Donut hole

• Comment: Some of these are commercial references and should be replaced with secondary sources that are more reliable and have editorial oversight. CNMall41 (talk) 20:24, 26 June 2023 (UTC)

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Donut holes

Donut holes (also known as Doughnut holes, Munchkins, and Timbits), are a subcategory of donut. Smaller than regular donuts, donut holes are formed as a small round piece of dough that can be plain or coated in a topping such as glaze. A popular dessert in the United States, donut holes can often be found in grocery stores or bakeries.

History

While the origins of the donut hole are unknown and debated, there are stories surrounding the creation of the donut hole, including the tale of Hanson Gregory. According to some, 16 year old Gregory was once aboard a ship when decided that he was unhappy with the original form of the pastry, and skewered a hole through the middle to help them fry more evenly....

Of course, the actual story behind the development of the donut hole may be much less exciting, such as recipes calling for the donut to be formed in the shape of a jumble, a circular cookie with a hole in the center, or Cuisine and Culture: A History of Food and People stating that a hole in the center helps a donut cook more quickly. Author and Chef John Stewart even hypothesizes that because donuts were becoming popular at the same time as bagels, bakeries would mimic the shape of bagels for their donuts to try and increase profits by selling them in a similar manner.

In 1973, Dunkin' Donuts added “Munchkins” to their menu, selling them in the various flavors of their donuts as a way to use up their remaining dough. The name reportedly stems from The Wizard of Oz and the miniature “Munchkin” people within the film.

In 1976, Tim Hortons, a Canadian coffee and bakery franchise, debuted the “Timbit”, their version of the donut hole

Krispy Kreme also sells and produces their version of the donut hole, and they mass produced this item to be sold not just in their stores but in grocery stores as well

How They’re Made

Originally, “Munchkin” donut holes were hand cut from the center of donuts and individually shaped and fried to get the ideal round shape.. With modern technology however, Dunkin’ no longer individually cuts the dough and instead employs an automated machine to create uniform, round donut holes large batches at a time

Types

Like regular donuts, donut holes can come in many varieties. The dough itself can fall under the categories of either cake or yeast style. The main difference between the two is that cake style donut holes use a leavener like baking soda or baking powder to bring rise to the bread, while a yeast style donut uses yeast

In terms of flavoring, donut holes can come in any flavor that a regular donut can be. Common flavors include classic glazed, chocolate glazed, and cinnamon sugar. Bakeries may adjust their flavors according to the season.

Donut holes are also able to be filled with jelly, Nutella, cream, or pudding. These small donuts are often covered in powdered sugar as opposed to glazed or frosted.