Mini Long Johns

Warm pillows of fried yeast dough are slightly crisp on the outside and soft and sweet on the inside. Mini Long Johns are simply the best!

The party has just begun when you break out the Mini Long Johns for Mardi Gras...and beyond!

**Please Note - The printable recipe card with detailed instructions, complete ingredient measurements, and nutritional information for making mini fried donuts is available at the end of this post. OR you can hit the "jump to recipe" button (found above) to be taken directly to the recipe. 

This recipe was originally shared in 2014. This post has been updated with additional information, including a recipe card complete with nutritional information, but the recipe itself has remained unchanged.

The ingredient list:

**Note - The following lists of ingredients plus kitchen tools and equipment contain affiliate links (highlighted in blue) for your consideration and shopping convenience. #CommissionsEarned

• active dry yeast
• granulated sugar
• milk
• butter
• salt
• egg
• all-purpose flour
• frying oil
• confectioner's sugar
• pure almond extract
• colored sanding sugar (optional)

Kitchen tools and equipment:

• stand mixer with a dough hook (or large bowl with a wooden spoon)
• measuring cups and spoons
• rolling pin
• deep high-sided pan for frying (or deep fryer)
• instant-read thermometer
• baking sheets
• parchment paper
• large slotted spoon or spider
• pizza wheel
• whisk
• cooling racks
• plastic wrap
• paper towels
• baking spray
• fine mesh strainer (for saving used oil)
• funnel (for transferring used oil)

How this recipe came to be:

When you think about Mardi Gras, what foods come to mind for you?

For me, it's a king cake, or anything sweet that's been deep fat fried and then liberally sprinkled with green, purple, and yellow sanding sugars.

I had them pictured in my head exactly how I wanted them to look, and taste, and I honestly couldn't wait to get busy in the kitchen making them!

Now, I'm not usually a sweets kind of gal, but there was just something about the thought of these fried mini donuts that made my head spin, and my heart race a little faster.

Can I tell you something? These Mini Long Johns did NOT disappoint!

So much so, that after I had them all made, and the pictures were taken, it was imperative that I get them out of the house immediately!

I knew that, if I didn't, I'd gobble them all up by myself before anyone else in my family even knew I'd made them.

Ah the excess of Mardi Gras...gotta to love it! LOL

How long does this recipe take from start to finish?

Including the two combined proofing times of 90 minutes, along with prep, and frying time, this recipe will take roughly 2 hours from start to finish.

What is the best oil for frying?

I like to use peanut oil, but for those who may have a peanut allergy a light-colored, neutral-flavored oil with a high smoke point (400-degrees Fahrenheit) is always a good choice.

Good oil options for deep-fat frying:

• canola oil
• coconut oil
• peanut oil
• vegetable oil

Additional important oil information for deep fat frying.

CAUTION: NEVER fill a cooking vessel more than half full of cooking oil as this can result in hot oil bubbling up over the pan while frying, and potential injury.

Can deep fat frying oil be saved and reused?

Yes!

I like to cool my oil completely, strain it thoroughly through a fine-mesh sieve, and then store it in an air-tight container at room temperature. A funnel will work well to store the oil in the original bottle if desired.

However, it's important to be aware that if you're frying fish one night, and then frying donuts the next morning DO NOT USE THE SAME OIL FOR BOTH SWEET AND SAVORY RECIPES. Unless of course, you like fishy-tasting donuts! LOL

How to fry mini long johns:

• After the dough has been made and allowed to proof for the first time, roll it out onto a lightly floured surface to form a 12" x 8" rectangle.
• Use a pizza wheel to slice the dough into 3" x 1" rectangles.
• Place the cut dough onto parchment-lined baking sheets sprayed with baking spray, spacing them at least 1" apart.
• Allow the dough to rise again, in a warm, draft-free place until they're almost doubled in size (about 30-35 minutes).
• Meanwhile, in a large high-sided skillet, Dutch oven, or deep fat fryer, carefully bring approximately) 6 cups of frying oil to a temperature of 375- degrees (on an instant-read thermometer). *Important Note - you want at least 3" of oil in the pan.
• Using a large slotted spoon, carefully lower 5-6 mini long johns into the hot oil and fry them on both sides until they're a lovely golden brown.
• Use the slotted spoon to remove them from the oil and allow them to drain and cool completely on paper towels.
• To make the glaze, whisk together the powdered sugar, milk, and almond extract. *Note - If the glaze seems too thick, whisk in a scant bit more milk until you get a consistency you like.
• Drop one side of each long john into the glaze and remove to a baking sheet, glaze side up.
• Garnish with colored sanding sugars, if desired, and serve.

Additional fried food recipes (both sweet and savory):

*Homemade Fried Tilapia (shown below)

Hungry for a Friday night fish fry but don’t want to pay restaurant prices? My homemade fried tilapia recipe is crispy, crunchy, and utterly delicious.

*Fried Rosette Snowflake Cookies (not shown)

Part of the fun of eating a Fried Rosette Snowflake Cookie is the dusting of confectioners sugar that will inevitably snow down the front of your shirt as you crunch into these crispy little holiday treats. There’s no way around it, so just give in and let it snow!

*Homemade Apple Cider Donut Holes (not shown)

Apple Cider Doughnut Holes are a seasonal treat that you never outgrow. These soft and pillowy yeast donuts are dressed to perfection with an irresistible cinnamon sugar topping.

*Beer-Battered Bratwurst on a Stick (shown below)

Bratwurst on a Stick with Fried Cornmeal Beer Batter is a fun and deliciously different take on a corn dog. It’s the best, make that WURST, corn dog you’ll ever eat!

*Mini Long Johns (shown below) THIS IS THE PLACE!!

Below is the printable recipe card along with the exact ingredient measurements and nutritional information for making today's fried mini long john donuts.

⭐If you've made this recipe, or are excited to make this recipe, I'd appreciate it if you'd take a moment to leave it a star rating on the recipe card, along with a comment if you're so inclined. Thank you. 🙂

MINI LONG JOHNS

Renee Goerger

Warm pillows of fried yeast dough are slightly crisp on the outside and soft and sweet on the inside. Mini Long Johns are simply the best! The party has just begun when you break out the Mini Long Johns.

5 from 2 votes

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Prep Time 10 mins

Cook Time 30 mins

rise time 1 hr 30 mins

Total Time 2 hrs 10 mins

Course Breakfast and Brunch, sweet breakfast

Servings 30 servings

Calories 91 kcal

Ingredients

  

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For the dough:

• ▢ 2 ¼ teaspoons active dry yeast 1 package
• ▢ ¼ cup warm water 110-115 degrees
• ▢ ⅛ teaspoon granulated sugar
• ▢ 1 cup warm milk 110-115 degrees
• ▢ ¼ cup butter softened
• ▢ ¼ cup granulated sugar
• ▢ 1 teaspoon salt
• ▢ 1 egg
• ▢ 4 cups all-purpose flour
• ▢ baking spray
• ▢ 6 cups peanut oil, or other light, neutral-flavored oil

For the glaze:

• ▢ 1 ½ cups confectioner's sugar
• ▢ 1 tablespoon milk more if needed
• ▢ 1 teaspoon almond extract
• ▢ sanding sugars (optional)

Instructions

 

• -In a small bowl, dissolve the yeast in warm water. Stir in the ⅛ teaspoon of granulated sugar and set aside for approximately 5 minutes until it gets nice and foamy.
• -In the bowl of a stand mixer, using the dough hook, combine the yeast mixture, warm milk, butter, ¼ cup sugar, salt, egg, and 2 cups of the flour. Mix to combine. Add in the remaining flour and knead for about 2-3 minutes. *Note - The dough will be slightly soft and slightly sticky. If the dough seems too sticky, knead in a little more flour.
• -Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and allow the dough to rise in a warm, draft-free place until doubled (approximately 1 hour).
• -Punch the dough down and roll it out on a lightly floured surface into an approximate 12" x 8" rectangle.
• -Using a pizza cutter, cut the dough into strips into 3" x 1" rectangles.
• -Place the cut dough onto parchment-lined baking sheets sprayed with baking spray, spacing them at least 1" apart.
• -Allow the dough to rise, yet again, in a warm, draft-free place until they're almost doubled in size (about 30-35 minutes).
• -Meanwhile, in a large Dutch oven, carefully bring around 7-8 cups of peanut oil to a frying temperature of 375-degrees. *Note - you want at least 3" of oil in the pan.
• -Using a large slotted spoon, carefully lower 5-6 mini long johns into the hot oil and fry them on both sides until they're a lovely golden brown.
• -Use the slotted spoon to remove them from the oil and allow them to drain and cool completely on paper towels.
• -To make the glaze, whisk together the powdered sugar, milk, and almond extract. *Note - If the glaze seems too thick, whisk in a scant bit more milk until you get a consistency you like.
• -Drop the long johns, face down, into the glaze and remove to a baking sheet.
• -Garnish with colored sanding sugars, if desired, and serve.

Nutrition

Serving: 1servingCalories: 91kcalCarbohydrates: 15gProtein: 3gFat: 2gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 10mgSodium: 98mgPotassium: 41mgFiber: 1gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 69IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 14mgIron: 1mg

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

I sincerely hope you've enjoyed today's sweet breakfast recipe for mini long johns as much as I've enjoyed bringing it to you!