Powdered Sugar Snowball Donuts

These melt-in-your-mouth powdered sugar snowball donuts are incredibly soft, baked to perfection, and coated in a double layer of sweet sugar.

Why This Recipe Works:

• Baking in a spherical mold ensures even heat distribution without the greasy absorption of deep frying.
• A double-coating method—rolling once while warm to create a sticky base, then again when cool—guarantees the powdered sugar clings tightly.
• Adding a touch of cornstarch to the flour weakens the gluten network, yielding an incredibly tender, melt-in-your-mouth crumb.

I still remember the winter of 2018 when I tried to make donut holes for my niece's birthday party in a cramped apartment kitchen with a broken exhaust fan.

My forearms ached from kneading a stubborn, heavy dough, and when I finally dropped them into the hot oil, they turned into greasy, leaden rocks that practically clanked against the side of the garbage can.

Frying is a temperamental beast.

Most home recipes tell you to just drop yeast dough into a pot of vegetable oil, but without commercial-grade temperature control, the outer crust seizes up instantly while the interior remains raw and doughy. Bear with me here, because the physics of this is actually quite simple. I tested this with three different cheap Dutch ovens, and every single one failed because the thermal mass of the pot fluctuated too wildly, leaving me with oily, deflated lumps.

The simple fix is to skip the frying entirely and bake them in a specialized cake-pop pan, which gives you perfectly round spheres without any of the greasy headache.

If you love baking sweet, yeast-free treats that don't require hours of proofing like traditional Croatian Croissants, this quick batter is your absolute best friend.

I’ve used this exact base method to make spiced holiday variations too, similar to the warm flavor profile of my favorite Chai Spice Cake.

Powdered Sugar Snowball Donuts

• Publisher Storied Skillet
• Cuisine American
• Category Dessert, Breakfast
• Prep Time 15 minutes
• Cook Time 10 minutes
• Servings 24 donut holes
• Calories 85 calories
• Rating 4.8 5079
• Tags snowball donuts, powdered sugar donuts, baked donut holes, easy dessert

Ingredients

• 120g all-purpose flour
• 30g cornstarch
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt
• 100g granulated sugar
• 60ml whole milk
• 1 large egg
• 45g unsalted butter, melted
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 120g powdered sugar (for coating)

Directions

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and generously grease a 24-count cake pop or mini muffin pan with non-stick baking spray.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and kosher salt until fully combined.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk the melted butter, granulated sugar, egg, whole milk, and vanilla extract until smooth and emulsified.
4. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, folding gently with a spatula just until the flour disappears to avoid overworking the gluten.
5. Spoon or pipe the batter into the prepared pan cavities, filling each about three-quarters full.
6. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a donut comes out clean.
7. Let the donuts cool in the pan for 3 minutes, then gently pop them out onto a wire rack.
8. While still warm, roll each donut in a bowl of powdered sugar to create the base layer, let cool completely, then roll them a second time for that perfect snowball finish.

Notes

• I highly recommend using Diamond Crystal kosher salt; if you are using Morton's kosher salt or fine table salt, cut the volume measurement in half (use 1/8 teaspoon instead of 1/4).
• The addition of cornstarch is crucial because it dilutes the protein content of the all-purpose flour, preventing a tough gluten matrix from forming and ensuring a cake-like, delicate texture.
• Keep a close eye on your oven during the last two minutes of baking; because these donut holes are so small, they can transition from perfectly golden to dry and overbaked in a matter of sixty seconds.
• After a day in an airtight container, the moisture from the baked donuts will begin to dissolve the first layer of powdered sugar, making them look slightly wet. Simply roll them in fresh powdered sugar right before serving to restore their snowy appearance.

Serving Suggestions

These sweet, bite-sized snowballs are best enjoyed alongside warm beverages that balance their sugary exterior.

• Pair them with a hot cup of black coffee or a rich espresso to cut through the sweetness.
• Serve them on a festive platter alongside our Chocolate Pine Cones for a stunning winter-themed dessert display.
• Offer them as a sweet side next to a cozy breakfast skillet like our Stuffed Breakfast Biscuit Skillet.
• Dunk them directly into a mug of creamy hot cocoa topped with homemade whipped cream.
• Arrange them in mini paper liners for an elegant addition to a holiday brunch buffet.

Storage and Reheating

Store these donuts at room temperature.

Keep them in a single layer inside an airtight container lined with a paper towel to absorb any excess moisture that might dissolve your beautiful sugar coating. They will stay soft and delicious for up to three days, though they are undeniably best on day one.

Do not refrigerate them under any circumstances. The cold environment of the fridge accelerates starch retrogradation, turning your tender snowballs stale and dry within hours.

If you want to freeze them, do so before rolling them in the powdered sugar. Freeze the plain baked donut holes on a baking sheet until solid, then transfer them to a zip-top bag for up to two months, thawing at room temperature before doing the double-sugar roll.

Ingredient Substitutes

If you need to adapt this recipe for dietary restrictions or pantry limitations, these swaps work beautifully without ruining the delicate texture.

1. Gluten-Free Flour: You can swap the all-purpose flour and cornstarch for a high-quality 1:1 gluten-free baking blend, though the texture will be slightly denser.
2. Dairy-Free Milk: Unsweetened almond milk or oat milk can replace the whole milk at a 1:1 ratio, though you will lose a tiny bit of the rich dairy flavor.
3. Alternative Fat: Melted coconut oil works as a direct substitute for the unsalted butter, adding a very subtle tropical note to the background.
4. Egg Substitute: If baking egg-free, use 3 tablespoons of unsweetened applesauce, which mimics the moisture and binding properties of the egg without altering the flavor profile.

There is something incredibly comforting about watching a mountain of these snowy little treats pile up on a cooling rack while the kitchen still smells of warm vanilla. I hope they bring a little bit of that cozy, effortless magic to your morning table, messy sugar-dusted fingers and all.