These Air Fryer Donuts are the easiest donuts you can make at home, thanks to the secret ingredient and your air fryer!
Every other Sunday is Donut Day in the house. And this stay-at-home time hasn't stopped us!
The husband used to go out on Sunday mornings to get some donuts from a local donut shop for the whole family. He'd also stop by our local Starbucks and bring back coffee for the two of us.
Now, we make our own coffee at home every day. And, we make these SUPER EASY, CRAZY DELICIOUS Air Fryer Donuts every other Sunday!
The Secret Ingredient
The secret shortcut to making these donuts: canned biscuit dough.
Say whaaat??
Yep. Canned biscuit dough. The kind you find in the grocery store next to the canned cinnamon rolls and pizza dough.
Some people use pizza dough for fast, simple donuts. But We like the flaky fluffy texture you get using biscuit dough.
Is it exactly like a classic donut? No. But it's buttery, light, and flaky, and the family and We LOVE it!
What You Need to Make This Recipe
First, you need an air fryer. This is the XL basket-style air fryer that We have and use almost every day now.
You only need three ingredients to make these simple air fryer donuts:
- can of biscuits
- melted butter
- cinnamon sugar
Okay, technically that's four ingredients, since the last one is made up of cinnamon and sugar. But We always have a small mason jar made up of cinnamon sugar.
To make cinnamon sugar: simply mix together one part granulated sugar with one-fourths part ground cinnamon in a jar. Now you always have cinnamon sugar mix ready to go!
We use cinnamon sugar on so many things: waffles, donuts, muffins.
✅ Step-by-step instructions
Start by preheating your air fryer at 350°F for 3-4 minutes. Meanwhile, mix the sugar and cinnamon in a shallow bowl. Set aside.
Open the can of biscuits and placing each raw biscuit dough onto a plate or a sheet of wax paper or parchment paper.
Use the wide end of a pastry tip to create a hole in the middle of each biscuit. Save the dough for donut holes!
Spray your air fryer with a bit of olive oil spray.
Place cut biscuits down onto the air fryer basket, leaving room between each one so that they don't touch. We have an XL air fryer and make these in two batches; depending on your specific air fryer, you might need to do the same.
Air fry at 360°F for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a bowl, and set aside.
When done, the biscuit tops will be golden brown. Carefully remove the hot donuts (use tongs to avoid burning your fingers if they are too hot) from the air fryer and dredge immediately Into the shallow bowl with cinnamon sugar mix. Be sure to coat all sides.
As you work on the donuts, you might want to first brush them with the melted butter before coating with the cinnamon sugar.
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Air Fryer Donuts
By Marlynn Schotland Prep Time: 5 mins Cook Time: 10 mins Servings: 8 donuts Make fluffy, tasty donuts in simply 5 minutes with this quick air fryer shortcut!Equipment
- Air Fryer
Ingredients
- 1 can biscuit dough (8 biscuits)
- olive oil spray
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons melted butter
Instructions
- Preheat air fryer at 350°F for 3-4 minutes. Meanwhile, mix the sugar and cinnamon in a shallow bowl. Set aside.
- Take biscuit dough out of the can and use a small round cookie cutter or the back of a pastry tip to cut out holes in the middle of each donut. Use the center dough for donut holes.
- Spray the interior of the air fryer basket with oil spray. Place donuts In a single layer. Make sure donuts do NOT touch each other or overlap; they will stick to each other if they do.
- Air fry at 360°F for 5 minutes. During this time, you can melt the butter and have it ready.
- When done, the biscuit tops will be golden brown. Carefully remove the hot donuts (use tongs to avoid burning your fingers if they are too hot) from the air fryer and dredge immediately Into the shallow bowl with cinnamon sugar mix. Be sure to coat all sides.
- As you work on the donuts, you might want to first brush them with the melted butter before coating with the cinnamon sugar.
- Enjoy immediately!
Notes
The melted butter may not be necessary, as the heat from the freshly air fried donuts will often cause the cinnamon sugar to coat the donuts without butter. However, you may find that as you continue to work through coating the donuts, they start to cool and dry, and that is when you can brush all sides with melted butter before dredging them in the cinnamon sugar. You can also use the melted butter from the start if you wish.Nutrition
Calories: 286 kcal, Carbohydrates: 41 g, Protein: 4 g, Fat: 12 g, Saturated Fat: 3 g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 4 g, Monounsaturated Fat: 5 g, Trans Fat: 1 g, Cholesterol: 8 mg, Sodium: 567 mg, Potassium: 135 mg, Fiber: 1 g, Sugar: 15 g, Vitamin A: 92 IU, Vitamin C: 1 mg, Calcium: 39 mg, Iron: 2 mgNutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.