Easy Homemade Chocolate Glazed Donuts: Your 15-Minute Recipe for Fluffy Biscuit Donuts

Discover the secret to making the best chocolate glazed donuts right in your own kitchen! These homemade delights are incredibly fluffy, irresistibly sweet, and come together in just 15 minutes. Perfect for a cozy weekend breakfast, a festive Christmas morning treat, or a delightful snack any time you crave something sweet. Get ready for your new favorite go-to donut recipe!

The holiday season always fills me with joy and an insatiable desire to bake. While many holiday sweets require hours in the kitchen, this Chocolate Glazed Donut Recipe offers a delightful shortcut without compromising on flavor or that comforting homemade feel. For years, these easy donuts have been a cherished Christmas tradition in my family, bringing smiles and sweet memories. They are wonderfully simple, incredibly tasty, and an absolute must for any fun holiday gathering or a special treat.

What makes these donuts truly special is their light, airy, and fluffy interior, perfectly contrasted by a rich, dark chocolate glaze and a generous scattering of colorful sprinkles. The genius behind this recipe lies in using canned biscuit dough, transforming a humble pantry staple into a fried-to-perfection donut that tastes like it came from a gourmet bakery. This brilliant shortcut means you get that authentic fried donut flavor and texture without the fuss of preparing dough from scratch. I am confident you will adore this fast, minimal-ingredient, 15-minute holiday donut recipe! It’s truly a game-changer for quick and satisfying sweet cravings.

This chocolate glazed donut recipe stands out for its extreme simplicity and the minimal number of ingredients required. This makes these donuts an ideal choice for a quick, enjoyable treat that appeals to both children and adults alike. While they are fantastic year-round, my absolute favorite time to indulge in these biscuit-based donuts is during the festive holiday season, particularly on Christmas morning. There’s something magical about enjoying a warm, chocolate-covered donut while soaking in the holiday spirit. They offer that perfect blend of convenience and deliciousness, making holiday mornings even more special.

Essential Ingredients for Your Quick Donuts

1. 1 Can of Pillsbury Grands Flaky Biscuits: This is the star of our shortcut! These biscuits provide the perfect base, yielding a wonderfully light and flaky donut when fried. Their ready-to-use nature drastically cuts down prep time.
2. Dark Chocolate (or a different kind if you prefer): I personally love the rich, slightly bitter notes of dark chocolate for a sophisticated glaze that balances the sweetness of the donut. However, feel free to choose milk chocolate for a sweeter profile, or even semi-sweet or white chocolate for variety.
3. Sprinkles (Optional): Sprinkles add a festive touch and a bit of playful crunch. They are especially fun for holiday donuts or if you’re making these with kids. Don’t hesitate to use different colors or shapes to match any occasion!
4. Vegetable Oil for Frying: Yes, these donuts are fried, not baked, and that’s precisely what gives them their irresistible golden-brown exterior and tender interior. Embrace the deliciousness of a perfectly fried donut – it’s a treat worth savoring! Any neutral-flavored vegetable oil like canola, sunflower, or corn oil will work well.

Key Kitchen Tools You’ll Need

• A Large, Deep Skillet or Pan: Essential for safe and effective frying. A pan with high sides helps contain the hot oil and provides ample space for the donuts to cook evenly without crowding. I recommend one that holds at least 4 quarts and can be filled about halfway.
• A Slotted Spoon (or a sturdy fork): This tool is crucial for carefully placing donuts into and removing them from the hot oil. The slots allow excess oil to drain away, preventing your donuts from becoming overly greasy. Always exercise caution when handling hot oil.
• A Candy Thermometer (not required, but highly recommended): While not strictly necessary, a candy thermometer is your best friend for achieving perfectly fried donuts. It allows you to accurately monitor the oil temperature, ensuring it reaches the ideal 375 degrees Fahrenheit. This prevents undercooked (soggy) or overcooked (burnt outside, raw inside) results.
• A Cooling Rack and/or Paper Towels: A cooling rack allows air to circulate around the donuts, preventing them from becoming soggy on the bottom. Alternatively, paper towels can absorb excess oil, contributing to a lighter, less greasy donut. You’ll want a place to set your freshly fried treats while they cool slightly before glazing.

Step-by-Step: How to Make Donuts Using Biscuits

1. Step 1: Transform Biscuits into Donuts. The first magical step is turning your canned biscuits into donut shapes. I absolutely love using pre-made biscuit dough for this chocolate glazed donut recipe because it’s a huge time-saver. For the best results, I’ve found that Pillsbury Grands Flaky Biscuits work exceptionally well, delivering that ideal fluffy texture. After carefully removing the biscuits from their can, lay each one out flat on a clean cutting board. To create the classic donut hole, you can use either a small, round cookie cutter or even a bottle cap. Simply center your chosen cutter and press down firmly to punch out the middle. Don’t throw away those precious little dough centers – they make delicious donut holes when fried! If you’re in a bind and don’t have a cutter, a small, sharp knife can also be used to carefully cut out the holes. Once all your biscuits are shaped into donuts, you’re ready to move on to the frying stage.
2. Step 2: Fry Your Donuts to Golden Perfection. Now it’s time for the exciting part: frying! Heat your vegetable oil in a large, deep skillet or pan. A 4-quart pan, filled about halfway, works perfectly for me. The key here is to ensure the oil is at least an inch deep so that your donuts can fully submerge and fry evenly, achieving that beautiful golden-brown crust all around. Place your skillet over medium heat and allow the oil to gradually heat up until it reaches a temperature of 375 degrees Fahrenheit. This temperature is crucial for preventing greasy donuts (if too cold) or burnt exteriors with raw centers (if too hot).
3. Step 3: Cook in Batches and Cool. Once your oil has reached the perfect temperature, it’s time to start frying. Carefully add the donut pieces, two or three at a time, to avoid overcrowding the pan, which can drop the oil temperature. Fry each donut for approximately 30 seconds on one side, then gently flip it over and cook for another 20-30 seconds until both sides are golden brown and puffed up. As soon as they’re done, carefully remove the fried donuts using a slotted spoon, allowing any excess oil to drip off. Transfer them immediately to a cooling rack or a plate lined with paper towels to absorb any remaining oil. Repeat this process until all your donuts and the small donut holes are fried. Frying in small batches ensures even cooking and consistent results.
4. Step 4: Glaze and Garnish Your Donuts. The final step brings the deliciousness! For the topping, I prefer dark chocolate for its rich, intense flavor, but feel free to substitute it with milk chocolate for a sweeter option, semi-sweet for a classic taste, or even white chocolate for a different aesthetic. Whichever you choose, melt the chocolate in the microwave in short 20-second intervals, stirring thoroughly after each, until it’s completely smooth and melted. This prevents burning. Once your donuts have cooled for at least 5 minutes (this helps the glaze adhere better), take one and dip it straight down into the melted chocolate. Gently wiggle it back and forth to ensure even coverage, then lift it straight up and allow any excess chocolate to drip back into the bowl. Place the glazed donut on a plate or cooling rack. If desired, you can use a butter knife to smooth the chocolate, and immediately add sprinkles before the chocolate sets. Repeat for all donuts, then let the glaze harden slightly before serving.

Pro Tips for Perfect Chocolate Glazed Donuts

Mastering Oil Temperature: Your Secret to Success

Achieving the right oil temperature is the single most critical factor for perfect fried donuts. I highly recommend using a candy thermometer to accurately check the temperature of your oil. If the oil isn’t hot enough, the biscuit dough will absorb too much oil, resulting in a soggy, greasy mess that won’t brown properly. Conversely, if the oil is too hot, the donuts will brown excessively fast on the outside, leaving the inside raw and doughy.

Another excellent option for testing the oil for this chocolate glazed donut recipe, especially if you don’t have a thermometer, is to drop in one of the small donut holes you cut earlier. Drop it into the hot oil, and it should immediately begin to bubble vigorously and start to develop a golden color within seconds. If you drop it in and it merely sits there, slowly soaking up oil without much bubbling, your oil is too cold. On the other hand, if you drop it in and it turns dark brown and burns almost instantly, your oil is too hot. Adjust the heat accordingly until you find that sweet spot for even, beautiful frying.

Safety First: Caution with Hot Oil!

Please, always exercise extreme caution while frying these chocolate glazed donuts. Hot oil can splash and cause severe burns. Keep a safe distance, use long-handled utensils, and ensure that children are kept away from the kitchen area during the frying portion of this recipe. A clean, dry cooking environment also helps minimize risks.

Glazing Made Easy: Size Matters

For the easiest and most efficient glazing, use a shallow, wide bowl for your melted chocolate. This shape allows you to dip the homemade donuts more completely and evenly without struggling. A bowl with a flat bottom also helps prevent the chocolate from pooling too much.

Patience is a Virtue: Let The Donuts Chill

It’s tempting to glaze them immediately, but allowing the chocolate glazed donuts to cool for at least 5 minutes before dipping them in chocolate is crucial. This cooling period ensures the chocolate adheres better to the donut and sets properly, preventing it from simply running off and creating a messy puddle. Slightly warm donuts can still be glazed, but fully hot ones will melt the chocolate too quickly.

Common Questions About Homemade Donuts

Explore More Holiday Sweets

Chocolate Cake Cookies with Peppermint Sprinkle
Edible Cookie Dough (Perfect for Gifting!)
Irresistible Gooey Butter Cookies Recipe
Simple & Sweet Christmas Bark
Festive Christmas Crunch Popcorn Mix

A Heartfelt Christmas Tradition

Every year, without fail, my mom would lovingly prepare these chocolate glazed donuts for my brother and me, either on Christmas Morning or Christmas Eve. It was a tradition filled with so much joy and anticipation. I vividly remember the excitement of unwrapping presents, the scent of fresh pine, and the pure delight of savoring a warm, homemade chocolate donut. Looking back, I always thought my mom was some kind of superhero for whipping up such delicious donuts so early on a busy holiday morning. Now, as an adult with my own family, I understand her secret: the sheer simplicity and speed of this recipe.

I truly appreciate that this chocolate glazed donut recipe is incredibly simple, remarkably fast, and can be effortlessly put together in a flash. This makes it absolutely perfect for anyone who wants to fully immerse themselves in the fun of opening presents and enjoying the magic of Christmas morning, rather than being tied down by preparing a elaborate breakfast. Beyond the convenience, these donuts are just so much fun to eat, and I know I cherished them as a child. I still do, and I continue this wonderful tradition, making them every year for my own family. I sincerely hope that you and your loved ones have a truly wonderful and sweet holiday season filled with delicious moments and cherished memories!

Happy Eating!