Deliciously fresh, fluffy, and flavorful, homemade donuts are the best way to start any day. Grab a can of biscuit dough, some cinnamon and sugar, and fry up a batch of hot, homemade donuts and donut holes in minutes.
Holly’s Recipe Highlights
- Why Make It: There’s no dough mixing or proofing, just press, fry, and coat, so you can have fresh donuts in 25 minutes.
- Recommended Tools: You’ll need a medium skillet, a thermometer, tongs or a spider strainer, a cooling rack, a pastry brush, and some paper towels.
- Serving Suggestions: These donuts are perfect for dipping and dunking, so serve with your favorite tea, cocoa, or a decadent peppermint mocha latte.
- Freezing: They reheat beautifully for busy mornings, and you can freeze a batch plain to have quick treats ready anytime.
Ingredients
- Biscuits: Regular biscuits fry up fluffy and donut-like, while the flaky layers can separate and absorb more oil. Using jumbo biscuits will give fewer donuts and a slightly longer fry time.
- Butter: Brushing with butter while warm helps the cinnamon sugar stick evenly and acts as the glue for the toppings.
- Toppings: Keep it classic with a mixture of cinnamon and granulated sugar, add a pinch more cinnamon for a bolder flavor, or use a vanilla or quick chocolate glaze (find the recipe in the recipe notes) for a twist.
How to Make Biscuit Donuts
- Heat the oil (full recipe below).
- Flatten biscuits, cut out the centers, and fry until golden on both sides.
- Drain on paper towels.
- Brush with melted butter, then coat in cinnamon sugar.
Holly’s Tips for Perfect Donuts
- Press Biscuits Evenly: This ensures they cook at the same speed and do not puff lopsidedly.
- For Extra-Crisp Edges: Let the cut donuts sit 3 to 5 minutes before frying so the surface dries slightly.
- The Perfect Frying Temperature: Use a thermometer and keep oil at 365°F. Too cool turns donuts oily, too hot browns outside before inside warms through.
- Fry Donut Holes First: They are the perfect “test batch” for timing and temperature.
- Do Not Crowd the Pan: Frying too many drops the oil temp fast and makes greasy donuts.
- Glaze Timing Matters: Cool donuts (or barely warm) so the glaze sets instead of melting right off.
Keeping Donuts Fresh
Leftover donuts are best within the first 3 hours. Keep cooled donuts in a loosely covered container for up to 1 day at room temperature, and up to 3 days in the refrigerator.
Freeze plain, uncoated donuts for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature and warm for 10 to 15 seconds in the microwave or a few minutes in a 300°F oven, then butter and coat or glaze.
Easy Sweet Breakfasts
Did you enjoy this Easy Donut Recipe? Leave a comment and rating below.
Easy Donut Recipe
This easy donut recipe turns canned biscuits into warm, golden donuts in 25 minutes, finished with buttery cinnamon sugar. Perfect for a quick weekend treat.
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 (16.3 ounce) can refrigerated biscuits 8 count, NOT the flaky variety
- ¼ cup butter
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- canola oil for frying
Instructions
- Add ½-inch of oil to a medium skillet. Heat over medium heat to 365℉.
- Press out each biscuit to an even thickness. Use a cookie cutter or sharp knife to cut a hole out of the middle of each biscuit (keep the middle to make mini donut holes).
- Gently lower the biscuit dough into the hot oil, two or three at a time. Fry for 1-2 minutes or until golden, flip, and cook 1 minute more. Set on a paper towel-lined rack to drain. Repeat with the remaining dough.
- Melt butter. In a shallow bowl combine cinnamon and sugar.
- While still warm, brush the donuts with butter and toss in the sugar mixture until fully coated.
Notes
Alternatively, you can make a glaze for your donuts. Donuts should be cool or just barely warm before glazing.
Vanilla glaze: Combine 1 cup of powdered sugar with ½ tsp vanilla and 1-2 tablespoons of milk, until pourable.
Chocolate glaze: Microwave ½ cup of chocolate chips with 1 teaspoon of butter in 20-30 second bursts, stirring until smooth.
To cook donuts in the air fryer:
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Preheat air fryer to 350°F.
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Place 4 pieces of the dough in the air fryer.
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Cook 3 minutes. Flip and cook an additional 2-3 minutes or until browned. Repeat with the remaining dough.
Nutrition Information
Calories: 211kcal | Carbohydrates: 28g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 1mg | Sodium: 544mg | Potassium: 129mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 1IU | Calcium: 28mg | Iron: 2mg
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
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I used to make these, but instead of cutting the hole out, I would just stretch them out a bit and poke a hole with my fingers. They taste awesome!
I am super excited to try these out! It couldn’t be easier and has to be much healthier then buying store made donuts. Thank you for sharing. I will be sharing this one with everyone!
this looks super yummy and I have all of this stuff in the kitchen right now!