Quick & Easy Air Fryer Biscuit Donuts: Your 10-Minute Cinnamon Sugar Delight!
Transform simple canned biscuits into warm, fluffy donuts in under 10 minutes using your air fryer! Coated in a sweet, irresistible cinnamon sugar mixture, these Air Fryer Biscuit Donuts are the ultimate speedy treat. Perfect for a bustling holiday brunch, a fun family breakfast, or a delightful weekend dessert.
There’s something universally appealing about a fresh, warm donut. In our household, donuts are a constant request – whether we’re out and about or looking for a special dessert at home. While traditional donut making can be a lengthy process involving yeast and deep-frying, these Air Fryer Biscuit Donuts offer an incredibly quick and easy solution, allowing you to enjoy homemade goodness in about 10 minutes flat.
Using convenient canned biscuits as a shortcut, these donuts are effortlessly air-fried to a perfect golden crisp, then generously coated in a comforting homemade cinnamon sugar topping. The result is a delightfully sweet and tender bite that appeals to both kids and adults alike. Forget the messy deep fryer and complicated recipes; this air fryer method delivers a wonderfully satisfying treat that’s ideal for a lazy weekend brunch, a last-minute dessert, or a festive addition to any gathering.
Essential Ingredient Notes
- Canned Biscuits: The star of this recipe is undoubtedly canned biscuits. For the best, flakiest, and most donut-like texture, I highly recommend using Pillsbury Grands Flaky Layers Canned Biscuits. These biscuits puff up beautifully in the air fryer, creating that perfect soft interior and slightly crispy exterior. However, don’t worry if you can’t find them! Any variety of Pillsbury Grands biscuits, such as Southern Homestyle, will work wonderfully and still yield delicious results. Just be mindful that if you opt for regular-sized canned biscuits (not Grands), the cook time will need to be significantly reduced, likely by half, to prevent burning. Always check for a golden brown color and puffed-up texture.
- Unsalted Butter: This is crucial for helping the cinnamon sugar mixture adhere perfectly to your warm donuts. Melting it ensures an even coat.
- Granulated Sugar & Brown Sugar: The combination of these two sugars provides a balanced sweetness and a subtle depth of flavor to the cinnamon coating. Brown sugar adds a touch of molasses warmth that complements the cinnamon beautifully.
- Ground Cinnamon: The quintessential spice for that classic donut shop flavor. Adjust the amount to your personal preference for a stronger or milder cinnamon kick.
- Salt: A tiny pinch of salt in the cinnamon sugar mixture helps to enhance all the sweet flavors, preventing the coating from tasting flat.
Why You’ll Absolutely LOVE These Air Fryer Biscuit Donuts!
Minimal Ingredients: Only 6 simple ingredients are required to bring this delicious treat to life, making it a budget-friendly and accessible recipe.
Effortless Preparation: Say goodbye to complicated steps and extensive baking knowledge. This recipe involves very little prep work needed, making it perfect for novice bakers and busy parents.
Incredibly Fast: From start to finish, these delightful donuts are ready fast, often in under 10 minutes, making them ideal for spontaneous cravings or unexpected guests.
Simpler than Traditional Donuts: Enjoy all the satisfaction of homemade donuts easier than homemade deep-fried versions, but still incredibly gratifying and delicious without the mess and added fat.
Versatile Treat: Perfect for breakfast, brunch, dessert, or a snack, these donuts fit any occasion.
Family Favorite: A guaranteed hit with everyone, from the pickiest eaters to the most discerning palates.
Step-by-Step Instructions for Perfect Air Fryer Biscuit Donuts
Gathering and Prepping Your Ingredients
Crafting the Cinnamon Sugar Coating
Begin by preparing your delicious cinnamon sugar coating. In a medium-sized prep bowl, combine the brown sugar, white granulated sugar, a pinch of salt, and the ground cinnamon. Use a whisk or a fork to stir these ingredients thoroughly until they are well combined and the cinnamon is evenly distributed throughout the sugars. This ensures every bite of your donut is perfectly flavored. Once mixed, set this bowl aside. It will be ready to embrace your warm, air-fried donuts later.
Transforming Biscuits into Donuts
Next, it’s time to create your donut shapes from the canned biscuits. Carefully open your can of biscuits and lay each biscuit flat on a clean surface, such as a plate or a cutting board. For creating the signature donut hole, you’ll need a small round object. A clean bottle cap works perfectly, or you can use a small cookie cutter or biscuit cutter, roughly 1-inch in diameter. Position your chosen cutter in the center of each biscuit dough and press down firmly to create a clean hole. Gently pull up the cutter, and you’ll have a perfectly formed donut shape. Place these prepped donuts on a separate plate, along with the small dough circles you removed – these are your future donut holes, and they’re just as delicious!
Achieving Perfection: Air Frying Your Donuts
The First Batch of Air-Fried Donuts
Before placing your donuts, lightly mist the basket of your Ninja Foodi Air Fryer (or any air fryer you are using) with olive oil. This prevents sticking and helps achieve that desirable golden crispness. Carefully arrange about 4 donuts in the air fryer basket, ensuring that they do not touch each other. This crucial step allows for even air circulation, which is essential for uniform cooking and crisping. Close the lid of your air fryer.
Now, set your air fryer. Press the START button, then select AIR CRISP mode. Adjust the TEMPERATURE to 360 degrees F (180 degrees C) and set the TIME for 10 minutes. Press START again to begin cooking. Around the 8-minute mark, it’s a good idea to peek at your donuts. Air fryers can vary in intensity, and you want to ensure they don’t burn. Once the donuts are beautifully golden brown and delightfully crisp on the outside, carefully remove them from the basket using tongs and transfer them to a clean plate.
Subsequent Batches and Donut Holes
If you have a smaller air fryer, like my 6.5-quart model, you’ll likely need to air fry your donuts in several batches. A key tip to remember for subsequent batches is that your air fryer will already be preheated and hot from the first round. This means that the following batches will cook faster. I’ve found that my first batch typically takes the full 10 minutes, but the second batch often cooks perfectly in about 7-8 minutes. The smaller donut holes cook even quicker, usually requiring only 2-3 minutes to reach golden perfection. Always monitor them closely during these shorter cooking times to prevent over-baking.
Once all your main donuts and little donut holes have been successfully air-fried, they are ready for their sweet transformation with the cinnamon sugar topping.
Important Air Fryer Note
For all my air frying adventures, I rely on the robust Ninja Foodi 6.5 quart size. It’s a fantastic, versatile appliance that I wholeheartedly recommend. However, it’s vital to remember that air fryers vary significantly across brands and models. Your specific air fryer might have different buttons, presets, or even slight temperature discrepancies. Consequently, the cook time mentioned in this recipe may need minor adjustments for your particular unit. Always keep an eye on your donuts, especially during the first batch, to prevent them from burning and ensure they achieve that perfect golden hue.
The Sweet Finishing Touches
Perfectly Melted Butter
Once your donuts are out of the air fryer, let them cool for approximately 3 minutes. This brief cooling period is essential as it allows the surface of the donuts to firm up slightly, which in turn helps the cinnamon sugar mixture adhere much better. While your donuts are cooling, melt your unsalted butter. Place the butter in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave it for 30-45 seconds, or until it is completely melted and smooth. You can also melt it gently on the stovetop over low heat.
Coating Your Delicious Donuts
With your donuts slightly cooled and your butter melted, it’s time for the final, most delicious step! Take one air-fried donut and dip it into the melted butter, ensuring it’s fully coated. Lift the donut, allowing any excess butter to drip off back into the bowl. Immediately transfer the butter-dipped donut to your bowl of cinnamon sugar mixture. Press gently on all sides to ensure a generous and even coating of the sweet spice blend. Set the freshly coated donut aside on a clean plate or wire rack. Repeat this process with all the remaining donuts.
And don’t forget those adorable donut holes! They deserve the same royal treatment. Toss them in the melted butter and then into the cinnamon sugar mixture for a delightful mini-treat. Serve your Air Fryer Biscuit Donuts warm for the absolute best experience. Enjoy them immediately as they are truly irresistible when fresh!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQS) About Air Fryer Donuts
Absolutely! Reheating donuts in an air fryer is a fantastic alternative to using a microwave. The air fryer will gently warm them through, restoring their delightful texture without making them soggy, which can sometimes happen in a microwave. To reheat, set the temperature of your air fryer to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) and heat your donuts for just 2-3 minutes. Keep a close eye on them to ensure the cinnamon sugar coating doesn’t melt or burn.
No, it is highly recommended that you do not use PAM or any other aerosol cooking spray directly in your air fryer basket. These sprays often contain harsh propellants and agents that can, over time, damage the non-stick coating of your air fryer basket, leading to chipping and reduced performance. For best results and to protect your appliance, it’s always best to use an olive oil mister or sprayer. Alternatively, you can brush a small amount of oil directly onto the basket or your food.
The short answer is: an incredibly wide variety of things! Air fryers are incredibly versatile kitchen appliances, capable of baking, roasting, and crisping much more than just these delicious biscuit donuts. Some of my personal favorites include these very Air Fryer Biscuit Donuts and my wholesome Baked Apples. Beyond these, air fryers excel at making treats like cookies, cupcakes, small loaves of bread, homemade biscuits, and even cinnamon rolls. They offer a quicker cooking time and a wonderfully crisp texture for many baked goods.
Storing Your Leftover Donuts
If by some miracle you have any leftover Air Fryer Biscuit Donuts, they are easy to store! Place leftover donuts in an airtight container and keep them at room temperature for up to 4 days. For best enjoyment, you can rewarm the donuts in the microwave for about 10 seconds to soften them up a bit, or use the air fryer method mentioned above for a crispier refresh. Just be careful not to microwave them for too long, as the cinnamon sugar coating can melt and become sticky.
Expert Pro Tips for the Best Air Fryer Donuts
Avoid Crowding the Doughnuts: This is a crucial rule for any air fryer recipe. When you add the donuts to your air fryer basket, it’s imperative to ensure they are not touching each other. Overcrowding inhibits proper air circulation, which is essential for achieving that desirable even cooking and golden crisp exterior. My 6.5-quart air fryer comfortably holds four donuts at a time, so I typically cook mine in a few separate batches. Depending on the size and model of your air fryer, you may need to adjust the number of donuts per batch, baking more or fewer at a time. Patience here will be rewarded with perfectly cooked donuts!
Master the Adjusted Bake Time: As your air fryer cooks successive batches of donuts, it will become progressively hotter. This means that the second batch, and any subsequent batches, will generally bake faster than the first. In my experience, the initial batch takes the full 10 minutes, while subsequent batches usually require 1-2 minutes less. It’s vital to closely monitor the donuts during these later batches to prevent them from over-baking or burning. A quick visual check for a golden brown color and a puffed-up appearance is usually sufficient.
Don’t Discard the Donut Holes: Those little centers you cut out are just as delicious! Air fry them for 2-3 minutes until golden, then toss them in butter and cinnamon sugar for a delightful mini-treat. They’re perfect for taste-testing or an extra snack.
Customize Your Topping: While cinnamon sugar is classic, don’t hesitate to experiment! You can drizzle your warm donuts with a simple vanilla glaze (powdered sugar + milk), sprinkle them with powdered sugar, or even dip them in chocolate for a different flavor profile.
Serve Warm for Best Results: These donuts are at their absolute peak of deliciousness when served warm, straight out of the air fryer and freshly coated. The warm, soft interior paired with the melted butter and sweet cinnamon sugar is truly a match made in heaven.
Shop Recommended Tools for this Recipe
Elevate your kitchen experience with these useful items!
My All-Time Favorite Air Fryer: Ninja Foodi – A versatile kitchen workhorse for all your air frying and pressure cooking needs.
Great Prep Bowls that Come in a Variety of Sizes: Stackable Bowls – Essential for organizing ingredients and making prep a breeze.
You May Also Enjoy These Related Recipes…
- Air Fryer Apples with Honey Oat Topping
- Homemade Apple Cinnamon Bread Recipe
- Slow Cooker Chocolate Lava Cake Recipe
- Easy Snickerdoodle Blondies Recipe
Thank you so much for stopping by! If you tried this incredibly easy and delicious Air Fryer Biscuit Donut recipe, I would be thrilled to hear from you in the comments section below. Your feedback and ratings mean the world! If you’re keen to keep up with what The Erhardts are Eating (and all our exploring adventures), make sure to follow along on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter& Youtube.
Happy Eating and Happy Air Frying!
Cinnamon Sugar Air Fryer Biscuit Donuts: A Speedy Sweet Treat!
Caitlyn Erhardt
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Ingredients
- 16 Oz Pillsbury Grands Flaky Layers Biscuits
- ½ Cup Unsalted Butter Melted
- ½ Cup Granulated Sugar
- ¼ Cup Light Brown Sugar
- ¼ teaspoon Fine Sea Salt
- 1 tablespoon Ground Cinnamon
Instructions
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In a small bowl, combine the granulated sugar, light brown sugar, salt, and ground cinnamon. Whisk these ingredients together until they are fully combined. Set this fragrant cinnamon sugar mixture aside for later use.
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Carefully lay your canned biscuits out on a clean, flat surface. Using a clean bottle cap or a small, round cookie/biscuit cutter (about 1-inch in diameter), firmly press into the center of each biscuit to create the donut hole. Repeat this step for all biscuits. Do not discard the small dough circles; these will become your delicious donut holes!
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Lightly mist the basket of your air fryer* with olive oil, or use a paper towel to gently wipe the surface with a thin layer of oil. Place no more than four donuts into the air fryer basket, ensuring they do not touch each other. This is crucial for even cooking. Close the lid of your air fryer.
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Press START (if applicable) then select AIR CRISP mode. Set the TEMPERATURE to 360 degrees F (180 degrees C) and set the TIME for 10 minutes. Press the START button again to begin air frying. Keep a close watch and check your donuts a couple of times during the last few minutes to ensure they achieve a beautiful golden brown color and do not over-bake or burn.
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After 10 minutes, open the air fryer and carefully remove your perfectly air-fried donuts using tongs. They should be golden brown and crisp on the outside, and fluffy inside. Repeat this air frying process for any remaining donuts and the donut holes. Remember that subsequent batches of donuts may cook faster (around 7-8 minutes) because the air fryer is already hot, and donut holes typically need only 2-3 minutes. Always adjust cooking time as needed.
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Once all your donuts and donut holes are air-fried, allow them to cool for about 3 minutes. While they cool, melt the ½ cup of unsalted butter in a separate microwave-safe bowl (30-45 seconds in the microwave). One at a time, dredge each donut in the melted butter, allowing any excess to drip off. Then, immediately place the butter-dipped donut into the bowl of cinnamon sugar mix and press gently on all sides to coat thoroughly. Repeat this luscious coating process for all donuts and donut holes.
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Serve your Air Fryer Biscuit Donuts warm and enjoy them immediately for the best flavor and texture. For any leftovers, follow the storage instructions provided. Happy eating!
Notes
*Air Fryer Note: For this recipe, I primarily use my Ninja Foodi 6.5 quart air fryer. With this model, I can comfortably fit 4 donuts per batch, and the first batch consistently cooks in 10 minutes. However, the precise bake time and the number of donuts you can fit per batch will depend on the specific size and model of your air fryer. It’s highly recommended to open your air fryer and check the donuts every few minutes, especially during the first few times you make this recipe, to ensure they don’t burn and achieve a perfect golden brown.
Biscuit Selection Note: For the flakiest, most authentic donut texture, I strongly recommend using Pillsbury Grands Flaky Layers Canned Biscuits if they are available at your local grocery store. While any variety of Pillsbury Grands biscuits will work well (I’ve had great results with Southern Homestyle, for example), the flaky layers provide an extra dimension of texture. If you choose to use regular-sized canned biscuits instead of the larger Grands, be sure to cut the cook time in half, as smaller biscuits will cook much more quickly.
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