Cinnamon Sugar Donut Holes with Chocolate (Printable version)
Soft, fluffy donut holes rolled in cinnamon sugar with a rich chocolate dipping sauce—an irresistible American treat.
# What you'll need:
→ Donut Holes
01 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1/4 cup granulated sugar
03 - 2 teaspoons baking powder
04 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
05 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
06 - 2/3 cup whole milk
07 - 2 large eggs
08 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
09 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
10 - Vegetable oil for frying
→ Cinnamon Sugar Coating
11 - 1/2 cup granulated sugar
12 - 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
→ Chocolate Dip
13 - 3.5 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
14 - 1/2 cup heavy cream
15 - 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
# Directions:
01 - In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon until evenly combined.
02 - In a separate bowl, whisk together milk, eggs, melted butter, and vanilla extract until well blended.
03 - Add the wet ingredient mixture to the dry ingredients and fold together until just combined, avoiding overmixing.
04 - Heat 2 inches of vegetable oil in a deep saucepan to 350°F over medium-high heat.
05 - Using a small cookie scoop or two spoons, carefully drop tablespoon-sized portions of batter into the hot oil. Fry in batches, turning occasionally, until golden brown throughout, approximately 2 to 3 minutes per batch.
06 - Remove fried donut holes with a slotted spoon and transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain excess oil.
07 - While the donut holes are still warm, roll them in the cinnamon sugar mixture until evenly coated on all sides.
08 - Place chopped chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl. Heat cream in a small saucepan until simmering, then pour over the chocolate and butter. Allow to rest for 1 minute, then stir until smooth and glossy.
09 - Arrange warm cinnamon sugar-coated donut holes on a serving plate and serve with the warm chocolate dipping sauce.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- These little bites have the perfect crisp exterior that gives way to a pillowy center—a texture contrast I spent three batches perfecting before I got it just right.
- The chocolate dip transforms these from ordinary breakfast treats to the dessert I now bring to every potluck where people practically tackle me at the door when they see what Im carrying.
02 -
- The oil temperature drops when you add the batter, so let it recover between batches or youll end up with oily, undercooked centers.
- Using a cookie scoop instead of spoons gives you perfectly uniform donut holes that cook evenly—a revelation that came after a batch of misshapen blobs that were both undercooked and burnt.
03 -
- If youre frying at high altitude like I was during our mountain cabin vacation, lower your temperature by about 25 degrees to prevent the outsides from darkening before the insides cook through.
- A wooden skewer is my secret tool for turning these in the oil—gentler than metal utensils that can pierce the delicate dough.