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These small batch donut holes are soft, fluffy, and coated in cinnamon sugar. Made with simple ingredients and fried until golden brown, they’re an easy homemade treat ready in minutes.
Featured Comment
“Thank you, thank you, thank you. The donut holes are awesome.”
– Carol
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Quick and Fuss-Free: No yeast or rising and ready in minutes.
- Small-Batch Perfection: Just enough to satisfy without leftover temptation.
- Soft, Fluffy, and Irresistible: Bite-sized, pillowy inside with a crispy-edge finish.
- Easy to Customize: Roll in cinnamon sugar, drizzle with glaze, or dip in chocolate.
- No Special Tools Required: Made with simple pantry ingredients and a skillet.
I love making these small batch donut holes because they’re quick, fun, and taste just like the ones from a bakery.
Each little bite is soft on the inside with a crisp golden exterior, and I enjoy tossing them in cinnamon sugar while they’re still warm. It’s the perfect treat when I want something homemade and sweet without making a full batch of donuts.
Looking for more quick and easy small batch breakfast recipes? Try our small batch apple fritters, rich butter swim biscuits, small batch chocolate scones, and small batch apple cider donuts.
Ingredients
If you have any ingredients leftover from this small batch donut holes recipe, check out our Leftover Ingredients Recipe Finder.
- Flour: Use all-purpose flour.
- Sugar: Granulated sugar sweetens the batter and combines with cinnamon for the coating.
- Baking Soda: Helps the donut holes rise.
- Spices: Cinnamon, nutmeg, and a pinch of salt add flavor.
- Egg Yolk: Use 1 egg yolk. Save the white for another egg white recipe like small batch coconut macaroons, mini angel food cake, or small batch chocolate cupcakes.
- Milk: Whole milk works best, though almond or soy milk can be used.
- Butter: Melted salted butter adds richness.
- Oil for Frying: Use canola or vegetable oil.
Recipe Variations
Try these simple ways to change up your homemade donut holes:
- Glazed Donut Holes: Dip the fried donuts in a vanilla glaze, like the one in our small coffee cake recipe for extra sweetness.
- Chocolate Chip Donut Holes: Stir in mini chocolate chips before frying for a gooey chocolate center.
- Citrus Donut Holes: Mix in 1/2 teaspoon lemon or orange zest for a bright, refreshing flavor.
- Pumpkin Spice Donut Holes: Use pumpkin pie spice instead of cinnamon and add a spoonful of pumpkin puree to the batter.
- Chocolate-Dipped Donut Holes: Once cooled slightly, dip the tops into melted chocolate for a rich, decadent finish.
How To Make Donut Holes
These 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 bowl, mix the flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, and nutmeg.
- In a separate small bowl, whisk together the egg yolk, milk, and melted butter.
- Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and stir until combined.
- Using a cookie scoop or spoon, drop small balls of batter into the hot oil.
- Fry the donut holes for 2 minutes until golden on one side, then flip and cook another 1 to 2 minutes until evenly browned.
- Remove donut holes with a slotted spoon and place on a paper towel–lined plate to drain.
- In a small bowl, mix 3 tablespoons sugar with 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon.
- While warm, place donut holes in a paper bag with the cinnamon sugar, fold the top, and shake to coat. Or, roll each donut hole in the mixture individually.
Expert Tips
- Use the Right Pot: Choose a skillet about 10 inches wide and 2 1/2 inches deep with 1 inch of oil for even frying.
- Check Oil Temperature: Keep the oil at 350–360°F. Use a thermometer or test with a small bit of dough, it should sizzle and float. Adjust heat as needed.
- Drain Properly: Lift donut holes out with a slotted spoon and place on a paper towel–lined plate to absorb excess oil.
Frequently Asked Questions
Neutral oils like canola or vegetable oil are best since they can handle high heat and don’t add extra flavor.
It’s best to fry donut holes right after mixing the batter, as baking soda loses its effectiveness if the batter sits too long.
Maintain the oil temperature between 350°F and 360°F. Too low and they’ll absorb oil; too high and they’ll burn.
They’re best enjoyed the day they’re made but can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.
Yes. Freeze them after frying and cooling. Reheat in the oven at 350°F for 8–10 minutes until warmed through.
RELATED: 20 Single Serving Breakfast Recipes
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
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
- Heat 1 inch of oil in a 10-inch skillet to 350°F.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, 2 tablespoons sugar, baking soda, 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon, salt, and nutmeg.
- In a small bowl, whisk the egg yolk, milk, and melted butter.
- Stir the wet mixture into the dry ingredients until combined.
- Carefully drop spoonfuls of batter into the hot oil using a cookie scoop or spoon.
- Fry for 2 minutes until golden on one side, then flip and cook 1–2 minutes more.
- Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on a paper towel–lined plate.
- Mix 3 tablespoons sugar with 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon in a small bowl.
- While warm, place donut holes in a paper bag with the cinnamon sugar, fold, and shake to coat or roll them individually in the mixture.
Notes
- Use the Right Pot: Choose a skillet about 10 inches wide and 2 1/2 inches deep with 1 inch of oil for even frying.
- Check Oil Temperature: Keep the oil at 350–360°F. Use a thermometer or test with a small bit of dough, it should sizzle and float. Adjust heat as needed.
- Drain Properly: Lift donut holes out with a slotted spoon and place on a paper towel–lined plate to absorb excess oil.
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.
The donut holes where so delicious so easy to make!