County Fair Fried Dough
From KAF...So, you think you need a deep fryer and some kind of special county fair chef expertise to make fried dough? Think again! This easy version uses a simple baking powder dough, and fries in just 1/4" of vegetable oil — no messy deep frying necessary.
Tips from our bakers
Peanut oil is our favorite deep-frying oil; it has a higher smoke point, and neutral flavor.
Want to make fried dough with King Arthur Unbleached Self-Rising Flour? Omit the recipe's baking powder and salt; and decrease the water to 1/2 to 2/3 cup, enough to make a soft (but not sticky) dough.
Reviews...
06/20/2015
diane108 from KAF Community
Excellent dessert, or appetizer! Can be made sweet or savory since there is no sugar in the dough. We had ours topped with strawberries and whipped cream. Yum! My husband said it tasted like Belgian waffles and they actually did (the real ones from the 1963 World's Fair :-) I added 1 egg since I wanted to use my last egg for something, but I'm sure it didn't affect the tasted/texture much. These are light and airy but more substantial than a funnel cake, so they seem more like food.
06/14/2015
Susan from Alaska
I use this exact recipe with the addition of 1/2 cup of instant nonfat dry milk to make Navajo Tacos. These are the base and I top them with a beef or pork,onion, chicken broth, navy bean, and chili seasons recipe. I serve it with salsa, sour cream and ripe tomatoes.
03/31/2015
lali g from marietta, oh
So easy to make. Always exactly what i want, to feel like im eating at a fair. Spot on perfect 10!!!
03/29/2015
Gina from Orlando, FL
I made this exactly according to the recipe, using my Kitchenaid mixer and mixing with the scraper attachment. I let it rest, then used a dough scraper to cut it into 8ths. I patted each piece out and then filled half with grated apple. Cooked at exactly 375 F and then tossed in cinnamon sugar. These were amazingly delicious and easy.
02/28/2015
Ani from Rock Hill, SC
I made the dough exactly as specified but divided it into tiny portions and wrapped them around some bite-sized sauteed chicken. I deep fried the dough balls for two minutes each then served them with a side of white country gravy. Did very well.
02/17/2015
Phyllis from Lansdale, PA
I am not a very good baker, however even I had great success with this recipe. A few small changes, used salted butter because that's what I had, added 1/2 tsp of sugar and made smaller dough pieces.
01/02/2015
SuePerior from KAF Community
So easy to make and a real fun treat that my whole family likes. I always weigh everything and KAF provides those weights that a lot of recipe blogs never do. For a change I mix brown sugar with cinnamon to taste and shake these in that mix. They come out tasting wonderful!
- 8
Ingredients
- 2 cups King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour*
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, in 1/2" cubes
- 3/4 cup lukewarm water
- See "tips," below, to make this recipe using King Arthur Unbleached Self-Rising Flour.
Preparation
Step 1
1) Mix the flour, baking powder, and salt.
2) Work in the cold butter, using a pastry blender, your fingers, or a mixer.
3) Stir in the warm water to make a soft dough. Cover and let rest for 15 minutes.
4) Divide the dough into eight pieces. Working with one piece at a time, roll into a thin 5" round, about 3/8" thick.
5) Heat about 3/8" vegetable oil to 375°F in an electric frying pan, or in a pan over a burner. If you're using a 10" diameter pan, this is 2 cups of vegetable oil. If you're not using an electric frying pan, use a candy thermometer to take the temperature of the oil; or guesstimate it by seeing if the first piece of dough fries nicely in the time specified.
6) Pick up one dough disk, and carefully lower it into the pan. Let it cook for 60 seconds (it'll puff up on top and become light brown on the bottom), then flip it over and cook until light brown on the other side, about 60 seconds. You don't want to cook these too dark; they'll become overly crisp.
7) Remove from the oil and set on a paper towel-lined baking sheet. Place in a 200°F oven to keep warm while you make the remaining fried doughs.
8) Serve warm, with maple syrup or cider syrup; confectioners' sugar, or cinnamon sugar; or the topping of your choice — some folks enjoy a savory version, with marinara sauce and cheese.