Cinnamon sugar doughnut holes with chocolate espresso ganache
Fluffy doughnut holes coated in cinnamon sugar served with silky espresso chocolate ganache. The perfect, easy dessert or indulgent snack.
Ingredients Needed
- Water.
- Butter. I used salted butter but unsalted butter can be substituted.
- Milk.
- Egg.
- Flour.
- Caster sugar.
- Instant yeast.
- Salt.
- Oil, for frying. Any neutral oil will work. I like canola oil or vegetable oil for frying.
- Cinnamon and caster sugar for the coating. The doughnuts can also be tossed in powdered sugar/confectioners sugar.
- For the ganache: Dark chocolate, espresso, heavy cream.
How to make doughnut holes
The great thing about doughnut holes (or donut holes) is that they are an inevitable by-product when making doughnuts. However, if you are so inclined, you could totally use an entire batch of dough for doughnut holes. You will just get a very large amount of doughnut holes if you choose to do that.
Make a simple dough recipe by dissolving instant yeast in warm milk and melted butter. Stir together flour, sugar and salt in a large mixing bowl then pour in the wet ingredients. Start bringing the dough together then knead until a soft, smooth dough forms. This can all be done in the bowl of a stand mixer as well. Transfer the dough to a greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap or a damp tea towel. Allow to rise for 1 hour. Cut out doughnuts (or holes) then allow to rise again while you heat the oil.
Fry the doughnuts holes in hot oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot until golden brown and cooked through – approximately 3-5 minutes. Mix the cinnamon and sugar together in a bowl. Remove the doughnuts from the hot oil with a slotted spoon then drain on paper towel and immediately toss in the cinnamon sugar. Allow to cool slightly on a wire cooling rack before serving.
To make the ganache, melt the chocolate, espresso and cream together until smooth. Serve the doughnuts with the ganache for dipping.
Can I make doughnut holes ahead?
Yes, the doughnut holes can be made a few hours in advance – any longer than that and they stand a chance of drying out. Leftovers can be kept in an airtight container for up to 3 days but I would suggest eating them the day of cooking. The chocolate ganache can be made a few days in advance and kept in the fridge, simply allow to come to room temperature before serving.
Doughnut recipes
Ingredients
for the doughnuts
- ¼ cup water
- 3 tbsp butter
- ½ cup milk
- 3 cups flour
- ¼ cup caster sugar
- pinch of salt
- 2 tsp (7g) dry yeast
- 1 egg
- oil, for frying
for the chocolate espresso ganache
- 200 g dark chocolate
- 50 ml espresso
- 50 ml cream
For the cinnamon sugar
- 1 cup caster sugar
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Heat together the water, butter and milk until the butter has melted.
- In a separate bowl (or the bowl of a stand mixer), mix together the flour, caster sugar, salt and yeast.
- Pour the warm butter mixture into the flour and add the egg.
- Stir to combine and knead for 5-8 minutes until the dough is smooth and soft. If the dough is sticky, add a little more flour.
- Place in a clean bowl and cover with a damp tea towel. Allow to rise for 1 hour
- Roll out the dough and cut out "holes" (circles). Cover with a damp tea towel and allow to rise while you heat the oil. Fry until golden brown and cooked through.
- To make the ganache, melt together the chocolate, cream and espresso in a double boiler until smooth.
- Remove from the oil and drain on kitchen paper before covering in cinnamon sugar.
- Serve the doughnuts with the ganache for dipping.
Notes
- I often just make doughnut holes out of the holes I cut from regular doughnuts but feel free to use the entire amount of dough for doughnut holes.
These look Mighty delicious, and I think they’re fantastic for my mom birthday desert!!
I think they would make the perfect birthday dessert! I hope she loves them.
These look incredible!
Thanks Sabrina!
Hot damn, woman! These are some serious doughnuts, and I need them in my life. Since there’s coffee in the ganache, that means we get to eat it for breakfast, right?!
Abso-bloody-lutely! I will give you serious judgey-eyes if you don’t!
These are exactly what I could do with now !!! 🙂
They are the ultimate little bites of delicious Lynne! You’d love them.