Donut Holes / Munchkins
intro
Fluffy, bite-sized fried cake dough balls coated in smooth vanilla glaze, these nostalgic munchkins are soft, poppable, and perfect for sharing at casual gatherings.
Ingredients
Steps
Combine dry ingredients
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together 2 cups (240g) all-purpose flour, 3 tablespoons (38g) granulated sugar, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon fine salt, and 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg until fully evenly combined, about 30 seconds of mixing.
Mix donut dough
Make a well in the center of the dry ingredient mix, then pour in 3/4 cup (180ml) lukewarm whole milk, 2 tablespoons (28g) melted cooled butter, 1 beaten room-temperature large egg, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Stir with a wooden spoon just until a shaggy, soft dough forms—do not overmix, as this will create tough donut holes, about 45 seconds of stirring.
Heat frying oil
Pour 4 cups (960ml) vegetable oil into a deep, heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven, and heat over medium heat until the oil reaches a steady 175°C/350°F, measured with a clip-on candy thermometer, about 8-10 minutes of preheating. Adjust stove heat as needed to hold this temperature consistently while frying.
Fry the donut holes
Scoop 1-tablespoon sized portions of dough, roll gently into rough balls, and carefully drop 5-6 balls at a time into the hot oil, taking care not to crowd the pot. Fry for 2 to 2.5 minutes total, flipping each donut hole halfway through cooking with a slotted spoon, until deep golden brown on all sides and cooked through to the center. Remove cooked donut holes to a wire rack set over a rimmed baking sheet to drain excess oil for 2 minutes.
Prepare vanilla glaze
While donut holes cool slightly, whisk together 1.5 cups (180g) powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons (30ml) hot water, and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract in a small shallow bowl until completely smooth, with no lumps of powdered sugar remaining. The glaze should be thick but pourable, matching the consistency of heavy cream.
Coat in vanilla glaze
Working one at a time, drop slightly warm (not piping hot) donut holes into the glaze, toss to fully coat all sides, then lift out with a fork, letting excess glaze drip back into the bowl for 5 seconds. Return glazed donut holes to the wire rack, and let the glaze set for 5 minutes before serving.
Tips
2.Monitor oil temperature closely with a candy thermometer: oil that is too hot will burn the donut exterior before the center cooks, while oil that is too cold will make greasy, oil-soaked donut holes.
3.Wait 2 minutes after removing donut holes from the oil before glazing: piping hot donuts will cause the glaze to slide off and thin out, rather than setting into a smooth, glossy coating.
OMG these taste exactly like the glazed munchkins I grab at Dunkin on my morning commute! So easy to whip up, I didn’t even need any fancy equipment. 10/10 will be making these every Sunday for brunch from now on.
Took these to my office potluck yesterday and they were GONE in 10 minutes flat. Coworkers were begging for the recipe, I felt like a total baking rockstar. Only note: make a double batch, trust me.
My picky 7 year old said these are better than the donut shop ones??? Win for mom! They took barely 35 minutes total, perfect for a quick after school treat. The glaze sets so nicely and isn’t too cloyingly sweet.
Wait, can I use an air fryer for these instead of frying in oil? Trying to cut down on extra oil but I’m craving these so bad.
Game changer. I’ve tried so many homemade donut recipes that come out dense and bready, but these are so light and fluffy! The glaze is the exact perfect consistency, no running all down your wrist when you take a bite.
Made these for my roommate’s birthday movie night and we ate the entire batch while watching our first movie. Zero regrets. Only oops: I burned the first 3 because my oil was too hot, so definitely use a candy thermometer if you have one!
I’ve been making donut holes for my grandkids for 40 years, and this recipe is easily one of the best I’ve ever tried. The glaze is simple but so flavorful, and the dough doesn’t require a ton of rising time which I love. Will be adding this to my regular rotation.
SO good. I added a little maple extract to the glaze and crumbled some bacon on top of a few for a sweet-salty vibe, and my partner lost his mind. Great base recipe to mess around with different toppings!
Quick question: can I make the dough the night before and fry them up in the morning? Want to have these fresh for my daughter’s sleepover breakfast without waking up at 6am to mix dough.
I was nervous these would be too hard for a beginner baker like me, but they’re genuinely so easy! I didn’t mess them up at all, and my roommate said they taste better than the ones from the fancy donut shop downtown.
Made these as a quick meal prep sweet treat for the work week and they hold up so well! I stored them in an airtight container and they were still soft and delicious 3 days later. Perfect little midday pick me up with my coffee.
Wait, how come my glaze came out all lumpy? I followed the measurements exactly but it wasn’t smooth at all, still tasted good but looked a little messy.
Took these on our family camping trip this weekend, cooked them in our cast iron dutch oven over the campfire and they were a hit with the whole crew! Even my teenager who complains about “homemade junk food” went back for thirds.
Do these freeze well? I love having sweet snacks stashed in the freezer for last minute guests, but I don’t want them to get all weird and freezer burnt.
I’m a college student with basically zero kitchen supplies, and I made these with just a bowl, a spoon, and a regular pot to fry in. Total cost was like $5 for ingredients, way cheaper than buying munchkins for my friend group every weekend.
My kids loved it! They even helped me cut out the little donut holes with a small cookie cutter, it was such a fun rainy day activity. We covered half in sprinkles after glazing and the kids went wild for them.
Idk if I did something wrong but mine came out super greasy? They soaked up so much oil when I was frying them, paper towels were soaked through when I pulled them out.
Made these for my book club meeting and everyone was raving! I set out little bowls of sprinkles, crushed Oreos, and cinnamon sugar so people could top their own, it was such a fun interactive spread. Will definitely be making these again for future gatherings.
As someone who is 100% team cake donut over yeast donut, these are perfect. They have that soft, tender crumb just like old fashioned cake donuts, and the glaze is not too sweet. Absolute perfect recipe, no notes.
I was skeptical a 35 minute easy recipe could produce donut holes this good, but color me impressed! No long rise time, no weird ingredients, just perfect, warm, glazed munchkins that taste like they came from a bakery. 10/10.