Easy Air Fryer Donuts (with Biscuit Dough)

Mornings are for donuts and a cup of coffee, am I right? When I worked in Seattle, there was always someone walking on the street with a cup of steaming coffee in one hand and a glazed donut in the other hand. Instead of buying a donut each morning, I was inspired to make my own homemade donuts to save money (and a few calories).

First, I decided to tap into the almighty powers of the air fryer. It’s no exaggeration that I Iove this appliance. When it comes to these air fried donuts, the air fryer makes them perfectly crispy in under 15 minutes — but also does so with a fraction of the fat of deep-fried varieties. Donuts in the air fryer for the win!

But the shortcuts don’t stop there! I also tapped into a method of using store-bought biscuit dough to make the donuts. Instead of making the dough from scratch, the biscuit dough takes away the heavy work while still getting melt-in-your-mouth, buttery donuts. It’s a win-win in my book!

How to Make Air Fryer Donuts

Making donuts with store-bought biscuit dough can’t be any easier. This recipe even takes less than 15 minutes start to finish!

• Shape the donuts: Take the biscuit dough out of the can and slice it into eight pieces. With a rolling pin, smooth out each dough piece into a flat circle. Next, cut a hole in the center of each circle.
• Air fry the donuts: Spray the air fryer tray with coconut cooking spray. Fry the donuts at 350°F for 2-3 minutes on each side or until they turn golden brown. It’s so quick!
• Make the sugar mixture and/or glaze: Combine the cinnamon and sugar in a small, shallow bowl to make the sugar mixture. To make the glaze, whisk the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract together in a small bowl until smooth.
• Coat or glaze the donuts: Brush the warm donuts in melted butter and coat with the cinnamon sugar topping or the glaze. Top with sprinkles if you wish. Enjoy!

Tips for the Best Air Fryer Donuts

I may not be a professional baker, but I do know a thing or two about this air fryer donuts recipe. Here are a few tips to get you right there with me.

• Buy circular biscuit dough: The best biscuit dough for these donuts is the kind that comes in a cylindrical “pop” can. Since the dough is already in a circular shape, you won’t need to shape the donuts by hand much. Instead, all you need to do is slice the dough, flatten it out, and cut a hole in the center.
• Avoid overcrowding the donuts: To allow the donuts to get crispy all the way around, avoid overcrowding them in the tray. Depending on the size of your air fryer, this may be anywhere between 2-4 donuts at a time.
• Use coconut spray to coat the tray: Avoid using more savory cooking sprays like avocado or olive oil and opt for coconut instead for its sweeter flavor.
• Coat the donuts immediately: Whether you’re coating the donuts in the cinnamon-sugar coating or the glaze, dunk the donuts immediately after you take them out of the air fryer.
• Fix a chewy donut by cooking longer: If you find your donuts are a little chewy, it may be because you didn’t roll the dough out enough or cook them long enough. Cook the donut a few more minutes to remedy the situation.

Storing Air Fried Donuts

This air fryer donut recipe makes eight donuts — so in case you have leftovers, I’ve got the tips to make them last for a few days! However, I encourage you to eat them up quickly because they’re the best when fresh!

• Room temperature: Store leftover donuts in an airtight container on the counter for 1-2 days.
• Refrigerator: Store leftover donuts in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.
• Freezer: Freeze leftover donuts by placing them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and putting it in the freezer for two hours or until the donuts are completely frozen. Transfer them to a freezer-safe bag and store for up to three months. Thaw on the counter, then reheat to re-crisp.

More Simple Breakfast Sweets

• Streusel Blueberry Coffee Cake – Classic blueberry coffee cake
• Easiest French Toast (The BEST) – No-frills French toast
• No-Knead Cinnamon Rolls (So Easy) – The easiest, tastiest cinnamon rolls
• Cottage Cheese Pancakes (Quick & Easy) – Salty and sweet pancakes

Recipe

Easy Air Fryer Donuts (with Biscuit Dough)

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Servings

8 donuts

Prep Time 8 minutes mins

Cook Time 6 minutes mins

Total Time 14 minutes mins

Recipe contributed by: Natalya Drozhzhin

These 15 minute air fryer donuts use my personal favorite shortcut (biscuit dough) to make a classic treat. Coat them in cinnamon or a classic glaze to top them off!

Ingredients

Air Fryer Donuts

• 1 can store-bought flaky biscuit dough refrigerated
• 1 tbsp coconut oil spray

Cinnamon Sugar

• 2 tbsp cinnamon
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 3 tbsp unsalted butter melted

Glaze

• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 3 tbsp milk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

US Units – Metric

Instructions

Air Fryer Donuts

• Remove the biscuit dough from the can and place it on a cutting board. Slice the dough into eight equal pieces. Using a rolling pin, flatten each piece of dough.
  
• Cut a hole in a center of each dough circle.
  
• Spray the air fryer basket with coconut oil. Air fry the donuts at 350°F for 2-3 minutes on each side or until they turn golden brown.
  

Cinnamon Sugar

• In a shallow bowl, combine the cinnamon and sugar. Stir and set aside.
  
• Brush each donut with melted butter. Dip each donut into the cinnamon-sugar mixture until coated well. Enjoy!
  

Glaze

• In a shallow bowl, combine the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract. Whisk until the glaze is perfectly smooth.
  
• Coat each donut with the glaze. Optionally, top it with sprinkles.
  

Nutrition Facts

Easy Air Fryer Donuts (with Biscuit Dough)

Amount Per Serving

Calories 380 Calories from Fat 144

% Daily Value*

Fat 16g25%

Saturated Fat 6g30%

Trans Fat 1g

Polyunsaturated Fat 4g

Monounsaturated Fat 5g

Cholesterol 12mg4%

Sodium 548mg23%

Potassium 148mg4%

Carbohydrates 57g19%

Fiber 2g8%

Sugar 30g33%

Protein 4g8%

Vitamin A 147IU3%

Vitamin C 1mg1%

Calcium 56mg6%

Iron 2mg11%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.