Fried Biscuits With Cinnamon Sugar Are a Family Favorite Treat

Fried biscuits with cinnamon sugar are a fun, old fashioned treat. They’re reminiscent of other fried doughs like churros and zeppole. Try them with your morning cup of coffee, tea or even a tall glass of milk. 

My first mother-in-law grew up on Tangier Island in the Chesapeake Bay in the 1940s. Her father was a waterman and her mother had a large vegetable garden plus kept chickens. Between the two of them, Dorene’s parents kept food on the table and a roof over their heads, but there wasn’t a lot left over. Dorene told me once, “we were poor but I never knew it.”

Fried Biscuits? Who does that?

Not long before Dorene was born, the Ballard biscuit company perfected the canned biscuit. They quickly became a popular staple in the galleys of the workboats. In those days, the crew used biscuits instead of bread to make sandwiches. Sometimes they fried the biscuits– in lard, Crisco, or maybe bacon fat– and then dipped them in honey or sugar for a sweet treat.

I remember watching Dorene make a batch for a Christmas treat one year. After popping open the can, she pinched small pieces off and shallow fried them. They puffed up and quickly turned golden brown. As they finished cooking she dropped them into a paper bag where she shook the puffs with a little cinnamon and sugar.

Her family ate the fried biscuits as fast as she could put them on the table.

Cinnamon Sugar isn’t the only option

I’m a cinnamon sugar fan, but there are alternatives:

• plain sugar
• confectioner’s (powdered) sugar
• plain brown sugar
• honey or simple syrup (you’ll probably want a rack to catch the drips)
• vanilla sugar or any flavored sugar
• sugar alternative plus cinnamon (check the label to determine the best ratio)
• dip them in honey, syrup or icing

Tips for Serving Fried Biscuits

To make this recipe I used a small can of five biscuits and cut each one into eight pieces. After frying the biscuits and rolling them in cinnamon sugar, I placed them in a cone of parchment paper the way they serve churros in Spain.

My family ate them as soon as I took the photos.

The first Friday of June is National Donut Day. As we get closer to the date there will be many donut recipes available all over the web, I expect. This recipe’s a little bit different. Whenever I make them I’m flooded with pleasant memories of my children’s grandparents, who’ve been gone for many years now. It makes them taste that much sweeter.

Fried Biscuits With Cinnamon Sugar

A sweet treat that brings back memories

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Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes minutes

Course: Breakfast, Dessert, Snack

Cuisine: American

Servings: 5 servings

Calories: 250kcal

Author: LydiaF

Ingredients

• 1 small can of five biscuits
• ½ cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons cinnamon
• oil for frying (I used sunflower oil)

Instructions

• Cut each biscuit into eight pieces. Mix the cinnamon and sugar together.
• Prepare a baking tray with paper towels.
• Cover the bottom of a heavy skillet or saucepan with about a half inch of oil. Heat over medium high heat until shimmering.
• Work in batches and carefully drop 8 to 10 pieces into the hot oil.
• They will puff and may float a little bit. Turn them over with a fork.
• When both sides are nice and golden, transfer to the paper towels to drain. Sprinkle with or roll in the cinnamon sugar
• Repeat until all the biscuit pieces are cooked.
• To make the cones, cut a piece of parchment paper into 5 inch squares (or something close, you don’t have to be exact). Form into a cone and fold the tip up to close the bottom. Secure it in place with a little tape if you like.

Nutrition

Serving: 8pieces | Calories: 250kcal | Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 10g

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For those interested, here’s a TEDx talk video from Tim Hickey. He’s a writer and the founder and principal of Tangier Island Oyster Co., an aquaculture partnership with the watermen of Tangier Island. His intent is to help the people of Tangier preserve their way of life.