Deep Fried Cookie Dough - Handle the Heat
Filed Under: Chocolate | Cookies

Deep Fried Cookie Dough

  |  
February 17th, 2016
4.50 from 4 votes
4.50 from 4 votes

Deep Fried Cookie Dough made with homemade chocolate chip cookie dough, dipped in batter, and fried to golden crispy perfection! Keep reading for the full step-by-step video, tons of tips, and the printable recipe!

Yield: 24 cookie dough balls

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook: 15 minutes

OMG possibly the BESt thing I've ever eaten! Deep Fried Cookie Dough made with homemade chocolate chip cookie dough, dipped in batter, and fried to golden crispy perfection!

Tessa's Recipe Rundown...

Taste: Chocolate chip cookie dough PERFECTION. Texture: Super light and crispy batter with an ooey gooey filling. Ease: This is a pretty messy and hands-on recipe, which is why I created the step by step video above to help you see how it's done! Appearance: They really don't look like much until they're drizzled with chocolate and dusted with sugar. Pros: Out of this world decadence. Cons: Messy. I make this again? Oh yeah. For sure.

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Deep Fried Cookie Dough made with homemade chocolate chip cookie dough, dipped in batter, and fried to golden crispy perfection!

You might as well call these deep fried balls of HEAVEN. They are pure decadence in the best possible way and I’m so excited to share these with you.

Jared and I tackled this recipe together, actually, because deep frying while filming is a balancing act I’d rather not juggle alone. Seeing my expensive camera anywhere near 360°F oil makes my heart skip a beat! It was a fun recipe to conquer together, and we certainly enjoyed the fruits of our labor. These deep fried cookie dough balls certainly make a bit of a mess but they are so completely worth it!

Deep Fried Cookie Dough made with homemade chocolate chip cookie dough, dipped in batter, and fried to golden crispy perfection!

Watch the video below to see exactly how these are made from start to finish!

Deep Fried Cookie Dough Recipe Tips

Here’s some extra help and advice in case you think you’ll need it. I’ve tried to answer every possible question so you can be wildly successful when you go to make these babies in your own kitchen. As always, feel free to ask any other questions in the comments below!

The Cookie Dough

I prefer homemade to store-bought any day of the week, and the cookie dough in this recipe is no exception! If you really wanted to, you could use store-bought cookie dough and proceed with the batter and frying.
However, if you are worried about the possibility of consuming undercooked eggs, then I recommend you use pasteurized eggs. The cookie dough in this recipe does not fully cook through. If you can’t find pasteurized eggs, you can omit the egg and replace it with 3 tablespoons of milk. The texture won’t be exactly the same, but I understand it’s a must for some people.

The Batter

Use the batter to fry the cookie dough soon after making it. The batter may look really thin, but I promise it will puff up and offer a nice light yet crispy coating once it’s fried.

Frying

I used vegetable oil, but any mild oil with a high smoking point will do. I always use a deep fry thermometer to track the temperature of the oil, both for safety and for the best possible taste and texture. Oil that’s too cold will yield a greasy product. Oil that’s too hot will overcook and burn the outside. Bits of batter getting stuck in your oil is pretty much inevitable, so I like to use my mesh skimmer to remove any larger pieces of batter or debris from the oil as I fry.

We randomly discovered that one of my chocolate dipping tools worked beautifully for picking up the batter-coated cookie dough and placing it in the hot oil. When we used our hands not only did our fingers pull away the batter, but it’s just not safe to place your hand that close to the oil (even if you see pro chefs do it all the time). Deep frying is already dangerous, no need to risk unnecessary oil burns! We always keep our fire extinguisher out when we deep fry.

Make Ahead

The balls of cookie dough can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days before frying. Unfortunately, once these babies are fried they need to be served soon after. They’re not the kind of treat that will stay good for days on end. However, you can keep them warm in a 175°F oven until ready to garnish and serve.

Deep Fried Cookie Dough made with homemade chocolate chip cookie dough, dipped in batter, and fried to golden crispy perfection!

4.50 from 4 votes

How to make
Deep Fried Cookie Dough

Yield: 24 cookie dough balls
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Deep Fried Cookie Dough made with homemade chocolate chip cookie dough, dipped in batter, and fried to golden crispy perfection! Keep reading for the full step-by-step video, tons of tips, and the printable recipe!

Ingredients

For the cookie dough:

  • 1 stick (113 grams) unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 1/2 cup (100 grams) packed brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 1 egg, at room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 1/4 cups (159 grams) all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup (170 grams) semisweet chocolate chips

For frying:

  • 1 1/4 cups (159 grams) all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (255 grams) milk
  • 2 teaspoon vegetable oil
  • 1 quart oil, for frying
  • Melted chocolate, for drizzling
  • Powdered sugar, for dusting

Directions

Make the cookie dough:

  1. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar on medium-high speed until very well combined. Add in the egg and vanilla and beat until combined. On low speed gradually add the flour and salt. Stir in the chocolate chips.
  2. Shape the dough into 1-inch balls and place on a parchment lined baking sheet. Refrigerate until firm, at least one hour or up to 2 days if placed in an airtight container.

Prepare the dough for frying:

  1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar. Add the milk and vegetable oil, and whisk until the batter is smooth and free of lumps.
  2. In a medium heavy pot, heat 2 inches of oil until it reaches 360°F. Take a chilled ball of cookie dough and dip it in the batter, turning it over with your hands until it’s completely covered. Let excess batter drip back into the bowl, then gently drop it into the oil. Fry up to 4 or 5 balls at a time.
  3. Fry the balls for about 1 1/2 to 2 minutes per side, or until they’re puffed and a dark golden brown on all sides. Remove them from the oil using a frying skimmer and place them on a paper towel-lined baking sheet to drain. Repeat with the rest of the cookie dough balls and batter. Maintain the temperature of the oil between 360 to 370°F.
  4. Drizzle the balls with melted chocolate and a dusting of powdered sugar before serving warm. These are best served the day they’re fried, but can be kept warm in a 175°F oven until ready to serve.

Recipe Notes

Adapted from Sugar Hero
Course : Dessert
Cuisine : American

Tessa Arias
Author: Tessa Arias

I share trusted baking recipes your friends will LOVE alongside insights into the science of sweets. I'm a professionally trained chef, cookbook author, and cookie queen. I love to write about all things sweet, carb-y, and homemade. I live in Phoenix, Arizona (hence the blog name!)

Tessa Arias

About Tessa...

I share trusted baking recipes your friends will LOVE alongside insights into the science of sweets. I'm a professionally trained chef, cookbook author, and cookie queen. I love to write about all things sweet, carb-y, and homemade. I live in Phoenix, Arizona (hence the blog name!)

Find Tessa on  

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Recipe Rating




  1. #
    Waye — August 15, 2023 at 1:31 pm

    could you make this in an air fryer

    • #
      Kiersten @ Handle the Heat — August 16, 2023 at 6:55 am

      Hi Waye! We haven’t tried that, so I can’t say for sure, sorry! Let us know how it goes if you give that a try 🙂

  2. #
    Luisa Freeman — August 18, 2020 at 3:03 pm

    Such a guilty pleasure. Made this with all the kids in my family once and it was gone SO fast. Thank you for the recipe.

  3. #
    Sarah — April 17, 2020 at 10:11 am

    These were amazing!

    • #
      Soclikes — July 9, 2020 at 9:33 am

      I am agree with you

  4. #
    Jenny — November 30, 2019 at 1:44 pm

    Have you by any chance tried this recipe in an air fryer? Think this would be a crowd pleaser for sure but don’t have a traditional fryer!

  5. #
    Candice — September 10, 2019 at 7:50 am

    I had trouble with one or two holes forming on each ball and the cookie dough getting sucked out of the hole going into the oil. Then, oil gets into the inside and sort of mixes with the cookie dough. I tried making these twice and had this problem both times. I’d like to remedy this because I know they’ll be so great once I figure out how to fix my problem.

  6. #
    cerrajeros valencia — February 14, 2018 at 3:15 pm

    Cerrajero urgente para la apertura de una puerta. http://cerrajeros-Sevilla-24-hor64051.onesmablog.com/

  7. #
    Julie — August 31, 2017 at 2:07 pm

    Have you ever tried frying with frozen balls of cookie dough? I have some in the deep freeze from peanut butter chocolate chunk cookies I just made, planning to dip them in the batter frozen and fry in my deep fryer, but I’m not sure how long/what temp I should work with.

  8. #
    Sara — September 25, 2016 at 10:41 am

    Can this be baked in the oven instead of fried? I prefer not to fry things. Plus I am scared of frying things as I have been burned by someone frying things.

    • #
      Tessa — September 26, 2016 at 10:10 am

      Hi Sara, unfortunately this recipe is formulated to be fried. I understand your fear of frying, I’ve definitely been burned as well! It definitely requires some patience and caution.

  9. #
    Janie Richards — August 18, 2016 at 10:22 am

    Tessa, I will also be making thee in mass quantities, any suggestions ? Thanks again..

  10. #
    Janie Richards — August 18, 2016 at 10:20 am

    Tessa, when ordering the dipping tool, what size do I need. I saw a set of three different tools that come together or you can order just the large dipping tool, all on Amazon. I don’t really know if the large is too big and I need this fast… thank you so much.

  11. #
    Gracie | Craftily Baking — August 3, 2016 at 4:33 pm

    Oooh yummy!

  12. #
    Tessa — July 13, 2016 at 7:56 am

    Did your read the post, Dani? “However, if you are worried about the possibility of consuming undercooked eggs, then I recommend you use pasteurized eggs. The cookie dough in this recipe does not fully cook through. If you can’t find pasteurized eggs, you can omit the egg and replace it with 3 tablespoons of milk. The texture won’t be exactly the same, but I understand it’s a must for some people.”

  13. #
    Yusra — June 25, 2016 at 4:42 am

    Hi Tessa!
    I just recently discovered your blog and I must say it is amazing! You seem to work so hard to ensure that every ingredient is there for a reason and that is what gives us fool proof recipes, everytime! Thanks for sharing your thoughts and ideas with us! I tried making these deep fried cookie dough balls and they turned out EXACTLY how you said they would! Perfectly golden and crispy on the outside, and ooey gooey on the inside!
    Question: I have some leftover batter and I was wondering if I could dip oreos in there and fry them? Would they turn out like the deep fried oreos you would find at a carnival? As in, will the batter be soft and cake like or golden and crispy? Could you share a fool proof deep fried oreos rexipe with us? I have loads on hand!
    Thanks,
    Your friend,
    Yusra 🙂

    • #
      Tessa — June 28, 2016 at 9:19 pm

      Wonderful! Love to hear that. I haven’t tried Oreos yet but the batter should work for those too!

  14. #
    Terri — June 24, 2016 at 8:23 pm

    I had a problem with the batter coming off the cookie dough ball. Any idea why? I tried an Oreo and it stuck just fine. In thinking it has something to do with the temperature of the dough maybe.

  15. #
    Fish — May 15, 2016 at 4:06 am

    Hi Tessa,

    I want to serve this in my future parties and I just want to know if I can leave it on the buffet table and if it’ll still be good to eat hours after being fried?

    • #
      Tessa — May 16, 2016 at 9:44 pm

      Well, they’re best served warm so if you can manage that on your table then it should be okay.

  16. #
    Tina Davis — April 18, 2016 at 2:56 pm

    i was wondering if you have any meal recipes other than desserts

  17. #
    Daphne Minkus — February 23, 2016 at 9:54 pm

    I made these tonight and thought they were fabulous! The batter was absolutely PERFECT, nice crunch on the outside and soft of the inside, wonderful flavor! We even threw some double stuffed Oreos in and I wasn’t sure at first how they’d turn out because of the batter not being very thick on it, but those my husband enjoyed more than the cookie dough! I’m imagining if you want a “thicker” batter to stick on something like the Oreos you could just use less milk? I thought it was perfect for the cookie dough though!
    I hate deep fryers, so I just heated oil in a pot.

  18. #
    Patty K — February 20, 2016 at 1:32 pm

    Oh my goodness…who needs fried oreos when you can have these?!!!

  19. #
    Hope C. — February 17, 2016 at 1:59 pm

    Hey, Tessa! Wow, these look amazing; I wish I could try them right now! Question: do you have to use a deep-fryer? Is there some other thing you can use? Thanks!

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