16 Biscuit Dough Hacks That Turn One Cheap Tube Into Breakfast, Dinner and Dessert
That little tube of biscuits in your fridge is one of the cheapest things in the grocery store, and it is secretly one of the most useful. In under 30 minutes it can become a pot pie lid, a pan of warm donuts, a game day snack or Christmas morning bubble bread. Here are the easy biscuit dough hacks families keep coming back to, sorted from breakfast to dessert, with simple steps for every one..
Biscuit dough donuts with cinnamon sugar
Start with the hack that makes kids gasp. Poke a hole in the middle of each biscuit, fry or air fry it for a couple of minutes, and roll it in cinnamon sugar. You get soft, fluffy, warm donuts for a fraction of the bakery price, and the little holes become bite size donut holes. Weekend breakfast, done. Which coating wins: A) cinnamon sugar B) powdered sugar C) chocolate glaze?
You will need: 1 tube (16 oz, 8 count) refrigerated biscuit dough, 2 cups neutral oil for frying (or use an air fryer), 1/2 cup sugar, 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon, 3 tablespoons melted butter.
How to make it: Separate the biscuits and cut a 1 inch hole in each with a bottle cap. Heat oil to 350F. Fry 3 at a time for about 1 minute per side until golden, or air fry at 350F for 5 to 6 minutes. Brush with melted butter and toss in cinnamon sugar while warm.
Apple pie biscuit dough bubble-up bake
A bubble-up bake is the easiest way to feed a crowd at breakfast. Cut biscuits into quarters, toss them with apples, cinnamon and brown sugar, and bake until the top is golden and the bottom is gooey. It tastes like apple pie and cinnamon rolls had a baby. Perfect for fall weekends and Thanksgiving week when the house is full.
You will need: 1 tube (16 oz, 8 count) refrigerated biscuit dough, 2 apples peeled and diced, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 4 tablespoons melted butter, 1/2 cup powdered sugar, 1 to 2 tablespoons milk.
How to make it: Heat the oven to 350F and butter an 8×8 dish. Cut each biscuit into 4 pieces. Toss with apples, brown sugar, cinnamon and butter. Spread in the dish and bake 30 to 35 minutes until golden. Whisk powdered sugar and milk and drizzle over the warm bake.
Biscuits and gravy breakfast casserole
All the comfort of biscuits and sausage gravy, baked in one dish so nobody stands at the stove. Biscuit pieces soak up a peppery sausage gravy and an egg custard, then bake into a hearty casserole. Assemble it the night before and bake it in the morning, which makes it a lifesaver for holiday guests.
You will need: 1 tube (16 oz, 8 count) refrigerated biscuit dough, 1 lb breakfast sausage, 1/4 cup flour, 2 1/2 cups milk, 6 eggs, 1 cup shredded cheddar, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, salt.
How to make it: Brown the sausage, sprinkle in flour and stir 1 minute, then add 2 cups milk and simmer until thick. Cut biscuits into quarters and spread in a greased 9×13 dish. Whisk eggs with the remaining milk and pepper and pour over. Spoon on gravy, top with cheese and bake at 350F for 35 to 40 minutes.
Biscuit dough breakfast egg cups
Press a biscuit into each cup of a muffin tin and you have instant little bread bowls. Fill them with scrambled egg, cheese and whatever meat you have, and breakfast for the whole week is done in 20 minutes. Kids can grab one on the way to the bus, and they reheat in the microwave in about 30 seconds.
You will need: 1 tube (16 oz, 8 count) refrigerated biscuit dough, 6 eggs, 1/4 cup milk, 1/2 cup cooked crumbled bacon or diced ham, 1/2 cup shredded cheddar, 2 green onions, salt, pepper.
How to make it: Heat the oven to 375F and grease 8 muffin cups. Flatten each biscuit and press it into a cup, up the sides. Whisk eggs, milk, salt and pepper. Sprinkle bacon and cheese into the cups, pour in the egg mixture and top with green onion. Bake 18 to 20 minutes until set.
Chicken pot pie with a biscuit dough topper
Skip rolling out pie crust. A creamy chicken and vegetable filling gets topped with raw biscuits, and they bake into fluffy golden lids that soak up the sauce underneath. It is a 30 minute version of the Sunday classic that tastes like it took all afternoon, and it is one of the most loved weeknight dinner hacks.
You will need: 1 tube (16 oz, 8 count) refrigerated biscuit dough, 3 cups cooked chicken, 2 cups frozen mixed vegetables, 4 tablespoons butter, 1/3 cup flour, 2 cups chicken broth, 3/4 cup milk, 1/2 teaspoon thyme, salt, pepper.
How to make it: Heat the oven to 375F. Melt butter in an oven safe skillet, whisk in flour, then broth and milk until thick. Stir in chicken, vegetables and thyme and season. Bring to a simmer. Arrange biscuits on top and bake 20 to 25 minutes until the biscuits are deep golden.
Shortcut chicken and dumplings
Grandma would make her dumplings from scratch, but this shortcut is how plenty of busy moms do it now. Cut biscuits into strips or quarters and drop them into simmering broth. They puff up into soft, chewy dumplings in about 15 minutes. It is cozy, cheap and on the table fast on a cold night.
You will need: 1 tube (16 oz, 8 count) refrigerated biscuit dough, 6 cups chicken broth, 3 cups shredded cooked chicken, 1 can (10.5 oz) cream of chicken soup or 1/2 cup heavy cream, 2 carrots, 2 celery stalks, 1/2 onion, 1 teaspoon thyme, pepper.
How to make it: Simmer broth with diced carrots, celery, onion and thyme for 10 minutes. Stir in the cream or soup and the chicken. Flatten each biscuit and cut into 6 strips. Drop them into the gently bubbling pot one at a time. Cover and simmer 15 minutes, stirring gently once.
Mini pizza calzones from biscuit dough
Roll out a biscuit, fill it with pizza sauce, mozzarella and pepperoni, fold it over and bake. Twenty minutes later you have personal calzones that kids love to make themselves. They freeze well too, so make a double batch for after school snacks. What goes in yours? A) pepperoni B) sausage C) veggies D) just cheese?
You will need: 1 tube (16 oz, 8 count) refrigerated biscuit dough, 1/2 cup pizza sauce plus more for dipping, 1 cup shredded mozzarella, 24 slices pepperoni, 1 egg beaten, 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning.
How to make it: Heat the oven to 375F. Roll each biscuit into a 5 inch circle. Spread a spoon of sauce on one half, add cheese and pepperoni. Fold over and press the edges with a fork. Brush with egg and sprinkle seasoning. Bake 12 to 15 minutes until golden. Serve with warm sauce.
Buffalo chicken biscuit pockets
Game day needs something you can eat with one hand. Spicy buffalo chicken mixed with cream cheese and a little ranch gets sealed inside flattened biscuits and baked until puffy and golden. They taste like wings without the mess. Serve with celery sticks and blue cheese dressing for dipping.
You will need: 1 tube (16 oz, 8 count) refrigerated biscuit dough, 2 cups shredded cooked chicken, 4 oz cream cheese softened, 1/3 cup buffalo hot sauce, 2 tablespoons ranch dressing, 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella, 1 egg beaten.
How to make it: Heat the oven to 375F. Mix chicken, cream cheese, hot sauce, ranch and mozzarella. Flatten biscuits into 5 inch rounds. Spoon filling onto half of each, fold and crimp with a fork. Brush with egg. Bake 13 to 16 minutes until golden. Let cool 5 minutes before biting in.
Christmas morning monkey bread from biscuit dough
This is one of the best-loved biscuit dough hacks of all. Quartered biscuits rolled in cinnamon sugar and baked in a bundt pan with buttery brown sugar caramel become pull-apart bread the whole family tears into. Assemble it on Christmas Eve, keep it in the fridge and bake it while everyone opens presents. Love a classic twist? Try our cinnamon roll monkey bread.
You will need: 2 tubes (16 oz each) refrigerated biscuit dough, 1/2 cup sugar, 2 teaspoons cinnamon, 1/2 cup butter, 3/4 cup brown sugar, 1/2 cup chopped pecans (optional).
How to make it: Heat the oven to 350F and grease a bundt pan. Cut biscuits into quarters and toss in a bag with sugar and cinnamon. Layer in the pan with pecans. Melt butter with brown sugar and pour over. Bake 35 to 40 minutes. Cool 10 minutes, then flip onto a plate.
Biscuit dough waffles
Put a raw biscuit in a hot waffle iron and close the lid. Two minutes later you have a crisp, golden, fluffy waffle with deep pockets for butter and syrup. Kids think it is magic. Make them sweet with maple syrup and berries, or savory with fried chicken and hot honey for an easy chicken and waffles night.
You will need: 1 tube (16 oz, 8 count) refrigerated biscuit dough, butter or cooking spray, maple syrup, fresh berries, or fried chicken tenders and hot honey for a savory version.
How to make it: Heat a waffle iron and grease it well. Flatten each biscuit slightly and place one or two in the center. Close the lid and cook 2 to 3 minutes until deep golden and cooked through. Serve hot with butter and syrup, or top with chicken and a drizzle of hot honey.
Pigs in a blanket for game day
Pigs in a blanket disappear faster than anything else on a game day table. Cut biscuits into strips, wrap them around little smoked sausages or halved hot dogs, and bake until puffy. A sprinkle of everything bagel seasoning makes them look like you tried much harder than you did. Serve with mustard and ketchup for dipping.
You will need: 1 tube (16 oz, 8 count) refrigerated biscuit dough, 24 cocktail smoked sausages or 8 hot dogs cut in thirds, 1 egg beaten, 1 tablespoon everything bagel seasoning, mustard for dipping.
How to make it: Heat the oven to 375F. Cut each biscuit into 3 strips and stretch them slightly. Wrap a strip around each sausage, seam side down on a lined sheet pan. Brush with egg and sprinkle seasoning. Bake 12 to 15 minutes until golden. Serve warm with mustard.
Garlic knots in 20 minutes
Pizza night just got an upgrade. Roll biscuits into ropes, tie them into knots and bake, then toss them in hot garlic butter with Parmesan and parsley. They taste like the garlic knots from your favorite pizza place and cost a fraction of the price. Make a double batch, because they never last.
You will need: 1 tube (16 oz, 8 count) refrigerated biscuit dough, 4 tablespoons butter, 3 garlic cloves minced, 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan, 1 tablespoon chopped parsley, pinch of salt, marinara for dipping.
How to make it: Heat the oven to 375F. Roll each biscuit into an 8 inch rope and tie it into a loose knot. Place on a lined sheet pan and bake 12 to 14 minutes until golden. Melt butter with garlic for 1 minute. Toss the hot knots in the garlic butter, then sprinkle Parmesan and parsley.
Jalapeno popper biscuit dough bites
All the flavor of jalapeno poppers, none of the frying. Biscuit pieces get stuffed with cream cheese, cheddar, bacon and diced jalapeno, then baked in a muffin tin until bubbly. They are creamy, a little spicy and perfect for parties. Leave out the seeds if your crowd likes it mild.
You will need: 1 tube (16 oz, 8 count) refrigerated biscuit dough, 4 oz cream cheese softened, 1/2 cup shredded cheddar, 4 slices cooked bacon crumbled, 2 jalapenos seeded and diced, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder.
How to make it: Heat the oven to 375F and grease a mini muffin tin. Mix cream cheese, cheddar, bacon, jalapeno and garlic powder. Cut each biscuit in half, flatten and press into a cup. Fill with a spoon of the mixture. Bake 12 to 15 minutes until golden and bubbly.
Hot chocolate biscuit dippers
Cut biscuits into sticks, bake them until crisp and roll them in cinnamon sugar, then dunk them into thick hot chocolate. It is a cozy winter treat for snow days and movie nights, and it turns a regular mug of cocoa into a real dessert. Do you dip A) in hot cocoa B) in chocolate sauce C) in caramel?
You will need: 1 tube (16 oz, 8 count) refrigerated biscuit dough, 3 tablespoons melted butter, 1/4 cup sugar, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1 cup chocolate chips, 1/2 cup heavy cream, mini marshmallows.
How to make it: Heat the oven to 375F. Cut each biscuit into 4 sticks and lay on a lined sheet pan. Bake 10 to 12 minutes. Brush with butter and roll in cinnamon sugar. Heat cream until steaming and pour over chocolate chips, stir until smooth. Serve the sticks with the warm chocolate.
Thanksgiving leftover turkey and cranberry biscuit bites
The day after Thanksgiving, this is how you use the leftovers. Biscuit halves pressed into a muffin tin get filled with chopped turkey, a spoon of cranberry sauce and a little Brie or cheddar. They bake into warm two-bite sliders that taste like the whole holiday meal. Set them out while the football is on.
You will need: 1 tube (16 oz, 8 count) refrigerated biscuit dough, 1 1/2 cups chopped leftover turkey, 1/2 cup cranberry sauce, 4 oz Brie or 1 cup shredded cheddar, 1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage or thyme.
How to make it: Heat the oven to 375F and grease a muffin tin. Split each biscuit in half and press into the cups to make 16. Add a little turkey, a small cube of Brie and a teaspoon of cranberry sauce. Bake 12 to 15 minutes until golden. Sprinkle with herbs and serve warm.
Strawberry shortcake with biscuit dough
End on a sweet note. Brush biscuits with butter, sprinkle with sugar and bake, then split them and pile on juicy sugared strawberries and whipped cream. It is the easiest shortcake you will ever make, and it tastes like summer any time of year. Which of these biscuit dough hacks are you making first? Tell us in the comments.
You will need: 1 tube (16 oz, 8 count) refrigerated biscuit dough, 2 tablespoons melted butter, 2 tablespoons coarse sugar, 1 lb strawberries sliced, 3 tablespoons sugar, 1 cup heavy cream, 1 tablespoon powdered sugar, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla.
How to make it: Toss strawberries with sugar and let sit 20 minutes. Heat the oven to 350F. Brush biscuits with butter, sprinkle with coarse sugar and bake 13 to 15 minutes. Whip cream with powdered sugar and vanilla. Split the biscuits and fill with strawberries and cream.
