Air Fryer Donuts

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With just 4 ingredients, you can have homemade warm and crispy Air Fryer Donuts made with refrigerated biscuits!

Forget the bakery, this air fryer donut recipe will give you airy donuts in just 10 minutes and taste like they came fresh from the bakery.

air fryer donuts, one with a bite taken and 4 stacked in the background

With just 4 ingredients; flaky refrigerator biscuit dough, butter, and vanilla, these homemade donuts can be made 3 ways and served alongside a hot cup of coffee.

Make more than dessert in your air fryer with some tasty recipes like Air Fryer Shrimp And Peppers, Air Fryer Eggplant Fries, and Old Bay Air Fryer Wings!

Air Fryer Donut Recipe

With that signature bakery texture and flavor, these 10 minute easy biscuit donuts are incredibly delicious.

When you have a craving to indulge in hot donuts, grab a can of biscuit dough and make delicious doughnuts at home. Just as easy as grabbing one from your favorite donut shop!

In this recipe, we’re diving into homemade air fryer donuts made 3 different ways.

No need for a baking sheet, stand mixer, yeast mixture, hot oil, or mixing bowls. These doughnuts are made with just a can of biscuits and a few pantry staple ingredients.

biscuits on a plate, butter in a bowl, and cinnamon sugar in a bowl

These donuts are great when you need to whip up something quick when you’re entertaining. If you want to serve up something that’s sweet but not too sweet, I recommend giving this Matcha Cheesecake a try too!

Helpful Tools

No matter which flavor you decide to go with, there are a few items you will want to ensure you have handy to make fluffy donuts:

Air fryer: this is the air fryer I have. If you’re new to air frying, you’ll want to read all about the best air fryer to buy and how to use an air fryer.

Biscuit cutter: to get the perfect donut hole center, you will need a small biscuit cutter. I used the one inch cutter from my set. It might look like a very large hole at first, but since the biscuits expand so much, you’ll need a hole that will stay open after they are finished cooking.

Measuring cup: some people like to eyeball their measurements and some like to measure! If you are a measuring person, I recommend this measuring cup set. It comes with measuring spoons that fit perfectly inside your spice jar!

Pastry brush: if you’ve never used one, get ready to have your life changed. Make spreading melty butter easier. I like this silicone pastry brush.

Air fryer parchment paper: air fryer parchment paper is optional, but it does make for really easy to clean the air fryer!

Cooling rack: cooling racks are an essential kitchen tool. I recommend this wire rack because they you can use each tier individually or stack them when making lots of baked goods.

how to make air fryer donuts

How To Make Donuts in the Air Fryer

These easy air fryer donuts are made with just a tube of refrigerated biscuits, melted butter, vanilla extract, and cinnamon sugar.

Cinnamon Sugar Donuts

1. Preheat the air fryer. Preheat the air fryer to 350ยฐ F.

2. Remove the center of the biscuits. Separate the biscuits and cut out the center using a small biscuit cutter.

3. Melt the butter. Place the butter in a small bowl and microwave for 15-30 seconds, until melted. Stir in the vanilla extract.

4. Air fry the donuts. Add the cinnamon sugar and salt to a shallow bowl. Brush the tops of the donuts with a thin layer of melted butter. Dip the top of each donut into a delicious cinnamon sugar mixture. Brush a thin layer of butter over the air fryer basket to keep the donuts from sticking. Working in batches, place donuts in the air fryer basket in a single layer. Air fry for 3 minutes, flip and cook 2-3 more minutes. They should be golden brown when finished.

5. Serve. Remove the donuts from the air fryer and brush the bottoms with butter. Dip in cinnamon sugar to coat. Serve or enjoy your warm donuts immediately. They’re delicious with a bit of lemon jam on the side!

four cinnamon sugar donuts stacked

Hot Chocolate Donuts

Calling all my chocolate lovers, this donut is for you! To bring on all the classic flavors you love about hot chocolate into a donut, you will need hot chocolate mix, granulated sugar. chocolate syrup, and mini marshmallows.

This is by far, one of the best air fryer donuts I have had. Following the steps above, use these instructions for flavoring your delicious donuts:

1. Prepare chocolate mix for dipping. Place the hot chocolate mix and granulated sugar in a shallow bowl. Mix to combine. Use a fork to break up any chocolate clumps.

2. Season donuts with hot chocolate mix. After cooking, brush the donuts entirely with butter and cover with hot chocolate mix.

3. Decorate the donuts. Drizzle chocolate syrup over each donut and top with mini marshmallows.

Note: you don’t need to brush the biscuits with butter before air frying for this flavor.

Tip!

When making the hot chocolate flavor, I recommend using the chocolate syrup shell topping so it’s not messy.

air fryer chocolate donut on a plate with two other donuts

Maple Bacon Donuts

When sweet and savory come together, it’s heaven for your taste buds! For this decadent donut, you will need unsalted butter, bourbon-infused maple syrup (or regular if that is all you have), confectioners’ sugar, and diced bacon. We’re making a simple glaze infused with maple syrup for these!

1. Make the glaze. Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat with maple syrup. Once melted, remove from heat and whisk in the powdered sugar. If the icing hardens, you can place it back over the stove.

2. Glaze the donuts. Dip the top of each donut in the maple icing, then sprinkle with diced bacon.

Tip!

You can make donut holes with all the center pieces you cut out!

You can also make a chocolate glaze following this same method, but using 4 tbsps of cocoa powder instead of maple syrup.

maple bacon donuts on a cooling rack

Air Fryer Donut Holes

Did you know you can use the center of the biscuit you removed in the first step to make delicious bitesized donut holes?

Air fry the donut holes for 3 minutes and flavor them however you like using one of the featured flavors in this recipe!

Can I Make These Ahead of Time?

Air fryer doughnuts are best enjoyed fresh out of the air fryer and served warm. Personally, I didn’t enjoy them the next day but that doesn’t mean you won’t like them.

If you choose to make them ahead of time, I recommend storing them in an airtight container at room temperature.

How do you heat up a donut in an air fryer?

If you want to give reheating leftover donuts a try, you can put them in the air fryer at 300 degrees F for 2-3 minutes.

Can you put biscuits in an air fryer?

Absolutely! You can cook canned biscuits in an air fryer. In fact, this is probably the only way to make flaky donuts at home that are perfect on both the inside and out without deep frying in oil.

Can you reheat a glazed donut in an air fryer?

Yes! If you have a bakery donut, you can reheat it in the air fryer. Set your air fryer to 300 F and reheat them for about 1-2 minutes.

What Else Can I Cook in my Air Fryer?

Get ready to fall in love with your air fryer; there are endless possibilities! From appetizers to desserts or late night snacks, there is (almost) nothing you can’t do.

I love using my air fryer for preparing quick breakfasts without making a mess of my kitchen. Recently, I have been LOVING air fryer hard-boiled eggs; if you need a side dish to your eggs, I also highly recommend giving Air Fryer Bacon a try.

If you’re looking for a quick snack or appetizer, try whipping up a quick batch of some of my favorite air fryer recipes like Air Fryer Bagel Bites, Air Fryer Pickles, or Chicken Parmesan Air Fryer Stuffed Mushrooms.

WANT TO TRY THIS AIR FRYER DONUT RECIPE?

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air fryer donuts pinterest pin

Did you make this recipe? Post a photo on Instagram and tag me @JZEATS or #JZEATS so I can see! Leave a comment below and let me know what you think, too!

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5 from 6 votes

Air Fryer Donuts

With just 4 ingredients, you can have homemade warm and crispy Air Fryer Donuts made with refrigerated biscuits!
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time5 minutes
Total Time10 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Servings: 8 donuts
Calories: 187
Author: Jordan

Ingredients

  • 8 large refrigerated flaky biscuits
  • 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Cinnamon Sugar Donuts

  • 1/4 cup cinnamon sugar, or 1/2 cup granulated sugar and 1/2 tablespoon ground cinnamon

Hot Chocolate Donuts

Maple Bacon Donuts

  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1/2 cup maple syrup, bourbon infused maple syrup is delicious
  • 1 3/4 cup confectioners' sugar
  • 4 sliced of bacon, finely diced

Instructions

Cinnamon Sugar Donuts

  • Preheat the air fryer to 350ยฐ F.
  • Separate the biscuits and cut out the center using a small biscuit cutter.
  • Place the butter in a small microwave safe bowl and microwave for 15-30 seconds, until melted. Stir in the vanilla extract.
  • Add the cinnamon sugar and salt to a shallow bowl. Brush the tops of the donuts with a thin layer of melted butter. Dip the top of each donut into cinnamon sugar. Brush a thin layer of butter over the air fryer basket to keep the donuts from sticking. Working in batches, place donuts in the air fryer basket in a single layer. Air fry for 3 minutes, flip and cook 2-3 more minutes.
  • Remove the donuts from the air fryer and brush the bottoms with butter. Dip in cinnamon sugar to coat. Serve warm.

Hot Chocolate Donuts

  • Place the hot chocolate mix and granulated sugar in a shallow bowl. Mix to combine. Use a fork to break up any chocolate clumps.
  • After cooking, brush the donuts entirely with butter and cover with hot chocolate mix.
  • Drizzle chocolate syrup over each donut and top with mini marshmallows.

Maple Bacon Donuts

  • Melt butter in a sauce pan over medium heat with maple syrup. Once melted, remove from heat and whisk in confectioners' sugar. If the icing hardens, you can place it back over the stove.
  • Dip the top of each donut in the maple icing, then sprinkle with diced bacon.
If you tried this recipe, please leave a review letting me know how it was!

Notes

  • When making the hot chocolate flavor, I recommend using the chocolate syrup shell topping so it’s not messy.
  • Air fry the donut holes for 3 minutes and flavor them however you like using one of the featured flavors in this recipe!

Nutrition

Calories: 187kcal | Carbohydrates: 19g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 19mg | Sodium: 255mg | Potassium: 63mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 219IU | Calcium: 15mg | Iron: 1mg
Nutrition information is approximate and was calculated using a recipe nutrition label generator.
Tried this recipe?I’d love to see your dish, mention @jzeats or tag #jzeats!
5 from 6 votes (1 rating without comment)

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Recipe Rating




5 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    So easy my kids could make them! And eat them all too!

  2. 5 stars
    This is one of my favorite ways to make donuts. It is amazing how you can totally transform a tube of refrigerated biscuit dough into yummy treats.

  3. 5 stars
    This is going to be a dangerous recipe for me, it’s so easy to make and the results are fantastic! Can’t wait to make these again, I definitely need to try the hot chocolate version!

  4. 5 stars
    These donuts are so tasty and fluffy! Thanks for the recipe!

  5. 5 stars
    Oh, wow, so quick and easy! They are delicious! Air fryer is amazing for versatile and healthy meals!