These Doughboys aka Fried Dough, are delicious small pieces of dough fried and then coated in sugar. Enjoy them as an after-school snack or breakfast treat.
Easier to make than you might think, these Doughboys are a delicious treat and can be enjoyed a variety of ways.
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I grew up eating these as a kid. And if you’re a native Rhode Islander, chances are you did as well.
Grandma made them a lot when I was growing up and I always looked forward to this special treat.
SAVE THIS DOUGHBOY AKA FRIED DOUGH TO YOUR FAVORITE PINTEREST BOARD!
Many people around the country call this Fried Dough. I have no idea why people in Rhode Island have another name for them.
You can also find them at carnivals and fairs. But they’re so easy to make at home that you won’t even need to go to a carnival just to get one.
When I made them originally, I used half the dough from my Grandma’s Italian Bread recipe. They turned out perfectly.
There is more sugar in this Doughboy recipe than there is in the Italian Bread, but since they are covered in sugar, you won’t really miss it in the dough.
So talking about these Doughboys has me thinking about all things fried and how much I love the stuff!
I’m seriously drooling over this Fried Cookie Dough that Maegan of The Bakermama has on her blog. Just look at the way it oozes! YUM!!
If you’re looking for a cultural dessert fried dough recipe, give this Turkish Lokma recipe a try. Zerrin at Give Recipe shares this popular treat that’s coated in a sugar syrup. She says they are popular at weddings, funerals and are even served at the beach during the summer.
Jocelyn has made these Castagnole which are fried dough balls that are native to Italy. She serves them with a Strawberry Rhubarb Compote and they look like they’d just melt in your mouth!
Tips for making this Doughboy recipe –
- It’s going to be difficult to wait, but the dough will need to rise. Allow it to do so for at least two hours before proceeding.
- Use a candy thermometer like this one. I like it because it has a clip that holds it to the side of the pot, so you don’t have to keep testing it yourself.
- Do your best to keep the oil at a temperature of 360° F, but definitely no more than 400° F.
The last thing you want is to eat a doughboy that’s been cooked in burnt oil. BLECH! - Peanut oil is the preferred oil of choice because of taste, but canola or vegetable oil can be used as well.
- If the dough should bubble, and you’d prefer them to remain flat: gently place dough into the oil, cook for 10-15 seconds then flip to cook for two minutes. Turn dough over to cook for an additional two minutes on the other side.
- You can finish them however you’d like. Doughboys are equally delicious coated with granulated sugar, a cinnamon sugar mixture or dusted with powdered sugar. It’s your choice.
Doughboys are great covered in a variety of sugar toppings and I honestly love them all.
Below is one with a cinnamon sugar mixture. It’s easiest to coat the doughboy and remove some of the oil by placing the cinnamon sugar in a brown paper bag and then shaking it to coat.
Oh, my gosh, doesn’t it make you just want to bite into one right now??
I sure do!
The powdered sugar topping is delicious, too and that’s the way the fried dough is usually served at carnivals. I like it a lot, but I sometimes inhale the powdered sugar and choke on it.
That I don’t like!
Doughboys
Ingredients
- 2 ¼ teaspoons dry yeast
- ¾ cup warm water
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup warm water
- ½ cup sugar
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 tablespoon shortening
- 2 cups peanut oil
Coatings
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- ¾ teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ cup Powdered sugar
- brown paper bag
Instructions
- Dissolve yeast in 3/4 cup warm water.
- Add the remaining cup of water, 3 cups of the flour, sugar, salt, and shortening.
- Mix together with a fork and then gradually add the remaining 1 cup of flour.
- On a lightly floured surface, knead the dough for about 5 minutes.
- Transfer dough to a well-greased bowl. Roll the dough to coat with oil, cover with a clean tea towel and let rise for about 2 hours.
- Divide dough until you have 8 4-ounce balls of dough. They should be slightly smaller than a tennis ball.
- In a large pot or 12” heavy-bottomed skillet, pour in the peanut oil. Using a candy thermometer, heat oil to 360° F. An electric fryer can also be used.
- Flatten one ball of dough so that it is about ¼-inch thick. Gently place into the oil and cook for about two minutes on each side or until lightly golden. Do not overcook.
- Remove from oil with tongs and place onto a plate lined with a paper towel.
- Put 1/3 cup granulated sugar and ¾ teaspoon cinnamon into a brown paper bag. Remove doughboy from oil and place into a brown paper. Shake to remove excess oil and coat in cinnamon sugar mixture.
- They can also be dusted with confectioners’ sugar before serving. Add a sprinkle of cinnamon, if desired.
Notes
Nutrition
If you enjoy these Doughboys, then you might enjoy…
Easy Lemon Cake
O’Henry Bars
Cinnamon Roll Layer Cake
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Comments & Reviews
Stacie says
Can I make these without the yeast. I want them flat?
Lynne says
Stacie, I’ve never made them without the yeast. You can give it a try, but I am not sure how they will turn out.
Lisa Goodinson says
Do you add the 1/2 cup sugar into flour with salt?
Lynne says
Lisa, I just updated the recipe to make it clearer. Sorry for the confusion.
Yes, you will add the ½ cup in step 2 with the remaining cup of water, 3 cups of the flour, salt, and shortening.
Thanks for asking and hop you like them!
Jonathan Craig Klukan says
Has anyone used these for things like Sloppy Joe’s? My grandmother used to make something like this. They would puff up… then she would split one end open and fill it with the Sloppy Joe filling
Lynne says
Jonathan, those sound delicious and your grandmother may have made Fry Bread for that. These Doughboys do have sugar mixed in the dough as well on them, so not sure if you’d want to use them with a sloppy Joe mix. I would suggest Googling a Fry Bread recipe and go with the one that has the most reviews.