Grandma's leftover dough becomes pumpkin donuts on Food Wishes
Chef John adds hot honey icing and toasted pepitas to a family dessert made from saved pizza or focaccia dough.
Food Wishes
Story of Why this story? The channel's weekly summary: what went up this week, what is drawing views now, and where the channel stands among similar channels.
Pumpkin Focaccia Donuts (Grandma’s Fried Dough Secret!) | Food Wishes
Chef John posted two videos built around a small family habit: his grandmother would hold back some pizza or focaccia dough, fry it after dinner, then toss it in sugar. Dessert was already hiding in the bread-making.
"Pumpkin Focaccia Donuts (Grandma's Fried Dough Secret!) | Food Wishes" gives that memory an autumn variation, adding pumpkin and spices, hot honey icing and toasted pepitas. It was the week's most-watched new upload, reaching roughly 108,000 views. The second post, "Chef John's Grandma's Fried Dough Secret!", revisits the childhood favorite and currently has the strongest daily momentum among the channel's active videos.
The comments bring the recipe back toward its simple beginnings. Several viewers plan to use cinnamon sugar rather than the icing. One recalls helping a grandmother make fried bread and sugar, an early experience that sparked a love of cooking; others count their years with Chef John's recipes from high school into adulthood. For a recipe about passing something down, those are fitting accompaniments.
Food Wishes added nearly a million views over the week, with subscribers unchanged and daily viewing close to its usual level. Nearby cooking channels Addie Bowley and Mythical Kitchen had much larger viewing weeks, while Chef John's was a steadier affair.
Beyond the fried dough, "How to Turn 1 Chicken into 3 Incredible Soups | Food Wishes" remains among the channel's busiest uploads. Its whole-chicken broth becomes Thai coconut chicken soup, chicken noodle soup, and Tuscan beans and greens soup: another way of getting more than one good meal from a single starting point.
Published on Trari
Where next?
What viewers say
My nonna would make bread because my nonno didnt like American bread when they immigrated here. I grew up with fried bread and sugar. Helping her with that sparked my love of cooking
@MandaveeSee it on YouTubeYeah, I'm just gonna toss mine in cinnamon sugar. Can't wait!
@mumps59See it on YouTubeI was just thinking about how many years I've been listening to you. You are one of the best things I've ever found on the net. Thanks for many years of consistently great recipes and content.
@NworgemoHSee it on YouTube
7 more comments
Huge amount of respect for you man, I’m in my 30s and have been using your recipes since high school, just rediscovered your channel
@ChakaFromTheLandOfTheLostSee it on YouTubeI vowed never to fry at home again, but I might need to break my vow
@lorainehitt9977See it on YouTubeThis makes a very nice fall snack. It reminds me of apple cider donuts.
@Gigimamapa5See it on YouTubeYou're the best Chef John. I've never tried a recipe of yours that wasn't a homerun. Your lemon bars and your one pot beef stroganoff, and your pumpkin cinnamon buns are some of my favorite go-tos. I really look forward to making these!
@corniclesSee it on YouTubeThese will be perfect for my brother's birthday dinner next month. Thanks for another great recipe
@JezabelleAsaSee it on YouTubeThis recipe is so cool! Thanks chef! I’ve learned how to cook by watching your videos over the years
@thomaskeene5183See it on YouTubeToss in cinnamon sugar, and you're all set for a treat!
@granitemonkSee it on YouTube
Public comments from the video's page on YouTube
Is this your channel?For the channel's owners and team: a ready picture, text and badge for your audience
Share the story with your audience. Everything is ready:
For an Instagram story or a WhatsApp status
For a community post or your channel's description
For your website
You may use the picture, the badge, and link it to this story.
The videos drawing views on Food Wishes right now
- Channel
- Food Wishes
- Subscribers
- 4,710,000
- Channel views, last 7 days
- 986,873
- Videos published this week
- 2
- Video published
- October 14, 2026
- Video views so far
- 107,542
- Views on its first day
- 70,175
The numbers
Here is Food Wishes' week in views and subscribers.
💡 Test your knowledge
Which bread dough did Chef John's grandmother save to make dessert?
Chef John says his grandmother saved pizza or focaccia dough to fry and toss in sugar after dinner.