Quick and Tasty Strawberry Donut Holes

If a strawberry shortcake ran into a doughnut shop and panic-bought a deep fryer, you’d get these little guys. Quick and Tasty Strawberry Donut Holes are fluffy in the middle, shatter-crisp outside, studded with juicy bits of berry, and rolled in a pink-sparkly sugar that makes your inner child feral. No yeast. One bowl. 20-ish minutes. It’s the exact kind of chaos-sweet I crave when the afternoon gets loud and I need a win with coffee.

My husband has zero chill with these. He “taste tests” them while they’re still too hot and does that dragon-breath thing around the kitchen island. Our kid rolls them in sugar like it’s a snow day and turns the counter pink. This recipe kind of became our Saturday morning thing after a very dramatic Mother’s Day when I was aiming for donuts-from-scratch and ended up with a flour tornado. These are the peace treaty—fast, forgiving, and big on strawberry flavor.

Why You’ll Love This Quick and Tasty Strawberry Donut Holes

– No yeast, no rise time, no diva energy. You stir, scoop, fry, done.
– Real strawberry bits inside—like a tiny fruit surprise in every bite.
– Crispy outsides, tender middles. The contrast is what makes you eat “just one more” six times.
– Options galore: toss in strawberry sugar, glaze them, or go powdered-sugar blizzard.
– Kid helper–friendly and very forgiving. Even lumpy scoops turn into cute donut clouds.

How to Make It

Grab a medium bowl. Whisk together 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 1/4 cup sugar, and a pinch of salt. In a mug, whisk 3/4 cup buttermilk (or milk + a squeeze of lemon), 1 egg, 2 tablespoons melted butter, and a good splash of vanilla. Pour wet into dry and stir just until it looks like thick pancake batter—stop before it goes smooth-smooth. Lumps are fine.

Now the strawberries: dice about 1/2 cup really small, then pat them dry with a paper towel so they don’t water down the batter. Fold them in gently. The batter should be scoopable, not runny. If it’s too thin, dust in a spoonful more flour. If it’s too stiff, a splash of milk. We’re going for “scoop, plop, keep its shape.”

Heat 2 inches of neutral oil to 350°F in a heavy pot (medium heat, be patient). I like a small cookie scoop or a heaping tablespoon to drop little balls in—don’t overcrowd. They puff and flip themselves; give them a nudge if they’re being shy. Two to three minutes and they’re golden and floaty. Pull them to a rack or paper towel while you fry the next batch.

While they’re still warm, roll in strawberry sugar (1/3 cup sugar + a spoon of crushed freeze-dried strawberries + lemon zest), or whisk a quick glaze (1 cup powdered sugar + 2–3 tablespoons milk) and dunk. Eat one. Burn your tongue. Nod with joy. Repeat.

Ingredient Notes

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– All-purpose flour: Gives the dough its body. If your batter turns gloopy, add a tablespoon more. Humidity is a thing.
– Baking powder: The lift. Check it’s fresh—old powder = dense dough balls. Been there.
– Sugar: Just enough sweetness in the batter. The real party happens in the coating or glaze.
– Buttermilk: Tang and tenderness. No buttermilk? Milk + 1 teaspoon lemon juice or vinegar totally works.
– Egg: Helps set the structure so they’re fluffy, not cakey-dry. Don’t skip it.
– Melted butter: Adds richness and that bakery vibe. Oil works in a pinch, but butter tastes better.
– Vanilla: Background warmth. I sometimes add a drip of almond extract because nostalgia.
– Fresh strawberries: Dice tiny and pat dry. Big chunks = raw pockets and oil splatter. Freeze-dried berries are clutch if your berries are meh.
– Neutral oil for frying: Canola or peanut. Hot enough (350°F) or they’ll drink oil like it’s happy hour.
– Powdered sugar / glaze stuff: For the finish. Powdered sugar clings, glaze shines. You can’t be wrong.

Recipe Steps

1. Whisk flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt in a bowl.
2. Whisk buttermilk, egg, melted butter, and vanilla; pour into dry and stir just to combine.
3. Fold in finely diced, patted-dry strawberries; adjust batter so it’s scoopable.
4. Heat 2 inches oil to 350°F; line a tray with paper towels or a rack.
5. Scoop tablespoon-size balls into oil; fry 2–3 minutes, turning until deep golden.
6. Drain briefly, then roll in strawberry sugar or dip in glaze; devour warm.

What to Serve It With

– Hot coffee, obviously. Or a cold glass of milk—it’s giving childhood.
– A bowl of vanilla yogurt for dunking if you’re pretending this is breakfast food (which, yes).
– Lemon zest over the top and a drizzle of honey if you want fancy.
– Warm chocolate sauce if you’re in a mood.

Tips & Mistakes

– Pat those berries dry. Wet fruit = greasy donuts and splattery oil. Not fun.
– Keep the oil at 350°F. Too cool, they soak oil; too hot, raw centers. A cheap thermometer is worth it.
– Don’t overmix the batter. Stir until barely combined. Overmixing makes them tough.
– Dice strawberries tiny. Pebble-sized. Larger chunks make the centers gummy.
– Work in batches. Crowding drops the oil temp and everything goes sideways.

Storage Tips

Room temp for 1 day in a loosely covered container (they stay crispier if you don’t seal them tight). After that, into the fridge for up to 3 days—re-crisp in a 350°F oven for 6–8 minutes. You can also freeze them (unglazed is best) for up to a month; warm from frozen at 325°F for about 10 minutes, then glaze. Cold donut holes at 7 a.m.? Absolutely acceptable. Breakfast of champions.

Variations and Substitutions

– Air fryer: Chill the batter 10 minutes so it firms up. Scoop onto a parchment-lined air fryer tray, spritz with oil, and cook at 375°F for 7–8 minutes until golden. Texture is more “cake bite” than classic fried, but still good.
– Baked: Drop spoonfuls on a parchment-lined sheet and bake at 400°F for 10–12 minutes. Toss in cinnamon-strawberry sugar so they feel donut-y.
– No fresh berries: Use 1/3 cup crushed freeze-dried strawberries in the batter. Big flavor, no extra moisture.
– Gluten-free: Use a good 1:1 GF flour blend with xanthan gum. Add a tablespoon more milk if it’s too thick.
– Dairy-free: Swap plant milk + 1 teaspoon lemon juice for buttermilk, and use oil instead of butter.
– Flavor twist: Lemon sugar (zest + granulated sugar) is stunning. Or go full carnival with cinnamon sugar.
– Fancy glaze: Whisk powdered sugar with strawberry jam and a little milk. Pink, glossy, happy.

Frequently Asked Questions

Quick and Tasty Strawberry Donut Holes

Warm, fluffy strawberry donut holes with a crisp exterior and a glossy strawberry glaze. Ready in about 30 minutes—perfect for brunch or a quick sweet treat.

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Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes minutes

Servings: 8

Calories: 120kcal

Ingredients

 

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Main Ingredients

• ▢ 1.5 cup all-purpose flour
• ▢ 0.25 cup granulated sugar
• ▢ 2 teaspoon baking powder
• ▢ 0.5 teaspoon kosher salt
• ▢ 0.25 teaspoon ground cinnamon optional
• ▢ 0.75 cup whole milk room temperature
• ▢ 1 large egg room temperature
• ▢ 2 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted cooled slightly
• ▢ 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ▢ 0.75 cup fresh strawberries, finely diced pat very dry with paper towels
• ▢ 3 cup vegetable oil for frying
• ▢ 1.5 cup powdered sugar for glaze
• ▢ 0.25 cup strawberry jam warmed and strained; or use strawberry puree
• ▢ 1 tablespoon lemon juice fresh
• ▢ 2 tablespoon milk as needed to thin glaze

Instructions

Preparation Steps

• Dice the strawberries very small and pat them extremely dry with paper towels. Set aside.
• Heat the oil in a heavy pot to 350°F over medium heat. Line a sheet pan with a wire rack or paper towels for draining.
• In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon.
• In a separate bowl, whisk milk, egg, melted butter, and vanilla until smooth.
• Add the wet ingredients to the dry and stir just until combined. Gently fold in the diced strawberries; the batter will be thick.
• Fry in batches: Using a small cookie scoop or a spoon, drop rounded tablespoonfuls of batter into the hot oil. Fry 2 to 3 minutes, turning occasionally, until golden brown and cooked through.
• Transfer donut holes to the prepared rack to drain and cool slightly while you make the glaze.
• Make the glaze: Whisk powdered sugar, strawberry jam, lemon juice, and enough milk to reach a pourable, glossy consistency.
• Dip warm donut holes into the glaze, letting excess drip off, then place back on the rack to set. Serve warm.
• Optional: Toss some donut holes in cinnamon sugar instead of glazing for variety.

Notes

Keep the oil between 350°F and 360°F for even browning. If the donut holes brown too quickly, lower the heat slightly so the centers cook through. Drying the strawberries well helps prevent excess moisture in the batter.