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Deep fried Twinkies are the ultimate state-fair treat you can now make right in your own kitchen, no carnival ticket required. A frozen Twinkie gets cut into bites, dunked in a simple sweet batter, and fried until golden and crisp on the outside with a warm, gooey, melty center. We made these for a movie night with Maddie and Lizzie and they vanished in minutes, especially once we set out a bowl of warm caramel sauce for dipping.
If you have ever wanted to recreate that nostalgic fair food magic at home, these crispy, creamy bites are pure joy.
Deep Fried Twinkies Quick Look
- 🕒 Prep Time: 10 minutes
- 🌡️ Cook Time: 5 minutes
- ⏳ Total Time: 15 minutes
- 🍽️ Serving: 5 servings
- ⚡ Calories: 629kcal
- 🌶️ Flavor Profile: Crispy and golden outside with a warm, sweet, creamy center
- ✋ Difficulty: Easy, a fun fried treat like our caramel apple pie egg rolls
Quick Answer
Freeze whole Twinkies for about 10 minutes so the filling stays put, then cut them into bite-sized pieces. Whisk up a simple batter of eggs, sugar, milk, flour, salt, and baking powder, dip the frozen Twinkie bites, and carefully fry them in 375 degree oil for 3 to 5 minutes until golden. Drain on paper towels and dust with powdered sugar. Freezing first is the trick that keeps the cream filling from leaking into the oil.
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Why This Recipe Works
Click to see the technique science
- Freezing keeps the filling inside. A quick chill firms up the cream so it does not melt out and make a mess in the hot oil.
- Cutting into bites means more crispy edges. Bite-sized pieces give you the perfect ratio of crunchy fried coating to soft cake in every piece.
- The batter fries up light and golden. Baking powder gives the coating a little lift so it puffs and crisps instead of turning dense.
- Hot oil at 375 is the sweet spot. That temperature crisps the outside fast before the inside overheats, so the center stays soft and gooey.
- They cook in minutes. Each batch fries in just 3 to 5 minutes, so you can make a big plate in no time.
- Totally customizable toppings. Powdered sugar is classic, but a drizzle of chocolate or caramel takes them over the top.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- They taste exactly like the state fair favorite but cost a fraction to make at home.
- They are a fun, shareable treat that disappears as fast as our caramel apple pie egg rolls.
- The crispy golden outside and warm, creamy center are an irresistible combination.
Key Ingredients
Just a box of Twinkies and a few pantry staples make this easy fried treat.
- Twinkies: The star of the show. Freezing them first is key to keeping that signature cream filling from leaking out.
- Eggs, milk, and flour: The base of a simple, light batter that fries up golden and crispy.
- Sugar and baking powder: A little sugar sweetens the coating while baking powder helps it puff and crisp.
- Oil for frying: Use a neutral oil like vegetable or canola that can handle the 375 degree heat.
- Powdered sugar: The classic finishing dusting, though caramel or chocolate sauce are delicious too.
See recipe card for exact quantities.
Variations and Substitutions
These deep fried Twinkies are a blank canvas for fun toppings and twists.
- Chocolate drizzle: Drizzle melted chocolate or hot fudge over the top for an extra decadent treat.
- Caramel dip: Serve with warm caramel sauce for dunking, fair-food style.
- Cinnamon sugar: Toss the hot bites in cinnamon sugar instead of powdered sugar for a churro vibe.
- Berry topping: Add a spoonful of strawberry or raspberry sauce and fresh berries for a sweet-tart contrast.
- More fun desserts: Loving the bite-sized treats? Try our mini cheesecakes or baked chocolate chip cake donuts.
How to Make Deep Fried Twinkies
- Beat the eggs and sugar together in a bowl until smooth, then carefully whisk in the milk.
- Add the flour, salt, and baking powder to the wet ingredients and whisk until the batter is smooth with no lumps.
- Take the frozen Twinkies out of the freezer and cut each one into four equal pieces.
- Coat the Twinkie bites in the batter, working in batches so they stay cold until they hit the oil.
- Carefully place the battered bites one by one into 375 degree oil and fry for 3 to 5 minutes, flipping occasionally, until golden brown all over.
- Transfer the fried Twinkies to a paper towel-lined plate to drain, then dust with powdered sugar and serve. Enjoy!
Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Do not skip the freezer step. Frozen Twinkies hold their filling so it does not leak out into the hot oil.
- Use a thermometer. Keeping the oil right around 375 degrees gives you a crisp coating and a warm, gooey center.
- Fry in small batches. Adding too many bites at once drops the oil temperature and makes them greasy instead of crisp.
- Keep the rest cold. Leave the cut Twinkies in the freezer until the moment you batter and fry them.
- Drain well. A paper towel-lined plate soaks up excess oil so the bites stay light and crispy.
- Serve them warm. Deep fried Twinkies are at their absolute best fresh out of the oil while the center is still melty.
Serving Ideas and Suggestions
Deep fried Twinkies are meant to be enjoyed warm and fresh, piled on a plate and showered with powdered sugar. Set out little bowls of warm caramel sauce and hot fudge for dipping to give everyone that full carnival experience at home.
They make an unforgettable party or movie-night treat. Pair them with other fun, shareable desserts like our mini cheesecakes and caramel apple pie egg rolls for a fair-food dessert spread the whole crew will love.
Add a scoop of vanilla ice cream alongside the warm bites for an a la mode upgrade. If you love nostalgic, crowd-pleasing sweets, our key lime eclair cake and layered trifle are perfect for your next gathering too.
Deep Fried Twinkies FAQs
Freezing the Twinkies firms up the soft cake and cream filling so it does not melt and leak out into the hot oil. A quick 10 minute freeze is enough to keep everything intact, giving you a crisp golden coating with a warm, gooey center.
Use a neutral oil with a high smoke point, such as vegetable, canola, or peanut oil. These oils can handle the 375 degree frying temperature without burning and will not add any competing flavor to the sweet bites.
Absolutely. A heavy-bottomed skillet or pot with about three inches of oil works perfectly. Just use a thermometer to keep the oil around 375 degrees and fry in small batches for the best, crispiest results.
Deep fried Twinkies are best enjoyed fresh, but you can store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to two days. Reheat them in an air fryer or oven at 350 degrees for a few minutes to bring back some of the crisp. Avoid the microwave, which makes them soggy.
Yes, you can fry whole Twinkies on a stick the way the fair does it. Freeze them solid first, dip in batter, and fry, turning to brown all sides. Bites are easier to handle and give you more crispy surface area, but whole ones are fun for that classic presentation.
Powdered sugar is the classic topping, but they are amazing with warm caramel sauce, hot fudge, chocolate drizzle, or a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Set up a little dipping station so everyone can customize their own.
Craving more fried fair-food fun? Try our caramel apple pie egg rolls next.
These soft oatmeal chocolate chip cookie bars are a potluck favorite.
Deep Fried Twinkie Bites
Ingredients
- 5 Twinkies
- 3 large eggs
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 cups milk
- 3 & 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- oil for frying
- powdered sugar for topping optional
Instructions
- Unwrap the Twinkies and place them on a plate. Put the plate in the freezer for about 10 minutes or while you are mixing the batter. (This will help ensure the filling doesn’t leak out when frying.)5 Twinkies
- Place three inches of vegetable oil in a heavy-bottom skillet with deep sides. Heat over medium heat until hot, around 375°F.oil for frying
- Beat the eggs and sugar together until smooth.3 large eggs, 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- Carefully whisk in the milk.2 cups milk
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients except for the powdered sugar and beat this until smooth with no lumps.3 & 2/3 cup all-purpose flour, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 2 teaspoons baking powder
- Take the Twinkies out and cut them into four equal pieces. You will want to fry these in batches, so only put as many Twinkie pieces in the batter as you will use.
- Place the other cut-up Twinkies back into the freezer until they are ready to fry.
- Cover the Twinkie bites in the batter and CAREFULLY place them, one by one, in the hot oil. Make sure to flip them every once in a while so they get a golden outside evenly. It takes about 3-5 minutes, and they are done.
- Transfer the deep fried Twinkies to a paper towel-lined plate so the excess oil is absorbed.
- Serve with your favorite dipping sauce or a light coating of powdered sugar. Enjoy!powdered sugar for topping
Notes
- Oil Temperature: Make sure the oil is at 375°F for the best results.
- Freezing the Twinkies: Freezing helps the Twinkies hold together during frying.
- Batter Consistency: The batter should be thick enough to coat the Twinkie bites completely.
- Working in Batches: Fry in small batches to maintain oil temperature.
- Draining Excess Oil: Place fried bites on paper towels to absorb excess oil.
- Serving Fresh: Serve them hot for the best texture and flavor.
Nutrition
Love This Recipe?
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Yummy. I looked up this recipie because I was out of my normal $1 boxed funnel cake mix. I used this with my berry twinkies and oh I’m done yummy made every time I make dessert now for a while lol
Oh my gosh! I would eat ALL of the these. YUM! Thanks fro this one. Pinned (of course)
http://makingmemorieswithyourkids.com
These are awesome! They’re featured on this week’s Mouthwatering Monday!!!
Holy moly, these look FABulous! My children would love me forever if I made deep fried twinkies for dessert! 😉
Thanks so much for sharing on Show Me Saturdays! Hope to see you again this weekend!
~ Ashley
My husband and son will love me if I make them these! Pinned!
Oh, be still my heart! These are making me go a little weak in the knees 🙂 What an awesome idea–deep fried anything makes me happy but and Twinkies is absolutely genius!
Dana, I just had to check out your deep fried twinkies because they sound amazing and look soooo YUMMY!! Thanks for sharing at Snickerdoodle Sunday! Pinned to my ‘Recipes from Others’ board. 😉
Have a sweet weekend.
Heather
MySweetMission.net
I need these in my life!
Oh my! I’d better not try these, I’m already addicted to Twinkies, lol!