Fried Dough (Fair-Style)

Name: Fried Dough (Fair-Style)
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 95 min
Yield: 5 rounds
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for the counter; 1 1/2 tbsp brown sugar; 2 1/4 tsp instant yeast; 1/2 tsp salt; 1/2 cup warm water; 1 tbsp vegetable oil, plus more for the bowl; 1 large egg; Vegetable oil, for frying; 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, melted; Powdered sugar, for dusting

10 ingredients · 10 steps · 1 hr 35 min

By Melis · developed and cooked in our studio kitchen

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Fair-style fried dough: a soft yeasted dough with an egg, rolled into rounds, fried until puffy and golden, brushed with melted butter and dusted with powdered sugar. Total time: 1 hr 35 min.

Fried dough is the classic fair treat: a soft yeasted dough rolled into rounds and fried in hot oil until puffed and golden. This version adds an egg and a little brown sugar to the dough, and it takes about 1 1/2 hours, most of it rising time.

While the rounds are still warm, they get a brush of melted butter and a heavy dusting of powdered sugar. The batch makes 5 large rounds, so it is easy to fry at home in one pot.

How long do you fry fried dough?

Fry each round for about 1 minute per side in oil heated to 365°F (185°C), until puffed and golden. Drain it on paper towels, then brush with melted butter and dust with powdered sugar while it is warm.

Why is my fried dough greasy?

Greasy fried dough usually means the oil was not hot enough. Keep it at 365°F (185°C) with a thermometer and fry one round at a time so the temperature does not drop. Oil that is too hot browns the outside before the inside cooks through.

Can you make fried dough with pizza dough?

Yes. Store-bought pizza dough is a good shortcut, though it has no egg or sugar, so it fries up a little less rich. Let it come to room temperature first so it rolls out easily, then divide, roll and fry it the same way.

Do you put butter on fried dough?

In this recipe, yes. Brush the warm rounds with melted butter right after frying, then dust them with powdered sugar. The butter helps the sugar stick.

How do you store fried dough?

Fried dough is best eaten within an hour of frying. If you want to get ahead, refrigerate the unfried dough overnight and fry it fresh the next day.

Ingredient notes and swaps

Keep the oil at 365°F (185°C) with a thermometer. Too cool and the dough turns greasy, too hot and it browns before cooking through.

Use warm water, not hot. Water that feels hot to the touch can slow down or kill the yeast.

How to make Fried Dough (Fair-Style)

Step 1
Whisk the flour, brown sugar, yeast and salt in a large bowl.
Step 2
In a second bowl, whisk the warm water, oil and egg until combined.
Step 3
Pour the egg mixture into the flour mixture and stir with a spatula until a shaggy dough forms.
Step 4
Turn the dough onto a lightly floured counter and knead for about 5 minutes, until smooth and soft. A bench scraper helps lift it while it is still sticky.
Step 5
Brush a clean bowl with oil, add the dough and cover with plastic wrap. Let it rise in a warm place for about 1 hour, until doubled.
Step 6
Press the dough down and turn it onto a floured counter. Cut it into 5 equal pieces and roll each one into a ball.
Step 7
Roll each ball with a rolling pin into a thin round, about 6 inches (15 cm) across.
Step 8
Heat 2 inches (5 cm) of oil in a heavy pot to 365°F (185°C).
Step 9
Fry the rounds one at a time for about 1 minute per side, until puffed and golden. Drain on paper towels.
Step 10
Brush the warm rounds with melted butter, dust generously with powdered sugar and serve right away.

Tips and storage

Use a heavy, deep pot and keep the oil well below the rim, so there is room for bubbling when the dough goes in. Keep a lid nearby, and never pour water on hot oil.

Lower each round into the oil by laying it away from you. This keeps any splashes on the far side of the pot.

If a ball springs back while you roll it, cover it and let it rest for a few minutes. The dough relaxes and the round holds its size.

Let the oil come back to 365°F (185°C) between rounds. Roll the next one while you wait, so each round goes straight from the counter into the oil.

Variation: instead of powdered sugar, brush the buttered rounds with a drizzle of honey or a spoonful of jam. When you are done, let the oil cool completely in the pot before you strain or discard it.

Fried dough is best eaten within an hour. Unfried dough can be refrigerated overnight.

Recipe