You're gonna want to put these donut bites in your arsenal of quick and cheap homemade treats. That's right, this easy donut hole recipe can be made with 3 ingredients in just about 3 minutes! You're welcome.
Ok. Let's get real here. I'm going to issue you a BIG. FAT. (literally) WARNING.
What I'm about to show you, introduce, knock your socks off with is cheap, easy, and really really really really really delicious. Oh yeah, and they are about a million calories each.
*Note: When you click the links in this post, we may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.
Turn away now if you prefer the boring side of life and only eat healthy stuff. (okay totally kidding…….kinda……)
For the rest of us, I now introduce you to the addictive homemade donut hole recipe that I happened upon one day. It's ridiculously easy to make and so much cheaper than taking the whole family to the donut shop!
HOW I CAME ACROSS THE BEST DONUT HOLE RECIPE
I don't spend much time on Pinterest because it's not the most shelf cooking-friendly. When I do, I choose a few gems here and there to pin for “down the road” when I don't have 100 kids screaming and yanking on me all the time… (So… maybe in the year 2062?)
But one day, I came across a pin and had to try it ASAP. I didn't even take good pictures of the process the first go around because it had no instructions or description, just pictures. So naturally I didn't expect it to turn out so well. BOY was I wrong. My family loved it and asks for it on the regular! It's great for a weekend breakfast treat and even fun get togethers with family or friends.
HOW TO MAKE DONUT HOLES
Okay, on to how to make donut holes! You may regret learning how to make these… Just don't shoot the messenger, mkay? 😉 Use these few tips and you'll end up with perfectly golden donut holes every. single. time.
DONUT HOLE HACKS AND TIPS
Want to know the best hack for making this donut hole recipe? Use canned biscuits. Plain, honey butter, store brand, off brand, it doesn't matter. The cheaper, the better, in my opinion! The one thing you need to stay away from are the flaky biscuits. Just trust me and don't try them.
Also, your oil needs to get REALLY hot; if it's not hot enough, it'll just make your donuts greasy. On the flip side, make sure it's not too hot or the outside of your donut will be black and the inside will be raw. Ewwwwww. A trick I learned is to put the handle of a wooden spoon into the middle of the oil. If bubbles rapidly flow around the handle, then it's hot enough. Thanks for that one, Rachael Ray!
My last tip is to use an oil strainer to bob them around in the oil to get both sides fried evenly. You could use a slotted spoon, but you may end up removing more oil than you need to when you take the donut holes out of the oil.
DIFFERENT FLAVORS
The basic donut hole recipe calls for rolling them in plain ‘ol sugar. If you want to go for a more churro-type flavor, add some cinnamon to your sugar to coat those delicious donut holes.
Go the extra mile and add a little Nutella to the table for dipping these sweet donut bites. I mean, it really can't hurt at this point. I know Olive Garden has a dessert similar to this (called Zeppoli), and they serve theirs with chocolate, caramel, and strawberry-esque dipping sauces. Not a bad idea…
THE BEST DONUT HOLE RECIPE
Don't be afraid to let the little hands get in and help with this recipe! It's so simple and they'll love helping in the kitchen with this project. Just keep them away from that hot oil, ain't nobody got time to get burnt when all you wanna do is eat some delicious donut holes!
Donut Hole Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 can biscuits
- 4-6 cups vegetable oil, for frying
- 2-3 Tbsp sugar
- 1 tsp cinnamon, optional
Instructions
- Cut your biscuits into quarters and heat oil in a pot on the stove.
- Check your oil and make sure it's hot enough. (Test one donut bite to make sure the oil isn't too hot before throwing a bunch in.)
- Cook for 40-50 seconds on one side, then flip and cook for another 40-50 seconds on the other side.
- Set donut holes on a paper towel to cool off.
- Coat in sugar or cinnamon-sugar mixture.
- Optional: Dip in some kind of delicious chocolatey sauce.
Notes
So good, so easy! And sooo fast. Let's be honest, it took me longer to figure out how to open the dang can then it took to cook the things.
ENJOY! And thank me. Then hate me. Then thank me again.
Doesn't this sound like the best donut hole recipe on the face of the planet?! What's your favorite thing to dip them in? Let me know in the comments!
Have you checked out ShelfCooking.com yet? Our brand new site is dedicated to helping you cook delicious, nutritious, and budget-friendly meals for your family without spending too much time in the kitchen!
Basically every parent's dream, right? Join our Shelf Cooking Community today!
Other recipes that you definitely don't want to miss out on!
- If you're all for the homemade sweet treats, then you're going to love my banana bread recipe!
- Make 31 freezer meals for only $100!
- Your family will go crazy over these chocolate chip cookies!
Try them and let me know if you enjoy them as much as we did!
Perfect timing! I was looking for something to take to a playgroup brunch tomorrow. These will be perfect. Thank you!
I used cinnamin sugar to roll them in but yes they tasted great! thanks for the recipe!
Oh my word that sounds AMAZING. Thanks for sharing!
Have to make this for the office staff! Thank You!
We used to make these all the time! They are amazing and yes addictive! To take it a step further I like to dip them in melted chocolate frosting!
I totally forgot about these donut bites. I used to make them all the time back in the 60's. When my husband becasme diebetic I kind of got away from sweet desserts But will have to try the again when the grands and great-grands come to visit.
We make ours in the fry daddy. We go the extra step and take an empty pill bottle and make actual donuts and donut holes. 🙂 I must agree that they're addicting!
thanks for the pill bottle doughnut tip. Now I will save a trip to DD on some cold Chitown mornings.
I've been doing this for about 45 years.. <G> Yummy, all the way! No Doubt about it..
I love & appreciate the hot oil wooden handle tip though.. never heard that one! 🙂
I remember my mom would make donuts usibg this method growing up so I was looking forward to trying the bites. However some of the bites didnt get cooked in the middle. It seems like the first batch was good but after that the oil became too hot and browned the dough rsther quickly therefore re ceieved less time frying. Any ideas to fix this would be appreciated!
Vanessa
Great Share! My Wife, Sara, and our two kids all made doughnut bites this Sunday morning by following your blog post. I had seen it as couple weeks ago and sent the post to Sara. Thanks again! Yummy.
My recent post As I get older.. & “The Overview Effect”
Wow, I am going to try this ! from the pics the biscuits must be thick so i hope i get some that will make these treats……looks like I am from the dark ages as i have never seen this method before.
i live in England, uk what can I use instead of the biscuits in a tin as we don’t have these here thanks xxx
Use any kid of bread dough!
vicky, i think they are like scones.. so scone dough
You can make your own bisquits very easily….
Ingredients
2¼ Cups Flour
1 Tablespoon Baking Powder
1 Teaspoon Salt
1 Tablespoon Sugar
⅓ cup Shortening or Butter
1 cup Milk
extra flour for the counter
Instructions:
Add flour, baking powder, salt and sugar to bowl mix together.
Cut in shortening or butter to resemble coarse crumbs.
Add half the milk and mix, then add remaining milk and mix together.
Put on floured surface and kneed gently 15-20 times.
Pat out flat and cut out biscuits. Or like the one person said they use a pill bottle and make cute little mini donuts. These will be way healthier then the packaged bisquits we can buy in the US so consider yourself lucky you don’t have these available. Make and enjoy =)
love this, thanks for sharing!
THANK YOU for sharing!! XO
What is a ‘can of biscuits’? Not sold in Oz. Is this raw biscuit(cookie) dough or is in more like bread dough?
Many thanks
It’s a Pilsbury product. You probably don’t want to know the amount of preservatives in it (yikes!) but here’s what it is: http://www.pillsbury.com/products/biscuits/grands-refrigerated-biscuits. Honestly, you could use any basic dough recipe!
I rolled them out and put a dab of dulce de leche inside and cooked them that Way. Rolled in sugar you’ll never eat a normal doughnut again!
Sounds delish!
Hi guys great post. For those of you that can’t get canned biscuits . Pizza dough works the same I’m Italian and we’ve done it that way do since I was a little girl. Some grocery stores sell the dough pre made in the bakery or ask your local pizza shop for ball of fresh dough my favorite place charges me $ 1.00 happy baking
What cell phone/camera do you have? My Nokia 1020–supposedly great HD pics– cannot begin to look this good.
I had an iPhone 5 when taking these pics!
Please subscribe me to your newsletter
Of course! You’ll get an email, you will need to click that email to confirm that you’d like to be on the list. Thanks for subscribing!
We always used either cinnamon sugar or confectioners sugar to roll them in. Also of you want big doughnuts just use the whole biscuit and cut a whole in the center. You can then cook the doughnut holes too! Great memories of my mom making these during my childhood!
Love the idea of big donuts! Thanks for sharing!
hi! Something similar- pkg of crescent roll dough- fold triangles of dough around a chocolate-roll in a ball- have guests deep fry in a fondue pot and then roll in cinnamon sugar. Life is like a box of chocolates; you never know what you are going to get!
I live in UK and can’t get hold of these biscuits so could I use Jusrol croissants cut up?
Oh man I know what I’m making for tomorrow’s breakfast for the kids! <3
I use the really cheap thin biscuits and fry them whole and coat in powdered sugar or regular sugar. Then I put various fillings into piping bags with a very large decorating tip on the bag and make filled donuts. I have done this using both Jelly and Wilton’s Buttercream icing. I plan on trying Nutella next.
It looks so delicious. Thanks for the recipe.
Oh man I almost I didn’t know how to do this now! Drooling!
Gotta try this!! Yep
Great Share! love these biscuits
thanks
Oh the memories! My mom used to make these exactly like this for us when we were little…..over 50 years ago! I used to make them for my kiddos too when they were young! So good!
Awwww love it!
We have been doing this for years, but leaving the biscuts whole, then filling up with jam…sprinkle with powdered sugar….so good.
Oh yum, that sounds so good! I’ll have to try that out!
I turned them out and put a touch of dulce de leche inside and cooked them that Way. Overflowed with sugar you’ll never eat an ordinary donut again!