Deep Fried Vanilla Dough with Sugar Icing

Introduction

Deep-fried vanilla dough made with boiling water, flour, and eggs gives you crullers with a light shell and a tender center. The rings fry at 375°F and finish with thin confectioners’ sugar icing, so you get a bakery-style treat without a yeast rise or long rest.

Recipe Details

• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 20 minutes
• Total Time: 40 minutes
• Servings: 6

Ingredients

• ¼ cup (60 ml) granulated sugar
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ cup (60 ml) shortening
• 1 cup (240 ml) boiling water
• 1 cup (240 ml) sifted all purpose flour
• 3 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla powder (use half this amount if you prefer less rich vanilla flavor)
• Fat for deep frying
• Thin icing made from confectioners' sugar

Instructions

1. Combine sugar, salt, shortening, and boiling water in a saucepan. Mix and bring to a rapid boil.
2. Mix in flour all at once, and cook until thickened, stirring constantly. Remove from heat.
3. Cool dough slightly. Beat in eggs one at a time, beating thoroughly after each addition. Add vanilla.
4. Transfer the dough to a pastry bag fitted with a medium-large round tip. Pipe dough into rings on greased parchment paper.
5. Heat enough fat for deep frying to 375°F (195°C).
6. Carefully turn parchment paper upside down so crullers will drop into fat. Deep fry until golden brown all over, flipping to cook both sides.
7. Remove crullers from fat, and place on paper towels to drain and cool.
8. Ice crullers with thin confectioners' sugar icing.

Variations

• Replace the vanilla powder (use half this amount if you prefer less rich vanilla flavor) with finely ground almonds (use 1–2 tbsp for subtle flavor; add more if desired) if you want a sharper, more pronounced bakery-style flavor.
• Replace the shortening with unsalted butter for a richer taste; the crullers will be slightly less crisp on the outside.
• Change the piping step and pipe short strips instead of rings if you want a simpler shape that is easier to turn in the fryer.
• Replace the thin confectioners’ sugar icing with cinnamon sugar on the warm crullers for a drier finish and a bit more surface crunch.
• Use a neutral vegetable oil for the fat for deep frying if you want the vanilla flavor to stay front and center.

Tips for Success

• After you add the flour all at once, keep stirring until the dough forms a thick mass and pulls cleanly from the saucepan.
• Cool the dough slightly before adding the eggs so they emulsify into the paste instead of cooking on contact.
• Beat in each egg thoroughly before adding the next one; the dough should look smooth and glossy, not separated.
• Keep the frying fat at 375°F (195°C) and avoid crowding the pan, or the crullers can absorb excess fat.
• Fry until the crullers are evenly golden brown all over; pale spots usually mean the center is still undercooked.

Storage and Reheating

These crullers are best the day you fry them. Store leftovers in an airtight container lined with paper towels at room temperature for up to 1 day or in the fridge for up to 2 days.

For longer storage, freeze uniced crullers in a freezer-safe container or bag for up to 1 month. Iced crullers can be frozen, but the glaze will turn sticky and the texture will soften as they thaw.

Reheat in a 300°F oven for 5 to 7 minutes, uncovered, until warmed through and slightly crisp again. Avoid the microwave if you want to keep the exterior from going soft.

FAQ

Can you make the dough ahead of time?

You can make the dough a few hours ahead and keep it covered in the fridge. Let it sit briefly so it is easier to pipe before frying.

Why did the crullers turn greasy?

The frying fat was likely below 375°F (195°C), or the pan was crowded. Lower temperature makes the dough absorb fat before the outside sets.

Do you need to use greased parchment paper?

Yes, it makes the soft piped rings much easier to transfer without deflating or stretching them. Cutting the parchment into individual squares also helps.

Are these dairy-free?

They can be, as long as your shortening, frying fat, and confectioners’ sugar icing are dairy-free. If you swap in butter for the shortening, they are no longer dairy-free.