Refried Donuts
"Refried donuts" are leftover donuts pan-fried in butter, lard, or grease until crisp and caramelized. An Appalachian and Southern farmhouse treat, it turned day-old sweets into a hot, rich dessert or snack.
Hillbilly Dude Says...
Anytime donuts started to get stale, we'd melt a bunch of butter and make 'refried donuts' - and still do to this day. It's not like a regular ol' donut. It's caramelized and sticky and tacky and crispy and melty inside. If you want to make sure you're sleepy the rest of the day, do it now. Hillbilly Dude Says...
Anytime donuts started to get stale, we'd melt a bunch of butter and make 'refried donuts' - and still do to this day. It's not like a regular ol' donut. It's caramelized and sticky and tacky and crispy and melty inside. If you want to make sure you're sleepy the rest of the day, do it now. Pronunciation
[REE-fried DO-nuts]
Meaning & Usage
- Donuts fried again in a skillet (noun dish)
Mae:
What’s that smell?
What’s that smell?
Earl:
Just makin’ refried donuts for the kids.
Just makin’ refried donuts for the kids.- A farmhouse way to use up stale sweets (noun dish)
Mae:
We didn’t waste nothin’ growin’ up - even donuts got refried.
We didn’t waste nothin’ growin’ up - even donuts got refried.variations: refriend doughnuts, fried donuts again, day-old donuts fried, donut fritters, skillet donuts, pan-fried donuts, refried Krispy Kremes
★ Refried donuts taste different than fresh - denser, richer, and crispier. Best with a drizzle of syrup or a cold glass of milk. ★
Origin and Etymology
Rooted in Appalachian and Southern thrift cooking, where nothing went to waste. Stale bread became bread pudding; stale donuts went into a skillet.
Usage Notes
Still remembered in Southern and Appalachian kitchens, though less common today. Refrying turns day-old donuts into a nostalgic, comforting treat.
Say It Like a Southerner
Said plain: "ree-frahd dough-nuts."
Kin Topics
Related Pages
How to Cite This Page
- APA (7th edition)The Hillbilly Dude. (2025, September 2). Refried Donuts. HillbillySlang.com. https://www.hillbillyslang.com/definitions/refried-donuts
- MLA (9th edition)"The Hillbilly Dude." "Refried Donuts." HillbillySlang.com, 2 Sept. 2025, https://www.hillbillyslang.com/definitions/refried-donuts.
- Chicago (17th edition)The Hillbilly Dude. "Refried Donuts." HillbillySlang.com. September 2, 2025. https://www.hillbillyslang.com/definitions/refried-donuts.
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