These caramel-glazed donuts are the easiest to make because they're made from canned biscuit dough! The perfect dessert to whip up in 15 minutes. You'll be the hero of your household if you make these biscuit donuts!
Biscuit donuts
Biscuit donuts are simply donuts made from canned biscuit dough. If my waistline allowed it, I would be making biscuit donuts EVERY WEEK!! They're just SO easy and SO good. Using biscuit dough to make biscuits is such an easy hack for quick and easy homemade donuts. No one has to know your secret!
All you need to do is fry canned biscuit dough, then coat it in whatever toppings you like. If you're feeling fancy, you can make a hole in the middle prior to frying to form a classic donut shape. It's essentially a 2 ingredient donut recipe!
By popular demand (at least in my house), I coat these donuts in a caramel glaze, and sometimes dip them into chopped nuts (because I like that crunchy texture). And don't worry, I'll give you lots of other donut topping ideas below!
Ingredients
For the donuts:
- 1 can refrigerated biscuit dough
- 2 cups neutral cooking oil, such as vegetable oil or canola oil (or as much as needed, based on your pot size and shape)
For the caramel glaze/topping:
- 1 stick unsalted butter (½ cup)
- ¾ cup packed brown sugar
- 3-4 tablespoons milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar (powdered sugar)
- Chopped pecans, walnuts, or sprinkles (if desired)
Instructions
This recipe has two separate steps: making/frying the donuts, and making the caramel glaze.
Make the donuts
Step 1: Line a large baking sheet or cutting board (or other flat surface or a couple of large plates) with parchment paper. Remove the biscuits from the can, separate them, and place them an inch or two apart on the parchment paper.
Step 2: Use a small biscuit cutter or cookie cutter or donut ring mold that is about 1 inch in diameter to cut out holes from the centers of each biscuit. Set aside the cutout holes—they make great homemade donut holes!
Step 3: Add the oil to a medium-large pot and heat over medium or medium-high heat until the oil reaches a temperature of 350 degrees Fahrenheit. To be honest, I usually don't measure the temperature but use the toothpick test instead: insert the tip of a wooden toothpick into the oil. If it starts "frying" and small bubbles form, then the oil is hot enough. It shouldn't fry too rapidly, that means the oil is too hot.
Step 4: Use metal or heat-safe tongs to carefully lower one or two cut-out biscuits into the oil. Cook for 1-2 minutes, or until the undersides of the donuts are golden brown. Flip the donuts carefully with a fork, a spoon, or heat-safe tongs and cook for 1-2 minutes on the other side.
Step 5: Remove the cooked donuts with a fork or tongs and place on a plate lined with paper towels to absorb any excess oil. Allow to cool before dipping into the glaze. Repeat frying until all the donuts are cooked. And don't forget that you can fry the little donut holes, too!
Make the caramel glaze for the donuts:
Step 1: In a small-medium pot, melt together the butter and brown sugar.
Step 2: Bring to a boil for 2 minutes, stirring or whisking constantly.
Step 3: Slowly and CAREFULLY add the milk. Bring to a boil and boil for another 2 minutes.
Step 4: Remove from heat and add the vanilla extract and powdered sugar. Whisk until the powdered sugar dissolves completely and the glaze becomes smooth.
Glaze the donuts
Dip the cooled donuts into the glaze and allow the excess to drip off. If desired, immediately dip into chopped nuts or sprinkles and place onto your parchment paper-lined baking sheet or a cooling rack until glaze has firmed up. Enjoy!!
Donut topping and glaze ideas
- Lemon glaze, such as the one from these zucchini bread pancakes
- Make a pink glaze by stirring in a little dragon fruit powder into the lemon glaze
- Dip the donuts into sprinkles after glazing, or into mini chocolate chips or candied nuts (crush/chop them first)
- Sprinkle the donuts with powdered sugar
- Sprinkle the donuts with cinnamon sugar (one of my favorites!! Reminds me of churros, or these churro pancakes)
More super easy desserts to try
- 2 Ingredient apple pie cups
- No-bake blueberry delight
- Butterscotch blondies
- 4 Ingredient red velvet crinkle cookies
- 2 Ingredient pumpkin muffins
If you enjoyed this recipe, let me know with a comment and a star rating below. And don't forget to share it on Facebook and save it on Pinterest for later!
Caramel Biscuit Donuts
Ingredients
- 1 can refrigerated biscuit dough
- 2 cups neutral cooking oil - such as vegetable oil or canola oil (or as much as needed, based on your pot size and shape)
- 1 stick unsalted butter - (½ cup)
- ¾ cup packed brown sugar
- 3-4 tablespoons milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar - (powdered sugar)
- chopped pecans - or walnuts, or sprinkles (if desired - see notes)
Special equipment
- Medium pot
Instructions
- Line a large baking sheet or cutting board (or other flat surface) with parchment paper. Remove the biscuits from the can, separate them, and place them an inch or two apart on the parchment paper. Use a small biscuit cutter or cookie cutter or donut hole mold that is about 1 inch in diameter to cut out holes from the centers of each biscuit. Set aside the cutout pieces—they make great homemade donut holes!
- Add the oil to a medium-large pot and heat over medium or medium-high heat until the oil reaches a temperature of 350 degrees Fahrenheit. No thermometer? Use the toothpick test: insert the tip of a wooden toothpick into the oil. If it starts "frying" and small bubbles form, then the oil is hot enough.
- Use metal or heat-safe tongs to carefully lower one or two cut-out biscuits into the oil. Cook for 1-2 minutes, or until the undersides of the donuts are golden brown. Flip the donuts carefully with a fork, a spoon, or heat-safe tongs and cook for 1-2 minutes on the other side.
- Remove the cooked donuts with a fork or tongs and place on a plate lined with paper towels to absorb any excess oil. Allow to cool before dipping into the glaze. Repeat frying until all the donuts (and donut holes!) are cooked.
- In a small-medium pot, melt together the butter and brown sugar. Bring to a boil for 2 minutes, stirring or whisking constantly.
- Slowly and CAREFULLY add the milk. Bring to a boil and boil for another 2 minutes.
- Remove from heat and add the vanilla extract and powdered sugar. Whisk until the powdered sugar dissolves completely and the glaze becomes smooth.
- Dip the cooled donuts into the glaze and allow the excess to drip off. If desired, immediately dip into chopped nuts or sprinkles or mini chocolate chips and place onto your parchment paper-lined baking sheet or a cooling rack until glaze has firmed up. Enjoy!!
Notes
- Lemon glaze, such as the one from these zucchini bread pancakes
- Make a pink glaze by stirring in a little dragon fruit powder into the lemon glaze
- Dip the donuts into sprinkles after glazing, or into mini chocolate chips or candied nuts (crush/chop them first)
- Sprinkle the donuts with powdered sugar
- Sprinkle the donuts with cinnamon sugar
The nutritional information displayed is an estimate and not to be used as dietary or nutritional advice. Consult a nutritionist or dietician for nutritional info based on the exact ingredients you use.
sherry
Friday 3rd of March 2023
These look so yummy can't wait to try them !!