Crispy Golden Fried Dough (Printable Version)

Warm, crispy dough fried golden, dusted with sugar or honey for a perfect nostalgic treat.

# What You'll Need:

→ Dough

01 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 2 teaspoons baking powder
03 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
04 - 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
05 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
06 - 3/4 cup whole milk

→ For Frying

07 - 2 cups vegetable oil

→ Toppings

08 - 1/2 cup powdered sugar or granulated sugar
09 - Honey, for drizzling (optional)

# Cooking Steps:

01 - In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar.
02 - Cut in the softened butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
03 - Gradually add milk, mixing until a soft dough forms.
04 - Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead gently for one minute.
05 - Divide dough into eight equal portions. Pat or roll each into a round disc about 1/4 inch thick.
06 - Heat vegetable oil in a deep skillet or heavy pot to 350°F.
07 - Fry each disc for 1 to 2 minutes per side until golden brown and puffed. Avoid overcrowding the pan.
08 - Transfer fried dough to a paper towel-lined plate to drain.
09 - While warm, dust with powdered or granulated sugar, or drizzle with honey as desired. Serve immediately.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It's ready in under 30 minutes, and most of that is just waiting for oil to heat.
  • The dough comes together in your hands without any fussy techniques or special equipment.
  • Eight pieces means you can eat one warm and share the rest, or hide them and sneak them later.
02 -
  • Oil temperature is everything—get a reliable thermometer and check it before frying, because even 10 degrees makes the difference between crispy and greasy.
  • Fry in small batches so the temperature stays steady; each new piece of dough cools the oil, and multiple pieces at once can cause a dangerous temperature drop.
03 -
  • Keep the dough discs uniform in thickness so they all fry in the same amount of time—no undercooked or burnt pieces.
  • Have your sugar or honey ready before you start frying; the moment they come out of the oil is when they're most receptive to toppings and most delicious to eat.
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