Homemade Mini Donuts

Learn how to make mini donuts(or doughnuts) with this super fun recipe. The mini donuts are made with an overnight brioche donut dough, then cut out into mini doughnuts, deep fried, and tossed cinnamon sugar. This post is full of tips and tricks, a list of tools, and reader FAQs to help you successfully make these mini donuts at home

Hi hi! Just popping in to share this recipe with you for mini donuts with cinnamon sugar. This recipe is a few years old now and so I have just updated the post with some tips and tricks for deep frying at home. Made from scratch donut recipes are much easier than they seem.

This mini donut recipe is one of favourite things to make. Mini donuts are super fun, and it always feels like you have a tiny donut shop of your very own at home when you make hot, fresh mini donuts. I just use my regular brioche dough, which I do an overnight rise on to make it nice and easy to roll out. All you need to to then is roll out the dough, cut out your mini donuts, and fry until perfectly golden.

I finished these mini donuts with cinnamon sugar, similar to these Classic cinnamon sugar donuts, but the options really are endless. You can make a big batch and glaze some, toss some in other flavoured sugars, add sprinkes, etc etc. We love these and I hope that you do too!

How to make Mini Donuts

These Mini donuts are super, super easy to make.

1. Make the mini donut dough. I like to do an overnight rise for this mini donut dough but you can do it all in one day too. See FAQ for notes but chilled dough is super easy to work with and much better when it comes to cutting out the donuts. If you would like to make a smaller batch of donuts, you can use my small batch brioche recipe which I use to make my Nutella Donuts.
2. Roll out the mini donut dough. Roll the dough on a floured surface.
3. Cut out the mini donuts. Cut out the donuts using a round cutter, then make the middle hole. I used a metal milkshake straw.
4. Rise the mini donuts. I rise the donuts just lightly covered on a sheet pan. While they are rising, preheat the oil.
5. Fry the mini donuts. Fry the donuts in batches until perfectly golden. I like to do one tester first just to check my frying time.
6. Toss in cinnamon sugar. I made these into cinnamon sugar mini donuts, so after frying, just popped them into some cinnamon sugar and gave them a good toss.

Should Donuts be baked or fried?

Baked and fried donuts are completely different things, as far as I am concerned. A baked donut generally is more of a cake batter, and is made in a donut pan. A fried donut is freeform, and can be either made from a dough like these brioche donuts, or from a batter such as crullers.

If you bake brioche donuts, they are no longer donuts. They are bread rolls. Frying the dough gives a very specific texture and flavor to donuts.

The same goes with an air fryer - an air fryer is basically a small convection oven. Air fryer donuts are in the same category as a baked donut. If you want to make air fryer donuts I suggest you use an air fryer donut recipe that is developed for that specific appliance.

Strawberry Mini Donuts

I finished off my mini donuts with cinnamon sugar, but the best part is that with donuts, you can finish them any way that you like!

I also love to make a strawberry sugar by combining about 250g granulated sugar with 1 Tbsp freeze dried strawberry or other fruit powder. Toss the donuts in the strawberry sugar the same way you would with the cinnamon sugar.

How to deep fry mini donuts at home

I have been using a deep fryer for the last few years, but deep frying at home doesn't need to be intimidating. All you need is a pot with some oil and a thermometer. Ideally a heavy bottomed pot such as a dutch oven works great. Cast iron retains heat well so will help to keep your oil at a steady temperature without too much fluctuation.

Set up your oil in your pan, making sure that it is deep enough for the mini donuts to float. It will take a little time to heat up so make sure you account for that. I like to turn mine on when I first start rising the mini donuts and then turn it off so it is partially heated when it comes time to bring it to temperature.

Measure the temperature using a thermometer with the probe in the middle of the oil. Don't rest it on the bottom of the pan as it will give a false reading. Do a quick check between each batch to ensure that it is at the correct temperature.

Can Frying Oil be reused?

Yes, if the oil from making these mini donuts is still clean, you can re-use it. Just strain it back into the bottle once it has cooled and replace the lid. Store in a cool, dark place until ready to use again. I can usually get 2-3 uses at least out of oil, and usually make fried fish just as a good way to use it up after making doughnuts.

Just make sure to only use oil for donuts that hasn't been used for anything else super flavourful - nobody wants fried fish donuts.

What is the best oil for deep frying?
When you are deep frying, like with these mini donuts, you want to use an oil with a relatively high smoke point. I usually use something neutral. A neutral oil means something that is tasteless. A neutral oil such as canola oil, vegetable oil, rice bran oil, or extra light tasting olive oil (just check the smoke point) is great for deep frying.

How much oil do you need for deep frying?

The amount of oil that you need for deep frying depends on the size of your vessel. You want the oil to be deep enough that the donuts can float. A safe bet would be to check the thickness of the donuts when you are cutting them out and have a minimum of 2-3 times the thickness of the donut as the depth of the oil in your pan.

What is the best pan to use for deep frying?
If you are deep frying at home, a good heavy bottomed pot is super helpful. I love using a cast iron dutch oven, which helps to preserve the heat and prevents large fluctuations in your oil temperature. If your oil is too cool the mini donuts will soak up the oil, and if it is too hot then they will cook too much on the outside before they have a chance to cook throughout.

So if you are deep frying at home, I really recommend getting a cast iron dutch oven or a heavy bottomed pot. Lodge, Staub, and Le Creuset all make them at a range of price points and they are amazing for so many things!

Frequently Asked Questions

Can Donuts be made all in the same day?
Yes! Chilled dough is certainly easier to work with but you can make these all in one day if you like. You could also do a same day cold rise and put the dough in the fridge for a minimum of 2 hours to rise. Kick start it for 10 minutes or so on the counter first.

How do I avoid dents in donuts?
The way I like to do this is by cutting parchment paper squares. I put a few doughnuts on each one. That way when it comes to frying you can just drop the whole thing into the oil and remove the parchment, and avoid your fingers making dents in the dough when you drop the donuts in.

What deep fryer do you use?
I use a breville smart fryer, which I really love. A deep fryer definitely isn't necessary, but it does make it feel like you have a tiny donut shop!

What is the best tool to make donut holes?
I used a metal milkshake straw to make the holes in the middle of my mini donuts, but you can also use a round piping tip to make the hole too - anything with a small round hole will work.

Why are my donuts tough?
This could be due to a few things - either your oil temperature isn't hot or cool enough, or you over or under proofed the donut dough, meaning that it did not puff up in the oil. Check the oil temperature before each batch and make sure the donuts are properly proofed when you fry them.

How do you store donuts?
Donuts are best eaten on the day that they are made. If you eat them after the day you make them, I highly suggest briefly refreshing in the microwave and tossing in some fresh cinnamon sugar.

Can I use instant yeast in this recipe?
Yes, it is a 1:1 sub for active dry yeast, except you can skip the activation time and add it in along with the dry ingredients.

More Donut Recipes:

• Earl Grey Doughnut Bites with Earl Grey Glaze
• Pastry Cream Filled Mini Brioche Doughnuts
• Salted Caramel Milk Chocolate Ganache Filled Brioche Doughnuts
• Honey and Vanilla Bean Doughnuts Two Ways
• Brioche Doughnuts with Roasted Strawberry and Pastry Cream

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