These Homemade Donut Holes are chewy and cakey, with a crisp outside. This recipe gives you 3 flavors so you can enjoy these little balls of deliciousness any way you like.
If you’re a donut lover, you have to try these perfect sugar donuts and our yummy chocolate donuts.
Perfect Homemade Donut Holes
These homemade donut holes are so perfectly crisp on outside, yet have a soft, doughy center. Made with baking powder instead of yeast for rising, these are known as cake donuts because of their denser texture. This recipe is perfect for anyone who can’t make up their mind on their favorite donut flavor – and who can?! These smaller donut holes are wonderful for mixing and matching flavors and fillings, so give this a try to really satisfy your donut craving.
What you’ll need
- For the Donut Holes- All-purpose flour, Sugar, Baking powder, Salt, Whole milk (or 2%), Egg, and Unsalted butter. Corn oil for frying.
- Cinnamon Sugar flavor- Granulated sugar and Cinnamon
- Glaze flavor- Powdered sugar, Whole milk, and Vanilla extract
- Powdered flavor- Powdered sugar
How to Make Donut Holes in 3 Flavors
- Make the glaze and flavorings first. Mix the glaze by combining powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract in a dish. For the cinnamon sugar, mix the sugar and cinnamon in another dish. Then place the powdered sugar for the powdered donut holes in another. Set aside.
- Make the donut dough. Sift the flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt into a bowl. In a measuring cup, whisk the milk, egg, and melted butter together. Now pour the wet ingredients into the dry, and use a spatula to mix everything together well.
- Prepare the fry oil. Pour 2 inches of oil into a heavy-bottomed pot and bring the oil to 350°F. You can check this with an instant-read thermometer.
- Scoop the donut dough into the oil. Now use a cookie scoop to drop tablespoon-sized balls of dough into the hot fry oil. Fry the donuts in batches for about 2 minutes, making sure to fry both sides. Move them around with a large spoon until golden brown.
- Place them on paper towels. Once done, use a large slotted spoon to transfer the donuts to a paper towel-lined plate to absorb any excess oil.
- Dip them in the different flavors. When the donut holes have cooled slightly, dip and roll them in the 3 flavors. Let them set for a couple of minutes before serving.
Tips for the best donut holes
- Use a cookie scoop for a uniform shape- Using a cookie scoop ensures that you will have donut holes that are the same size for even cooking and ones that are uniformly round. You can also use 2 spoons to form the balls, but it’s not as exact.
- Keep the oil temperature consistent- An instant-read thermometer is the most accurate way to make sure your fry oil stays at the right temperature while you fry your donut holes. If it gets too hot, you may burn the outside, while oil that is too cool will result in ones that are greasy and undercooked.
- Fry them in batches- This recipe makes about 25 donut holes, and while frying, the dough tends to expand some. Do these in batches to avoid overcrowding and ensure they are evenly and fully cooked.
- Move the dough around as it cooks. The donut holes will not stay put as they fry, so use a large spoon to guide them and flip them so they become golden brown on all sides.
Variations on these 3 flavors
These 3 flavors for donut holes are probably the most popular, but you can try so many others. Once you’ve made your donut holes, try other glazes like a Nutella or white chocolate glaze. If you like your donut holes filled, you can’t go wrong with a strawberry jam or some custard piped inside. You can also drizzle these donut holes with caramel sauce or chocolate ganache. And let’s not forget the classic sprinkles!
How to Store these
To store homemade donut holes, place them in an airtight container. They can keep for a day at room temperature, 3-4 days in the fridge, and up to 3 months in the freezer. They will store better if you wait to add the flavors until just before serving.
What is the best way to keep donut holes fresh?
Have a few donut holes leftover and want to save them for your morning coffee? Try wrapping them in a napkin or paper towel and storing them in a paper bag. This should keep them overnight. Anything longer will require an airtight container and a fridge or freezer.
Can you Freeze donut holes?
Yes, you can freeze these donut holes. Do this once they are cooled, but before they are filled or glazed. Just place them in a freezer ziplock bag and freeze them for up to 3 months. If they are filled, wrap them tightly with plastic wrap before putting in the freezer bag.
More yummy donuts and desserts to enjoy!
- Air Fryer Donuts
- The Best Brioche Donuts Recipe
- Zeppole Recipe – Italian Donuts
- The BEST Mochi Donuts Recipe (VIDEO)
- Maple Donut Bars From Scratch
- Old Fashioned Sour Cream Donuts
Full Recipe Instructions
Homemade Donut Holes (3 flavors)
Ingredients
For the Donut Holes
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 3 Tablespoons sugar
- 4 teaspoons baking powder
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup whole milk 2% works too
- 1 large egg
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
- Corn oil for frying (or any other high smoke point oil)
Cinnamon Sugar Flavor
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
Glaze flavor
- 1 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 3 tablespoons whole milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Powdered Sugar Flavor
- 1 cup powdered sugar
Instructions
Make the glaze and other flavorings
- Start off by making the glaze or flavorings first. For the glaze, mix 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar with 3 tablespoons of whole milk and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.
- For the cinnamon sugar flavor, just mix 1/2 cup granulated sugar with 1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon. And for the powdered sugar flavor, all you need is 1 cup of powdered sugar. Then set these aside for later.
Make the donut dough
- Now start making the donuts by sifting 2 cups of all-purpose flour, 3 Tablespoons of granulated sugar, 4 teaspoons of baking powder, and 3/4 teaspoon salt into a bowl.
- Then in a separate measuring cup whisk together 1 cup milk, 1 large egg, and 6 tablespoons unsalted melted butter.
- Now pour the liquid mixture into the flour mixture. Use a spatula to give the donut dough a good mix.
Scoop and Fry the Donuts
- Now pour in about 2 inches of canola, corn, or vegetable oil into a heavy-bottomed pot. Then bring the oil temperature to 350°F. The best way to measure your oil temperature is by using an instant-read thermometer.
- Now use a cookie scoop to drop in 1 tablespoon-sized balls of the dough into the hot oil.
- Fry the doughnut holes for about 2 minutes making sure to fry both sides. They might not stay put at all times so you might need to constantly move them around with a large spoon until they become golden brown.
- Use a large slotted spoon to transfer the donuts to a plate lined with paper towels to absorb any extra oil. Once the donuts have cooled slightly roll and dip them in the different flavorings.
Notes
- Use a cookie scoop for a uniform shape- Using a cookie scoop ensures that you will have donut holes that are the same size for even cooking and ones that are uniformly round. You can also use 2 spoons to form the balls, but it’s not as exact.
- Keep the oil temperature consistent- An instant-read thermometer is the most accurate way to make sure your fry oil stays at the right temperature while you fry your donut holes. If it gets too hot, you may burn the outside, while oil that is too cool will result in ones that are greasy and undercooked.
- Fry them in batches- This recipe makes about 25 donut holes, and while frying, the dough tends to expand some. Do these in batches to avoid overcrowding and ensure they are evenly and fully cooked.
- Move the dough around as it cooks. The donut holes will not stay put as they fry, so use a large spoon to guide them and flip them so they become golden brown on all sides.
Nutrition
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Tara says
I was wondering if you have ever froze theses and if so how well do they taste once out of the freezer. Also how long do they last in the freezer or out on the counter/fridge when fresh. Thank you for your time.
Dina says
Hi Tara, you can freeze these donut holes. Do this once they are cooled, but before they are filled or glazed. Just place them in a freezer ziplock bag and freeze them for up to 3 months. If they are filled, wrap them tightly with plastic wrap before putting in the freezer bag.
Cynthia says
Yummy 😋
Definitely give this a try. Easy recipe to follow. It came out great.
Dina says
Thank you Cynthia! Glad you loved them 🙂
Carmen Joa says
How Can I unfrozen the holes? They should be warm for sugar coating, rigth?
Dina says
Hi Carmen, what exactly do you mean by unfroze the holes? I am a little confused. It’s best to roll them while they are warm.
Laura says
My husband can’t have fried foods so I was wondering if I could use the Babycakes maker.
Dina says
Hi Laura, that’s a great question. I have not tested this recipe with the baby cakes maker but I don’t see why it wouldn’t work.
Tammy Brown says
These was really good and tasty, family really enjoyed them. I would love these in a chocolate flavor. Could I add cocco for chocolate flavor? Or even add coconut for flavor?
Dina says
I am so happy to hear that Tammy! I have not tried a chocolate flavor but you can definitely add cocoa powder and coconut flavor to these!
Mark says
What size cookie scoop is recommended?
Dina says
Hi Mark, I use a medium-size cookie scoop. I hope you love this donut holes recipe! Let me know how it turns out! 🙂
Me says
Easy Fast Cool Yummy
Dina says
Happy to hear you enjoyed this donut holes recipe! 🙂
LaTonya says
The kids and I loved it! Light and fluffy, and I’m normally a person to not trust the internet so this was really a leap, so glad I took it. I might actually come back to this to try the cinnamon flavor, even though I’m not really a spice girl.
Dina says
Yay! So happy to hear you and your kids loved this donut recipe! Glad to hear your first internet recipe turned out delicious 🙂 I hope you find many more recipes on my blog to enjoy! Thank you so much for your feedback! 🙂
erik says
Have you made these in the airfryer or baked in the oven? I tried airfryng and my doughnuts were hard and dry.
simplyhomecooked says
Hi Erik, I have never made these donut holes in the air fryer so I cannot say how it will turn out without testing it out myself. Since the donut batter is quite runny, I don’t think it will “fry” similar to deep-frying in hot oil. I hope this helps.
Lorene Luckett says
lol…….