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Home » Cuisine » American » Easy Canned Biscuit Donuts

June 5, 2020

Easy Canned Biscuit Donuts

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Biscuit donuts are the easiest way to make donuts at home.  To make these "homemade donuts" you just need canned biscuits, vegetable oil and toppings!

Click here to SAVE this Biscuit Donuts recipe!

Have you wondered how to make donuts at home without all the fuss of making the dough from scratch? Grab a refrigerated tube of canned biscuits and you're well on your way to these biscuit donuts. The toppings are even easier. We use tubs of frosting, sprinkles, cinnamon sugar and M&M's to top our donuts. Fun, delicious and easy!

plate of donuts and donut holes

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Easy Donut Recipe

My mom made these donuts all the time when I was little. Growing up in Michigan, the neighbor kids and I would ice skate on the pond down the road from our house. I remember coming inside from the freezing weather to mom's warm donuts, usually rolled in sugar. It's such a fond memory that I love making these for my kids - any time of the year!

bite out of chocolate donut with sprinkles

You only need two items to make the donuts and then all the toppings you want! Gather these ingredients:

Grocery List for Biscuit Donuts

  • Canned biscuits (refrigerated biscuits)
  • Vegetable oil (or frying oil)
  • Toppings (such as sprinkles, M&M's, cinnamon sugar, frosting)

How to Make Biscuit Donuts

  1. Heat 2 to 3 inches of oil in deep heavy duty pan to 360°F
  2. Remove biscuits from can and separate.canned biscuits
  3. Using a small biscuit cutter, cut holes out of center of each biscuit.
  4. Fry dough in batches, about 1 minute each side, keeping temperature between 350°F and 380°F.
    donuts frying in hot oil
  5. Transfer to paper towel lined plate to drain excess grease.
    donuts onto paper towel lined plate
  6. Don't forget about the donut holes!
    frying donut holes in hot oil
  7. Top with sprinkles, frosting, cinnamon sugar, etc.

Click here for full recipe ingredients and instructions.

plate of donuts and donut holes

Toppings for Donuts

We like to change it up with different flavors of frosting. Go crazy with the the store-bought tubs! One of our favorites is the tub of marshmallow frosting. SO good! There is strawberry frosting, vanilla frosting, chocolate frosting, and I've even seen German chocolate frosting! Or, roll the donut in melted butter and then cinnamon sugar. You actually don't even need the butter if you dip the donut immediately while it's still hot!

Tips for Making Donuts at Home

Keep the temperature between 350°F and 380°F. Once the temperature reaches 360°F, turn the burner off or on low and watch the thermometer. If it starts to decrease to 350°F then turn the burner up. Likewise, turn the burner down or off again if the temp is reaching close to 380°F.

Donut holes cook faster. Watch the donut holes - they cook extremely quickly! And, they tend to flip on their own.

Glazed donuts versus frosted donuts. If you want glazed donuts, then frost immediately with a thin layer of frosting. If you want a thick frosted donuts, then allow the donut to somewhat cool first.

plate of donuts

What to do with leftover frying oil.

After frying donuts (or anything!) you are left with a bunch of frying oil. To discard the oil, let it completely cool and then pour into a jar or recycled milk jug. You can then throw it away. Or, you can find a place that accepts recycled oil. Whatever you do, do NOT pour the leftover oil down the drain!

Another way to discard frying oil is to use paper towels to soak up the excess and then toss in the trash. I only recommend this if you have less than 1 inch left of oil, otherwise you're going to use up a TON of paper towels.

Tools to make donuts

small biscuit cutter and donut dough

  • Biscuit cutter. I used to use a soda cap to cut the donut holes, but I recently bought these biscuit cutters and it is SO much easier! And, I don't always have a soda cap on hand but I'll always have this cutter.
    candy thermometer in dutch oven with oil
  • Candy thermometer. It is important to regulate the oil temperature between 350°F to 380°F. Using a thermometer ensures you have the right temperature.
  • Dutch oven. To avoid splattering, use a deep heavy duty pan to fry these donuts. I fry most everything, including my beignets, in my favorite Dutch oven.
    tongs grabbing donuts in hot oil
  • Tongs. You need tongs to flip the donuts in the oil and to remove them from the pan.

Other fun donut recipes

  • Texas Sheet Cake Donuts
  • Key Lime Pie Donuts
  • Strawberry Cream Donuts
  • Baked Pumpkin Spice Donut Muffins

Print to save for later. Made this recipe? Leave a star rating and tag me on social media @seededtable so I can see.  I love hearing from you!

Recipe Card

plate of donuts and donut holes
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5 from 3 votes

Easy Canned Biscuit Donuts

Biscuit donuts are the easiest way to make donuts at home.  To make these "homemade donuts" you just need canned biscuits, vegetable oil and toppings!
Prep Time10 minutes mins
Cook Time10 minutes mins
Total Time20 minutes mins
Course: Breakfast, Dessert
Cuisine: American, Donuts
Keyword: biscuit donuts, canned biscuits, easy donut recipe, homemade donuts, how to make donuts
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 98kcal
Author: Nikki Gladd
Cost: $5.00

Ingredients

  • frying oil
  • 8 count canned biscuits
  • desired toppings (sprinkles, tub frosting, cinnamon sugar, M&M's etc.)

Instructions

  • Heat 2 to 3 inches of oil in a deep heavy duty pot to 360°F.
  • Remove biscuits from can and separate onto cutting board. Use a small biscuit cutter or soda cap to cut holes in the center of each biscuit.
  • Fry whole donut dough and donut holes in batches, typically about 1 minute per side. Flip using tongs.
  • Remove from oil to paper towel lined plate to drain excess grease.
  • Top as desired.

Notes

Tips for biscuit donuts:
  • Nutritional information is an estimation only based on 4 cups of oil and undecorated donuts.
  • For glazed donuts, spread thin layer of frosting while donut is hot.
  • For frosted donuts, allow to cool slightly before frosting.
  • For cinnamon sugar donuts, roll hot donut into cinnamon sugar or dip first into melted butter.
  • For sprinkle donuts, top with sprinkle immediately after frosting before frosting hardens.

Nutrition

Serving: 1donut | Calories: 98kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 1mg | Sodium: 9mg | Sugar: 1g | Iron: 1mg
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Thanks for visiting! We’re the Gladd family! We love donuts, Disney, LEGO and Jesus. Not in that order, of course. 🙂 Ben shares DIY wood-working projects and Nikki shares delicious recipes. You’ll also find a sprinkling of travel adventures and other family fun ideas!

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