Shortly before Christmas I saw a fun idea for easy homemade doughnuts floating around Pinterest.  It involved nothing more than a can of pre-made biscuits and some oil.  At the time, I pretty much ignored the pin because canned biscuits just don’t work for me.  They contain 4 grams of heart-stopping trans fats – ewwww.

My sister introduced me to a delicious monkey bread recipe prepared with canned biscuits, and I really wanted to serve it for Christmas morning.  With brown sugar and cinnamon, it was a super special treat for the kids.  I only made half the recipe, so I had a few biscuits leftover.  Seemed like the perfect chance to make the easy doughnuts.  Sure enough, the kids loved them!

Chris said they reminded him of the fried dough his Italian grandmother made for him and his brother.  I have a feeling her recipe doesn’t include trans fats, so I’ll have to ask her for it!

Easy Homemade Doughnuts

Oil for frying (I used vegetable, but I’m sure canola, peanut or coconut oils would work fine, too)

1 can large biscuits

Cinnamon and sugar

In a small saucepan, add 1-2 inches of oil.  Heat over medium heat.

In a container with a lid, shake 1 cups sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon.  Set aside.

Remove biscuits from the can/tube and cut a hold out of the center (reserve the cut-outs and make doughnut holes!).  Drop one-at-a-time into the hot oil.  Cook in the oil until browned and flip.  It takes no more than a minute total.

Drop the warm doughnut into the sugar-cinnamon and shake until coated.  Serve warm.

P.S. If you’re in Chicago and you want a real doughnut, stop by The Doughnut Vault in the River North neighborhood.  Seriously, the most delicious and subtly decadent doughnuts I’ve ever enjoyed!