Youtiao Chinese Breakfast Doughnuts (Printable)

Golden fried dough sticks with crispy exteriors and fluffy interiors, ideal for Chinese breakfast with soy milk or congee.

# What You'll Need:

→ Dough

01 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 tsp baking powder
03 - 1/2 tsp baking soda
04 - 1 tsp salt
05 - 1 tbsp sugar
06 - 1 large egg
07 - 3/4 cup water, room temperature
08 - 2 tbsp vegetable oil

→ For Frying

09 - 4 cups vegetable oil, for deep frying

# How to Make It:

01 - In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and sugar until well combined.
02 - Create a well in the center of the flour mixture. Add the egg, water, and 2 tablespoons vegetable oil. Mix with a spatula until a shaggy, sticky dough forms.
03 - Knead the dough directly in the bowl for 1 to 2 minutes until just combined. The dough will remain sticky.
04 - Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the dough rest at room temperature for 15 minutes.
05 - Lightly oil your hands and work surface. Knead the dough for 2 to 3 minutes until smooth and elastic.
06 - Return the dough to the bowl, cover, and let rest for 1 hour to allow gluten development.
07 - Transfer dough to a lightly floured surface. Roll or press into a rectangle approximately 1/2 inch thick. Cut into strips 1 inch wide and 5 inches long.
08 - Place one dough strip on top of another. Press lengthwise down the center with a chopstick or knife back to fuse the pair together. Repeat with remaining strips.
09 - Heat vegetable oil in a deep pot or fryer to 375°F.
10 - Gently stretch each paired dough strip to approximately 8 inches in length, being careful not to tear.
11 - Carefully lower 2 to 3 sticks into the hot oil. Fry for about 2 minutes, turning constantly with chopsticks, until puffed and golden brown on all sides.
12 - Remove fried sticks and drain on a wire rack or paper towels. Serve immediately while warm.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • The outside shatters when you bite into it while the inside stays impossibly light and hollow
  • They come together with pantry staples you probably already have
  • Nothing beats pulling them fresh from the oil and eating while still steaming
02 -
  • The dough must be sticky at first or your youtiao won't have the right texture after frying
  • Pressing the paired strips together firmly is the secret to getting that classic hollow center
  • Oil temperature that's too low creates greasy, heavy results while too hot burns the outside before the inside puffs
03 -
  • Lightly flour your work surface when rolling out the dough, but use sparingly as excess flour can make the youtiao tough
  • If you want extra crispy results, fry once at 325°F until pale, rest for 5 minutes, then fry again at 375°F until golden

Return