Copycat Dunkin Cake Munchkins (Made at Home)

I’m old enough to remember when Munchkins were introduced, and I remember exactly how I felt about it — like Dunkin had figured out that the best part of a donut was always the first bite, and they’d found a way to make the whole thing be that.

I was working a corporate job when I first brought a box of them into the office. Ten-pack becomes a hundred-pack when you’re in a conference room, and I walked in with that pink box like I’d done something. I was absolutely the star of that morning. Nobody talked about anything else until the box was empty.

That was over fifteen years ago. Now my kids are the ones requesting Dunkin, and we grab a ten-pack whenever we’re anywhere near one — which in New York is approximately always. But being able to make them at home means the box is bigger, the price is lower, and nobody has to agree on what else to order.

These are fried doughnut holes dipped in a vanilla glaze while they’re still warm. The glaze sets as they cool on the rack and you end up with exactly what you’re picturing. Make them fast and eat them warm — that’s when they’re closest to the real thing.

What You Need

For the doughnut holes:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 4½ teaspoons baking powder (see note below)
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup milk
• 1 egg
• ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted
• Oil for frying

For the glaze:

• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Equipment: Large pot or deep pan for frying, 1-inch cookie scoop, cooling rack, baking sheet, parchment paper, paper towels

Ingredient Notes

Flour: All-purpose, measured by spooning into the cup and leveling — not scooping directly from the bag, which packs it and adds more flour than intended.

Baking powder: The leavening that gives these their light interior. Measure carefully.

Butter: Melted and slightly cooled before it goes into the batter. Very hot butter added directly can start cooking the egg when they’re combined.

Oil: Use a neutral, high smoke-point oil — vegetable, canola, or peanut. Fill the pot to at least 2-3 inches deep so the doughnut holes can float freely rather than sitting on the bottom and cooking unevenly.

Glaze: Simple powdered sugar glaze — make this first so it’s ready to go the moment the doughnut holes come out. The glaze adheres best when the doughnut holes are still slightly warm.

How to Make Them

Step 1: Make the glaze first
Whisk together the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract until completely smooth with no lumps. Set aside — you’ll want this ready the moment the doughnut holes are done frying.

Step 2: Mix the wet ingredients
In a medium bowl, whisk together the milk and egg until combined.

Step 3: Mix the dry ingredients
In a separate large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.

Step 4: Combine
Pour the milk and egg mixture into the dry ingredients along with the melted butter. Mix until a soft dough comes together. Don’t overmix — stop when no dry flour is visible.

Step 5: Heat the oil
Heat about 3 inches of oil in a large pot or deep pan to 350°F. If you don’t have a thermometer, test with a small piece of dough — it should sizzle immediately and float to the surface. If it sinks and sits, the oil isn’t hot enough. If it browns in under a minute, the oil is too hot.

Step 6: Scoop and fry
Using a 1-inch scoop, drop dough balls into the hot oil one at a time. Don’t overcrowd — work in batches of 6-8, leaving space for them to move freely. Fry for about 2 minutes, turning with a spoon so they brown evenly on all sides, until golden brown all over.

Step 7: Drain
Transfer the fried doughnut holes to a plate lined with paper towels to drain excess oil for about a minute.

Step 8: Glaze
While still slightly warm, dip each doughnut hole into the glaze, coating all sides. Place on a parchment-lined cooling rack — the excess glaze will drip off and the coating will set as they cool.

Step 9: Serve warm
These are at their best within 20-30 minutes of glazing, while the exterior is set but the interior is still soft.

Tips for Getting These Right

Oil temperature is the whole game. Too cool and the doughnut holes absorb oil instead of forming a crust — they’ll be greasy and dense. Too hot and they brown on the outside before the center cooks through. A thermometer is worth using here. If you don’t have one, the small-piece-of-dough test described above is reliable.

Work in batches. Adding too many doughnut holes at once drops the oil temperature immediately and you lose the crust effect. Six to eight at a time maximum depending on your pot size.

Glaze while warm, not hot. Dipping a very hot doughnut hole into glaze causes the glaze to slide right off. Thirty seconds on the paper towel is enough — you want warm, not steaming.

Eat them the same day. These are genuinely at their peak warm and fresh. Day-two doughnut holes are still edible but they lose the crisp-to-soft contrast that makes the first batch so good. Make what you’ll eat.

Variations

Cinnamon sugar: Skip the glaze entirely and roll warm doughnut holes in a mixture of ½ cup granulated sugar and 1 tablespoon cinnamon. This is actually the faster version and most people argue it’s better.

Chocolate glaze: Replace the vanilla glaze with a chocolate version — melt ½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips with 2 tablespoons of heavy cream, stir until smooth, and dip as usual.

Sprinkles: Add sprinkles to the glaze immediately after dipping, before it sets, for a birthday-party version that kids will absolutely lose their minds about.

FAQs

The intro to this post tells the whole story — Munchkins have been a fixture in my life for decades, and making a batch at home that my kids actually ask for is the full circle moment. Make them while the oil is hot and eat them while the glaze is still setting. Leave a comment if you went the cinnamon sugar route instead — that debate has no wrong answer.

Here are some more donut recipes to try: