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Imagine biting into a warm, fluffy donut hole with a delightful cinnamon-sugar coating that just melts in your mouth. That’s what you get with this simple, yet scrumptious Small Batch Donut Holes recipe. This small batch recipe whips up 6 cinnamon sugar donut holes in no time, satisfying your sweet tooth without the leftover guilt. No yeast, no rolling, just pure donut deliciousness in minutes.
Explore a variety of quick and easy small batch recipes perfect for breakfast or as snacks, featuring our crispy Apple Fritters, fluffy Butter Swim Biscuits, rich Chocolate Scones, and seasonal Apple Cider Donuts.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Small Batch: No mountains of leftover donuts staring you down. Just enough to satisfy your craving.
- Super Easy: No yeast rising or fancy techniques. Just mix, fry, and sprinkle – even beginner bakers can conquer this recipe.
- Fast and Furious: Craving hit? These babies go from batter to bliss in mere minutes.
- Perfectly Portable: Pop them in a bag, pack them in a lunchbox, or share them with friends. These little pockets of joy are happy to travel.
- Frying Made Simple: No need for a deep fryer; a regular skillet works great.
RELATED: 15 Easy Dessert Recipes For One
What Are Donut Holes?
Donut holes are small, bite-sized balls of dough fried until golden brown. They’re essentially the cute, mini versions of doughnuts, minus the center hole. You won’t miss the full-size version after you try these fluffy wonders.
Ingredients
If you have any ingredients leftover from this donut holes recipe, check out our Leftover Ingredients Recipe Finder.
- Flour: Use all-purpose flour for this recipe.
- Sugar: Granulated sugar is used both in the donut batter for sweetness and mixed with cinnamon for coating.
- Baking soda: Provides the necessary lift for the donuts.
- Spices: A blend of cinnamon, nutmeg, and a pinch of salt for flavor.
- An egg yolk: Only one egg yolk is required. Save the egg white to use in one of our egg white recipes like Coconut Macaroons or Two Chocolate Cupcakes.
- Milk: Cow’s milk is used to moisten the batter, with almond milk or soy milk as an alternative.
- Butter: Melted salted butter enhances the taste.
- Oil for frying: Canola or vegetable oil is recommended for frying.
Recipe Variations
Elevate your homemade donut holes with these delightful twists:
- Glazed Donut Holes: After frying, dip in a simple vanilla glaze like the one we use in our coffee cake recipe for an extra layer of sweetness.
- Chocolate Chip Donut Holes: Fold in a few mini chocolate chips before frying for a gooey, chocolaty surprise.
- Citrus Twist: Add a half-teaspoon of lemon or orange zest to the batter for a refreshing citrus flavor.
- Pumpkin Spice Donut Holes: Swap out the cinnamon for pumpkin pie spice and add a spoonful of pumpkin puree to the batter.
RELATED: 20 Single Serving Breakfast Recipes Worth Waking Up For
How To Make Donut Holes
These step-by-step photos and instructions help you visualize how to make a small batch of donut holes. See the recipe box below for ingredient amounts and full recipe instructions.
- In a medium-sized bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, and nutmeg.
- In a smaller bowl, whisk the egg yolk, milk, and melted butter together.
- Gradually add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, stirring until they are well combined.
- Use a cookie scoop or spoon to form and gently drop balls of the batter into the hot oil.
- Cook the donut holes in the oil for 2 minutes on one side until they turn golden brown. Then, flip them over and fry for another 1 to 2 minutes to ensure even cooking on both sides.
- Using a slotted spoon, carefully lift the donut holes out of the hot oil. Place them on a plate lined with paper towels to absorb any excess oil.
- Mix 3 tablespoons of sugar with 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon in a small bowl.
- Put the warm donut holes into a paper bag, then add the cinnamon sugar mixture. Close the top of the bag by folding it, and gently shake the bag to evenly coat the donut holes with the sugar. As another option, you can individually roll each donut hole in the cinnamon sugar mixture for coating.
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Expert Tips
- Choose the Right Pot: Avoid using a small pot. Choose a deep enough skillet, like a 10-inch one that’s about 2 1/2 inches deep, ensuring the oil depth is around 1 inch. This size is ideal for even frying in small batches.
- Monitor Oil Temperature Accurately: Aim for an oil temperature of 350°F. Using a cooking thermometer is the most reliable method. Alternatively, test the oil by dropping a small bit of dough into it; if it sizzles and floats, the oil is ready. Keep an eye on the temperature, maintaining it between 350 to 360°F, and adjust the stove heat as needed.
- Drain Donut Holes Efficiently: Remove the donut holes from the oil using a slotted spoon, allowing excess oil to drain off through the spoon’s holes. Then, place them on a plate lined with paper towels for proper oil absorption. This step ensures your donut holes are not overly greasy and maintain their crispy texture.
Implementing these tips can significantly enhance the quality of your homemade donut holes, ensuring they are cooked evenly and have the perfect texture.
Serving Suggestions
Serve these homemade donut holes in creative and delicious ways:
- With a Warm Beverage: Enjoy with coffee, eggnog, or hot chocolate for a cozy snack.
- Ice Cream Pairing: Place alongside a scoop of vanilla ice cream for a decadent dessert.
- Fruit Salad Side: Complement with a Ambrosia salad for an extra sweet, fruity treat.
- Yogurt Dip: Serve with a side of Greek yogurt mixed with honey for dipping.
- Dessert Platter Feature: Include them as part of a dessert platter along with Shortbread Bites and Chocolate Covered Oreos for variety and fun.
RELATED: Single Serving Comfort Food Recipes
Frequently Asked Questions
Best enjoyed immediately, but they can be stored in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
A quick zap in the microwave or a few minutes in a warm oven works well.
Drop a pinch of dough into the oil. If it sizzles quickly and floats, the oil is ready.
Absolutely! Use a gluten-free 1:1 flour blend.
Chocolate sauce, frosting, fruit jam – the possibilities are endless!
Ways To Use Leftover Ingredients
If you have any ingredients leftover from this recipe, check out our Leftover Ingredients Recipe Finder or you might like to consider using them in any of these single serving and small batch recipes:
If you’ve tried these cinnamon sugar donut holes or any recipe on One Dish Kitchen please let me know how you liked it by rating the recipe and telling me about it in the comment section below.
If you take a picture please tag us on Instagram (@onedishkitchen) we’d love to see!
Small Batch Donut Holes
Equipment
- cookie scoop or spoon
Ingredients
- 3 cups canola or vegetable oil for frying
- ½ cup all purpose flour
- 5 tablespoons sugar , divided
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon , divided
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 large egg yolk
- ¼ cup milk
- ½ tablespoon salted butter , melted
Instructions
- Fill a 10-inch skillet with oil to a depth of 1 inch and heat it to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- While the oil is heating, prepare the batter by whisking together the flour, 2 tablespoons of the sugar, baking soda, ¼ teaspoon of the cinnamon, salt, and nutmeg in a medium sized bowl.
- In a separate smaller bowl, whisk together the egg yolk, milk, and melted butter.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir to combine.
- Once the oil is hot, use a cookie scoop or a spoon to slowly and carefully drop balls of the batter into the hot oil.
- Cook the donut holes in the oil for 2 minutes on one side until they turn golden brown. Then, flip them over and fry for another 1 to 2 minutes to ensure even cooking on both sides.
- Using a slotted spoon, carefully lift the donut holes out of the hot oil. Place them on a plate lined with paper towels to absorb any excess oil.
- Mix 3 tablespoons of sugar with ½ teaspoon of cinnamon in a small bowl.
- Put the warm donut holes into a paper bag, then add the cinnamon sugar mixture. Close the top of the bag by folding it, and gently shake the bag to evenly coat the donut holes with the sugar. As another option, you can individually roll each donut hole in the cinnamon sugar mixture for coating.
- Enjoy warm.
Notes
- Choose the Right Pot: Avoid using a small pot. Choose a deep enough skillet, like a 10-inch one that’s about 2 1/2 inches deep, ensuring the oil depth is around 1 inch. This size is ideal for even frying in small batches.
- Monitor Oil Temperature Accurately: Aim for an oil temperature of 350°F. Using a cooking thermometer is the most reliable method. Alternatively, test the oil by dropping a small bit of dough into it; if it sizzles and floats, the oil is ready. Keep an eye on the temperature, maintaining it between 350 to 360°F, and adjust the stove heat as needed.
- Drain Donut Holes Efficiently: Remove the donut holes from the oil using a slotted spoon, allowing excess oil to drain off through the spoon’s holes. Then, place them on a plate lined with paper towels for proper oil absorption. This step ensures your donut holes are not overly greasy and maintain their crispy texture.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
I used what I had on hand—brown sugar, olive oil, and a ziploc bag. Delicious. Perfect for waking up a bit earlier than normal and wanting to make something tasty but not too arduous!
Could these be air-fried instead?
Although I haven’t tested this recipe using an air fryer, other readers have used one with success.
Can these be made pumpkin flavored?
I haven’t tested this recipe with pumpkin puree so I don’t know how much you would need to add and how to alter the other ingredients, but you could definitely use a pumpkin pie spice blend in the batter instead of the spices listed in the recipe and you could roll the warm donut holes in the pumpkin pie spice too.
Wish I could give these more stars! Instead of frying them, I baked them in an Ebelskiver pan, then tossed the warm donut holes in the cinnamon sugar mixture. They were fabulous! My husband and I devoured them. I will be making these often. They are easy to make, and using my Ebelskiver pan, there is no hot oil, no splattering, no cleanup, and no leftover oil. Win, Win!
You’re welcome! (: I also wanted to say that I had 3 left over & so I put them in a Ziplock baggie & put them in the fridge & had them the next day with coffee & even though they were not warm, they tasted just as good as when I made them, the night before! Thanks again, this recipe is a keeper! (:
Just made the small batch doughnut holes. Yum! (: Totally satisfied that sweet tooth CRAVING! (:
I’m so happy you enjoyed the recipe. Thank you so much, Viola for letting me know!
Thank you, thank you, thank you. The donut holes are awesome. I have a recipe that makes 3 dozen or so. I’ve been wanting to make them but couldn’t get the recipe quite right. This is perfect! 🌷
Love this site and the FB site. You are a godsend.
Hi Carol,
Thank you so much for your kind words. I’m so happy you loved the donut holes. Thank you so much for taking the time to let me know.
Have a wonderful weekend!
Joanie
Nice recipe!
The donut holes look delicious and sound easy. I was looking at the nutrition information and I’m assuming each donut hole is 98 calories, is that correct? Thanks!
Yes Joyce, it is for one donut hole. Hope you enjoy them.