Cinnamon Sugar Donut Balls

Combine all of the dry ingredients (flour through salt on the above list) in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients (eggs through vanilla on the above list). Add the wet ingredients into the dry and stir until a sticky dough forms.

Pour the oil into a large skillet or Dutch oven. Use something that is good for frying, about 2 inches deep. Heat the oil to about 375 F over medium heat. You can test the oil by flinging a drop of water into the pan. If it sizzles across the top, it’s ready. If not, continue the heat the oil until it does.

With floured hands, roll the dough into small balls, about 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Drop the balls immediately into the oil (they start to lose their shape if you roll them ahead of time). The balls should start to puff out on the bottom and turn a golden brown color. If the tops of the donuts aren’t covered with oil, flip the donut balls and fry for another 1-2 minutes. You should fry them for about 3-4 minutes total (see note below). When the donuts are cooked through, remove them from the frying pan and place them on a plate lined with paper towels. Repeat with the remaining dough, if you didn’t fry all of them in the first batch.

Put the cinnamon sugar onto a plate. When the donuts are dry to the touch, roll them in cinnamon sugar. These are best served fresh and warm, but they will also last for a day or two in an airtight container. This recipe makes about 20 donut balls.

Notes: If your donuts are dark brown after just 1 minute in the pan, you probably have the oil too hot and you’ll end up with a crispy outside with an uncooked inside. Make sure you cook them for 3-4 minutes total to make sure the insides are fully cooked. I went back and forth between the medium-low and medium heat settings on my range (because I don’t have an oil thermometer).