National Cream-Filled Donut Day is celebrated on September 14, and once you bite into one that’s just right, it’ll be clear why these special donuts deserve their very own day. One of the most famous cream-filled donuts is the Boston Cream Donut, named for its resemblance to the Boston Cream Pie. This donut is a butter cake filled with rich vanilla flavored custard, deep-fried, and given a layer of chocolate glaze. Not only does it look appetizing, but the taste is just as good!
History of National Cream Filled Donut Day
The donut as we know it came about around the seventeenth century in New Amsterdam but did not yet take their current ring shape. During this time, balls of baked dough were eaten in Europe, and sometimes they were filled with jam. Dutch colonists of New Amsterdam had what they called “olykoeks,” which translated to “oily cakes.” Although the name doesn’t sound appetizing, they were a customary treat for the Dutch.
In the middle of the nineteenth century, the ship captain Hansen Gregory and his mother Elizabeth Gregory. She made a wicked deep-fried dough and used the spice cargo of nutmeg, cinnamon, used lemon rinds as ingredients, and stored these pastries for long voyages. It was believed that her pastries helped fight scurvy and the cold and she put hazelnuts or walnuts in the center of the dough, calling them donuts. In 1847, Hansen is said to be the one responsible for the round donut with the hole in the middle.
While the person responsible for first injecting cream inside of the donuts isn’t known, this culinary decision blossomed in the middle of the nineteenth century. Molded desserts and charlottes were eaten during this time and apple, apricot, and other fruits that were put inside desserts were replaced with cream instead. Some have attributed this to the French chef Careme, and his idea started a cream trend as more people experimented with pastries.
Today, there is a wide assortment of creams used in donuts and many baked good stores centered on donuts specifically. They’ve become a customary part of our eating habits, consuming them for breakfast or on the go. It’s customary for people to bring donuts in to work to place coworkers in a good mood. The donut company Krispy Kreme even has “cream” in its name, proving that cream and donuts go hand in hand.
National Cream Filled Donut Day timeline
Dutch colonists of New Amsterdam bring over the early form of the donut called "olykoeks" or "oily cakes."
Elizabeth Gregory puts hazelnuts or walnuts in the center of the dough she bakes and calls them donuts.
Creams are used inside of pastries and desserts, starting a trend that extends into other culinary areas.
Cream-filled donuts are going strong as donut shops sell them alongside traditional ring-shaped donuts.
National Cream Filled Donut Day FAQs
How long do cream-filled donuts stay good for?
Cream-filled donuts are best when eaten fresh, but they should stay relatively good for 3 to 5 days.
What flavors of cream does Krispy Kreme offer?
Krispy Kreme offers Classic Kreme and Chocolate Kreme.
Should I refrigerate cream-filled donuts?
If your donut is cream-filled or has dairy-based toppings or frosting, you should keep it refrigerated.
How To Celebrate National Cream Filled Donut Day
Enjoy some donuts
The best way to celebrate National Cream-Filled Donut Day is by having your favorite cream-filled donuts. There are plenty to choose from. Boston cream, lemon cream, caramel cream, strawberry cream, and more. Try out various flavors and see if you can’t find one you’ll fall in love with.
Donut party
While most people enjoy donuts, they’re not usually the focal point of an occasion. Let them take the spotlight and put together a spread of interestingly flavored donuts for all of your friends to enjoy. If someone isn’t a fan of the cream, be sure to include the ring-shaped donuts as a substitute with an array of toppings like fudge and sprinkles to choose from.
Make your own donut
A surefire way to ensure that you’ll love your cream-filled donut is by creating one yourself. You'll need dry yeast, whole milk, all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, kosher salt, eggs, unsalted butter, and your favorite flavor of cream. Once you’ve finished, have someone test it to see if you’re the next top baker.
5 Interesting Facts About National Cream Filled Donut Day
Whole donut
The excess of leftover dough can be made into donut holes and filled with cream.
Ready for jelly
Jelly-filled donuts are one of the most popular flavors of donuts.
Flavors of donuts
Krispy Kreme has 25 flavors of donuts ranging from the classics to chocolate cake and crullers.
Hollow donut
Washington Irving's gothic story "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" has one of the earliest literary mentions of donuts.
Coffee vs. donut
Despite having “donut” in its name, Dunk’ Donuts coffee is popular in its own right.
Why We Love National Cream Filled Donut Day
Forgotten no more
The donuts that are traditionally referenced in media and in real life are the ring-sized donuts and cream-filled donuts are often forgotten about. On National Cream-Filled Donut Day, they can finally have their time to shine.
There are so many options
It’s surprising how many flavors of cream there are to try out and that alone makes cream-filled donuts worthy of respect. Because of them, the tasty potential of donuts increases dramatically in the best way possible.
Deals on donuts
Arguably, the best part of this day is that participating donut shops have special promotions for cream-filled donuts, inviting you to have your favorite or try something new. “Free” is the best flavor of all.
National Cream Filled Donut Day dates
Year | Date | Day |
---|---|---|
2025 | September 14 | Sunday |
2026 | September 14 | Monday |
2027 | September 14 | Tuesday |
2028 | September 14 | Thursday |
2029 | September 14 | Friday |