Delicious mini donut churro bites for when you have leftover donut dough and want something different than donut holes or donuts.

It has a very similar texture to churros, but it’s safer to fry because churro accidents are real.

A very crispy exterior coated in a sugar-cinnamon mixture and a fluffy donut-like interior. We are using the same dough recipe we used for our glazed donuts and Nutella donuts.

I prefer using this mini donut churro bites recipe when I have leftover donut dough, but you can also make this from scratch.

What I Love About Mini Donut Churro Bites

Making churros using a donut recipe is so much safer than when we use a churro dough; they don’t pop in the oil, and they fry until beautiful golden brown.

• Textures: we have the nice exterior crunch, a pillowy soft interior.
• Flavors: the warmth of the cinnamon makes this the perfect sweet snack.
• Since it’s a small treat, it makes it perfect for parties or gatherings.

You can dip the churros into warm Nutella, chocolate ganache, or any other dipping sauce you love.

Grab These Ingredients

You will notice how the ingredients mentioned here are very similar to our Ferrero Rocher donuts and maple-glazed donuts. That’s because we will be using the same dough to make the mini donut churros.

• Milk: whole milk, it needs to be at the perfect temperature to activate the yeast. The ideal temperature is 100-110F (38-43 °C); we need the milk at the same temperature for our Nutella rolls and cinnamon rolls.
• Granulated sugar: used in both the coating and the dough. It will add a nice sweetness.
• Active dry yeast: We will activate it with the sugar and milk.
• Eggs: room temperature so they can easily be incorporated into the dough.
• All–purpose flour: it provides structure to the donut bites.
• Butter: unsalted and room temperature. It’s important it is unsalted to control the salt that goes into the dough. It’s always better to use room-temperature butter so it can easily get incorporated; if it’s too cold, it will leave cold butter chunks throughout the dough.
• Salt: enhances the flavors and balances the sweetness.
• Neutral oil: for frying. A neutral-flavored oil is best for frying the donuts. I recommend something like sunflower oil, as it can reach high temperatures without burning.
• Cinnamon: We will need it for the cinnamon coating. It adds a very nice warmth. We love using cinnamon in so many recipes, like cinnamon roll pancakes and smores rolls.

Tools Needed for Donut Bites

The tools mentioned here will also be mentioned in our vanilla cream donuts and strawberry cheesecake donuts.

• Stand mixer: Use one with a dough hook attachment for kneading.
• Piping bag with star tip: Use a piping bag that is strong enough to handle the donut dough. The star tip should have very sharp edges to hold the shape.
• Parchment paper: to pipe the dough into the paper.
• Large pot: You will need a large pot for frying donuts.
• Slotted spoon: to fry the donut bites, we use it to remove the donuts in different recipes like pistachio donuts and Nutella heart donuts.
• Cooling rack: to drain the excess oil from the churro bites.

How To Shape Donut Churro Bites

There is one method I recommend for making churro bites: a piping bag and a piping tip.

Add all of the donut dough inside a piping bag fitted with a star piping tip. Make sure to use a very strong, good-quality bag, or it will pop from the pressure. Prepare a parchment paper sheet and press the dough to form little churro bites.

You can use a knife to cut the dough. You can pipe little dough pieces or a long piece and then cut it.

I loved this method; it was so fun to prepare. After proofing, the shape might disappear a little. I recommend you make the lines again with something flat, like the side of the offset spatula.

Safely Fry Donuts

How to fry donut bites, and why are donuts safer to fry than churros? Why do churros explode and donuts don’t?

A couple of months ago, I was testing a churro recipe, and they exploded in my face when I was frying them. Ever since, I’ve been trying to enjoy churros at home, but without having to deal with the pain again. To achieve a similar consistency, you should use a thinner piping bag so they turn very crispy; a thicker piping tip will give you fluffier donut bites.

Why do churros explode? They explode when trapped moisture rapidly turns into steam inside the dough. As the water expands, pressure builds up, and they explode.

Tips to Fry Donuts

1. Organize everything you will need. Have the slotted spoon and a cooling rack with a tray under for drippings. Have the sugar mixture ready so you can immediately dump the donut bites there, too.
2. Make sure to keep the oil temperatures between 347-374 F (175-190 °C). This is to make sure the donuts get fully cooked, and they don’t burn. If you keep it between those temperatures, it will ensure the oil doesn’t get too hot, burn, or bubble too much that it overflows.
3. Use a large pot; it’s important that the oil doesn’t reach the edge it should be a good distance between the oil and the edge.
4. Don’t get distracted with other tasks like scrolling or chatting.

We have shared many tips in every fried dough we post, Nutella swirl donuts, pistachio and Biscoff holes, and chocolate chip donuts.

How To Make a Perfect Dough

A perfect dough is achieved by a combination of different ingredients, steps, and times. You can have a very solid recipe with good ingredients, you didn’t knead the dough properly, you have a broken dough, and you didn’t proof it enough either.

Making a perfect dough is not only about a recipe, but is also about the steps you follow to make sure the dough has the perfect texture and consistency.

1. Use good-quality ingredients. People say the quality of the ingredients doesn’t matter, they do. Always try to use the best quality possible for a more flavorful bite.
2. Kneading should never be skipped; it needs a gently slow kneading to have a soft dough. Don’t rush the process, or the gluten will break, giving you a dough that doesn’t rise properly and stays flat in the oil.
3. Proofing, I know churros don’t require proofing or kneading. But this is made with a donut dough, which requires both kneading and proofing.

What’s the Best Way To Store Donut Bites

Any homemade dough you make, I would recommend freezing it for the best storage. Nutella brioche, chocolate rolls, and salted caramel rolls. But this recipe is different; you can store them in a container in the fridge. Make sure to reheat them before enjoying in the air fryer at 355F (180 °C) for 5 minutes or in the oven.

How To Prevent Oily Donut Bites

When you have oily donut bites, it’s because the oil temperature is too low. Increase the oil temperature and fry in small batches to prevent that from happening.

After frying, drain the excess oil in a cooling rack with a tray under it, and immediately after, dump it in a sugar-cinnamon mixture.

Why is the sugar not sticking to the donut?

The reason why the sugar is not sticking to the donut is that you didn’t add the mixture to the mini donut bites after they came out of the oil. If you wait too long, they can’t stick.

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