Some desserts just make you smile before you even take a bite, and this Krispy Kreme Snoopy Cookies & Kreme Doughnut copycat is one of those treats. It’s playful, soft, and nostalgic, the kind of sweet that brings out your inner kid even if you were never really a Peanuts fan growing up.
I remember spotting this in a Krispy Kreme window just before the holidays and stopping dead in my tracks. There he was, little Snoopy, lying on his side like he’d just finished a nap on top of his doghouse. One bite in, and I was hooked. Pillowy yeast dough, a creamy cookies-and-cream filling, and just enough vanilla icing to make it feel festive. I knew right then I’d be trying to recreate it at home, even if I had to trim every doughnut into Snoopy’s silhouette myself.
This homemade version gets you all the charm of the original, from the smooth vanilla icing to that sweet Oreo-style cream tucked inside. You don’t need fancy tools or molds, just a bit of patience, a good dough recipe, and a steady hand when piping that Snoopy face.
Table of Contents
How to make Krispy Kreme Snoopy Cookies & Kreme Doughnuts
You’ll start by making a soft, yeast-raised dough enriched with egg yolks and milk. After proofing, you’ll roll it out and cut Snoopy-head shapes (or simple ovals if you’re short on time). Once fried and cooled, you’ll fill each one with a thick cookies-and-cream buttercream, dip them in vanilla icing, and add those signature black details with chocolate piping.
A bit playful. A lot delicious.
Nutrition facts (per doughnut, approx.)
- Calories: 395
- Total Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 9 g
- Carbohydrates: 50 g
- Sugar: 32 g
- Protein: 5 g
Ingredients (for about 10 Snoopy doughnuts)
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Dough Rise Time: 1 hour 45 minutes (1st + 2nd rise)
- Cook Time (frying): 10–12 minutes total
- Filling, Icing & Decorating: 30–40 minutes
Doughnut Dough:
- 2¼ tsp (1 packet) active dry yeast
- ¾ cup warm milk (not hot)
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 2 egg yolks + 1 whole egg
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ tsp salt
- 2¾ to 3 cups all-purpose flour
- Neutral oil, for frying (canola or vegetable)
Cookies & Kreme Filling:
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, softened
- 2 tbsp vegetable shortening (or more butter)
- 1½ cups powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2–3 tbsp milk or cream
- ⅓ cup finely crushed chocolate sandwich cookies (like Oreo)
Vanilla Icing:
- 1½ cups powdered sugar
- 2 tbsp milk (plus more if needed)
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
Snoopy Decoration:
- 2 tbsp melted dark chocolate (or chocolate frosting)
- Small piping bag or toothpick for details
Tools you’ll need
- Stand mixer (or bowl + spoon + hands)
- Rolling pin
- Paper template for Snoopy shape (optional)
- Knife or dough cutter
- Candy thermometer
- Piping bag with small round tip
- Cooling rack
- Bowls, spoons, and parchment
Instructions
Step 1: Make the dough
In a large bowl or mixer, combine warm milk, yeast, and 1 tbsp sugar. Let it bloom for 5–10 minutes, until foamy.
Mix in remaining sugar, egg yolks, whole egg, melted butter, vanilla, and salt. Gradually add flour until a soft, slightly tacky dough forms. Knead for 6–8 minutes until smooth.
Place in a greased bowl, cover, and let rise for about 1 hour, or until doubled.
Step 2: Shape the doughnuts
Roll the dough out on a floured surface to about ½ inch thick. Use a Snoopy-shaped paper template (or just cut wide ovals for the face). You should get about 10 cutouts.
Place on parchment-lined trays, cover loosely, and let rise again for 30–45 minutes.
Step 3: Fry
Heat oil to 350°F (175°C) in a deep pot. Fry doughnuts 1–2 at a time until golden, about 1 minute per side. Drain on paper towels, then transfer to a cooling rack.
Let cool fully before filling.
Step 4: Make the filling
Cream butter and shortening until light and fluffy. Add powdered sugar in batches, mixing well. Stir in vanilla and milk until smooth and pipeable. Fold in crushed cookies.
Transfer to piping bag with a round tip.
Step 5: Fill the doughnuts
Use a skewer or chopstick to poke a hole in the side or back of each doughnut. Insert piping tip and fill until the doughnut feels slightly heavier, about 2 tablespoons each.
Step 6: Ice and decorate
Mix powdered sugar, milk, vanilla, and salt into a smooth icing. Dip each doughnut face-down and let excess drip off. Let icing set slightly (5–10 min).
Melt dark chocolate or use chocolate frosting. Pipe or draw on:
- A floppy ear
- One oval eye
- A small black nose
Let chocolate set before serving or boxing up.
Tips for best results
- Use a piping tip with some firmness to avoid bursting the doughnut.
- If you’re in a hurry, cut circles instead of Snoopy shapes, he’ll forgive you.
- Freeze any extra filling, it makes an amazing Oreo frosting for cupcakes.
- Make your face decorations simple: less is cuter here.
What to serve with
Festive treats
- Hot cocoa with marshmallows – Soft and chocolatey, it pairs beautifully with the vanilla-cream inside. Bonus points if you serve it in a Snoopy mug.
- Gingerbread cookies – The spices contrast the sweetness and add a cozy scent to your baking day.
- Mini candy canes – Crunchy, minty, and perfect to hand out with these doughnuts during a holiday brunch or cookie swap.
Cold milk or coffee
- A tall glass of milk cools the sweetness and feels like the ultimate Peanuts pairing.
- Try a cookies-and-cream cold brew with vanilla sweet cream for a grown-up version of Snoopy’s flavor notes.
Savory contrast
- Bacon and eggs breakfast – If you’re going big, serve the doughnut after a savory brunch plate. Sweet + salty wins every time.
- Ham and Swiss sliders – Especially during holidays, little hot sandwiches alongside a sweet doughnut makes a balanced brunch tray.
Variations
Classic round version
Skip the Snoopy shape and make standard doughnut rounds. It’s easier and still just as tasty, you’ll just call it Cookies & Kreme.
Mini Snoopy bites
Cut smaller dough shapes and reduce frying time. Great for kids or party platters.
Chocolate-dipped ears
Instead of piping the ear, dip the ear side of the doughnut in melted chocolate for a bold visual and a bit more cocoa.
White chocolate icing
Swap the powdered sugar glaze for melted white chocolate + a bit of coconut oil for a richer coating.
Festive sprinkles
Add black and white nonpareils to the vanilla icing before it sets. Keeps the look simple but playful.
Filled with mousse
Make a whipped cream cheese Oreo mousse instead of buttercream if you want something lighter and more perishable.
Ingredient substitutes
All-purpose flour
Original: AP flour
Substitutes: Bread flour for a chewier texture, or 50/50 mix with cake flour for extra tenderness
Butter + shortening in filling
Original: Butter and shortening
Substitutes: All butter (richer), all shortening (smoother), or margarine in a pinch
Milk
Original: Whole milk
Substitutes: Oat milk, 2%, or evaporated milk if you want a longer shelf life
Chocolate sandwich cookies
Original: Oreos or similar
Substitutes: Gluten-free chocolate cookies, vanilla sandwich cookies for a twist, or chocolate graham crackers if needed
Powdered sugar
Original: Icing sugar
Substitutes: Blend granulated sugar in a blender with cornstarch (1 tbsp per cup) if you run out
Melted dark chocolate for piping
Original: Chocolate or chocolate frosting
Substitutes: Black gel food coloring added to white frosting (though the taste may differ), or even crushed black sesame paste for a creative earthy version
Yeast
Original: Active dry yeast
Substitutes: Instant yeast (reduce rise time slightly), or sourdough starter if you’re up for a longer, wild-card adventure
Honest Review
After a couple trial runs (and more powdered sugar clouds than I’d like to admit), this copycat actually nails the Snoopy vibe. The dough turned out surprisingly close to Krispy Kreme’s classic shell, airy, tender, that soft melt-in-your-mouth bite you only get with a really good yeast rise. Once you fill it with the cookies-and-cream frosting? Magic. Sweet, creamy, with just enough crunch from the cookie crumbs to make it feel playful and nostalgic, not just sweet-for-sweet’s-sake.
Is it a perfect replica of Krispy Kreme’s Snoopy? Not quite. Their icing sets smoother, probably thanks to whatever industrial glaze wizardry they’re using, and their decorating is impossibly crisp. Mine had a few lopsided ears and one that looked more like a seal than a beagle. But taste-wise? This doughnut 100% satisfies the same craving. You get the same soft texture, the same vanilla-chocolate-cream combo, and that same “should I eat this or frame it?” hesitation.
Honestly, if you’re willing to spend a cozy afternoon baking, these are totally worth it, especially if the holiday version isn’t available anymore. Plus, there’s something weirdly joyful about piping a cartoon face onto a doughnut. I’d make them again in a heartbeat. Maybe next time with a Woodstock version too.
Ingredients
- 2¼ tsp (1 packet) active dry yeast
- ¾ cup warm milk (not hot)
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 2 egg yolks + 1 whole egg
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ tsp salt
- 2¾ to 3 cups all-purpose flour
- Neutral oil, for frying (canola or vegetable)
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, softened
- 2 tbsp vegetable shortening (or more butter)
- 1½ cups powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2–3 tbsp milk or cream
- ⅓ cup finely crushed chocolate sandwich cookies (like Oreo)
- 1½ cups powdered sugar
- 2 tbsp milk (plus more if needed)
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
- 2 tbsp melted dark chocolate (or chocolate frosting)
- Small piping bag or toothpick for details
Instructions
Step 1: Make the dough
In a large bowl or stand mixer, combine the warm milk, yeast, and 1 tablespoon of sugar. Let it sit for 5 to 10 minutes until the mixture becomes foamy.
Add the remaining sugar, the egg yolks, whole egg, melted butter, vanilla, and salt. Gradually add the flour until a soft, slightly tacky dough forms. Knead for 6 to 8 minutes until smooth and stretchy.
Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover it, and let it rise for about 1 hour, or until doubled in size.
Step 2: Shape the doughnuts
Roll the dough out on a floured surface to about ½ inch thick. Use a Snoopy-shaped paper template to cut the faces, or cut wide ovals if you prefer. You should get around 10 doughnut cutouts.
Place them on parchment-lined trays, cover loosely, and let them rise again for 30 to 45 minutes.
Step 3: Fry
Heat oil to 350°F (175°C) in a deep pot. Fry the doughnuts 1 or 2 at a time until golden, about 1 minute per side. Drain on paper towels, then move them to a cooling rack.
Let them cool completely before filling.
Step 4: Make the filling
Cream the butter and shortening together until light and fluffy. Add the powdered sugar in batches, mixing between each one. Stir in the vanilla and milk until smooth and pipeable. Fold in the crushed cookies.
Transfer the filling to a piping bag fitted with a round tip.
Step 5: Fill the doughnuts
Use a skewer or chopstick to make a hole in the side or back of each doughnut. Insert the piping tip and fill until the doughnut feels slightly heavier, about 2 tablespoons per doughnut.
Step 6: Ice and decorate
Mix powdered sugar, milk, vanilla, and salt into a smooth icing. Dip each doughnut face-down and let the excess drip off. Let the icing set for 5 to 10 minutes.
Notes
Calories: 395 Total Fat: 20 g Saturated Fat: 9 g Carbohydrates: 50 g Sugar: 32 g Protein: 5 g
