Mardi Gras Fried Dough Sugar (Printer-friendly)

Golden fried dough squares, dusted with sugar and cinnamon, perfect for festive indulgence and warm celebrations.

# What you'll need:

→ Dough

01 - 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
02 - 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
03 - 1 teaspoon baking powder
04 - ½ teaspoon salt
05 - 2 large eggs
06 - ⅔ cup whole milk, room temperature
07 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
08 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

→ For Frying

09 - 4 cups vegetable oil

→ Topping

10 - 1 cup granulated sugar
11 - 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

# Method:

01 - Whisk together flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large mixing bowl until evenly distributed.
02 - Beat eggs in a separate bowl, then whisk in milk, melted butter, and vanilla extract until fully incorporated.
03 - Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and stir until a soft dough forms. Add additional flour 1 tablespoon at a time if dough is too sticky to handle.
04 - Turn dough onto a floured surface and knead gently for 2–3 minutes until smooth and elastic.
05 - Roll dough to ¼ inch thickness. Cut into 3 x 3 inch squares or diamond shapes using a knife or pastry cutter.
06 - Heat vegetable oil in a deep fryer or heavy pot to 350°F.
07 - Fry dough pieces in batches, turning once, until puffed and golden brown on both sides, approximately 2–3 minutes per side.
08 - Remove fried pieces with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.
09 - Toss warm fried dough in granulated sugar mixed with cinnamon until thoroughly coated on all sides.
10 - Serve immediately while warm for optimal texture and flavor.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The dough comes together in under fifteen minutes but tastes like you spent all day channeling Louisiana bakery magic
  • These fry up golden and impossibly light, with that satisfying puff that happens when hot oil meets proper dough chemistry
  • The sugar coating creates this incredible crunch-then-melt sensation that makes them impossible to stop eating
02 -
  • Oil temperature is everything—too cold and you'll get greasy, heavy dough; too hot and they'll burn before cooking through
  • Let the dough rest for 10 minutes after cutting if you have time. This relaxes the gluten and makes for lighter, puffier results
  • The sugar coating only sticks properly when the dough is still warm, so work quickly and don't let them cool completely first
03 -
  • Keep a small bowl of water nearby to dip your fingers in if the dough starts sticking while cutting
  • The second batch always fries better than the first—that's when the oil temperature stabilizes perfectly

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