It’s official. I’m never buying another donut from the store again. When I discovered on the internet that you could make donuts out of deep-fried canned biscuits, I was a little skeptical. So skeptical that I had to give it a try.
Well, it works. It really works! And they are so delicious!
Not only are these donuts super easy, but they look beautiful all lined up on a plate and ready for grabbing…
We’re already brainstorming ideas for a donut-topping party for our son’s second birthday next month. Everyone gets a plain donut, and chooses their coating (plain glaze, chocolate ganache, lemon cream, etc.), and then they decorate it (sprinkles, coconut, powdered sugar, etc.). I’m sure someone else has thought of this, but this has opened up a whole new world for us.
If you’re like me you might be wondering one very important thing: DOES IT ACTUALLY TASTE AND FEEL LIKE A DONUT OR IS IT JUST A FRIED BISCUIT?
The answer is: It truly does look, taste, and feel like a donut. They are slightly crispy on the outside with chewy centers. The taste kind of reminds me of a funnel cake (woo hooo). Of course, that will be altered by what you top it with.
The blueberry glaze really makes them pop visually, but flavor-wise, I think chocolate would be amazing on these. Or as my wife suggested, chocolate with sea salt caramel drizzled on top. She just understands me that way.
Here are some tips that I HIGHLY RECOMMEND FOLLOWING:
- A shot glass or, um, one of those small, plastic, communion cups they give you at church are perfect for cutting the hole (I don’t know they ended up in my house. I promise!).
- Use your donut hole to test the oil. THIS IS IMPORTANT. My oil was too hot when I put the first few in and they were burnt to a crisp almost instantly. I’m talking black and crunchy. I almost gave up right then and there. So, if the donut hole starts turning brown as soon as it hits the oil, you’re oil is too hot. You really want these to cook slowly in the oil so the inside has enough time to cook completely while you work towards getting the perfect golden doneness on the outside.
- Allow the donuts to cool to room temperature before glazing them. This will help the glaze set faster. I also feel like it helps the donut texture to form. Seriously. I tried one when it was warm and it didn’t have quite enough chew in it.
Other than those few tips, this is pretty fool proof! Oh and by the way…
HAPPY NATIONAL DONUT DAY.
You could get a free donut somewhere, or you could just make a batch of these at home. I recommend these.
Ingredients
- 1 can Pillsbury™ Grands!™ Flaky Layers
- 1/2 cup blueberries
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons half and half
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 3 cups vegetable oil
Directions
Heat oil in a large pan with high sides.
Separate biscuits and cut a hole in the center of each one using your instrument of choice.
Test the oil with one of the donut holes. If it starts to turn brown immediately, the oil is too hot. When oil is the right temperature, place 2-3 donuts in the pan. Allow one side to cook until golden brown and then carefully flip over with tongs. When other side is finished, remove donuts and place on a wire rack to cool.
Meanwhile, place blueberries and sugar in a small saucepan on medium heat. Mash blueberries with a fork and combine thoroughly with the sugar. Allow to boil for 1-2 minutes then turn off the heat and allow to cool.
In a bowl that is larger than your donut, whisk 2-3 tablespoons of the blueberry mixture with powdered sugar, milk and vanilla. Adjust wet or dry ingredients if necessary to get the right consistency in your glaze.
When donuts have cooled, dip each donut quickly into the glaze and then transfer back to wire racks or a serving dish. You can eat them now, or allow the glaze to firm up a little.
If you want to make this even easier, feel free to skip the blueberries. In fact, you could probably skip the entire glaze and just roll them in sugar. I don’t think you can go wrong with these!
Are you as shocked as I am that canned biscuits can be used to make delicious donuts? Getting ideas for what toppings you’d want to try? I’d love to hear from you in the comment section below!
