Easy Fried Dough Recipe

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If you want to recreate the experience of a county fair or amusement park at home, there’s no easier way than with Fried Dough. This simple treat is a popular street food that is often enjoyed at outdoor activities.

If you want to recreate the experience of a county fair or amusement park at home, there’s no easier way than with Fried Dough. This simple treat is a popular street food that is often enjoyed at outdoor activities.
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The best fried dough is warm and golden with a tasty sprinkling of powdered sugar and cinnamon. You won’t believe how easy it is to make this fairground favorite in your own kitchen with only a few simple ingredients!

What is Fried Dough?

Fried dough is exactly what it sounds like. It’s a very simple snack that’s made by kneading dough, then deep frying it until it’s golden brown. After frying, the dough can be paired with sweet toppings such as syrup or powdered sugar. Doughnuts and funnel cakes are both examples of fried dough, but we’ll be making a simpler version for this recipe.

Ingredients & Substitutes

Fried Dough ingredients on the counter.
  • Pizza dough: For a quick and easy fried dough, you can actually use a pizzadough. You can either make this from scratch or purchase pizza dough mix fromthe grocery store.
  • Vegetable Oil: You’ll want a neutral oil for this recipe. Vegetable oil is the preferred option, but you can also use canola or sunflower oil.
  • Unsalted Butter: Brushing the fried dough with melted butter will give this snack more flavor. You can skip this if you prefer.
  • Powdered Sugar: Itwill be used to dust your dough once it’s fried. This is also known as confectioner’s sugar or icing sugar.
  • Ground Cinnamon: Ground cinnamon adds a lovely flavor to your fried dough. If you prefer, you can also use ground nutmeg.

How to Make Fried Dough from Scratch

Step 1: Make the dough

Fried Dough Step 1
  • Mix together flour, yeast, sugar, salt, warm water, and olive oil.  
  • Knead the dough by hand for about 5 minutes until it’s soft and elastic. Place the dough in a greased mixing bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let it rise for about 30 minutes or until doubled in size.

Step 2: Fry the dough

Fried Dough Step 1
  • Heat the oil to 350°F. In the meat time, divide the dough into 12 pieces and flatten each piece into discs.
  • When the oil is ready, place the flatted dough into the oil, and avoid overcrowding the pan.
  • Cook the dough for about 2 minutes or until the bottom side turns golden.
  • Flip the dough using a kitchen tong and fry the other side for about 2 minutes or until golden brown.

Step 3: Coat the fried dough

Fried Dough Step 3
  • Remove the dough from oil and transfer it to a paper towel lined plate. Repeat with the rest.
  • Brush the fried dough with melted butter.
  • Sprinkle with powdered sugar and ground cinnamon. Serve and enjoy!

Tips & Tricks for the Best Fried Dough / Fried Bread

  • It’s important to ensure your oil remains at the ideal temperature of 350°F for best results.
  • Note that the temperature of the oil may decrease after you put in the dough, so you may need to adjust the heat.
  • Your dough will expand as it cooks, so be sure to avoid overcrowding the pan by only making a few of them at a time.
  • To dust your fried dough like a pro, use a sieve to evenly sprinkle the powdered sugar.
If you want to recreate the experience of a county fair or amusement park at home, there’s no easier way than with Fried Dough. This simple treat is a popular street food that is often enjoyed at outdoor activities.

Are Funnel Cake and Fried Dough the Same?

Fried dough and funnel cakes are both popular treats sold at carnivals or fairs, but there are some differences between them. The most obvious difference is in appearance. With funnel cakes, the dough batter is poured into hot oil through a funnel, creating a spiral appearance. Fried dough isn’t poured in with a funnel and is usually in the shape of a flat disc. Another key difference is that funnel cakes are made with baking powder while the fried dough is made with yeast.

How to Make Homemade Pizza Dough?

Learning how to make pizza dough from scratch is a great skill for any aspiring chef. Prepare the yeast by mixing together instant yeast with sugar, flour, salt, warm water, and oil in a large bowl. Mix with a wooden spoon until the dough starts to come together. Using your hands, knead the dough for about five minutes, then let it sit in a covered mixing bowl, allowing the dough to rise.

Variations

  • Zeppole Italian Donuts: Many cultures have their own variation of fried dough. Zeppole is an Italian pastry that is similar in taste and texture to a doughnut. They are traditionally served at Italian festivals and carnivals.
  • Fried Bread Dough: Also known as bannock, this fried bread originated in Canada. It is made using a dough made from wheat flour, which is fried or baked in the shape of a flat cake.
  • Fried Puff Pastry: Puff pastry is light, flaky and delicious. Sometimes called beignets, fried puff pastry is often found at Mardi Gras events.

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If you want to recreate the experience of a county fair or amusement park at home, there’s no easier way than with Fried Dough. This simple treat is a popular street food that is often enjoyed at outdoor activities.

Fried Dough Recipe

By: Izzy
If you want to recreate the experience of a county fair or amusement park at home, there’s no easier way than with Fried Dough. This simple treat is a popular street food that is often enjoyed at outdoor activities.
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 30 minutes
Resting Time: 30 minutes
Total: 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings: 12

Ingredients 

For the Dough:

  • 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
  • 1 packet instant yeast, 2 ¼ teaspoons
  • 1 cup warm water 110-120°F
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil

For Frying & Topping

  • vegetable oil for frying
  • optional unsalted butter, melted
  • 1 tablespoon powdered sugar
  • optional ground cinnamon

Instructions 

Make the dough

  • Mix together flour, yeast, sugar, salt, warm water, and olive oil.
  • Mix with your hands until the dough just begins to come together.
  • Knead the dough by hand for about 5 minutes until it’s soft and elastic. Place the dough in a greased mixing bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let it rise for about 30 minutes or until doubled in size.

Fry the dough

  • Add oil to a deep fryer or large skillet over medium-high heat. Heat the oil to 350°F.
  • In the meat time, transfer the dough to a flat surface dusted with flour. Cut the dough into 12 pieces and flatten each piece into discs.
  • When the oil is ready, gently stretch a piece of dough disc and carefully place it into the oil. Add more dough to the oil, avoid overcrowding the pan.
  • Cook the dough for about 2 minutes or until the bottom side turns golden.
  • Flip the dough using a kitchen tong and fry the other side for about 2 minutes or until golden brown.
  • Remove the dough from oil and transfer it to a paper towel lined plate. Repeat with the rest.

Coat the fried dough

  • Brush the fried dough with melted butter.
  • Sprinkle with powdered sugar and optional ground cinnamon. Serve and enjoy!

Notes

  • You can make the dough ahead of time. Let it rise first, and then wrap with plastic wrap and place it in a freezer-safe bag. Thaw in the refrigerator and then bring it to room temperature before frying.
  • Make sure the oil temperature stays between 300-350˚F. The temperature may drop slightly after you add the dough, so adjust the heat accordingly.
  • Don’t overcrowd the pan as your dough will expand when fried.
  •  To sprinkle the powdered sugar (and cinnamon) properly, it’s best to use a fine sieve or strainer. Fill it with sugar and shake it all over your dough.

Nutrition information provided is an estimate only and will vary based on ingredient brands and cooking methods used.

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About Izzy

I'm Izzy, a food lover and photographer. Here you’ll find a collection of simple recipes that are perfect for busy people. My blog aims to help you make and enjoy delicious and healthy food at home.

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