Have you been hesitant to make homemade donuts? We have a recipe for easy biscuit donuts that is absolutely delicious and very simple. Each bite is soft and fluffy and coated in a tasty sugar topping.

Donuts stacked together.
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Easy biscuit donuts

This homemade donut recipe is the absolute best recipe. You will not believe that donuts can be this amazing from a can of biscuits. They are that good.

Be prepared to make these again and again because they are SO delicious. My kids like them with an ice cold glass of milk and I think they are great with a cup of coffee.

They are such an easy and delicious breakfast. Your family and friends will love this.

I could eat these donuts all by themselves. However, they are perfect served with Sausage and Egg Breakfast Casserole Recipe. Talk about a fabulous brunch.

My kids have requested this for breakfast after a sleepover. It was a big hit with all of their friends.

The recipe is not only really yummy but it’s very inexpensive to make. We normally can get a can of biscuits on sale or even super cheap regularly priced.

I love recipes that are frugal and do not bust the budge. My kids get so excited when I make these and it’s become a special treat around here.

How to make biscuit donuts

Just start with a roll of biscuits. I used an apple corer to create the hole in the middle.

Heat your oil and fry. It is that simple. Coat in a cinnamon sugar mixture and enjoy.

You might want to start off with grabbing a couple of cans of biscuits. I only bought one the first time I made these and the donuts went very fast.

Everyone gobbled these amazing donuts up.


Ingredient for Biscuit donuts:

  • Biscuits (I used Pillsbury Original Grands Flaky Lakers 8 ct)
  • Vegetable Oil
  • White Sugar
  • Ground Cinnamon
Stack of donuts.

How to make homemade donuts with biscuits

An apple corer inserted in the center of the biscuit dough to cut a hole in the center.

Step 1 – Separate the biscuits and cut a hole in each one. I used an apple corer to quickly do this.

A bowl of cinnamon and sugar mixture with a cutting board with biscuit dough stacked.

Step 2 – Set the biscuits aside and make the coating. Just add sugar and cinnamon to a small bowl and whisk. Stir to combine. Make sure the bowl is big enough to hold your donuts.

Donuts in a large pot with oil.

Step 3 – Add oil to a small saucepan. You’ll need about 2 inch of oil to fry the donuts. Use the medium heat setting for the oil. Drop the donuts one a time and cook for 1 minute on each side. Flip donut and continue cooking.

Cooked donuts in the bowl of cinnamon and sugar.

Step 4 – Remove from the oil carefully and place onto a plate. I recommend putting a paper towel on the plate to absorb any excess grease. Then dunk the hot donuts into the cinnamon sugar mixture making sure to coat all the sides evenly.

Jump to recipe below.

Cooked donuts covered in cinnamon and sugar on a plate.

Tip to make Homemade Fried donuts:

  • It is helpful to have an apple corer to make the hole in the center of the donut. It’s certainly optional but makes all of the donuts uniform. It also just helps to make the donuts come together quick. And we all know that means getting to eat them faster.
  • You can also use cookie cutters if you have small round one. 
  • Dip the donuts in melted butter. We dipped the hot donuts in the coating without anything else added. However, you can also dip the donuts in melted butter prior to dunking in the cinnamon sugar mixture if you prefer.

How to store:

The donuts are best fresh. However, if you have leftovers store them inside an airtight container or bag at room temperature. They will last about 2 days.

If you want to make the donuts last longer, place them in the fridge. They will last up 5 to 7 days stored in the fridge.

When ready to eat, reheat them in the microwave for 10 to 15 seconds. The texture will be different from when they were just fried but they will still be good. The donuts will just be softer.

Variation ideas

  • Glazed Donuts โ€“ Make an easy glaze with ยฝ cup powdered sugar and 1 to 2 tablespoons milk. Mix this together a little at a time because you may not need it all. Drizzle over the donuts.
  • Chocolate- Melt chocolate chips and lightly dip the top of the donut into the chocolate. This is an easy and tasty way to satisfy a chocolate craving.
  • Sprinklesโ€“ Most kids love sprinkles so feel free to top a few donuts with festive sprinkles. It would be fun to make these for a special birthday breakfast or Christmas morning.
Platter of donuts.
Donuts stacked together.

Easy Homemade Donuts are delicious.

Did you know you can also use doughnut holes with the biscuit dough? Save the dough from the center you cut out.

Fry those just like the donuts. You will have donut holes. So tasty and fun.

Another idea is to only make donut holes. If I am only making donut holes, I will roll the donuts out and use an apple corer to make individual holes.

It makes a ton of donut holes and they are so good deep fried.

Either way, these are so delicious and really simple. I love to make an assortment of different types- sugar topping, powdered sugar, glazed and more. Just get creative.

Close up photo of donut.

Print this Homemade Donut recipe below:

An overhead shot of a single doughnut with a dusting of cinnamon sugar on a marble surface. Other pieces of easy biscuit donuts are partially visible around it.

Lazy Day Homemade Donuts

4.93 from 14 votes
Estimated Cost: $2.67, $0.33 per Servings
Homemade donuts are simple to make! You can make these easy homemade donuts with a can of biscuits! Learn how to make homemade donuts that are delicious.
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Total Time 10 minutes
Servings 8
Cuisine American
Course Dessert
Calories 208
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Ingredients

  • 1 tube refrigerated biscuits (I used Pillsbury Original Grands Flaky Lakers 8 ct)
  • vegetable oil (enough to fill your saucepan about 2″ deep)
  • ยฝ cup white sugar
  • 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

See how we calculate recipe costs.

Instructions

  • In a small bowl, combine ยฝ cup granulated sugar and 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon. Stir until well combined. Make sure the bowl is large enough to coat the donuts.
  • Pour enough vegetable oil into a small saucepan to fill it about 2 inches deep. Heat the oil over medium heat until it reaches 350ยฐF.
  • While the oil is heating, use an apple corer or small round cutter to cut the center out of each biscuit from 1 tube (8-count) refrigerated biscuits.
  • Carefully place one biscuit at a time into the hot oil. Fry each biscuit for exactly 1 minute on the first side. Flip the biscuit and fry for 1 additional minute on the second side until cooked through and golden brown.
  • Remove the donuts with a slotted spoon and place them on a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Let the donuts cool for 2 minutes. While still warm, roll each donut in the cinnamon-sugar mixture until evenly coated on all sides. Repeat with the remaining biscuits. Serve warm and enjoy!
  • Makes 8ย donuts

Recipe Video

Recipe Notes

Have fun trying different toppings! ย We love this cinnamon sugar topping, but a powdered sugar topping is also a hit at our house. And don’t forget a glaze with some sprinkles!

Nutrition Facts

Calories 208kcal, Carbohydrates 26g, Protein 1g, Fat 11g, Saturated Fat 6g, Sodium 254mg, Potassium 60mg, Sugar 13g, Calcium 23mg, Iron 1mg

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An overhead shot of a single doughnut with a dusting of cinnamon sugar on a marble surface. Other pieces of easy biscuit donuts are partially visible around it.

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About the Author

Hi, Iโ€™m Carrie Barnard โ€” a professional food blogger with over 14 years of experience helping busy families make dinner fast, easy, and affordable.

At Eating on a Dime, I share simple, budget-friendly recipes that are tested in my own kitchen and approved by my 8 kids. With millions of readers each month, I’m here to help you cook real food for real families โ€” without the stress.

4.93 from 14 votes (10 ratings without comment)

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Comments

  1. Debbie says:

    If You want to save calories…Air fry these at 350 for 5 minutes
    Use the same above recipe

  2. Melanie says:

    4 stars
    What degrees should the oil be at? I have a candy/oil thermometer & would be helpful as to how hot the oil should be. If oil is not hot or cold it may not turn out well.
    Thank you,

    1. Carrie Barnard says:

      I did not use a candy thermoter, but I would do about 330 degrees.

  3. Lisa says:

    I also use the powder chocolate milk mix to roll my donuts in.

    1. Carrie Barnard says:

      That sounds delicious! Thanks for sharing!

  4. Jean baker says:

    I have made these many times and I find that if I let the biscuits come to room temperature after cutting the holes, they cook better and aren’t doughy in the center.

    1. Carrie Barnard says:

      Great tip – Thanks for sharing!

  5. Luciana says:

    I loved the recipe!

    1. Carrie says:

      Thank you so much!

  6. Catherine Dickey says:

    Can I use Bisquick to make the donuts shapes not store bought ones?

    1. Carrie says:

      I haven’t tried that before so I’m not sure. If you try it, let us know how it turns out. Thank you!

  7. Millie says:

    Thought these were not very good at all, itโ€™s ok wanted to try them and I did….

  8. Michelle says:

    5 stars
    We like to use a medicine cup to cut the middle out. It makes a Timbit size donut hole and a perfect shaped donut.

    1. Carrie says:

      Great idea – Thanks for sharing Michelle!

  9. Chelsea says:

    5 stars
    These were so good!

  10. Brenda says:

    You can also use a soda bottle top to make the holes. Ive been making these for years. But i used the original biscuits, the smaller ones. They turned out great i told my granddaughter that these were the poor mans donuts.

  11. Brenda says:

    5 stars
    You can also use a soda bottle lid.