1. Potato Bites
Ingredients (about 16–20 bites):
2 cups cold mashed potatoes
1 egg (helps bind)
1 cup cheddar or mozzarella cheese
2 tbsp flour, all-purpose
2 tbsp chopped parsley
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
Salt & pepper, to taste
Oil for frying
Instructions:
Mix – In a bowl, combine mashed potatoes, egg, cheese, flour, herbs, and seasoning. Stir until smooth and thick enough to shape.
Shape – Scoop 1 tbsp of mixture and roll into small balls or flatten slightly into patties.
Fry: Heat oil in a skillet and cook on medium heat until golden and crispy on all sides, about 2–3 minutes per side.
Serve – Enjoy plain or with ketchup, sour cream, or yogurt dip.
2. Fried Cheese Balls
Ingredients (about 18–20 balls)
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (or a mix of mozzarella & cheddar for flavor)
½ cup cream cheese (softened)
½ cup all-purpose flour
2 large eggs, beaten
1 ½ cups breadcrumbs (panko or regular)
½ tsp garlic powder
½ tsp paprika (optional, for color)
Salt & black pepper to taste
Oil for deep-frying (vegetable or canola)
Instructions:
Make the cheese mixture – In a bowl, mix shredded mozzarella, cream cheese, garlic powder, paprika, salt, and pepper until well combined.
Shape into balls – Scoop about 1 tbsp of the mixture and roll into bite-sized balls. Place on a tray lined with parchment paper. Freeze for 20–30 minutes (this helps them hold shape while frying).
Coat – Roll each ball in flour, dip in beaten eggs, then coat with breadcrumbs. For extra crispiness, dip again in egg and breadcrumbs (double coating).
Fry – Heat oil in a deep pan (350°F / 175°C). Fry cheese balls in batches for 2–3 minutes until golden brown.
Drain & serve – Remove with a slotted spoon, place on paper towels to drain excess oil.
Serve hot with marinara sauce, ranch, or garlic aioli for dipping.
3. Chocolate Donut Holes
Ingredients:
1 cup all-purpose flour
¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
½ cup granulated sugar
1 tsp baking powder
¼ tsp baking soda
¼ tsp salt
½ cup milk (whole or 2%)
1 egg
2 tbsp melted butter or oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
Oil for frying
Sugar Glaze:
1 cup powdered sugar
2–3 tbsp milk
½ tsp vanilla extract
Instructions:
1. Mix dry ingredients:
In a bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
2. Add wet ingredients:
In another bowl, mix milk, egg, melted butter, and vanilla. Pour into the dry ingredients and stir until just combined (don’t overmix).
3. Heat oil:
Heat about 2 inches of oil in a pot to 350°F (175°C).
4. Fry the donut holes:
Drop small spoonfuls of batter (or use a mini ice cream scoop) into the hot oil. Fry 1–2 minutes per side until puffed and cooked through.
5. Drain:
Remove and drain on paper towels.
6. Make the glaze:
Whisk powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla until smooth. Adjust consistency if needed (add a few drops of milk if too thick).
7. Dip and dry:
Dip warm donut holes into the glaze, then place on a wire rack to set.
Tips:
For extra shine, double-dip in the glaze once the first layer sets.
Add a pinch of espresso powder to the batter for richer chocolate flavor.
You can also bake them at 350°F (175°C) for 10–12 minutes using a mini muffin pan.
4. Cinnamon Biscuit Bites
Ingredients:
1 small roll of canned biscuits
1/4 cup sugar (mix of white and brown)
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1-2 tablespoons butter
Icing:
1/4 cup powdered sugar
4 ounce cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoon butter, softened
1 tablespoon milk
1/8 teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions:
Preheat your oven to 350°F. Place butter in a baking pan and melt it in the preheating oven.
Cut the canned biscuits into quarters.
In a plastic bag, combine the sugar (both white and brown) with cinnamon.
Place the biscuit quarters in the bag and shake to coat evenly with the cinnamon-sugar mixture.
Arrange the coated biscuit pieces in the melted butter in the baking pan.
Bake for about 15 minutes, or until the biscuit bites are golden brown.
While the biscuit bites are baking, mix together the powdered sugar, milk, cream cheese, butter, and vanilla extract in a bowl to make the icing.
Once the cinnamon sugar biscuit bites are done baking, remove them from the oven.
Drizzle the prepared icing over the warm biscuit bites. Enjoy your delicious and economical Cinnamon Sugar Biscuit Bites as a delightful treat!
5. Mini Churros Recipe
Ingredients:
1 cup water
2 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp unsalted butter
¼ tsp salt
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 large egg
½ tsp vanilla extract
Oil, for frying
For Coating:
½ cup sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
Dipping Sauce:
Chocolate Sauce — Melt together:
½ cup heavy cream
¾ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
Stir until smooth and glossy.
Instructions:
1. Make the dough:
In a saucepan, combine water, sugar, butter, and salt. Bring to a gentle boil over medium heat.
Once butter melts, add flour all at once and stir vigorously until it forms a smooth ball and pulls away from the sides.
2. Cool slightly and add egg:
Remove from heat and let cool for 5 minutes. Add the egg and vanilla, then stir until smooth and glossy (it takes a bit of mixing — you can use a spoon or hand mixer).
3. Prepare for frying:
Heat about 2 inches of oil in a pot to 350°F (175°C).
4. Pipe the churros:
Transfer dough into a piping bag fitted with a star tip (like Wilton 1M). Pipe 2–3 inch pieces directly into the hot oil, cutting with scissors.
5. Fry until golden:
Cook for about 2–3 minutes, flipping halfway, until golden brown and crisp.
6. Coat in cinnamon sugar:
Mix sugar and cinnamon in a bowl. Roll warm churros in the mixture to coat evenly.
Tips:
For extra crispiness, fry in small batches.
Pipe mini bites or loops for variety.
Best served warm and fresh!
6. Sesame Balls (Fried Glutinous Rice Balls)
Ingredients:
1 cup glutinous rice flour (mochiko flour works too)
¼ cup sugar
⅓ cup hot water (plus 1–2 tbsp more as needed)
½ cup white sesame seeds
Oil for frying
Optional Filling:
¼ cup sweet red bean paste, lotus seed paste, or sweet mung bean paste
Instructions:
1. Make the dough:
In a bowl, mix glutinous rice flour and sugar. Gradually pour in hot water, stirring with a spoon, then knead into a smooth, soft dough (not sticky). If too dry, add a little more warm water 1 tsp at a time.
2. Shape and fill:
Divide the dough into 10–12 pieces. Flatten each one into a small circle. Add ½–1 tsp of filling in the center. Pinch the edges to seal tightly and roll into a smooth ball.
3. Coat with sesame seeds:
Lightly dampen each ball with water. Roll in sesame seeds until fully covered, pressing gently so they stick well.
4. Fry:
Heat oil in a pot to 320–340°F (160–170°C) (medium heat). Fry the sesame balls in batches for about 6–8 minutes, stirring gently so they brown evenly. They’ll puff up as they cook!
5. Drain & cool:
Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Let cool slightly before serving — the inside will be hot!
Tips:
Keep oil temperature moderate — too hot and they’ll brown before puffing.
If they don’t float, gently tap them with a spoon after 2–3 minutes.
For a twist, fill with chocolate or peanut butter instead of bean paste!
