13 Ways To Take Canned Biscuits To The Next Level
Canned biscuits are incredibly convenient. Instead of measuring out ingredients, mixing dough, and measuring it out to create evenly-sized biscuits, you simply need to open the can and pop the pre-portioned biscuits out onto your cookie sheet to bake. Voila! However, as convenient as they are, eating plain canned biscuits can get pretty boring. And, let's face it, they don't taste quite as good as true homemade ones.
But, there's no reason to give up on canned biscuits altogether! What you can do is rethink how you prepare them. Instead of going straight from can to oven, take a few extra minutes to jazz them and bring your dining experience to the next level. In the next few sections, we'll share some exciting, and possibly surprising, ways you can upgrade canned biscuits. For example, did you know you can turn them into garlic knots or even homemade donuts?
Try pan-frying them
The directions on a can of biscuits call for baking them in the oven. However, that doesn't mean that you can only cook them in the oven. Next time you open a can of biscuits, keep your oven off and try pan-frying them. You'll skip the wait time needed to preheat the oven, and the biscuits should cook quicker. Plus, you can conserve energy and keep excess heat out of the kitchen, particularly on a hot summer day.
Pan-frying biscuits is easy. All you need to do is preheat a skillet over medium heat. Then, add some butter to the pan — or even a herbed butter for extra flavor. Add the biscuits to the pan, leaving space between them to prevent them from sticking together (depending on the size of your pan, you may need to cook a few batches at a time). Cook the biscuits for about 3 minutes, or until the side in contact with the pan is a nice, golden-brown color. Then, flip the biscuit to the other side and continue cooking until it also turns golden-brown. Quick, easy, and delicious. What's not to love?
Make breakfast sandwiches
If you're looking for a way to make your breakfast more exciting, put canned biscuits to good use by using them to make breakfast sandwiches. Just bake your biscuits per the package instructions, slice in half and start filling! Or use two biscuits — one for the top and one for the bottom of your breakfast sammy.
Because there are so many different breakfast sandwich options, you won't be at a loss for new and delicious options to try. For example, a bacon, egg, and cheese breakfast sandwich is a classic. If you're in the mood for this staple, try scrambling the eggs or consider frying them, depending on what you're taste buds are craving.
Beyond the classic bacon, egg, and cheese, you could also make a breakfast sandwich with sausage, Canadian bacon, or fried chicken. If you're vegan or vegetarian, try filling your sandwich with tofu veggie scramble, hash browns, avocado, and/or vegan cheese. For the freshest and most delicious results, time the ingredients so the biscuits pop out of the oven just before the items you'll be adding to them finish cooking.
Make mini calzones
Feeling in the mood for some Italian food? Don't push that can of biscuits to the side as you look through your refrigerator for some inspiration. Instead, use the biscuit dough to craft mini calzones. Unlike many other recipe ideas that use the biscuits whole, this recipe requires a slightly different approach. You're going to start by rolling out each biscuit into a thin disk (about a quarter of an inch thick).
The rolled out dough will serve as the crust for your calzone, so you'll want to fill it just as you would if you were making larger servings. Add about 1 ounce of shredded mozzarella cheese (or other varieties, if preferred) to each rolled out biscuit. If desired, add your favorite ingredients like pepperoni, sausage, mushrooms, or peppers. Be careful not to over-stuff each calzone; you want to make sure that you'll be able to close them up. Carefully fold them in half and press down on the edges to make sure they're sealed (you can use your fingers or the edge of a fork to do this). Before putting the mini calzones in the oven, brush an egg wash over the top and use a knife to cut two or three small slits diagonally across the top. Pop them in the oven preheated to 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 15 to 20 minutes, or until they're a deep brown color.
Turn them into garlic knots
Garlic knots make a delicious side dish for pizza, salad, pasta, and more. Unfortunately, they can be a bit time-consuming to make. That is, unless you try this simple hack that starts with a can of refrigerated biscuits. With just a few additional ingredients, you and your friends or family can enjoy the buttery and garlicky deliciousness of garlic knots.
Take each biscuit and use your hands to roll it into a long rope (about 1 foot in length). Tie a knot around the center of the rope and then tuck the two loose ends under the knot. Grease a baking pan before spacing the knots out, then brush them with some melted butter seasoned with garlic, parmesan, and parsley. After baking the knots until they are a nice golden-brown color at 400 degrees Fahrenheit, brush the buttery sauce over them one more time before serving them hot.
Bake a hearty chicken pot pie
If you're looking for some comfort food, chicken pot pie is almost always a solid pick. However, you don't always have time — or ingredients — to bake your own crust. Next time you're feeling like some chicken pot pie, try using some canned biscuits to help you make a quick and easy dish that is certain to please those you're serving. Prepare the filling using a preferred recipe, or by combining some cream of chicken soup, cubed or shredded chicken (pre-cooked), and vegetables. Pour the filling into an oven-safe baking dish and bake it for about 25 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven, top it with the canned biscuits, spaced evenly apart, and bake for an additional 15 to 20 minutes at 425 degrees Fahrenheit (or until the biscuits are golden-brown and the filling is bubbling).
You can also make mini-chicken pot pies for a twist on the original recipe. Open up the canned biscuits and press each one into a greased well in a muffin pan. Scoop in the filling mixture, and pinch the edges to close the biscuit. Bake for about 25 minutes at 375 degrees Fahrenheit, or until golden-brown, before digging in.
Make donuts in your air fryer
Did you know you can transform plain refrigerated biscuits into donuts? Well, you can. Even better, it only takes a few minutes, uses just a couple of ingredients, and leaves you with hot and delicious donuts to serve as a special treat. Begin by cutting a circle out of the center of each donut to give them the correct shape. You can use a small cookie cutter, an apple corer, or even just a cap from a bottle of water. Don't throw out the circular pieces you remove from the centers; turn them into donut holes.
Place the prepared biscuits in the air fryer and cook them for about 12 minutes (timing may vary based on your appliance). Once golden-brown, remove the biscuits from the air fryer, brush them with butter, and dip them into a bowl filled with cinnamon and powdered sugar. You can also experiment with other toppings, such as chocolate frosting and sprinkles, whipped cream, sliced berries, or jelly. Be sure to store any leftover donuts properly so they'll stay fresh. Place them in an airtight container so you can enjoy them again.
Wrap them around hot dogs for pigs in a blanket
While crescent rolls may be the more traditional pick for making pigs in a blanket, you can certainly use refrigerated biscuits as well These are perfect if you're trying to do a mock cookout with hot dogs and hamburgers without using a grill. The doughy biscuit wrapped around the hot dog offers the perfect combination of flavors and textures. Eat them as is, or dip them in a little ketchup or mustard.
Making pigs in a blanket is a breeze. Just roll out each biscuit a bit to flatten it some, place a hot dog in the center, roll it up, and place it on a baking sheet to go in the oven. You can easily modify this recipe to make cheese dogs by adding a slice of cheese over the biscuit before putting the hot dog on it. If you're making this recipe for young children don't forget to cut the hot dogs in quarters, lengthwise. Uncut hot dogs are a choking hazard.
Craft mini pizzas
Whether you're searching for an appetizer for your next gathering or are just looking for a way to make family dinner time a bit more exciting, let mini pizzas made from refrigerated biscuits come to the rescue. Roll out the biscuits and place them on a baking sheet. Then top with some sauce, cheese, and your favorite toppings. If you have young children or want to turn dinner into more of an event, create a sauce, cheese, and toppings bar and have each person assemble their own pizza to their exact taste. Bake in the oven for 10 to 15 minutes at 375 degrees Fahrenheit — or try cooking the pizza on the grill for an even more exciting treat.
Another option is to make mini dessert pizzas. Follow the steps outlined above to roll the biscuit dough out, then brush it with a little butter and sprinkle some sugar on it before baking for about 10 minutes. Once cooked, add your favorite sweet toppings, such as whipped cream and fruit, ice cream and hot fudge, or Nutella and chocolate chips.
Stuff them with meatballs
Meatball-stuffed biscuits not only sound phenomenal, they are. They can even be served as an appetizer, a side dish, or as the main course. The outer biscuit serves as the wrapping paper, revealing a hot and delicious meatball when you bite in. You can brush butter and your favorite seasonings, such as garlic, oregano, or parsley, to the outside of the biscuit before baking to perfectly complement the flavor of the meatball. Serve the finished dish with some warm marinara sauce on the side, and you've got yourself a simple, but impressive, appetizer or main dish.
Make your favorite meatball recipe, or cut your prep time down by starting with a pack of frozen meatballs. Separate the canned biscuits into halves (two circular pieces from each biscuit). Use your hands to form a ball from each half, then press half of a cooked meatball into each biscuit, and press the edges together to seal it. You can even add some shredded cheese in with the meatball for an extra touch. Brush the tops with oil or butter and bake for about 20 minutes at 375 degrees Fahrenheit until golden-brown and ready to enjoy.
Build a breakfast bowl
Start the day off with a treat by making yourself a breakfast biscuit bowl. For this idea, you'll transform a plain, refrigerated biscuit into a bowl and then fill it with some hearty additions to create a satisfying breakfast. This can also make breakfast more fun — and appetizing if you have any picky little eaters.
The first step is making the biscuit bowl. Use a muffin pan, flip it upside down, and press one biscuit over the underside of a well. Bake until golden brown, which will probably take a few minutes less than the package calls for at 350 degrees. Once cooked, you can add your selected fillings to the bowl. Some options include scrambled or fried eggs, bacon, sausage, cheese, and breakfast potatoes. For some healthier options, consider sauteed onions, peppers, or mushrooms and egg whites — try the hack of using an empty water bottle to separate the eggs. You could even set out a toppings bar with several choices and let everyone fill their bowl to their liking.
Use them as a burger bun
Switch things up the next time you make hamburgers at home by using canned biscuits as the bun. If you think about it, the way biscuits are constructed make them an excellent bun alternative. They have several layers and are easy to separate, so you won't even need a knife to cut them in half before placing your hamburger or plant-based burger on the biscuit bun.
Another option is use the biscuits, some ground meat, and some shredded or cubed cheese to make cheeseburger biscuit cups. Place a biscuit inside a muffin tin, then top it with ground meat mixed, your favorite condiments, and cheese. Bake the whole thing in the oven to help all the flavors meld together. If you're looking for the perfect appetizer or snack for children, you could also try making this recipe in a mini-muffin pan.
Make mock Red Lobster Cheddar Bay Biscuits
If one of your favorite parts about dining at Red Lobster is enjoying the Cheddar Bay Biscuits, don't make yourself wait until the next time you visit a restaurant. You can make mock Cheddar Bay Biscuits at home, and it all starts with a can of refrigerated biscuits. If you've ordered biscuits at the restaurant before, then you know part of what makes them so good is how buttery they are. So, it should come as no surprise that you'll want to start by melting some butter when making your mock version.
Add some garlic powder (or fresh garlic) and parsley to the butter. Alternatively, if you want your biscuits to have more of a kick or be the perfect side for some seafood, you could try mixing Old Bay seasoning into the butter. Next, split each biscuit into two layers, and lay half of them out on a baking sheet. Brush the butter mixture over the top of the half on the baking sheet and sprinkle some shredded cheddar cheese over it. Finally, place the other half of each biscuit on top of the cheese and brush a little more of the butter sauce over top before baking for about 15 minutes, or until golden-brown.
Turn them into monkey bread
While monkey bread doesn't have anything to really do with actual monkeys, it has a lot to do with deliciousness. Gooey. Cinnamony. Sugary. These are just a few words that come to mind when thinking about the sweet treat. Believe it or not, a can of refrigerated biscuits can be transformed into monkey bread. The only bad thing about this hack is that it is so easy that you'll want to make it on a weekly basis. OK, maybe that isn't really a bad thing.
Because monkey bread is defined by its pull apart consistency and bite-size pieces, you'll want to start by separating each biscuit into two layers and then cutting each layer into four pieces. This should leave you with several small quarters. Add the biscuit pieces to a greased fluted pan along with any raisins, nuts, or other mix-ins. Top the whole pan with a mixture of melted butter and brown sugar and bake for 30 to 40 minutes.