Crispy Mini Bloomin Onions (Printable)

Miniature blooming onions with a crunchy golden crust, perfect for dipping and party platters.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 6 small sweet onions (pearl or cipollini, 2–3 inches in diameter)

→ Breading

02 - 1 cup all-purpose flour
03 - ½ cup cornstarch
04 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
05 - 1 teaspoon garlic powder
06 - 1 teaspoon onion powder
07 - ½ teaspoon salt
08 - ¼ teaspoon black pepper
09 - ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

→ Wet Batter

10 - 2 large eggs
11 - ½ cup whole milk

→ Frying

12 - 1 quart vegetable oil for deep frying

→ Dipping Sauce

13 - ½ cup mayonnaise
14 - 2 tablespoons ketchup
15 - 1 tablespoon prepared horseradish
16 - ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
17 - ½ teaspoon garlic powder
18 - ½ teaspoon lemon juice
19 - Pinch of salt

# Steps:

01 - Trim each onion root just enough to allow upright standing while keeping the base intact. Peel the outer skin. Make 4 to 6 vertical cuts from stem to root, stopping about ¼ inch from the bottom, then rotate and add cross-cuts to form 8 to 12 petals. Gently pull the layers apart with your fingers.
02 - Combine the flour, cornstarch, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, black pepper, and cayenne in a wide shallow bowl. In a second bowl, whisk together the eggs and whole milk until uniform.
03 - Dredge each scored onion in the flour mixture, ensuring every petal is well covered. Shake off the loose coating, submerge in the egg wash, then return to the flour mixture and press gently to adhere the breading to all surfaces.
04 - Pour vegetable oil into a deep pot or fryer and bring to 350°F over medium-high heat. Monitor with a thermometer for accuracy.
05 - Lower one or two onions into the oil cut-side down. Fry for 2 to 3 minutes until the underside is golden, then flip and continue frying an additional 2 to 3 minutes until the entire onion is deeply colored and crisp throughout.
06 - Lift each onion from the oil with a slotted spoon and set on paper towels to drain. Dust lightly with extra salt while still hot if desired.
07 - Stir together the mayonnaise, ketchup, prepared horseradish, smoked paprika, garlic powder, lemon juice, and a pinch of salt in a small bowl until fully incorporated.
08 - Arrange the hot mini bloomin onions on a serving platter alongside the dipping sauce. Best enjoyed right out of the fryer while the coating is at maximum crunch.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The double-dredge method creates a shatter-crisp shell that holds up to dipping without going soggy
  • Each person gets their own entire onion which somehow makes it feel like a real event
  • The horseradish dipping sauce hits that sweet-sour-creamy-spicy note that makes you keep reaching for more
02 -
  • If you cut too close to the root the onion will fall apart during frying and you end up with onion rings instead of bloomin onions
  • The oil temperature will drop when you add onions so wait for it to recover between batches or the crust will be greasy and soft
03 -
  • Let the coated onions rest on a wire rack for about five minutes before frying so the breading adheres tightly and does not flake off in the oil
  • A tiny splash of beer in the wet batter instead of all milk makes the crust even lighter and more bubbly

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