Make weekend mornings extra exciting with these easy no-yeast homemade donut holes!
Kids love them, adults crave them, and they’re ready before you know it. So you never need to buy store-bought again.
And as a bonus, they come in 3 flavors: vanilla glaze, chocolate glaze, and cinnamon sugar. That way, everyone can pick their favorite!
Homemade Donut Holes
Forget early morning trips to the donut shop – make these scrumptious homemade donut holes instead!
These sweet treats are easy to make from scratch. All you need are basic baking ingredients and your flavor of choice.
Go classic with cinnamon sugar. Or indulge in decadent vanilla or chocolate glaze.
There’s no need to fuss around with yeast or wait for the dough to rise, either. Thanks to baking powder, they puff up to a wonderful cake-like texture.
Soft, chewy, and tender, these poppable bites are so much fun. And they’re perfect for birthday parties, brunches, after-school snacks, and more.
Ingredients
I bet you never knew how easy it is to make homemade glazed doughnut holes. I was surprised too!
I thought they wouldn’t be as good without the yeast. But I promise they’re more than delicious – they’re downright addictive!
Here’s what you’ll need:
For the Donut Holes:
- All-Purpose Flour – The base of the donuts. All-purpose flour is just fine.
- Granulated Sugar – For sweetening the batter.
- Baking Powder – So the donut holes get nice and fluffy!
- Salt – Add a pinch to enhance the flavor.
- Milk – Whole milk makes these donut holes delightfully tender. You could also use buttermilk.
- Unsalted Butter – Melted butter mixes better. It also adds a rich flavor.
- Egg – For structure and some rise.
- Vegetable Oil – For frying the donut holes.
For the Flavor:
- Vanilla Glaze – A blend of powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extra.
- Chocolate Glaze – A blend of powdered, sugar, cocoa powder, milk, and vanilla extract
- Cinnamon Sugar – A quick mix of granulated sugar and ground cinnamon.
Note: if you want chocolate donut holes, reduce the flour to 1 3/4 cups and add 1/4 cup of cocoa powder to the batter. I also suggest using buttermilk instead of regular to keep them moist.
How to Make Donut Holes in 3 Flavors
Believe it or not, you can have a batch of these babies on the table in under an hour.
In fact, if you devour them warm, they’re ready in just 35 minutes!
Here’s the general process. Scroll to the end for the full list of steps.
1. Mix the dry and wet ingredients separately. You’ll need two bowls to ensure everything is well blended.
2. Make the batter. Gently mix the wet and dry until just combined. Like cake batter, you don’t want to overwork it.
3. Portion and fry the batter. Drop teaspoonfuls of batter into hot oil and fry for about 2-3 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer them to a paper towel-lined plate when golden and puffy.
4. Pick the coating. These are great with a simple dusting of powdered sugar. But the glazes and cinnamon sugar options are great for variety. Roll them in cinnamon sugar right out of the pot. Otherwise, let them cool a little before glazing.
5. Serve and enjoy! I love them warm with a hot latte. But you can let them cool if you prefer. Either way, enjoy!
Tips for the Best Donut Holes
New to making homemade donut holes? These tips will help!
- Don’t overcrowd the frying pan. If you add too many at once, the oil temperature will drop, and they won’t cook evenly.
- Use a deep-fry thermometer to ensure the oil is at the right temperature.
- Shape with a cookie scoop. For uniform donut holes, scoop the dough with a mini cookie scoop. It’s the secret to getting the neatest shape!
- Guide when frying. Use a slotted spoon to move the donut holes and flip them over.
- Get creative with flavor variations! Use flavored extracts, spices, or food coloring in the dough or glazes. You could even top them with sprinkles for a birthday party!
How to Store
This donut holes recipe yields a whopping 30 servings. So unless you’re feeding a crowd, there’s a good chance you’ll have leftovers.
You know what that means, right? More for later!
Here’s how to store them:
To Store: Place leftover donut holes in an airtight container and keep at room temperature for no more than 2 days.
To Freeze: Place the cooled donut holes in a freezer-friendly bag (without any coating) and freeze for up to 3 months.
More Easy Snacks You’ll Love
Apple Cinnamon Muffins
Banana Ice Cream
Chocolate-Covered Cherries
Air Fryer Pineapple
Homemade Donut Holes
30
servings20
minutes15
minutes88
kcalMake weekend mornings extra exciting with these no-yeast homemade donut holes! Kids love them, adults crave them, and they’re ready before you know it!
Ingredients
- For the Donut Holes
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup whole milk
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 large egg
5-6 cups vegetable oil, for frying
- For the Vanilla Glaze
1 cup powdered sugar
2 tablespoons milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- For the Chocolate Glaze
1 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup cocoa powder
2 tablespoons milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- For the Cinnamon Sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
- For the Donut Holes: In a large bowl, whisk the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt until evenly distributed.
- In a separate bowl, whisk the milk, melted butter, and egg until smooth.
- Mix the wet ingredients with the dry ingredients and stir until just combined.
- Heat the oil in a deep fryer or large pot to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (175°C). Then, carefully drop teaspoonfuls of batter into the hot oil and fry until golden brown, about 2-3 minutes, turning occasionally.
- Remove the cooked donut holes with a slotted spoon and transfer them to paper towel-lined plates.
- For the Vanilla Glaze: In a small bowl, whisk the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract until smooth. Dip the cooled donut holes in the bowl, coat fully, then transfer to a wire rack to set.
- For the Chocolate Glaze: In a small bowl, whisk the powdered sugar, cocoa powder, milk, and vanilla extract until smooth. Dip the cooled donut holes in the bowl, coat fully, then transfer to a wire rack to set.
- For the Cinnamon Sugar: Mix granulated sugar and cinnamon in a shallow dish. Remove the donut holes from the oil, transfer briefly to the paper towel-lined plate to absorb any excess oil, then immediately roll them in cinnamon sugar to coat.
- Serve warm or cold, and enjoy!
Notes
- The calories are an estimate based on 30 servings. They do not include any toppings.
- For chocolate donut holes, reduce the flour to 1 3/4 cups and add 1/4 cup of cocoa powder to the batter. Also, use buttermilk instead of regular (in the same amount listed).
I love Keto foods, any changing your cook book that you have Keto respites or very low carb type of respites❓ Bob
how do you get the ball shape if you drop by spoonfuls?
Hi Faye! For uniform donut holes, scoop the dough with a mini cookie scoop. It’s the secret to getting the neatest shape!
Why can’t I save any of your recipes to Pinterest? The button only shows the pictures no recipe. Please help
Hi Sue! We’ve been having an issue with the Pinterest linking, unfortunately.
Here’s what you can do instead:
1. Copy the URL at the top of the browser for the recipe you like
2. Go to Pinterest and choose “Create a Pin”
3. Select “Save from URL” (or choose the globe icon in the bottom left corner on mobile) and paste the URL into the box.
4. From there, you pick an image, add a title, and save it to a board.
Sorry for the inconvenience, but I hope this helps!!
Yes I was able to save the recipe but I hope y’all get the linking to Pinterest fix because all these steps are a lot!! But thank you for help and the quick reply.