minutes of kneading until the dough is stretchy enough to pass the windowpane test.
Step 2: Chill & Shape
After a chill in the fridge (this deepens flavor and makes it easier to handle), the dough gets divided into 10 even balls. Let them puff up on parchment squares, and soon they’ll be ready for the fryer.
Step 3: Fry to Golden Perfection
The donuts go into hot oil at 350°F, where they turn golden and puffed in about 6–7 minutes. Flip them every 30 seconds for even cooking, then drain and roll in sugar while still warm.
Step 4: Strawberry Butter Filling
This filling is a game changer. Strawberries are cooked low and slow in a crockpot with honey, sugar, lemon, and salt until they’re dark, jammy, and fragrant. After blending smooth and thickening further, you stir in vanilla for a flavor that’s part jam, part fruit butter — and 100% creepy perfection.
Step 5: Assemble & Decorate
Once the donuts are cool, poke a hole, pipe in the strawberry butter until they feel heavy with filling, then dip the tops in glossy white frosting. The finishing touch? A drizzle of strawberry butter on top that looks like blood splatter.
Spooky Serving Ideas
- Arrange on a platter with plastic spiders or skeleton hands for a dramatic centerpiece.
- Drizzle strawberry butter in streaks down the sides for a gory, horror-movie vibe.
- Serve alongside a cauldron of cider or a dark hot chocolate for the ultimate Halloween night spread.
Make Ahead + Storage
- Donuts are best eaten the day they’re fried, but they’ll keep in an airtight container for 1–2 days.
- The strawberry butter can be made up to a week in advance.
- White frosting is best made fresh, but can be whisked together in minutes before serving.
Halloween baking is all about creativity, and these Bloody Halloween Donuts let you have a little fun with the spooky side of sweets. They’re dramatic, playful, and so much more than a simple donut. The soft dough, fruity “bloody” filling, and sweet frosting come together in a dessert that’s just as magical as it is mischievous.
So go ahead, embrace the spooky spirit, and watch your guests squeal with delight as they bite into these eerie, delicious donuts. After all… Halloween wouldn’t be complete without a little blood, right? 👻
Strawberry Jelly Filled Donuts (Spooky Donuts)
Equipment
- Frying Pot/Pan
- Stand Mixer w/ Hook Attachment
- Parchment Paper
- Saucepan
- Blender or Immersion Blender
- Piping Bag w/ Medium Round Tip
Ingredients
For the Donuts
- 1 cup buttermilk lukewarm (or whole milk)
- 2 Tbsp granulated sugar
- 2 tsp active dry yeast
- 3 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 large egg room temperature, lightly beaten
- 3 Tbsp oil neutral, like canola or vegetable
For the Strawberry Butter
- 3 lbs fresh strawberries stems removed
- ⅓ cup honey
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- Pinch of salt
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
For the White Frosting
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 3 Tbsp milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
Make the Donut Dough
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, combine warm buttermilk, sugar, and yeast. Let sit 5–10 minutes until foamy.
- Add flour, salt, egg, and oil. Mix on low until the dough comes together, then knead 10–12 minutes until soft, smooth, and stretchy (it should pass the “windowpane test”).
- Shape into a ball, cover, and refrigerate 3 hours or overnight.
Shape the Donuts
- Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface, weigh, and divide into 10 equal pieces. Roll each into a tight ball.
- Place each ball on a parchment square, set on baking sheets, cover, and let rise 35–45 minutes until puffy (indentation from a finger poke should spring back slowly).
Fry the Donuts
- Heat oil in a heavy-bottomed pot or deep fryer to 350°F (180°C).
- Fry 2 at a time, flipping every 30 seconds, for 6–7 minutes until golden brown.
- Drain on a wire rack and roll in granulated sugar while still warm.
Make the Strawberry Butter
- Add strawberries, honey, sugar, lemon juice, and salt to a slow cooker. Stir well.
- Cover and cook on low 6–7 hours, stirring occasionally, until thick and darkened.
- Blend until smooth with an immersion blender.
- Cook uncovered 1–2 more hours until spreadable.
- Stir in vanilla, cool slightly, and store in a jar.
Make the White Frosting
- Whisk together powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla until smooth.
Assemble the Donuts
- Once donuts are completely cool, poke a hole with a chopstick and widen slightly with your finger. Pipe or spoon in the strawberry butter until they feel slightly full.
- Dip the tops into white frosting, let set, then drizzle extra strawberry butter over the top for that “bloody” Halloween effect.
