Have you ever woken up and suddenly needed something sweet? Yeah, same. One morning, I got hit with a craving for Donuts. But not just any kind. I wanted the hot, “melt in your mouth” kind. The ones that taste like they just left the fryer. There was just one problem. I had no donut mix, no yeast and no time for anything fancy. That’s when I remembered this little trick of using canned biscuits to make donuts from my past experience.
So I grabbed a can of Pillsbury Grands Flaky Layers Original Biscuits. I’d heard people say the flaky layers kind of make the donuts lighter and delicious. And honestly, that sounded perfect to me. Let’s share how I made my morning breakfast Pillsbury Biscuit Donuts recipe.
Step #1. Open Up the Canned Biscuit and Shape Like Donuts
I already cracked open that biscuit can. That was step one.
Right away, the smell hit me. It’s kind of buttery.
Now, I had to figure out how to shape these bad boys into donuts. Some people use a tiny round cookie cutter. I’m pretty sure I own one… somewhere.
But honestly? I wasn’t about to dig through a drawer for it. So I kept it easy. Grabbed a clean bottle cap and it worked perfectly.
Why not follow these steps?
- Separate each biscuit.
- Create a hole in the center of each biscuit to form the donut shape. You can use any of these methods-
- A 1-inch round cookie cutter.
- A similarly sized bottle cap (like from a soda or water bottle).
- An apple corer.
- The end of a piping tip or a knife.
- Simply stretch a hole in the middle with your fingers.
- Lastly Set aside the cut-out centers to make donut holes.
Step #2. Get Cooking Oil
You’ll need oil for cooking. The type depends on your method:
- For Frying: You can choose from vegetable oil, canola oil, peanut oil, or a neutral oil that has a high smoke point. I usually take about 2-3 inches of oil for frying in a pot or deep skillet.
- For Air Frying: Olive oil spray or coconut oil spray, or a high smoke point oil like avocado oil, sunflower oil, or coconut oil for wiping the basket.
- For Baking: Melted butter.
Step #3. Toppings (Choose your desired options)
- Cinnamon Sugar: I usually use granulated sugar and ground cinnamon.
- Glaze: My suggestion is to use powdered sugar and milk extract as glaze toppings.
- Simple Sugar: Granulated sugar.
- Frosting: I use homemade frosting (like cream cheese frosting). Sometimes I also purchase them from my nearby store.
Step #4: Choose Cooking Method
1. Frying
- First I heat about 2-3 inches of vegetable oil in a deep pot to 350-375°F. (You can also take a heavy saucepan, or deep fryer).
- Now I carefully place a few donuts into the hot oil.
- I usually Fry for 1 to 2 minutes on each side, until golden brown. The total frying time will be around 1.5-2 minutes per donut.
- Lastly, remove the cooked donuts.
Tips: Place them on a plate to drain excess oil.
2. Baking
- First I preheat my oven to 375°F. It’s the ideal temperature for baking.
- Now I dip both sides of each donut (and donut hole) in melted butter, then into granulated sugar.
- At this point, I usually bake for 10 to 15 minutes basically until it turns golden brown.
3. Air Frying
- First I wipe down the bottom of the air fryer basket with oil.
- place biscuits in the air fryer basket. Keep spacing them apart.
- I usually set the air fryer to 370°F and cook for 5 to 6 minutes, or until the tops are deep golden brown. Golden brown means the cooking is done.
Tips: Don’t forget to turn over each biscuit using tongs or a spatula
- For the biscuit centers (donut holes), I usually air fry at 370°F for another 2 minutes.
- Now, the cooking is done.
Tips: You can keep the cooked donuts warm by covering them loosely with foil paper.
Step #5 Add Your Toppings
Once the donuts were done, it was topping time.
Here’s what I tried:
- Cinnamon sugar: If the donuts are still warm, they’re perfect for this.
You can dip them in some melted butter first (if you’re feeling wild), then toss them in a cinnamon sugar mix. Or just go old school, put both the sugar and donuts in a brown paper bag and give it a good shake.
- Glaze: I grabbed a small bowl. Mixed up powdered sugar, a splash of milk, and a little vanilla extract. If you want it thinner, you can add a bit of hot water too.
Then I dipped the tops, or sometimes the whole donut right into that glaze. Let the extra drip off on a rack.
If you wanna make it chocolate jJust mix in some cocoa powder.
- Simple sugar: Nothing complicated. Just roll the hot, fried ones in plain white sugar. Done.
- Other stuff: You can go wild here. Melted chocolate, Flavored glazes, Powdered sugar, Chopped nuts and whatever sounds good to you.
Step #6 Serve and Store
Best time to eat them is warm. That’s when they hit just right. Soft inside, a little crisp outside, and still cozy.
If you somehow have leftovers (big if, honestly), just toss them in an airtight container. Leave them out at room temp for a day or two.
Want to keep them longer? Keep them in the fridge for a few days or even freeze them for a few months.
When you’re ready for round two, warm them back up:
- Microwave works—about 15 seconds.
- Or use the air fryer for a couple of minutes.
Just Remember: Glazes melt in the microwave.
FAQ
Which Biscuit is Better to Use for Biscuit Donuts?
Any variety of canned biscuits can work. I have tried many, however, Pillsbury Grands Flaky Layers Biscuits works best.
What to Do With the Leftover Biscuit Centers?
The cut out centers can be cooked as well and are often referred to as “donut holes”. Otherwise you can just eat them as it is or freeze them.
Are Biscuit Donuts as Good as Traditional Yeast Donuts?
Biscuit donuts are a quick and easy homemade alternative. They don’t not completely replace the texture of a bakery style yeast donut. However, they are still a delicious and convenient treat.
Last Words
So yeah, this whole thing about making “donuts” out of a can of Pillsbury biscuits.
It’s Fast, easy, homemade donuts. No use of yeast or anything fancy.
Sure, they’re not identical to the ones from a donut shop.
But be honest? They taste great..So that’s it we have successfully explained pillsbury biscuit donuts recipe.
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