Canned Biscuit Donuts (Ready in 15 Minutes)

Name: Canned Biscuit Donuts
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 15 min
Ingredients: 1 can Pillsbury Original Biscuits; Vegetable Oil (about 1 inch deep); ¼ cup granulated sugar; 1 teaspoon cinnamon; ¼ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice (optional)

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These canned biscuit donuts are warm, soft, and rolled in cinnamon sugar, and I can never stop at one. You would never guess they started as a can of biscuits from the fridge. I make a batch on a slow weekend morning and they are gone before they even cool off.

Stack of cinnamon sugar biscuit donuts on a white plate, with one donut broken open to show the soft, fluffy center.

I make these when I want fresh donuts without making dough from scratch. For my family they are a weekend thing, the kind of treat that turns an ordinary morning into something a little more special. They show up for sleepovers, holiday mornings, and slow Saturdays when the kids want to help in the kitchen.

The whole recipe comes down to one thing, and it is the oil temperature. Get it right and you get donuts that are evenly golden outside and soft and fluffy inside. Get it wrong and you get a donut that looks done but is raw in the center, so that is the part I want you to nail on the first batch.

If you would rather skip the hot oil, I make almost the same thing in the air fryer over on my air fryer donuts post, linked down below in the methods section.

I originally published this recipe in 2020. I retested it in June 2026 and updated the post with the oil temperature range that makes or breaks these donuts, plus three topping glazes with measurements so you can change them up.

What Are Canned Biscuit Donuts

Canned biscuit donuts are homemade donuts made from refrigerated biscuit dough instead of scratch dough. You cut a hole in the center of each biscuit, fry it until golden, and coat it while it is warm. The can does the work that flour, yeast, and rise time normally would, which is why these come together in minutes.

The One Thing I Always Tell People

Oil temperature is the biggest factor in whether these turn out light and fluffy or disappointing. When the oil gets too hot, the outside browns much faster than you expect, and it is tempting to pull the donuts before the centers are cooked.
Keep the oil between 350°F and 375°F and use a thermometer instead of guessing. The finished donuts should be evenly golden brown with a soft, fluffy inside.
If they come out dark on the outside and doughy in the middle, the oil was too hot. Turn the heat down, let it settle back into range, and the next batch will be right.

What You Need

Refrigerated biscuits: This is the whole base of the recipe. A standard can of original biscuits works, and flaky-layer biscuits give you a more pull-apart texture if that is what you like.
Oil for frying: Use a neutral oil like vegetable or canola. You want enough for about an inch of depth so the donuts can float and cook evenly.
Cinnamon and sugar: This is the classic coating and the one I make most. Whisk them together before you start frying so it is ready the second the donuts come out.
Pumpkin pie spice (optional): A little goes into the cinnamon sugar for extra warmth. Leave it out and the donuts are still great.

Stack of homemade biscuit donuts coated in cinnamon sugar on a white plate, served with donut holes and a crisp golden exterior.

How to Make Canned Biscuit Donuts

Step 1: Heat the Oil Pour about an inch of oil into a deep skillet or pot and heat it to 350°F. A thermometer matters here, since the temperature is what makes or breaks the texture.

Step 2: Mix the Cinnamon Sugar In a shallow bowl, whisk together the sugar, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice if you are using it. A wide bowl makes it easy to coat the donuts later.

Step 3: Cut the Holes Lay the biscuits on a flat surface and use a small 1-inch round cutter to cut the center out of each one. Save those centers to fry as donut holes.
pilsbury biscuits with holes cut out on top of wooden board.

Step 4: Fry the Donuts Carefully lower a few donuts into the oil without crowding the pan. Fry about 30 to 45 seconds per side, until both sides are golden brown.
fry the donuts.

Step 5: Coat While Warm Move the donuts straight from the oil into the cinnamon sugar and flip to coat both sides. The coating sticks best while they are still hot.
place donut the cinnamon sugar mixture

Step 6: Serve Serve them warm. This is when they are at their best, soft inside with a sweet crackly coating.

Ways to Top Them

Cinnamon sugar is my go-to, but these take a glaze beautifully if you want to dress them up. Here are the three I reach for, all mixed in a bowl wide enough to dip.

Vanilla glaze: Whisk 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons milk, and 1 teaspoon vanilla until smooth. Dip the tops of slightly cooled donuts and let the extra drip off.

Chocolate glaze: Whisk 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, 1/4 cup cocoa powder, and 2 to 3 tablespoons milk until smooth and pourable.

Powdered sugar: Add 1 cup powdered sugar to a paper bag, drop in a donut or two once they are cool enough to handle, and shake to coat. If the sugar melts, the donuts are still too hot, so give them another minute.

Can You Air Fry or Bake These

Yes to both, with a tradeoff. The stovetop version in this post gives you that true fried texture, but if you want less oil, I make these in the air fryer too. My air fryer donuts with biscuits use the same can of dough and take about the same amount of time.

If you would rather bake than fry at all, a baked donut is a different texture, more cakey than the pull-apart fried version. My baked apple cider doughnut holes are the route I take when I want a no-oil option.

How to Store Biscuit Donuts

These are best the day you make them, warm and fresh out of the oil. Store any leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for a day or two.

To bring them back, microwave a donut for about 10 seconds. It softens the texture and almost makes them taste fresh again.

Close-up of cinnamon sugar biscuit donuts and donut holes coated in a sweet cinnamon-sugar topping, arranged on a wooden board.

A Few Questions I Get

Do I need a donut cutter?

No. A 1-inch round cutter is easiest, but a clean bottle cap or a small lid does the same job. You only need something to cut a small hole in the center.

What is the best oil for frying donuts?

A neutral oil like vegetable or canola is what I use. Both have a high enough smoke point for frying and they do not add any flavor that competes with the cinnamon sugar.

What do I do with the leftover donut holes?

Fry them too. They cook faster than the donuts, often in under a minute, and tend to turn themselves in the oil. Coat them in cinnamon sugar right alongside the donuts.

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