Homemade Donut Holes with Chocolate Cream Soda Glaze
I love a fresh donut. We made some in pastry school (thanks, Chef Ash, for this donut dough recipe!) but rolled them in sugar and stuffed them with homemade raspberry jam. Divine. Sometimes you just want a little bite, though, or many little bites, let’s be honest. Which is why I thought… let’s make some homemade donut holes and dip them in a chocolate glaze.
My go-to donut order is a basic one: chocolate glazed with sprinkles. My preferred joint? Krispy Kreme. Unless there is a local shop serving fresh donuts, I’m also absolutely game for those as well. I did have an amazing glazed donut from a food truck once, where they were glazing and letting them drip in real time… I still dream of those.
The cream soda factor came in as a fun twist on both a classic donut flavor, as well as the diner vibes I think of with a cream soda. It takes the chocolate glaze up to a whole new level, making for the fluffiest, fudgiest mini bites.
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WHAT IS CREAM SODA?
Now you might assume that cream soda includes, well, cream, but it doesn’t! Cream soda is a carbonated drink made with a mix of vanilla, sugar, and soda water. The combination of the soda and the vanilla creates a cream-like texture as you sip it. Giving it an almost vanilla ice cream float vibe.
In the context of these glazed donut holes, our homemade cream soda adds an extra creamy flavor to our chocolate glaze. Making for a fun twist on some classic flavors!
How do you make homemade cream soda? Whisk together your vanilla and brown sugar. Then, while whisking, slowly pour in your soda water. Mix until combined and voila! To turn it into a drink, you can combine it with tea, fruit juice, or even coffee!
INGREDIENTS
- Warm Water: To activate your yeast
- Active Dry Yeast: To give your donuts their puff
- Egg: Adds to the color, moisture, and texture of the donuts while helping bind them together
- Bread Flour: For the perfect chew, making the softest donuts
- Granulated Sugar: Adds a touch of sweetness to your dough
- Salt: To balance flavor
- Butter: Enriches both the donut dough and the glaze
- Brown Sugar: For a rich sweetness
- Vanilla: Brings the creamy element to the cream soda
- Soda Water: To make the homemade cream soda base
- Powdered Sugar: For a little sweetness, and also thickens the glaze
- Unsweetened Cocoa Powder: To bring the chocolate to the chocolate cream soda glaze
- Heavy Cream: For a creamy, smooth topping
- Sprinkles: For a delightful topping, of course
- Frying Oil: I use canola oil!
Why do I need to check the temperature of my oil between each batch of donuts? The heat of your oil is crucial to the rise of your donuts. If it’s too hot, the outside of the donuts will cook too quickly, leaving the inside raw. Too cold, and your donuts will be little tiny sponges of grease, absorbing more oil than you want. Every time you add batter to the oil, the oil will reduce in temperature, so you want to make sure to keep it as even while cooking as possible.
HOW TO MAKE HOMEMADE DONUT HOLES WITH CHOCOLATE CREAM SODA GLAZE
Grab your standing mixer to start making this easy donut dough. In the bowl of your mixture, add your warm water and top with your yeast. Stir together briefly, then set a timer for 5 minutes to allow your yeast to bloom. Whisk in your beaten egg until combined.
To the mixing bowl, add your bread flour, sugar, and salt. Attach your dough hook and mix your ingredients until the dough starts to pull away from the bowl. This should only take a few minutes. Make sure to scrape down the sides of your bowl as needed for an even mix.
Once the dough starts to pull away, keep the mixer running and drop in a piece of your softened butter at a time. Once all the butter is added, mix until fully incorporated. Then cover your bowl with a damp towel and leave to rise for 2 hours.
Dust your counter with flour and place your dough onto it. Use a scale to weigh out 20, 12g pieces of dough. You might have one or two with a few extra grams on them – that’s totally fine! Pinch your dough together into a ball and give it a quick roll.
Place your shaped donut holes onto a baking tray and cover with your damp towel. Leave them until they’ve doubled in size, anywhere from 1-2 hours, depending on the warmth of your kitchen.
Add your oil to a frying pan and heat over medium-high to 350°F. Place 3-4 donut holes, depending on the size of your frying pan, into the oil at a time. Cook until they are a deep golden brown, flipping around the 30-second mark. Remove and place on a wire rack to cool.
Heat your oil back to temperature before adding in your next batch of donuts. Repeat these steps until all of your donuts have been fried.
Once your donuts are fried and cooling, make your chocolate cream soda glaze. For your homemade cream soda, whisk together the brown sugar and vanilla in a bowl. While whisking, pour in your soda water until all is combined. Sift in your powdered sugar, cocoa powder, and salt before whisking together. Then add in your melted butter and heavy cream. Once mixed, you should have a smooth chocolate glaze.
Dip the tops of your cooled donut holes into the glaze, and place them back on the cooling rack or plate. Top with sprinkles and leave the donuts to dry for at least 15 minutes. Enjoy!
3 reasons you’ll love these donuts
TIPS & VARIATIONS
- This recipe makes a smaller batch of donut holes. When mixing your dough, it may seem like it’s not coming together, but don’t worry! Just use a firm spatula or dough scraper to scrape down the sides of the bowl as you work.
- When leaving your dough to rise, make sure to cover the bowl with a damp towel. This will stop the dough from drying out as it sits.
- I use canola oil to fry my donut holes. After frying, once it has cooled completely, I will use a funnel to pour the oil into a jar or empty oil container to save for the next fry. Just be sure to label it “frying oil” so you don’t use it in recipes!
- Make sure to heat your oil to the right temperature and adjust your heat as needed to keep the temperature consistent. Testing the temperature of your oil is especially important between frying batches, since the oil will cool slightly when you drop in your donuts. If the oil isn’t hot enough, your donuts won’t puff as nicely and will absorb more oil (making them greasy).
- You can make your chocolate cream soda glaze a little in advance, but be sure to whisk it before you start dipping your donuts. Personally, I prefer to make it right before I’m ready to dip my homemade donut holes.
MAKING AHEAD & STORING
You can prep your donut dough the night before; this can make for an even more flavorful donut! Once you’ve formed your dough in your mixer, and it starts to pull away from the bowl, cover your bowl tightly with plastic wrap. Place your bowl in the fridge overnight. Remove the dough the next morning and follow the next steps according to the directions below. Note that your dough may need a little extra time to rise, since it’s cold.
Freshly made donuts are best on the day they are made. If you have some leftover, store them at room temperature in a sealed container for up to two days.
MORE SPRINKLE RECIPES
If you’re a sprinkle lover like me, you’ll love these Rainbow Sprinkle Cookies, which you can eat as is or turn into sandwiches filled with buttercream. Need to do a little pantry clean out? Try these Dark Chocolate Oat Pantry Cookies. They’re chewy and flavorful and make for a colorfully packed treat. One of my favorite uses of sprinkles? On cake. This is the perfect Chocolate Cake with vanilla buttercream, made even better with sprinkles on top!
Equipment
- Mixer with a dough hook attachment
- Dough Scraper
- Measuring Cups
- Measuring Spoons
- Digital Scale
- Frying Pan
- Digital Thermometer
- Slotted Spoon
- Parchment Paper
- Baking Sheet
- Wire Rack
- Mixing Bowl
- Whisk
Ingredients
- 3 ½ tbsp warm water
- ½ tsp active dry yeast
- 1 egg beaten
- ¾ cup plus 2 tbsp bread flour
- 1 tbsp granulated sugar
- ¼ tsp salt
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter softened
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tbsp soda water
- ½ cup powdered sugar sifted
- 1 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
- ⅛ tsp salt
- 1 ½ tbsp heavy cream
- ½ tbsp unsalted butter. melted
- 1-2 tbsp sprinkles for topping
- Frying Oil
Instructions
- In the bowl of your mixer, add your warm water and sprinkle over your yeast. Give a brief stir and then allow to sit for 5 minutes. Add in your beaten egg and whisk together with a fork until combined
- Add all of your dry ingredients to the mixing bowl – bread flour, sugar, and salt. Using a dough hook attachment, mix your ingredients until the dough starts to pull away from the bowl, approximately three minutes
- Once the dough pulls away, with the mixer on, add in a piece of softened butter at a time until all is incorporated. Scraping down the bowl as needed
- Cover with a damp towel and let rise for 2 hours
- Lightly flour your work surface and turn your dough out onto it. Cut your dough into 20 equal pieces (approx 12g per piece), and pinch and roll your dough into balls
- Place your shaped dough onto a parchment-lined cookie sheet, re-cover with a damp towel, and leave to rise until doubled in size (1-2 hours)
- Once your dough has risen, pour oil into a frying pan and heat to 350°F over medium-high heat
- Add 3-4 donut holes at a time to your oil, cooking until a deeper golden brown – about 30 seconds per side. Use a slotted spoon to flip each hole over and finish cooking on the other side. Remove and place on a wire rack (add paper towel below to catch drips). Return the oil to temperature and repeat with the remaining donut holes until all are baked
- For your glaze, start by making your homemade cream soda. Whisking together the brown sugar and vanilla in a small bowl. Slowly stir in the soda water until combined.
- Sift in your powdered sugar, cocoa powder, and salt. Whisk in your heavy cream and melted butter until you have a smooth chocolate glaze
- Dip the tops of your cooled donut holes into the glaze, lifting out and twisting to allow any excess to drip back into the bowl. Place on a piece of parchment paper to catch any remaining drips
- Top with sprinkles and allow the glaze to set for 15 minutes. Enjoy!
Yuuummmmmmm-O
The best little bites!