Oh, Nutella, you sly thing, you. Tell me your secret. How did you managed to become such a breakfast staple when, really, all you are is a delicious chocolate sauce? You make breakfast seem like heaven.
Okay, maybe not chocolate, but a hazelnut sauce nonetheless. I’ve never met anyone who doesn’t enjoy a heaping spoonful of Nutella slathered on a slice of toast in the morning.
In lieu of toast, though, how about on/in a donut? People eat Nutella for breakfast. People also eat donuts for breakfast. So does that make these an actual breakfast food? I think yes.
These mini ricotta donuts were just begging to be stuffed with Nutella. The donuts themselves are wonderfully dense yet moist and fluffy, due to the use of ricotta.
Don’t be afraid! Ricotta cheese? In a donut? Like a cheesy donut? Well, no, these donuts don’t taste like cheese, but they do taste like lovely textured, fluffy, moist balls of doughy goodness. Crispy on the outside, soft and fluffy and full of Nutella on the inside. Does it get any better than that?
I’m going to admit, this was the first time I’ve ever fried anything. It’s always been on my to-do list, but come on, the thought of a hot pot of oil is incredibly intimidating. I’ve always pictured the experience ending in disaster, with a messy kitchen, burnt arms and possibly some singed eyebrows.
But I bit the bullet and boy was it worth it. Watching these little balls of dough sizzle and brown in the oil was way more fun that it should have been. Plus, eating these donuts fresh and warm was undeniably delicious.
It does take a bit of effort to fill these fried donuts with Nutella – especially if you’re using an oddly shaped syringe who’s sole purpose is NOT food based – but if you have the time and patience (and maybe a proper baking syringe) it’s so worth it.
I had a bit of a hard time getting these donuts perfectly round, since dropping perfect spheres of dough into the oil was a bit difficult, but it’s possible. I happen to like the little imperfections, though, and an oddly shaped mini donut is just as delicious as a round one.
| Mini Ricotta Donuts Stuffed with Nutella | Print |
- Canola oil (for deep frying)
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
- 2 large eggs
- 2 Tbsp granulated sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ cup Nutella
- Icing sugar (optional)
- In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat together ricotta cheese, eggs, sugar, and vanilla. Add in the dry ingredients and mix until well combined.
- Pour canola oil into a deep, heavy-bottomed pot, about 1½ inches deep. Heat oil to about 370°F, using a deep-frying thermometer.
- Gently drop tablespoon-sized balls of batter into the oil, dropping smoothly to get the roundest ball possible. Fry 4-5 at a time, turning occasionally, until golden, 3-4 minutes. Using tongs, transfer donuts to a paper towel to drain. Repeat until batter is used up. Let donuts cool until they're easy to handle.
- Transfer Nutella into a syringe or piping bag with a long, pointy tip. It may be helpful to warm the nutella in the microwave for about 30 seconds first. Poke a small hole in the donuts, then insert syringe and fill with Nutella. Amounts will vary, but you should get a good feel for how much Nutella goes into each. Repeat with all donuts. Sprinkle with icing sugar, if desired, and serve.
hello! – I wanted to leave a comment because I just finished making a batch using your amazing recipe. they were so light, fluffy, delightful, and every other positive adjective to describe the best easy-to-make donut ever. the donuts even flipped themselves in the oil! (very entertaining) they lasted all of 3 seconds in my home. needed to comment and profess my love for this recipe. very awesome.
Thank you so much! I always love hearing from you guys who try out our recipes, it makes it all worth it. I agree, these donuts don’t last very long at all (hey, they’re best when fresh!)
Hi, I have a breakfast potluck at work and wanted to make something fun and creative with nutella and I would love to try these. But my concern is how well they’d taste after a few hours out of the oil, since I won’t be able to make them at work and they won’t be consumed hot and fresh ): Any input would be great!