Fried Dough

Content… What Is It? Recipe Ingredients How to Make It Recipe Variations Tips and Tricks Make-Ahead Instructions Serving and Storage Instructions FAQs What to Serve More Delicious Fried Snacks Recipes to Try Conclusion Watch How to Make It

What Is Fried Dough?

Fried dough is an international comfort food. Plus, it’s super fast and easy and crazy delicious. Some people enjoy elephant ears, sopaipillas, or bunuelos, depending on where you live. But this epic recipe gives you almost instant gratification anywhere you are.

Recipe Ingredients

1. All-Purpose Flour – The base for this recipe is an essential element of this deliciousness.
2. Baking Powder – This guy creates a melt-in-your-mouth fluffiness for the win.
3. Sugar – For a flavor-balancing act and extra satisfaction, a little sugar helps a lot.
4. Vanilla Extract – This ingredient is a flavor enhancer that takes the back seat, but you’d miss it if it weren’t there.
5. Dairy – Butter adds richness and creates a crunchy outside and soft inside. Milk adds flavor and helps your dough to brown to a gorgeous golden. You could use oil and water, but why?
6. Sprinkles – Sprinkle cinnamon and sugar on top for a festive flavor to these fried goodies.

How to Make Fried Dough

Make the Dough

• Dry Ingredients – Mix flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar in a large bowl. (Photos 1-2)
• Wet Ingredients – Add melted butter, milk, and vanilla extract. Mix and then transfer to a board and knead with hands for 5 minutes. (Photos 3-4)
• Rest – Divide into 10 pieces and let them rest for 10 minutes. (Photos 5-6)
• Flatten – Roll out each piece to about ½ inch thick after resting. (Photos 7-8)

Fry the Dough

• Preheat – Heat 1 inch of oil in a deep pan to 375°F/190℃ over medium heat.
• Fry – Carefully lower the rolled dough into the pan, and fry the dough in batches without overcrowding the pan. (Photos 9-10)
• Flip – Let it cook for about a minute, then flip it over and cook the other side for another minute.
• Sprinkle – Top with powdered sugar or cinnamon sugar, and enjoy!

Recipe Variations

1. Air-Fryer Version – Enjoy the same delicious treat guilt-free. Spray your dough disks with cooking oil, eat your air fryer to 350℉/177℃, and put as many as you can without crowding them because they’ll puff up (two might fit at a time). They should be ready to enjoy in about 5 minutes.
2. Vegan Version – If you have vegan friends, just use plant-based milk and butter, and ta-da!
3. Gluten-Free – Your favorite gluten-free all-purpose flour blend with an extra spoonful of tapioca starch will get close.
4. Toppings – In some countries, they drizzle their fried bread with honey, maple syrup, and light molasses. Yum!

Tips and Tricks

1. Brush your fried dough with extra melted butter before sprinkling it with cinnamon sugar so the sugar sticks better.
2. You can get comfort food even faster by using premade biscuit, croissant, or pizza dough. Just roll out your dough in serving-size disks.

Make-Ahead Instructions

Making the country fair fried dough in advance is easy, especially if you plan to serve a crowd. Make the dough as instructed and tightly wrap it with a cling wrap or store it in an airtight container. You can then refrigerate it for up to 48 hours. Shape and fry when ready to serve.

Serving and Storage Instructions

Store leftover fried dough in an airtight container for two days at room temperature or a week in the fridge. You can also freeze it for 3 months. 

To reheat, you can use a preheated oven or crisp it up again in a skillet for a few minutes. Serve it as an appetizer or entrée before a cozy main dish or a snack.

FAQs

What to Serve With Fried Dough

To complete the country fair experience, enjoy these goodies with the refreshing beverages below.

1. Southern Sweet Tea
2. Strawberry Watermelon Juice
3. Jungle Juice
4. Strawberry Banana Smoothie

More Delicious Fried Snacks Recipes to Try

1. Apple Fritters
2. Chocolate Beignets
3. Banana Puff Puff
4. Easy Mandazi
5. Chin Chin
6. Fried Catfish Nuggets

Conclusion

A drool-worthy fried dough recipe for melt-in-your-mouth goodness is hard to beat. And it’s the perfect base for different decadent toppings. My favorite is caramel sauce. What’s yours? Let me know in the comments!

Watch How to Make It

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