Baked Powdered-Sugar Donut Holes
These are two-ingredient yogurt dough bites before the powdered-sugar finish. Baking them in a mini-muffin pan avoids the uncertain liner and airflow issues of the former air-fryer version while producing evenly shaped centers.
Recipe at a glance
- Yield: 20 donut holes
- Equipment: mini-muffin pan, mixing bowl, scoop
- Time: 15 minutes prep, 11–14 minutes baking
- Oven: 375°F
Ingredients
- 1 cup self-rising flour, plus 1 tablespoon for shaping
- 3/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 1 tablespoon melted butter
- 1/3 cup powdered sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla powder or ground cinnamon, optional
Method
- Heat oven to 375°F. Lightly grease 20 wells of a mini-muffin pan.
- Stir flour and yogurt until no dry flour remains. The dough should be soft and tacky, not pourable. Rest 5 minutes so the flour hydrates.
- Dust fingertips with the extra flour. Divide dough into 20 pieces, about 1 tablespoon each, and gently roll. Avoid kneading or packing the balls tightly.
- Place one ball in each prepared well. Bake 11–14 minutes, until puffed and pale gold; a center opened for checking should look bread-like, not gummy.
- Cool 5 minutes. Brush lightly with melted butter. Shake powdered sugar, plus vanilla powder or cinnamon if using, with the warm bites in a paper bag. Serve shortly after coating.
Understanding the dough
Self-rising flour contains the leavener and salt that make this short formula work; plain all-purpose flour is not a direct two-ingredient substitute. Greek yogurt contributes moisture, acidity, and protein. Brands vary in thickness, so hold back the last spoonful if yours is loose. Add a teaspoon of yogurt to a dry, shaggy dough or a teaspoon of flour to one that cannot be handled.
Cues and common failures
Overmixing develops gluten and makes the bites chewy. Stir only until combined and shape with a light touch. Dark pans brown faster, so begin checking at 10 minutes. Powdered sugar disappears when applied to very hot, damp dough; the five-minute cooling window lets steam subside while leaving enough warmth for adhesion. A second light dusting immediately before serving restores the snowy appearance.
Serving and storage
Serve with berries, coffee, or a spoonful of warm fruit compote. Lemon zest can be worked into the sugar; cocoa is less suitable because it accentuates the tang of yogurt. Keep uncoated bites airtight at room temperature for one day or refrigerate for 3 days. Rewarm at 300°F for 5 minutes, cool briefly, then coat. Freeze uncoated for one month. This oven method is the validated route for this draft; no air-fryer instructions are included.
If only a standard muffin pan is available, place two dough balls in each greased cup rather than making larger portions. Their touching sides remain pale and tender, but the smaller size preserves the written baking range. Rotate the pan once if the back row colors first.
