Dairy Free Mini Donuts with Cinnamon Sugar - Stovetop, No Deep Fryer Required

Is your frying oil too hot or too cold?

• Use an oil that has a high smoke point, such as avocado oil

• Heat it on medium heat. You will notice the oil becomes thinner in appearance as it heats up. It should not be boiling or sputtering.

• Use a small piece of dough as a test piece. If the dough sinks to the bottom, then your oil is not hot enough. If the oil starts to sputter and overreact, then the oil is too hot.

• The test piece of dough should cause the oil to bubble around its edges, and perhaps cause it to travel around the pot a little.

• If the dough burns too quickly, then the oil is too hot and should be turned down.

If you’re looking for more dairy free baking recipes, be sure to check out my YouTube channel!

*This post was sponsored by Hockley Valley Spelt Flour, available at Loblaws, Fortino’s, Zehrs, and Real Canadian Superstore, and more (visit their website to see a list of grocers).

My Dairy Free Mini Donuts with Cinnamon Sugar are perfectly poppable little fried bites. Donuts may feel like an intimidating dessert to make at home because there’s a risen dough involved, and they have to be fried which can be messy. But this recipe is very simple to follow, and no deep fryer is required. Simply use a medium sized pot filled with one inch of oil, on your stovetop. Frying the donuts just a few at a time allows you to control the temperature of the oil according to how quickly the donuts brown.

If you’re worried about the smell of frying permeating your home, you can take a few precautionary measures. First, keep your kitchen fan on to circulate air while you fry. Second, close the doors to any other rooms close by. My kitchen is located next to my bedroom, so I always close my bedroom door when I am frying things. And thirdly, leave an outside door open, or a screen door, to allow air circulation. By following these steps I am able to fry donuts in my home without my whole home smelling like fry oil.

Some basic tips for safe stovetop deep frying at home:

• Use a kitchen thermometer to test the temperature of your oil. If oil overheats it can burn the food and start a fire. If it’s not hot enough, then you’ll end up with donuts that look like pale rocks. Keeping the oil temperature consistent is key.

• Use an oil with a high smoke point, like avocado oil. An oil with a low smoke point, like olive oil, can burn and turn rancid smelling at high temperatures.

• Dust off excess flour before adding the dough to the oil, as excess flour will burn faster than the dough will cook, resulting in dark build up in the bottom of the pot.

• Never drop dough into hot oil from height. Gently put the dough into the oil in a motion away from your body. Avoid splashing.

• Use a spider (designed for frying) or a pair of metal tongs to move the dough around.

• Never allow your hair, sleeves, or other things on your person to dangle over hot oil. When frying, I keep my hair up in a towel. This also prevents my hair from absorbing the oil smell.

• Have a pot lid and baking soda handy in the rare event of the oil igniting. Remember that water will not put out a grease fire.

• Never walk away from a pot full of hot oil when it is on the heat.

Using your intuition and basic safety procedures will ensure that you can safely fry donuts on the stovetop at home. There is nothing to be intimidated about when it comes to making donuts, and in this recipe I call for a shallow pot of oil (1 inch depth) which makes it even simpler to manage.

If you love this recipe, or if you want to scroll through images of other delicious looking things, click the link below for my PIE, PASTRY, AND DONUT RECIPE landing page

Cinnamon sugar is just one flavor possibility for these decadent little donuts. You can use cocoa powder, some ground cardamom, just plain sugar, or eat them without any topping at all. The flavor is up to your own preference. You can even divide the batch and do a few different flavors for variety.

Using Hockley Valley Light Spelt Flour ensures that these low-gluten donuts are higher in fiber and flavor than regular all purpose flour. Hockley Valley is a Canadian, family-owned flour company, specializing in the art of spelt (also known as farro). I buy mine at Loblaws, in the natural foods aisle.

Whether you’re new to cooking and baking with spelt flour, or it’s a long time favorite, I have many delicious spelt flour recipes on my blog using Hockley Valley Light Spelt Flour. Like this recipe for Poppy Seed Pull Apart Buns!

Ingredients for Dairy Free Donuts with Cinnamon Sugar

• 2 1/2 cups Hockley Valley Spelt Flour

• 1/2 tsp salt

• 1/2 cup powdered sugar, divided

• 1 1/2 tsp dry yeast

• 1 cup warm water

• 2 tbsp avocado oil or olive oil

• several cups of avocado oil

• 2 tsp ground cinnamon

How to make Dairy Free Donuts with Cinnamon Sugar

1. Add the Hockley Valley Light Spelt Flour, salt, and 1/4 cup powdered sugar to a mixing bowl and mix until well combined. Make a well in the center and pour in the yeast and the warm water. Let it sit for 10 minutes to bloom.

2. Add 2 tbsp. of avocado or olive oil to the liquid, then begin mixing the liquid portion together with a spoon. Gradually bring in flour from the sides until it starts to form a dough. Then switch to kneading with your hands. Knead for one minute. You will notice that by the end of a minute, the dough is smoother, shinier, and more elastic.

3. Lightly grease a large mixing bowl with avocado or olive oil. Place the ball of dough in the bowl and cover with either a clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap. Let the dough rest in a warm place for about an hour and a half - 2 hours, or until doubled in size. The amount of time will depend on the temperature and humidity of your environment. In colder places, it has taken up to 3 hours for my dough to rise. Don’t panic!

4. Once the dough has risen, punch it down with your fist. Turn it out onto a floured surface and stretch it to an 8 x 16 inch rectangle. Let it rest for 30 minutes, before cutting into rounds.

5. Fill a medium sized pot with one inch of avocado oil. I do not have the measurements listed here because the volume of oil will depend on the size of your pot. Of importance is the depth of an inch in order to allow the donuts to float on the surface. Turn to medium heat, and watch it closely. See the above tips on how to tell if your oil is the correct temperature.

6. While the oil is heating, cut the donuts into rounds using a shot glass or a round cookie cutter. Gather the scraps together, roll them out, and cut into rounds. Repeat until you have gone through all the dough. Now it’s time to fry.

7. Dust off excess flour before adding the dough to the oil. Fry the donuts 2 or 3 at a time. They will take about 2 minutes per side. Flip them over using a spider or a pair of metal tongs. Have a plate lined with paper towels at the ready to collect the hot donuts. Keep a steady flow of donuts going into and coming out of the oil to maintain your temperature.

8. Once you have fried all the donuts, mix the cinnamon and the remaining 1/4 cup of powdered sugar together and sprinkle it over top using a sieve.

Makes approximately 40 mini donuts

Be sure to check out my other recipe for chocolate dipped donuts.