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I’m so in love with lemon this time of year, and these easy lemon donut holes are a perfect way to satisfy my cravings!
Okay, so before we start to talk about these amazing and super easy (like, make in just a few minutes) lemon donut holes, I want to tell you about the travesty that happened to me this past weekend.
I’m out of perfume, so I headed to the mall to get more. I’ve been wearing Dream by Gap since I was 16. It’s been my signature scent for 20 years, except for the short period of time I flirted with something pink and fruity smelling from Victoria’s Secret. Anyway, I couldn’t find it, so I asked the sales lady where it was.
It’s been discontinued. DISCONTINUED.
Yeah. I know. Total travesty, right? Like, I gasped so loud I scared Jordan (not joking – it was the ugly gasp; hand-over-mouth and everything). It’s…like…I don’t even know where to go from here. Except maybe to Amazon to buy up the rest of their stock. I mean…perfume shopping? At 36? Really? Do people do that? I’m lost.
Also? #firstworldproblems
Anyway, let’s talk easy lemon donut holes!
My mom’s neighbor has a Meyer lemon tree. My mother-in-law has a lemon tree. I have lemons pretty much anytime I get to see either side of the family. (Are you jealous?) After the richness of the holidays, I’ve been totally craving lemon. This is the first (of a few) recipes I’m sharing with you!
And this is, by far, the easiest. It starts with Pillsbury Grands biscuits. Cut them in quarters, fry them into donut holes. {Or is it doughnut holes? I don’t know, I like donut better.} Then they are covered in one of two lemon toppings: Lemon Sugar or Lemon Glaze.
The Lemon Sugar is like a cinnamon dusting, without the cinnamon. There’s zest in the sugar and the flavors meld so well together. The Lemon Glaze is made with powdered sugar and fresh lemon juice (if you can use Meyers, do it, they’re so good!). Make a batch of one or the other or both and you have a sweet and tart breakfast or dessert!
These would be good with ice cream. Or white chocolate sauce. Or just because your perfume is discontinued and you’re depressed and need a donut hole.
My mouth is watering thinking of that glaze. I may go make some and drink it with a straw! 🙂
Easy Lemon Donut Holes {two ways}
Ingredients
For the Donut Holes:
- 1 can Pillsbury Grands Homestyle Biscuits 8 biscuits
- Vegetable oil for frying
For the Lemon Sugar Topping:
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons lemon zest from 1-2 lemons, depending on size
For the Lemon Glaze:
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 2-3 lemons, depending on size
Instructions
- Place about 4 cups of vegetable oil in a heavy bottom pot and heat until it reaches 350°F. I like to leave my candy thermometer in the pot during frying so I can regulate the heat up or down if it gets to hot or cold. A heavy bottomed pot is best for frying, it’s easier to regulate the heat that way than with a thinner pot. (I use a Le Cruset soup pot.)
- Cut each biscuit into four pieces and roll into balls between the palms of your hands. Fry in batches of 5-6 depending on the size of your pot. Cook 2-3 minutes until they are a deep golden, flipping halfway. Remove from oil using a slotted spoon and place the cooked donut holes on a cookie sheet topped with two layers of paper towels.
- Make the Lemon Sugar Topping: stir together the lemon zest and sugar in a bowl. Cool donut holes until you can touch them before rolling in sugar.
- Make the Lemon Glaze: whisk powdered sugar and lemon juice in a second small bowl. Let donut holes cool completely, then dip in glaze.
- Makes enough sugar topping for 16 donut holes and enough glaze for 16 donut holes. Double if you wish to do all one or the other.
Click HERE for more Pillsbury Dough Recipes!
Click here to see the complete list of Lemon Recipes!
Caramel Banana Pecan Doughnuts
Sweets from friends:
Buttermilk Orange Donut Muffins by Our Best Bites
Lemon Cream Cheese Coffee Cake by Two In the Kitchen
Caramel Glazed Turtle Donuts by Something Swanky
Last Updated on May 13, 2020
These are dangerously easy!
Lemon is such a chipper, spring-like (hopefully!) thing to bake with this time of year and I love seeing the pics of these! Reminds me of warmer weather…soon…I hope 🙂
Warmer weather – ha you live in the land of warm weather! 🙂 I just want it to be Spring – in summer our PG&E bills skyrocket. 🙂
We’ve been making donut holes like that forever, but I’ve never thought to add anything to them other than powdered sugar or a sugar glaze… .I’ve GOT to try lemon!!
It’s SO fabulous Rose! And I cannot believe I just thought to cut them in quarters the other day. *head slap*
Hehe… I love “aha” moments. Or *head slap* – whatever works 😉 I just sent you an email with a link to my *shameful* post from back in 2010 about how we do the donut holes. MY pics aren’t great now, but ohmygosh, how horrible they were then!!
Love this idea of using the Pillsbury Grands to make donuts! Especially with lemon and especially 2 ways! That makes my taste buds very happy. Perfect recipe girl! Pinned!
Thanks Taylor!!
Sorry to hear about your perfume dilemma. My 15yr old daughter picked me out some for Christmas this year. I love it. However, she says, ” I tried to find one that wasn’t teen-ish, but still had some old lady to it.” Ummm, what?? So, if you like a little teen and old lady, maybe Estee Lauder is for you too, hehe.
As for these donut holes, yes. Just yes. I heart lemon!
LMAO! That is hilarious. Teen + a teensy Old Lady. Too funny! Luckily I got 2 bottles of Amazon, so I have a while until I need to find something new. I can take my time this way. 🙂
What what? Are all the perfumes discontinued? I was at gap a couple of weeks ago and bought Dream More because I couldn’t find Dream…and ended up liking it more. Maybe because its just a tad different. You know…baby steps. Ugh, I’m going to be bummed if it’s gone too!
She said it was gone, and it’s no longer on their website. *sad face* but they still have it on Amazon!
Might I suggest a dab of Meyer lemon behind your ears?
You might be onto something Bryn!
Nailed this one girl! And yes, hop on over to Amazon ASAP and buy it ALL!!!
Got two bottles. Then I went broke. 😉 Phew!
I don’t like Meyer lemons (my parents had a Meyer lemon tree when I was a teenager, much to my chagrin ); would this be as good with regular lemons?
Yes! It would be fine, I just had the Meyers. You may need a few extra lemons because Meyers tend to be bigger than regular ones. 🙂
I am not a huge fan of dount holes, but these lemon ones look craaaaazy good! I need a lemon tree for all the lemon donut hole baking that my kitchen is going to experience. Haha, every day I have an ugly-first-world-problem-gasp … it was my jeans being in the dryer a little too long this morning … aaaand my eye liner smudging this evening 😉
I only like them when I get a hankering, you know? Fried stuff isn’t usually my thing but once in awhile… And when I get to needing lemon, these satisfied that perfectly!
My jaw is DROPPING at how easy these sweet little lemony treats are!! My kiddos and I will LOVE them! Thank you so much for linking to my Lemon Coffee Cake!! 🙂
Thanks Renee!
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