Simple Fried Pizza Dough Balls with Chai Sugar

These Chai Sugar Pizza Dough Balls are the perfect treat for busy moms wanting to make a quick, sweet snack. This easy recipe takes less time than making homemade donuts. With a crispy, golden exterior and a soft, pillowy interior, the chai donut holes capture the beignet taste without the extra effort of making your dough. Best of all, they’re less sweet than traditional Tim Bits, so you can enjoy a few without the guilt!

I created this recipe to respond to the constant juggle of wanting to make something sweet for my family while keeping things simple. As moms, we’re always balancing a million things, and I wanted a treat that didn’t take hours to make but still felt like something special. These Chai Sugar Pizza Dough Balls are quick to throw together and a fantastic way to make the most of pre-made pizza dough. Plus, they’re less sweet than a Tim Bit, so you don’t feel guilty about enjoying more than one. It’s a lovely little treat that works with your busy life and is a hit with everyone!

If you’re looking for more fun pizza dough recipes, be sure to try our pizza mini muffins! They can be made ahead and frozen for a quick and convenient after-school snack.

Why You Will Love This Chai “Donut” Hole Recipe

​Customizable Coating Options—While these chai sugar-coated dough balls are delicious on their own, you can easily switch up the coating to suit your family’s preferences. Try dusting the fried dough balls with powdered sugar for a classic powdered donut. Or try drizzling them with silky chocolate ganache for a decadent twist reminiscent of the chocolate dip.

No Special Tools Needed-Unlike some dessert recipes that require all the kitchen gadgets to be dirtied, this recipe uses a couple of plates and a frying pan. It’s perfect for busy moms who want a homemade treat without needing a much clean-up.

Great for Sharing or Snacking- This recipe makes a sizable batch, so it’s ideal for serving a group or when everyone wants a snack. They’re great for lunchbox treats, an afternoon pick-me-up, or a sweet after-dinner bite.

A Brief History: Donut Holes, Tim Bits, and the Magic of Chai Sugar

​Donut holes have been around since the mid-1800s, created initially to ensure even cooking for round donuts. These little bites quickly became a favorite after Dunkin’ Donuts sold them in the 1970s. On the Canadian side, Tim Hortons introduced their version—Tim Bits—in 1976, quickly becoming a national favorite. Tim Bits became a beloved snack for Canadians and those across North America, available in various flavors like chocolate glazed and honey dip.

Similarly, New Orleans is home to the iconic beignet—the light, fluffy fried dough pastry dusted generously with powdered sugar. Like the Canadian Tim Bits, beignets are a bite-sized treat with a rich cultural history. 

While plain old donut holes and popular Tim Bits are loved for their soft texture and sweet, sugary flavor, adding chai sugar to these fried pizza dough balls creates a new, exciting flavor, making them a delicious and distinctive version of a much-loved snack.

Making These Fried Pizza Dough Balls with Chai Sugar

The first thing to do is prepare the pan and oil, as well as the plate of spiced sugar. It’s a simple mix of white sugar and chia spice blend—I used Watkins. The sugar is then mixed so the chia spice is evenly distributed in the coating. 

Now you’re ready to make these chai sugar pizza dough balls, there are a few things to keep in mind to ensure perfect results. If you’re using frozen dough, it’s essential to let it thaw overnight in the fridge. This slow thawing process helps the dough maintain its texture and flavor. Transfer the frozen pizza dough from the freezer to the fridge and allow it to thaw slowly, giving the yeast time to reactivate.

Once your dough is ready, divide it into small, uniform balls, just slightly larger than a regular marble. They’ll cook through properly without leaving doughy centers. The smaller size also helps them fry more evenly and puff to give you that perfect bite-sized treat.

If you’re using refrigerated dough, it’s likely to have expanded slightly while resting, but don’t worry—that’s just the yeast doing its job. When you are shaping the pieces of dough into dough balls, flour your hands to keep the dough from sticking. You’ll want a small dish of all-purpose flour nearby for easy access. As you shape the dough, place the balls on a plate or tray, making sure they’re spaced out. The dough balls will relax slightly, so spacing them gives them room to keep them from sticking together. These donuts will also expand as they fry in the hot oil, so if they look too puny uncooked, don’t worry; they will puff up perfectly.

Next, it’s time to fry these little donut balls. Pour about an inch of neutral oil, like vegetable oil, into your deep frying pan and heat over medium-high heat. Dip a wooden bamboo skewer into the heated oil to check if it is hot enough. If bubbles form around it, the oil is ready. If the oil isn’t hot enough, the dough will absorb too much and turn greasy. If it’s too hot, the outside of the donuts will burn while the inside remains raw. Frying a small test dough ball first is a great way to check if the temperature is right.

When the oil is heated to temp, carefully drop in a few dough balls at a time. Don’t overcrowd the pan—this ensures the oil circulates appropriately, helps the dough cook evenly, and gives you enough time to roll it around while it cooks. Gently roll the dough balls from one side to the other to ensure they brown evenly. Remove them from the oil when golden brown and crispy (1-2 minutes), and drop them onto the sugared plate. If you notice they are cooking fast and not being cooked through, reduce the temperature on your stove element to medium heat and add more cool oil to the pan to lower the temperature.

Now, to coat the dough balls in spiced sugar! While they’re still warm, roll them in the mixture of white sugar and chai spice blend you made beforehand. The warmth of the dough and the oil will help the sugar stick, creating a deliciously sweet and spiced coating. Rolling the dough balls in the sugar immediately ensures a good coat. If you wait too long, the oil will soak into the dough, and the sugar won’t adhere properly.

By following these simple steps, you’ll have the best recipe for fried dough balls that are golden and crispy on the outside, soft and warm on the inside, and coated with flavorful chai sugar.

The full recipe instructions are in the recipe card below for easy reference.

Ingredients:

Note to my Canadian readers: You’re not alone if you’re sourcing these ingredients without relying on U.S.-based imports. Given our country’s current challenges, supporting Canadian-owned businesses and Canadian-made products matters more than ever. Every little bit helps keep our food systems strong, our neighbors employed, and our dollars in our communities.

You will now find more Canadian content on the blog as I continue to source Canadian food brands and products. 

And to our American friends—we still love you! We always have and will. But when possible, we’re leaning toward local to keep our shelves stocked and our people supported.

Premade Pizza Dough– Using premade pizza dough reduces prep time, making this recipe super easy and convenient. It’s also a budget-friendly option that still delivers a soft, fluffy interior for fried dough balls.

Look for locally sourced options for premade pizza dough from independent bakers or grocery stores across Canada. Many local markets carry fresh dough made right in your area, offering excellent quality and taste while supporting the Canadian economy.

White Sugar- The sugar helps create a sweet coating for the dough balls, giving them that classic donut hole sweetness. It also blends perfectly with the chai spice to provide a balanced, not-too-sweet flavor. Rogers white sugar is a great product.

Chai Spice—The blend adds a warm, aromatic flavor, elevating the simple sugar coating. It’s a great way to introduce cozy, spiced notes without overwhelming the treat with too much sweetness. 

Neutral Oil– Neutral oil is perfect for frying because it has a high smoke point and doesn’t interfere with the flavor of the dough or chai spice. It allows the dough balls to cook evenly and develop a crispy golden exterior. Unico vegetable oil or their canola oil is easily sourced in most Canadian grocery stores.

Substitutions And Add-Ins For This Easy Recipe For Donut Holes:

Premade Pizza Dough—You can substitute homemade pizza dough if you prefer, but premade dough saves time and effort.

White Sugar—If you’re looking for a healthier option, you could substitute coconut or maple sugar for a slightly different flavor.

Chai Spice – If you don’t have chai spice, a cinnamon, ginger, and cardamom blend can work well as a substitute.

Neutral Oil – You can use canola or vegetable oil. Still, if you want a slightly richer flavor, sunflower oil works great, too.

This recipe can easily be adjusted to match your taste for add-ins, like raisins and/or currants, or making alternate coatings for the fried pizza dough balls. To switch things up instead of using the chai sugar coating, roll the fried dough balls in a classic cinnamon sugar mix for a warm, familiar flavor. Or, if you’re craving something more decadent, try using a drizzle of chocolate ganache (melted chocolate with cream) or a simple dusting of powdered sugar. For a zestier twist, a lemon-sugar coating with lemon zest is mixed in white sugar, or make a lemon glaze with icing sugar and lemon juice. Alternatively, another warm spiced glaze idea would be making a maple glaze, which would pair beautifully with the fried dough. The possibilities are endless—get creative and make them your own!

Expert Tips, Serving, And Storing Suggestions For The Fried Sugared Donut Holes:

Tip #1: Fry in Batches for Even Cooking—When frying, resist the urge to rush through the recipe and overcrowd the pan, as it will make it much harder to work with the quickly frying donuts. Frying in small batches of five or six at a time ensures that each dough ball has enough space to cook evenly while rolled around. 

Tip #2: Test Your Oil with a Small Test Dough Ball—This will give you a good sense of the oil’s temperature. If the dough browns too dark quickly, then your oil is too hot, and if it takes too long to cook, it is too cool. This simple test procedure helps you know when you’re ready to batch the dough balls. 

Tip #3: Adjust the Heat to Prevent Burning—If the dough balls are browning too quickly on the outside while remaining raw on the inside, reduce the heat immediately to medium. To help bring the oil temperature down even quicker, add a small amount of frying oil. 

Like beignets, these chai sugar pizza dough balls are best served right away. The warm donut holes have a traditional crispy exterior and a soft, pillowy interior like a regular fried donut. The chai sugar coating melts slightly into the warm dough, creating sweet, spiced perfection. These warm treats are ideal for serving as a fun snack or a cozy treat at brunch to share with family and friends. If you are aiming for more of a beignet-style experience, serve them in a bowl or a small basket, just like the famous French doughnuts, with a light dusting of extra sugar on top (without the chai spice blend). The final product should be a golden-brown, crispy-on-the-outside, soft-and-fluffy-on-the-inside dough ball coated in a flavorful chai sugar mix that offers a comforting, spiced twist on a classic sweet treat. Perfect for any occasion!

If you have any leftover chai sugar pizza dough balls, storing them right will help keep them fresh for the next day. To store, place them in an airtight container on the counter for up to 2 days. The sugar coating may lose some crispiness, but the dough balls will still taste delicious.

To reheat the leftover chai sugar pizza dough balls while preserving their crispy exterior, you can air fry them at 325°F (160°C) for 2-3 minutes. This will warm them and help restore some of their crispiness without overcooking. If you don’t have an air fryer, place them in the oven at 350°F (175°C) for about 5 minutes or until warm and crisp.

For more extended storage, you can freeze them! Arrange the cooled dough balls in a single layer on a baking sheet and freeze until solid. Once frozen, transfer them to an airtight container or freezer bag, and they’ll keep for up to a month. If you’re short on time and need to reheat immediately, let the dough balls sit at room temperature for 20-30 minutes before reheating. This allows them to thaw slightly, preventing moisture buildup during reheating. After they’ve rested, air fry at 325°F (160°C) for 3-4 minutes, or bake at 350°F (175°C) for about 5 minutes to bring back their crispiness without turning soggy.

Now that you know how easy it is to make delicious, homemade donut holes at home with a warm chai twist, it’s time to get cooking! Whether you’re looking for a quick snack or a sweet treat for a special occasion, these Chai Sugar Pizza Dough Balls will impress. Don’t forget to share your creations on social media, and let us know how they turned out. Happy cooking and baking – enjoy these irresistible, homemade delights!