Air fryer biscuit donuts are flaky and fluffy air fryer donuts made using store bought, refrigerated biscuit dough. These easy to make biscuit doughnuts are dipped in melted butter and covered in a sweet and crunchy cinnamon sugar coating. Prep and air fryer these cinnamon sugar biscuit donuts in under 10 minutes.
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Why Should You Make This Recipe
I absolutely love an easy to make donut recipe. A few of my favorites from the blog are my Powdered Sugar Donuts, Maple Donuts, Cinnamon Sugar Donuts and Pumpkin Donuts. I am so excited to add these delicious and incredibly easy to make air fryer donuts to the mix! I know you’ll love these air fried donuts because:
- It has the perfect flaky, fluffy and fried texture. Make deliciously fried donuts using premade biscuit dough and an air fryer. Thanks to the flaky layers of canned buttermilk biscuit dough and the air fryer method of baking, these one ingredient doughnuts bake up just like fried donuts. Dip them in butter and roll them in cinnamon sugar and they taste just like a traditional fried donut!
- Easy to make with simple ingredients. What I love most about this air fryer donuts with biscuits recipe is that it only requires one ingredient plus a few more for your preferred topping.
Ingredients
This air fryer donut recipe requires just one ingredient to make. Add a few more depending on how you want to top it. Here’s what you’ll need.
Gather refrigerated canned biscuit dough. To top the biscuit donuts as written for this recipe, gather melted butter, ground cinnamon and sugar.
Substitutions
Here are my recommended substitutions to make this air fried donut recipe in case you need to swap an ingredient or two.
- Canned Biscuit Dough: Make sure to choose a kind made from buttermilk and one that also advertises “flaky” layer for the est air fryer biscuit donuts. I love using Grands Biscuits.
- Melted Butter: Vegan or dairy free butter can be used if needed.
- Cinnamon Sugar Coating: Feel free to use any blend of ground spices. Pumpkin spice, chai spice or apple pie spice would all be wonderful in this fried donut recipe. The total amount of spices for these cinnamon sugar donuts air fryer donuts is about 2 teaspoons.
- Sugar: These air fried donuts from biscuits refined sugar free by using maple sugar.
Variations
- Oven Air Fryer Biscuit Donuts: Cut a hole into the center of the biscuits as written in the recipe. Rather than placing the biscuit donut into a basket air fryer, place the biscuit dough into a greased 6 ct. donut pan. Place into an air fryer oven and bake at 375 for 4 minutes, carefully flip the donuts and fry again for 4 minutes.
- Air Fryer Donut Holes: Just from making this biscuit donut recipe, there will be 8 donut holes leftover from creating the hole in the center of the biscuit. If you prefer to have all donut holes, simply press the 1 inch cutter (I used a large frosting tip) to punch holes in the biscuit dough. Air fry the donut holes at 375 F for 2 - 3 minutes. Dip them in the melted butter and roll them into the cinnamon sugar mixture.
- Vanilla Glaze: Top the air fried donut biscuits with a vanilla glaze by mixing 1 ½ cups (180 g) powdered sugar with ½ teaspoon vanilla extract and 2 - 3 tablespoons (30 - 45 ml) milk until smooth and well combined. Dip the tops of the fried donuts into the glaze, shake any excess off and set for 5 minutes. Repeat for a second glazed coating.
- Chocolate Glaze: Top the air fried canned biscuit donuts with a chocolate glaze by mixing 1 ½ cups (180 g) powdered sugar with 3 tablespoons cocoa powder and 3 - 4 tablespoons (45 - 60 ml) milk until smooth and well combined.
- Fruit Glaze: Top the air fryer donuts with a fruit glaze by mixing 1 ½ cups (180 g) powdered sugar 2 - 3 tablespoons mashed fresh fruit until smooth and well combined. If needed thin the glaze with milk or water.
How To Make
Learn how to make air fryer biscuit donuts in a few easy steps!
- Preheat the oven to 375 (190 C). Remove the biscuit dough from the can and place on a large plate or baking sheet. I prefer to use one that is lined to make clean up easier. Use a 1 inch (2.5 cm) cutter or large frosting tip to cut out a hole in the center of the biscuit. This should yield 8 donut shaped biscuits and 8 biscuit donut holes.
- Place 4 - 6 donut shaped biscuits into the preheated air fryer. Fry for 2 - 3 minutes. Carefully open the air fryer, flip the fried donuts and fry again for another 2 - 3 minutes or until the biscuits is a nice light to medium golden brown. Transfer the biscuit donuts to a cooling rack. Place all the donut holes in the air fryer and fry for 2 - 3 minutes. Remove and transfer the fried donut holes to the cooling rack.
3. Melt the butter in one bowl and whisk the cinnamon and sugar in another bowl until well combined. Dip both sides of the cooled fried donut into the melted butter. Quickly roll the entire donut into the cinnamon sugar mixture. Place each cinnamon sugar donut on the cooling rack. Repeat until all the donuts and donut holes are coated in the sweet and crunchy coating and enjoy!
How To Store, Freeze and Thaw
Like donuts you get from a donut shop, these air fryer donuts taste best the day they are made. However, if needed they can be stored and enjoyed later.
- Store: Enjoy these fried biscuit donuts beyond the day they are made by storing them in an airtight container lined with paper towels on the bottom. Store them at room temperature for up to 2 days. After the first day, the donuts will start to dry out.
- Freeze: Wrap each fried donut in plastic wrap. Place the uncoated donuts in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months. I recommend coating the donuts in the melted butter and cinnamon sugar (or any other topping) after freezing and thawing.
- Thaw: Set the frozen donuts out at room temperature for a few hours. Once they are fully defrosted, dip them in the melted butter, roll in the cinnamon sugar and enjoy!
M’s Expert Tips
- Use buttermilk biscuits. Canned buttermilk biscuits, specifically ones that have “flaky” layers fry the best.
- Make a test batch. Every air fryer is different, so the frying time listed in the recipe may be slightly different for your air fryer. Start with 1 - 2 donuts and determine what frying time works best for you.
- Fully coat the donuts in the cinnamon sugar mixture. You must use melted butter to get the cinnamon sugar to fully coat the donuts. These baked donuts truly taste incredible with the sweet and crunchy topping so really go for it!
- Have fun with the donut toppings or coating. I love a fried donut coated in crunchy cinnamon sugar. If you prefer to use another glaze or topping, see my Variation section for suggestions.
FAQs
Yes, this recipe still works well when baked in the oven. Follow the recipe as written and instead of air frying the donuts, bake them at 375 F (190 C) on a lined baking sheet for 10 - 15 minutes or until golden brown.
Spray a coating of non stick cooking spray on the basket tray to help prevent the biscuit dough from sticking.
Other Air Fryer Recipes to Try
If you try this Air Fryer Biscuit Donuts recipe please rate the recipe and leave a comment below. Doing so helps other readers decide if this is a great recipe to bake. Don’t forget to tag me on Instagram using @olivesnthyme so I can see what you’re baking!
Air Fryer Biscuit Donuts Recipe
Equipment
- 1 air fryer
- 1 1-inch cutter
Ingredients
- 1 can Jumbo Flaky Biscuits like Pillsbury Grands Biscuits
- ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter, melted
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat the air fryer to 375 (190 C). Remove the biscuit dough from the can and place on a large plate or baking sheet. I prefer to use one that is lined to make clean up easier.1 can Jumbo Flaky Biscuits
- Use a 1 inch (2.5 cm) cutter or large frosting tip to cut out a hole in the center of the biscuit. This should yield 8 donut shaped biscuits and 8 biscuit donut holes.
- Place 4 - 6 donut shaped biscuits into the preheated air fryer. Fry for 2 - 3 minutes. Carefully open the air fryer, flip the fried donuts and fry again for another 2 - 3 minutes or until the biscuits is a nice light to medium golden brown.
- Transfer the biscuit donuts to a cooling rack. Place all the donut holes in the air fryer and fry for 2 - 3 minutes. Remove and transfer the fried donut holes to the cooling rack.
- Melt the butter in one bowl and whisk the cinnamon and sugar in another bowl until well combined.½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter, melted, 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar, 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- Dip both sides of the cooled fried donut into the melted butter. Quickly roll the entire donut into the cinnamon sugar mixture. Place each cinnamon sugar donut on the cooling rack. Repeat until all the donuts and donut holes are coated in the sweet and crunchy coating and enjoy!
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