One can makes 16 to 32 bites, depending on how you cut the biscuits. Serve them fresh from the skillet for a weekend breakfast or a quick dessert.
What You’ll Need
- Refrigerated biscuit dough. Use one 8-count can. Cut each biscuit into halves for larger pieces or quarters for smaller bites.
- Vegetable oil. Start with about 1 cup. The exact amount depends on the width of your skillet.
- Granulated sugar. Half a cup gives the warm dough a sweet, slightly crunchy coating.
- Ground cinnamon. Mix 1½ teaspoons into the sugar before you start frying.
How to Make Cinnamon-Sugar Fried Dough
Mix the cinnamon and sugar in a shallow bowl and set it near a paper towel-lined plate. Separate the biscuits and cut them into evenly sized pieces so each batch cooks at about the same rate.
Heat a shallow layer of oil in a deep, heavy skillet over medium heat. Add one small piece of dough to test it. The dough should sizzle and begin to puff. Fry the remaining pieces in batches for about 1–2 minutes per side, turning once, until puffed, golden, and cooked through.
Lift each batch out with a slotted spoon and let it drain briefly. Toss the pieces in cinnamon sugar while they’re still warm, then transfer them to a serving plate.
How to Keep the Centers Fluffy
Cut open a piece from the first batch to check the center. If the outside browns before the dough inside is cooked, lower the heat slightly and give the next batch more time. Leave room between the pieces so they’re easy to turn and the oil temperature stays steadier.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I cut the biscuits into halves or quarters?
Quarters make smaller bites that cook through more quickly. Halves give you larger pieces with more soft center. Keep the pieces in each batch about the same size.
When should I add the cinnamon sugar?
Coat each batch after a brief drain on paper towels. The sugar clings best while the dough is still warm.
4-Ingredient Poor Man’s Fried Dough
Golden biscuit dough bites tossed in cinnamon sugar and served warm.
- Fry time — About 1–2 minutes per side, per batch
- Servings — 4–6
- Yield — 16–32 pieces
Ingredients
- 1 can refrigerated biscuit dough, 8-count
- 1 cup vegetable oil, or enough for shallow frying
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Stir the sugar and cinnamon together in a shallow bowl. Line a plate with paper towels.
- Separate the biscuits and cut each into 2–4 evenly sized pieces.
- Pour a shallow layer of oil into a deep, heavy skillet and heat over medium heat. Add a small piece of dough to test the oil. It should sizzle and begin to puff.
- Fry in batches, leaving space between the pieces. Cook for about 1–2 minutes per side, turning once, until golden and cooked through. Check a piece from the first batch and adjust the heat as needed.
- Remove the fried dough with a slotted spoon and drain briefly on the paper towels.
- Toss each batch in cinnamon sugar while still warm. Serve right away.