County Fair Fried Dough With Yeast

Five fried bread dough pieces stacked on a plate

4.79 from 14 votes. Tap stars to vote

Treat your family to one of my favorite New England county fair snacks! My Fried Dough recipe made with yeast is a from-scratch snack that fries up on your stove-top. Drizzle the fragrant, golden-brown Fried Dough with powdered sugar and maple syrup!

Prep Time20

Cook Time30

Rising time2

Total Time2 50

Course: Bread, Dessert, Snack, Summer Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings: servings

Calories: 406kcal

Author: Nancy Mock

Equipment

2 - 3 quart heavy duty pot for frying, like a cast iron or enameled cast iron pot.
Slotted metal spoon, spatula or tongs
Pastry brush or other brush for spreading butter

Ingredients

Dough:

3 cups all-purpose flour plus extra for working with the dough
⅓ cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons active dry yeast
2 teaspoons salt
1 cup water (8 ounces)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil (plus more for frying - see below)

Frying:

4 cups vegetable oil for frying

Toppings:

¼ cup butter, melted
my favorite toppings: confectioners' sugar, pure Vermont maple syrup, honey, chocolate syrup, and fruit sauces

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Make the dough:

Whisk together the 3 cups all-purpose flour, ⅓ cup granulated sugar, 2 teaspoons active dry yeast, and 2 teaspoons salt in the bowl of a mixer.
Add in the 1 cup water and the 2 tablespoons vegetable oil. Place the dough hook on your mixer and mix the dough together on medium-low speed.
Scrape down the sides a few times as necessary, and mix the dough for 4 to 7 minutes—until it gathers around the dough hook.
If the dough seems too sticky and is not gathering around the hook, add up to ¼ cup of additional flour. If the dough seems too dry, sprinkle in a tablespoon at a time of water as it finishes to bring it together.
Grease a large mixing bowl, and scrape the dough into it. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Place the bowl in a warm, draft-free place for 1½ to 2 hours, until the dough has doubled in size.

Heat the oil:

Line a cooling rack or plate with paper towels, and place this near your cook top. Have a metal slotted spoon or spatula ready.
When the dough has finished rising, pour 4 cups vegetable oil for frying into a large, heavy-duty pot—like a cast iron or enameled cast iron pot. Heat the oil over medium-high heat: you want the oil to reach a temperature of 350° F, so check the oil often with a thermometer.

While the oil heats, prepare the dough:

Lightly flour a work surface, and keep a little extra flour nearby. Tip the dough onto the floured surface. Sprinkle the top with flour, then roll out the dough. It doesn't have to be super thin—aim for ½ to ¾ of an inch thick.
Use a knife or pizza cutter to cut the dough into about 10 equal-sized pieces.

Fry the dough:

When the oil is ready at 350° F, get one of your pieces of dough. If it's sticky, dust the dough and your fingers with a little flour to make it easier to handle.
Give the dough piece a few gentle stretches. Carefully lay the piece of dough in the oil—it should immediately begin to puff as the oil bubbles around it.
Use your slotted spoon, spatula, or tongs to move the dough in the oil, turning it as you see the underside begin to brown. Continue frying and turning the dough until it is browned on all sides: this should take 2 to 2½ minutes.
Remove the dough from the oil to the paper towel-lined rack.
Continue frying the other pieces of dough this way. Check the temperature of the oil frequently as you fry to maintain the temp of 350° F, and adjust the heat under your pan as needed.
If the oil is way too hot, carefully slide the pan off the burner for a minute or two to help bring the temperature down.

Brush with butter:

When all the pieces have been fried, brush the fried dough with ¼ cup butter, melted—no matter what other toppings you add, this is key for the moisture and flavor it adds.

Toppings suggestions:

Try one of my favorite toppings: confectioners' sugar, pure Vermont maple syrup, honey, chocolate syrup, and fruit sauces. Spoon them over the tops of the buttered fried dough.
Enjoy the warm dough immediately. Makes about 10 pieces. Leftover dough can be stored covered at room temperature for a day or two.

OPTION: use pre-made dough

If your pre-made dough is refrigerated, place it in a greased bowl, cover it, and let it come to room temperature before preparing the oil. Frozen dough should be allowed to thaw in the fridge, and then brought to room temperature.

OPTION: save your oil

You can save and reuse your cooking oil for your next batch of fried dough or other fried food. Let the oil cool, then pour it through a paper towel-lined strainer to removed the solids. Save the oil in a closed bottle or other container.

Notes

Maintaining the proper oil temp is key to getting great fried dough. Heat the oil to a temperature of 350° F, and adjust the heat as you cook to maintain this temp. A thermometer is the best way to get the temperature you need—use a digital thermometer like this one.
Melted butter brushed on the hot fried dough gives a crucial (and delicious!) flavor. After the butter, you can add your favorite fried dough toppings.
This recipe has not been tested with an air fryer.

Nutrition