A 25-count box of Munchkins at Dunkin’ costs $12.49, which works out to about $0.50 per Munchkin. This recipe makes 36 for roughly $4.30 in ingredients, or about $0.12 each. That is a 76% savings.

If you are buying Munchkins for a party or a crowd, the math gets even better. A 50-count box at Dunkin’ costs around $17.99. Two batches of this recipe (72 Munchkins) cost under $9.00 and take about an hour including cleanup.

The size is a huge part of the appeal. A Munchkin is about 1.5 inches in diameter, which is the perfect bite-to-coating ratio. Every Munchkin is almost entirely crust and coating. There is barely any plain interior. Compare that to a full-sized donut where the middle is mostly just cake. The Munchkin is all surface area, all flavor, all the time.

The cake donut base is simple on purpose. It is mildly sweet, slightly dense, and has a tender crumb with a faint hint of nutmeg. Nutmeg is the secret ingredient in most old-school donut recipes. You do not taste it directly, but it adds a warmth and depth that makes the donut taste more interesting without being identifiable. Leave it out and the donut tastes flat.

The coating matters as much as the donut itself. Cinnamon sugar Munchkins are the most popular and for good reason. The warm cinnamon amplifies the nutmeg in the dough, and the sugar granules add a slight crunch that contrasts with the soft interior. Powdered sugar coats the lips and fingers and dissolves on contact with the warm dough. The glaze sets into a thin, crackly shell that shatters when you bite through it. Each coating creates a completely different eating experience from the same base donut.

• Keep the oil at 350°F. This is non-negotiable. Too hot and the outside burns before the inside cooks through. Too cool and the dough absorbs oil and turns greasy. A thermometer is essential, not optional.

• Do not crowd the pot. Fry no more than 6 at a time. Adding too many drops the oil temperature and results in greasy, pale Munchkins.

• Make chocolate Munchkins. Replace 1/4 cup of the flour with unsweetened cocoa powder and add an extra tablespoon of sugar. Dip in chocolate glaze for a double-chocolate version.

• Try a Boston cream filling. Let Munchkins cool completely, then inject vanilla pudding through one side using a piping bag with a small round tip. Dip the tops in chocolate glaze.

• Go savory. Skip the sugar coatings entirely and toss the warm Munchkins in garlic butter with parmesan and herbs. They work as an appetizer or a side dish.

• Bake instead of fry. Grease a mini muffin tin and fill each cup two-thirds full with dough. Bake at 375°F for 10-12 minutes. They will not be identical to fried Munchkins, but they are lighter and much less messy.

Most Munchkin problems trace back to one thing: oil temperature. Here is how to read what went wrong and fix it on the next batch.

• Greasy, heavy Munchkins. The oil was too cool (below about 340°F). Cool oil soaks into the dough instead of searing the surface, so the donut holes drink up fat before a crust forms. Let the oil fully recover to 350°F between batches and fry no more than 6 at a time — each addition drops the temperature.

• Raw or doughy centers with dark outsides. The oil ran too hot (above about 365°F). The outside browns before the middle sets. Pull the pot off the heat for a minute to bring it back to 350°F, and roll the dough into tablespoon-sized balls — anything larger will not cook through in the 2 to 3 minutes it takes the outside to color.

• Coating won’t stick. Glaze and cinnamon sugar need a warm surface. Coat within a minute or two of draining; once the Munchkins cool, the finish slides off. For a thicker glaze shell, let the first coat set for five minutes, then dip a second time.

• Make-ahead. Fry the plain donut holes up to a day ahead, store airtight, then refresh in a 300°F oven for 4-5 minutes and coat while warm — they taste freshly fried.

Munchkins are at their absolute best within the first hour of frying. The coating is fresh, the interior is still warm and soft, and the exterior has a slight crunch. After that, they are still good but begin to lose their edge.

At room temperature in a sealed container, Munchkins keep for 2 days. The coating softens and the texture becomes uniformly cakey. To refresh them, spread on a sheet pan and warm in a 300°F oven for 4-5 minutes. This re-crisps the outside and warms the interior without drying them out. The microwave works but makes them slightly rubbery. Munchkins can also be frozen for up to 2 months in a zip-top bag with parchment between layers. Reheat from frozen in a 325°F oven for 8-10 minutes. Re-apply powdered sugar or cinnamon sugar after reheating, as the coating absorbs into the dough during storage.

• Dunkin’ Pumpkin Munchkins — the seasonal fall version with pumpkin pie spice in the dough and a real-pumpkin glaze; available August through October.
• Dunkin’ Glazed Donuts — the full-size ring version of the same dough, coated in a thin, shiny vanilla glaze.
• Dunkin’ Boston Kreme Donut — vanilla custard-filled yeasted donut with chocolate ganache on top; the premium sibling to the glazed.
• Dunkin’ Iced Coffee — double-strength cold brew over ice; the natural pairing with a bag of fresh Munchkins.

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