Youtiao (油条), also known as Chinese fried dough or Chinese crullers, is a breakfast favorite in China. The Cantonese dialect has an even better name: yàuhjagwái (油炸鬼), which literally translates to “oil-fried-devil” (or ghost). I am sure there is an elaborate old folktale behind this crazy name, but ultimately, youtiao don’t really need an introduction. Very few people can resist their allure.
For those of you seeing these for the first time, youtiao are usually served alongside porridge, soy milk, scallion pancakes, shao bing and/or steamed sticky rice (糍饭). I have also seen youtiao used as an ingredient in many recipes, from a plain youtiao soy sauce soup (my grandmother’s go-to last-minute meal) to stir-fried youtiao with beef. (We had it in a Zhejiang-style restaurant, and it was so decadent!)
While making this recipe, I unearthed some funny childhood memories that I’d completely forgotten about.
When I was little, my grandmother would send me to buy youtiao for breakfast. Mind you, there were no plastic bags to carry them from the vendor back home (not like today, when the Chinese use plastic bags to carry everything from soy milk to noodle soup to beer).
So, the Chinese solution? Bring your own chopstick to the youtiao vendor.
I’d walk up to the bubbling pot of oil, ask for 5 crullers, and the man would skewer five youtiao onto the chopstick. I’d then walk home, past the other customers with their own chopsticks in hand, careful to not let any of them drop.
I’ve made this recipe so many times now (this wasn’t an easy one to perfect!), and I can’t believe that it was able to bring back that little memory.
I know there is so much nostalgia associated with this wonderful food, and I am hoping that, with this recipe, your memories will re-surface and make you smile too.
These Chinese crullers are really good alone when made fresh with some dipping sauce made with some soy sauce, hot chili oil and a splash of vinegar.
If you want to go further, try our Savory Soy Milk Soup (Dou Jiang) or our zha leung dim sum in the Cheung Fun Homemade Rice Noodles, Two Ways, both pictured below. Enjoy this classic!
Important Recipe Notes
1) We provide a range of 1/3-1/2 cup (80-120 ml) water in the dough, as the added moisture needed may vary depending on your measuring technique as well as the humidity in your kitchen.
2) The frying temperature must be kept around 400-425°F/205-220°C. We include a range here, because you want the oil to be very hot, but not go above that particular oil’s smoke point. Smoke point will vary depending on the oil you’re frying in.
3) If the two halves come apart while frying, there are two possible culprits: you might be over-frying them, or you did not press the two parts tightly together enough.
4) Before assembling the youtiao, the dough must be completely back to room temperature and very soft to the touch. This can take anywhere from 1-3 hours (or longer depending on the temperature of your kitchen and the type of bowl your dough is in).
5) If you have leftovers after frying, freeze the cooked youtiao in a ziplock bag. Reheat them in the toaster oven or oven until just warmed through.
6) Don’t twist the dough into any new shapes, as it will strain their “growth” during the frying process.
7) Making this is a labor of love. But it’s worth it.
Okay, here’s how you make it!
Youtiao Recipe Instructions
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 1/3-1/2 cup water in a few separate batches.
Knead the dough for 15 minutes. The dough should feel very soft, but should not stick to the sides of the bowl. Cover the dough, and let rest for 30 minutes. By the way, all of this can be done by hand if you don’t have a mixer. Just knead the dough for 5-10 minutes longer.
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.
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 it 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.
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.
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.
Check out this video to see the youtiao motion in action. (We left the sound out of the video…we figured we’d spare you the crazy Cantonese music we were playing in the kitchen at that moment).
Once the oil reaches 400-425°F/205-220°C, 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.
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.
Video: Frying the Youtiao
Now, repeat those steps with the remaining youtiao 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.
Enjoy these!
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Recipe
Youtiao Recipe (Chinese Fried Dough)
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
- 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).
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
Tips & Notes:
Nutrition Facts
Note:
In response to comments on this recipe, we have re-tested it and made updates. On 1/7/21, we added metric measurements and updated the dough resting time from 10 minutes to 30 minutes. We also updated the water quantity in the dough to a range of 1/3 to 1/2 cup, as you might need less or more water depending on the humidity in your kitchen.
