Easy Homemade Donut Holes with Canned Biscuits (Only 3 Ingredients)

These Easy Homemade Donut holes are made with canned biscuits and fried until perfectly golden brown for a quick and delicious sweet treat everybody loves. Whether you dust them with powdered sugar, roll them in a cinnamon sugar mixture, or dip them in a glaze, these Fried Donut Holes are soft, fluffy, and incredibly easy to make with simple ingredients.Instructions for Air Fryer Biscuit Donuts are also included!

Originally posted September 2010, updated May 2026

Homemade Donut Holes

These easy donut holes are one of the quickest sweet treats you can make with 3 simple ingredients, including a can of biscuits from the grocery store. They fry up golden brown on the outside, soft and fluffy on the inside, and taste surprisingly close to traditional donuts without all the work of homemade yeast dough.

Whether you roll them in a cinnamon sugar mixture, dust them with powdered sugar, or dip them in a rich chocolate glaze, these fried biscuit donuts are always a hit. They’re perfect for breakfast, brunch, movie night, or special occasions when you need an easy recipe everybody loves.

If you’ve ever wanted homemade donut holes without the fuss, this donut holes recipe is the easiest way to make them!

Why You’ll Love These Donut Holes

• These 3 ingredient donut holes are made with canned biscuits!
• Quick and easy recipe
• Crispy golden brown outside
• Soft donut holes inside
• Easy homemade donuts – great for beginner cooks
• Easy cleanup
• Perfect sweet treat anytime
• Can be made in a deep fryer or air fryer

Ingredients

You only need 3 simple ingredients for this delicious recipe for biscuit donuts!

• Can of biscuit dough (Grands biscuits, buttermilk biscuits, or flaky layers variety)
• Vegetable oil or canola oil for frying – the exact amount of oil you’ll need depends on the size of your pan
• Powdered sugar

Find the complete recipe with ingredient measurements in the recipe card below.

Equipment Needed

• Sharp knife
• Large shallow pot or deep fryer
• Deep fry thermometer (optional but helpful)
• Cooling rack
• Paper towels
• Small bowls
• Baking sheet
• Parchment paper

How to Make Donut Holes with Canned Biscuits

It’s SO easy to make these Powdered Sugar Donut Holes!

1. Pour about an inch of canola oil or vegetable oil into a medium to large, shallow pot. Heat the oil over medium heat until it’s sizzling hot. You’ll know it’s ready when it just starts to bubble. If you have a thermometer, it needs to be 350°- 375°F.
2. Open the biscuit dough and separate the biscuits. Grand’s Butter Flaky Biscuits work especially well, but generic brands and other varieties will also work fine.
3. Cut each biscuit into 6 equal pieces. You can use a knife or kitchen scissors. For jumbo donut holes, cut them into quarters instead.
4. Firmly roll each cut biscuit piece into a tight ball so the flaky layers stay together while frying.
5. Carefully drop the donut balls into the hot oil in small batches. Cook for approximately 30-45 seconds per side, turning as needed, until the donut holes are evenly golden brown. Total cook time is usually about 2-3 minutes, but can vary depending on the temperature of your oil. Repeat for all of the remaining dough balls.

6. Remove the donut holes from the oil and place them on paper towels or a cooling rack to drain the excess oil.
7. Let the donut holes cool for a few minutes, then generously dust them with powdered sugar before serving. You can also roll them in powdered sugar for an extra sweet coating.
8. Enjoy your delicious biscuit donuts!

Donut Holes with Cinnamon Sugar

If you don’t love powdered sugar, another terrific option for these biscuit donut holes is cinnamon sugar! Here’s what you’ll need to make Cinnamon Sugar Donut Holes:

• ½ cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2 tablespoons melted butter

How to Make Cinnamon Sugar Donut Holes with Canned Biscuits

1. Fry the donuts based on the instructions above.
2. In a shallow bowl, combine granulated sugar and ground cinnamon to make the cinnamon sugar mixture.
3. After the donut holes have drained, brush them lightly with melted butter, then roll them in the cinnamon sugar coating until fully coated.
4. Enjoy the BEST Cinnamon Sugar Biscuit Donuts!

Variations (Optional Glazes)

Vanilla Glazed Donuts

To make the vanilla glaze, whisk together 1 cup of powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons of heavy whipping cream, and 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract in a small bowl until smooth. Dip each donut hole into the vanilla glaze and place on parchment paper or a cooling rack until set.

Chocolate Glazed Doughnut Holes

Place 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips and 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream into a microwave-safe bowl. Heat in short intervals, stirring until smooth. Add 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract and dip the donut holes into the chocolate glaze.

Air Fryer Biscuit Donuts

Want a lighter version? These also make delicious air fryer donut holes! This easy donut hole recipe gets even easier if you use an air fryer!

How to Make Air Fryer Biscuit Donuts

1. Preheat the air fryer to 350 degrees F.
2. Spray the air fryer basket with cooking spray.
3. Arrange the cut-up biscuit pieces in a single layer, not touching.
4. Air-fry for 4-6 minutes, until golden brown.
5. Dust with powdered sugar or brush with melted butter and coat with the cinnamon sugar mixture.

Air fryer donuts have a slightly different texture than fried doughnut bites, but they’re still absolutely delicious.

Tips for the Best Biscuit Donut Recipe

• Use vegetable oil or canola oil as the best oil for frying. Avoid olive oil because the flavor is too strong.
• Fry in small batches for even cooking.
• Always monitor the temperature of the oil.
• Place finished donuts on paper towels or a cooling rack to keep them crisp.
• Roll the cut biscuits tightly before frying so they hold together.
• Don’t overcrowd the pot or air fryer basket.
• Let the donut holes cool slightly before dusting with powdered sugar or glazing.
• If you want a more traditional donut shape, use a small hole cutter, bottle cap, or cookie cutter to cut out perfectly round donut holes.
• Keeping the oil at the proper temperature is important. If the oil is too hot, the outside will brown too quickly while the inside stays doughy. If the oil is too cool, the donut holes will absorb excess oil, making them greasy.

Storage Instructions

These easy canned biscuit donuts are best fresh but you can store leftover donut holes in an airtight container or storage bag at room temperature for up to 2 days.

To reheat, microwave for a few seconds or reheat in the air fryer for a couple of minutes.

Pro Tips

• Use room temperature biscuit dough for more even frying.
• Keep a deep fry thermometer nearby to maintain the right temperature.
• Roll dough pieces tightly into balls before frying.
• Drain excess oil well before adding sugar coating.
• Line your baking sheet with parchment paper for easier cleanup.
• Frying in small batches gives the best results.

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