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4.9 from 111 votes

Youtiao Recipe (Chinese Fried Dough)

Youtiao (油条), also known as Chinese fried dough or Chinese crullers, is a breakfast favorite in China. Our you tiao recipe is easy to make and hard to beat.

Prep Time
12 hrs
Cook Time
mins
Total Time
12 hrs 20 mins
Servings: 10
Calories: 178 kcal
Course: Baked Goods
Cuisine: Chinese

Ingredients

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 egg
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1½ teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 tablespoon milk
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter (softened, NOT MELTED)
  • about 1/3 cup water (the exact amount changes based on the humidity in your kitchen; the dough should be very soft, but not sticking to the mixing bowl)
  • oil (for frying)

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Using your electric mixer with the dough hook attachment, first mix the flour, egg, salt, baking powder, milk, and softened butter together on the lowest setting. Keeping the speed at “stir,” slowly add the water in a few separate batches (you may need more or less depending on the humidity in your kitchen).
  2. Knead the dough for 15 minutes. The dough should be sticky, but not stick to the sides of the bowl. Cover the dough, and let rest for 30 minutes. This can be done by hand if you don’t have a mixer. Just knead the dough for 5-10 minutes longer.
  3. On a clean, lightly floured surface, form the dough into a long flat loaf shape, about 1/4-inch thick and 4 inches wide. Take the time to make it truly uniform. Place it in the center of a large piece of plastic wrap on a baking sheet or long, flat plate. Wrap the dough, tucking the two ends of the plastic under the loaf, and ensuring that the dough is completely covered. Refrigerate overnight.
  4. In the morning, take out the dough and let it sit on the counter (wrapped) for 1-3 hours until the dough is completely back to room temperature and VERY, VERY soft to the touch. This step is critical, and may take longer in the colder months. If you don't let the dough come back to room temperature, it won't fry up properly.
  5. Now prepare the oil for frying using your wok. You can also use a large pan with some depth for added safety. The goal is to have a large vessel, so that you can produce authentically long crullers. Use medium heat to slowly bring the oil up to 400-425°F/205-220°C.
  6. While the oil is heating up, you can unwrap the dough. Gently flip the dough onto a lightly floured surface, peeling off the plastic wrap. Very lightly flour the top side of the dough also. Next, cut the dough into 1-inch wide strips (try to cut an even number of strips). Then stack them two by two, and press the center, lengthwise, with a chopstick. Hold the two ends of each piece, and gently stretch the dough to a 9-inch long rope.
  7. Once the oil is up to temperature, carefully lower the stretched dough into the oil. If the oil temperature is right, the dough should surface right away. Now take a long cooking tool (we used chopsticks, but you could also use tongs), and quickly roll the dough in a continuous motion for about a minute.
  8. You can fry one to two at a time. Just be sure to take the time to continuously roll the dough in the oil. The youtiao is done once they turn light golden brown. Try not to over-fry them as they become unpleasantly crunchy rather than chewy and delicious.
  9. Now, repeat those steps with the remaining dough. You might want two people manning the process—one to form and place the dough into the fryer and one to roll the dough around once it’s in the oil.

Notes

  • Makes 8-10 pieces.

Nutrition Information

Calories 178kcal (9%) Carbohydrates 19g (6%) Protein 3g (6%) Fat 10g (15%) Saturated Fat 2g (10%) Cholesterol 23mg (8%) Sodium 144mg (6%) Potassium 93mg (3%) Fiber 1g (4%) Sugar 1g (2%) Vitamin A 95IU (2%) Calcium 34mg (3%) Iron 1.3mg (7%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 10Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 178

% Daily Value*

Calories 178kcal 9%
Carbohydrates 19g 6%
Protein 3g 6%
Fat 10g 15%
Saturated Fat 2g 10%
Cholesterol 23mg 8%
Sodium 144mg 6%
Potassium 93mg 2%
Fiber 1g 4%
Sugar 1g 2%
Vitamin A 95IU 2%
Calcium 34mg 3%
Iron 1.3mg 7%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.