Easy Air Fryer Biscuit Donuts

Easy Air Fryer Biscuit Donuts made with canned biscuits and rolled in cinnamon sugar are ready in minutes! A quick and easy donut recipe that works with basket and oven style air fryers!

These air fryer cinnamon sugar biscuit dough donuts are definitely one of the easiest air fryer recipes ever! If you happen to have an insatiable craving for homemade donuts, you can whip up these delicious donuts in about 5 minutes — even quicker than cake mix donuts and definitely the easiest donut recipe on the planet!

I actually made this air fryer donuts recipe in my Instant Vortex Plus air fryer oven the first time just to see if it would work. I had some canned biscuit dough leftover after making breakfast sandwiches, so I had to give it a try.

Bottom line — Yes, you CAN make donuts in the air fryer. And, yes, you can turn a can of biscuits into donuts. They are not the same as donuts fried in hot oil, but they do come close and will satisfy your sweet tooth without visiting your favorite donut shop!

My picky kids approved!

Simple Ingredients

You will need just 4 ingredients, for this super easy air fryer donut recipe:

• 1 can of large biscuits, like Pillsbury Grands (We liked the flaky layers best)
• Melted butter
• Sugar
• Cinnamon

You’ll also need a small biscuit cutter, a small round cookie cutter or a shot glass to cut holes in the center of the biscuits. You can even use a bottle cap if you want!

In addition, I recommend having a pair of kitchen tongs or a fork, olive oil spray and a silicone basting brush or pastry brush.

How to Make Donuts in the Air Fryer from Grands Biscuit Dough

First, you need to open the canned biscuits, and separate the biscuits into 8 rounds. Place them on a cutting board and use parchment paper prevent sticking.

If you’re using the flaky layered variety, you can try pulling those apart for even thinner donuts.

Next, use the cookie cutter to cut the center out of each biscuit. Save the centers to make air fryer donut holes!

Then, spray the air fryer basket with olive oil spray, and place the biscuit donuts on the air fryer tray or in the air fryer basket in a single layer. Make sure the donuts are not touching.

I recommend cooking 4 donuts at a time so that they brown evenly.

Preheat the air fryer to 350 degrees f — use the air fryer setting for best results. Next, place the donuts into the air fryer, and cook.

Cooking Time

How long does it take to cook donuts in your air fryer? I found 5 minutes cooking time was perfect for the larger flaky biscuit dough and other varieties. You’ll need to turn them over ( use tongs) about halfway through cooking.

The biscuit donuts should be flaky, soft and golden brown when done. Just like fried donuts! Exact times may vary according to the brand and make/model of your air fryer.

The smaller donut holes took about 4 minutes to cook in the air fryer. So, I recommend cooking the donut holes after you make the donuts.

Cinnamon Sugar Mixture

While the donuts are cooking, you can make the cinnamon sugar mixture. Just, melt the butter in a small bowl. Add the cinnamon and sugar to another small bowl, and stir until well combined.

When the donuts are done, brush some melted butter over the hot donuts, using a silicone basting brush or pastry brush. Make sure to cover all sides. Then, sprinkle a mix of sugar and cinnamon all over the warm donuts, until fully coated.

I find it’s easier to sprinkle the cinnamon sugar topping over the donuts instead of dipping them into the cinnamon sugar mixture. The mixture tends to clump up a bit from the butter.

And, that’s all there is to making delicious air fryer donuts from canned biscuits! These fluffy donuts taste a lot like old fashioned cinnamon sugar donuts. Perfect for an easy breakfast on Saturday morning or a fun treat any day of the week!

The little air fryer donut bites are fun to snack on, so I munched on these and let the kiddos have the larger donuts!

What Biscuit Dough Works Best?

We preferred the texture of the flaky layered biscuits. They were lighter and fluffier than the regular Pillsbury Grands biscuits and tasted more like actual fried donuts.

But, any variety of large biscuit dough will work here. So, if you’re looking for a quick and easy breakfast treat, give these a try.

Variations — Instead of cinnamon sugar, you can make an easy chocolate glaze or vanilla glaze to dip the donuts in. You can also use your favorite flavor of frosting to frost the donuts.

Storage

Store leftover donuts in an airtight container at room temperature. No need to refrigerate them! My kids gobbled up the donuts right away — no leftover donuts for us!

These delicious donuts should keep for 2 to 3 days before becoming stale.

More Easy Air Fryer Breakfast Recipes

• Crispy Air Fryer Bacon
• Air Fryer Breakfast Sausage
• Crispy Air Fryer Breakfast Burritos

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