The No-Mess Guide to Amazing Fried Food

A State Fair at Home

We aren't about to give you a recipe for no-mess fried Twinkies, but crispy-on-the-outside, fluffy-on-the-inside fried dough is well within a home cook's reach—and it doesn't involve splattering grease all over the kitchen. This four-ingredient recipe for dough comes together quickly, and you can fry up rounds in just 1/4 inch of oil (peanut oil has a neutral flavor and a higher smoke point than many other oils, which means you can get it nice and hot—a necessity for frying food—without worrying about it starting to smoke). Top the dough with a drizzle of maple syrup or a sprinkling of confectioner's or cinnamon sugar.