---
title: "Chilean Berlines Rellenos — Homemade Filled Doughnuts Recipe"
description: "Versión en Español. Chilean berlines are a fried or baked yeast dough, similar to a doughnut, filled with pastry cream, manjar, or fruit jam after cooking. The dough is soft and slightly sweet, and on..."
url: https://www.chileanfoodrecipes.com/chilean-berlines-rellenos-filled-doughnuts-recipe/
date: 2026-09-21
modified: 2026-09-21
author: "Carlos Uhart M."
image: https://www.chileanfoodrecipes.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/chilean-berlines-rellenos-filled-doughnuts.jpg
categories: ["Desserts"]
type: post
lang: en
---

# Chilean Berlines Rellenos — Homemade Filled Doughnuts Recipe

[Versión en Español](https://comidaschilenas.com/receta-de-berlines-rellenos/)

![A plate of Chilean fried berlines dusted with powdered sugar and filled with pastry cream.](https://www.chileanfoodrecipes.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/chilean-berlines-rellenos-filled-doughnuts.jpg)*Chilean filled berlines*

Chilean berlines are a fried or baked yeast dough, similar to a doughnut, filled with pastry cream, manjar, or fruit jam after cooking. The dough is soft and slightly sweet, and once fried until golden it puffs up enough to hold a generous amount of filling.

They descend directly from the German “Berliner”, brought to Latin America by 19th-century immigrants, and are now a staple of Chilean home baking and bakery counters.

## How to Make Chilean Berlines?

Berlines, whether fried or baked, come from a yeasted dough that once cooked can be filled with pastry cream, manjar, or seasonal fruit jam through a small slit or piped directly into the center.

## Nutritional Information

Each serving of filled berlines contains approximately 350 kcal, 40 g of carbohydrates, 18 g of fat, 5 g of protein, 2 g of fiber, 15 g of sugars, 100 mg of cholesterol, and 200 mg of sodium. (*)

(*) Values may vary depending on ingredients and portion sizes.

## Homemade Berlines Rellenos Recipe

**Prep time:** 90 minutes

**Cook time:** 30 minutes

**Servings:** 8 people

### Ingredients

- 550 g wheat flour
- 90 g butter
- 25 g sugar
- 20 g fresh yeast
- 10 egg yolks
- 1 pinch of salt
- 1 lemon (zest)
- Oil for frying
- Pastry cream
- Chilean manjar
- Fruit jam
- Powdered sugar

### Instructions

1. Sift the flour onto a clean, smooth work surface and shape it into a well. Sprinkle a little salt around the edges, and in the center add the crumbled fresh yeast, lemon zest, egg yolks, sugar, and softened butter.

![Wheat flour sifted onto a work surface to start the berlines dough.](https://www.chileanfoodrecipes.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/sifted-wheat-flour-berlines-dough.jpg)*Sifted wheat flour*

1. Pour in 100 ml of room-temperature water little by little, working the dough from the center outward with your fingertips. Knead everything together for about 10 minutes until smooth and elastic, adding a bit more water if needed.

1. Divide the dough into 12 to 16 portions and shape each into a small ball with the palms of your hands. Arrange them on a floured kitchen towel, cover with plastic wrap, and let rise until doubled in size.

![Chilean berlines dough shaped into small balls and dusted with flour, ready to fry.](https://www.chileanfoodrecipes.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/berlines-dough-balls-ready-to-fry.jpg)*Berlines dough ready to fry*

1. For fried berlines, heat enough vegetable oil to 180°C (356°F) in a large pot or deep fryer and fry the berlines in batches without crowding, about 2 to 3 minutes per side until golden brown. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels until cool.

![Oil heating in a large pot for frying Chilean berlines.](https://www.chileanfoodrecipes.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/frying-oil-for-berlines.jpg)*Oil for frying berlines*

1. For baked berlines, preheat the oven to 180°C (356°F) for 10 minutes and bake on a lined tray for about 15 minutes, or until golden. Make a horizontal cut through the middle of each berlin and fill with pastry cream, manjar, or fruit jam to taste.

1. Alternatively, load the desired filling into a piping bag with a round tip and pipe it directly into the center of the berlin until it starts to show at the surface. Serve fresh, dusted with powdered sugar if desired.

## Additional Tips

### Add a Touch of Potato Starch

Replace about 10% of the flour with potato starch (chuño) for an extra soft, pillowy crumb. The dough should feel soft and slightly sticky, but still manageable.

### Check the Rise by Touch

The dough is ready when a gentle finger poke leaves an indent that doesn’t spring back. In cold weather, speed up fermentation by placing the dough in a turned-off oven with a bowl of hot water.

### Freeze Before Filling, Never After

Berlines freeze well once fried or baked, but always before filling. Thaw at room temperature and reheat in a 160°C (320°F) oven for 5 minutes, then fill just before serving to keep the crust crisp.

| Substitution | Use instead of | Effect |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Raspberry or strawberry jam | Pastry cream | Fruitier, tangier filling |
| Chocolate cream or Nutella | Manjar | Richer, chocolate-forward flavor |
| Baking in the oven | Deep frying | Lighter texture, less oil absorbed |
| Potato starch (10% of the flour) | All wheat flour | Softer, extra pillowy crumb |

## Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

### 1. How do I keep them from absorbing too much oil?

Keep the oil at a steady 180°C (356°F) and avoid frying too many at once, since that drops the temperature. Draining them on paper towels right away and dusting with powdered sugar while still warm also helps.

### 2. How do I know the dough has risen enough?

The dough is ready when a gentle finger poke leaves a visible indent that doesn’t bounce back. In cold weather, place it in a turned-off oven with a bowl of hot water to speed things up.

### 3. What other fillings are common?

Besides the classic manjar or pastry cream, raspberry or strawberry jam, quince paste, chocolate cream, Nutella, and lucuma cream are all popular in Chile.

### 4. Can berlines be frozen once made?

Yes, but only before filling. Freeze right after frying or baking, then thaw at room temperature and reheat in a 160°C (320°F) oven for 5 minutes. Fill just before serving to keep the crust crisp.

## History of Berlines in Chile

Berlines trace back to 1756 and a Berlin-born baker who, due to poor health, could not serve on the front lines under Frederick II of Prussia but was instead honorably appointed baker to the king’s regiment. To thank the king, the baker created a cannonball-shaped dough that, lacking ovens on the battlefield, he fried in pans full of lard, originally calling it “Berliner Pfannkuchen.”

German immigration to Latin America in the 19th century brought the recipe along, and it took root in Chile under the name “berlines,” becoming a fixture of home baking and pastry shop counters across the country.

## Did You Know?

In Argentina and Uruguay the same pastry is called “berlinesas” or “bolas de fraile,” Paraguayans call it “bollos,” Venezuelans call it “bombas,” and in some regions it’s simply known as “pavitas.”

## Recommended

- [Chilean Picarones with Chancaca Syrup](https://www.chileanfoodrecipes.com/picarones-with-chancaca-syrupe-recipe/)
- [Chilean Gluten-Free Sopaipillas](https://www.chileanfoodrecipes.com/chilean-gluten-free-sopaipillas-recipe/)
- [Chilean Chocman Manjar Chocolate Bar](https://www.chileanfoodrecipes.com/chilean-chocman-manjar-chocolate-bar-recipe/)
- [Chilean Honey Cookies](https://www.chileanfoodrecipes.com/chilean-honey-cookies-galletas-de-miel-recipe/)