Fried Dough Recipe (Crispy Outside, Soft & Chewy Inside)

The fried dough recipe you’ve been craving brings fair-style magic to your own kitchen—thin rounds that puff in hot oil until the edges turn shatter-crisp and the centers stay soft and chewy. Dusted in cinnamon sugar while warm, each bite is sweet, nostalgic, and golden perfection.

Print Recipe

Prep Time 25

Cook Time 20

Total Time 45

Course Dessert, Snack

Cuisine American

Servings 8 rounds

Calories 320 kcal

Ingredients

Dry Ingredients

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour plus extra for dusting
2 tbsp granulated sugar
2 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp fine sea salt

Wet Ingredients

3/4 cup warm milk or water about 100–110°F / 38–43°C
1 large egg optional, for extra tenderness
2 tbsp neutral oil canola, sunflower, or grapeseed

For Frying & Finishing

4 cups neutral oil for frying 1½–2 in / 4–5 cm depth
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon to taste
2 tbsp melted butter or neutral oil for brushing, optional
powdered sugar, honey, fresh berries, or chocolate drizzle optional toppings

Instructions

Step 1 – Mix & Knead: In a bowl, whisk flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. In a cup, mix warm milk or water, egg (if using), and oil. Stir into the dry ingredients until shaggy, then knead for 2–3 minutes until smooth and soft.
Step 2 – Rest the Dough: Cover and let the dough rest at room temperature for 20–30 minutes to relax gluten.
Step 3 – Heat the Oil: Fill a heavy pot with oil to 1½–2 inches deep. Heat to 350–375°F (175–190°C), using a thermometer or test with a pinch of dough that should rise in 2–3 seconds.
Step 4 – Make Cinnamon Sugar: Combine ½ cup sugar with 1½–2 tsp cinnamon in a shallow bowl. Set aside for finishing the fried dough while warm.
Step 5 – Roll Thin & Shape: Divide the rested dough into 6–8 pieces. Roll each into a tortilla-thin round, 8–10 inches wide. Lightly dust and stack between parchment to prevent sticking.
Step 6 – Fry to Golden: Fry one dough round at a time for 60–90 seconds per side until blistered and golden. Drain on a wire rack. Brush with butter or oil, then dust with cinnamon sugar while hot.
Step 7 – Serve Warm: Serve fried dough immediately with optional toppings like powdered sugar, honey, berries, or chocolate drizzle.

Notes

Roll very thin for blistering. Use a thermometer for precise oil temperature. Dust with sugar while hot. Hold finished rounds warm in a 200°F (95°C) oven for up to 15 minutes before serving.

Keyword cinnamon sugar dough, easy fried dough, fair food dessert, fried dough recipe