Cinnamon Sugar Biscuit Air Fryer Donuts
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Looking for a quick and easy recipe you can make in your Air Fryer? These easy Air Fryer Donuts are just that! They only take a few minutes to fry, roll them in butter then delicious cinnamon sugar mixture and then serve them for breakfast or a quick and easy snack or treat. When you are craving homemade doughnuts and are short on time take these biscuits, toss them in your air fryer and enjoy a warm flaky donut in minutes!
Freshly baked homemade donuts without the grease, fuss or muss! Am I your hero today? Oh yeah!!! I know you love donuts and there are several on the blog – Cinnamon Frosted Cream Cheese Banana Donuts, Drizzled Snickerdoodle Donuts (these are seriously over-the-top!) and baked Toasted Coconut Red Velvet Donuts so decadent.
But you know what makes these even better?
We’re going to use the air fryer to make delicious donuts quickly and easily – no grease, no mess and you will love them!
We also love making Air Fryer Chicken Parmesan for the same reason! No grease and it’s still crispy on the outside!
Why this Air Fryer Donut Recipe Works!
- It uses biscuits to make the donut so they are a quick and easy treat. Do they taste exactly like donuts? No, but they are still epically delicious so don’t raise your nose at them!
- Start to finish in 15 minutes makes it the perfect treat for breakfast, dessert or a snack.
- Did we mention you only need four ingredients? Super easy to have stocked in your kitchen whenever you get a craving!
Ingredients for Air Fryer Donuts with Biscuits
- Flaky jumbo biscuits – We used Pillsbury Grands donuts.
- Granulated Sugar
- Cinnamon
- Butter
- Olive or coconut oil spray – Do not use non-stick spray like Pam when spraying the inside of your Air Fryer because it can damage the coating on the basket!
How to Cut Donuts Out of Biscuits
The easiest away to cut donuts out of biscuits is to use a 1’’ inch round cutter. Simply press this down in the middle of the biscuit to remove the center and you are left with a donut shape! If you don’t have a round cutter a bottle cap works well too.
Save the donut holes you cut out and cook them in the air fryer after your donuts are done for about 3 minutes and then toss them in butter and the cinnamon sugar to make donut holes!
How to Make Air Fryer Donuts
- Cinnamon Sugar – In a shallow bowl combine the sugar and cinnamon, set aside.
- Prep Biscuits – Open the can and separate the biscuits and lay them out on a flat surface. Using a small biscuit cutter cut holes out of the center of each biscuit. Save the center to make donut holes!
- Air Fry – Spray the fryer basket with coconut oil spray. Place the donuts in a single layer in the air fryer basket, care to make sure they do not touch! Bake at 360 degrees for 5 minutes or until lightly browned.
- Coating – While they are baking, melt the butter. As soon as they are done, remove the donuts, dip in melted butter then roll in cinnamon sugar to coat. Serve immediately.
Helpful Equipment for Air Fryer Biscuit Donuts
- An Air Fryer (of course!)
- These Biscuit Cutters are perfect to cut out the holes.
- No biscuit cutter? A bottle cap or even a shot glass will work in a pinch!
Expert Tips for Biscuit Donuts in Air Fryer
- If you don’t have a biscuit cutter use a shot glass or even a bottle cap will work in a pinch. You just need something small and round!
- Don’t throw away the “holes” of the biscuits. After you make the donuts throw those in the air fryer for about 3 minutes or until golden brown. Dip in butter then in the cinnamon sugar and enjoy those too!
- Make a chocolate glaze and skip the cinnamon sugar. Simply grab a saucepan and heat 1/2 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips, 2 Tbsp butter, 1 Tbsp light corn syrup, and 1/2 tsp vanilla extract until melted and combined. Dip the donuts in the glaze or use a knife to frost them.
- These donuts are best enjoyed fresh. If you have leftovers store them in an airtight container on the counter for 1-2 days. Pop them in the microwave or air fryer for a few seconds to warm them up and enjoy!
Full disclosure, these aren’t going to take exactly like your favorite donut shop, but for a quick and easy snack, these are a wonderful treat for an easy breakfast or a quick snack. Kids big and small will love them!
FAQ for Air Fryer Donuts from Biscuits
Yes, you can! The air fryer gives the biscuits the perfect crispy exterior and a light fluffy inside from the circulating air. It’s always best to cook them in a single layer.
If you want to reheat donuts the air fryer is the perfect way to do it. The air fryer is the perfect way to keep crispy foods crispy when reheating them. If your donut has frosting don’t put them in the air fryer as it will cause the frosting or glaze to melt and create a mess.
Reheating donuts in the air fryer works best if they are unglazed or frosted. Cook them between 350-400 degrees for 3-4 minutes. The result is a perfectly crispy, warm donut that tastes almost as good as it was when it was fresh!
How long are air fryer donuts good for?
Store any leftover donuts in an airtight container or resealable bag. They are best enjoyed fresh, but leftovers will last for a day or two.
More delicious breakfast recipes!
- The perfectly tender and delicious Banana Muffins with Chocolate Chips! Great for grab and go breakfasts all week!
- Grab your biscuits and make Caramel Pull Aparts for another easy shortcut recipe for breakfast!
- Baked Chocolate Donuts are topped with chocolate glaze and the perfect lazy weekend treat!
- Air Fryer Cinnamon Roll Bites are another fun and easy breakfast recipe.
- Love that delicious cinnamon sugar topping? Then try Cinnamon Twists with a powdered sugar icing that are made out of pizza dough!
- Flaky crescent rolls filled with cinnamon and topped with powdered sugar icing make Cinnamon Crescent Rolls finger lickin’ good!
- These easy Air Fryer French Toast Sticks are the perfect breakfast that the whole family will love!
MORE RECIPES TO YOU’LL LOVE!
- Cream Peas
- Ham Pickle Roll Ups
- What is Amaretto Sour?
- Ham and Penne Pasta
- Breakfast Enchiladas Recipe
- Caramel Roll Recipe
Did you make this? If you snap a photo, please be sure tag me on Instagram at @julieseatsandtreats or #julieseatsandtreats so I can see your yummy treat!
Air Fryer Donuts with Biscuits
Ingredients
- 16 oz refrigerated flaky jumbo biscuits
- 1/2 c. granulated white sugar
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 4 Tbsp butter melted
- olive or coconut oil spray
Instructions
- Combine sugar and cinnamon in a shallow bowl; set aside.
- Remove the biscuits from the can, separate them and place them on a flat surface. Use a 1-inch round biscuit cutter (or similarly-sized bottle cap) to cut holes out of the center of each biscuit.
- Lightly coat air fryer basket with olive or coconut oil spray. Do not use non-stick spray like Pam because it can damage the coating on the basket.
- Place 4 donuts in a single layer in the air fryer basket. Make sure they are not touching.
- Air Fry at 360 degrees F for 5 minutes or until lightly browned.
- Remove donuts from Air Fryer, dip in melted butter then roll in cinnamon sugar to coat. Serve immediately.
Brianna says
Made these and they are delish! I made them with honey butter biscuit dough and they were amazing! I made half of them cinnamon sugar and half of them I made a choc glaze (3 TBS MILK, 1.25 cup powered sugar, 1/4 cup cocoa powder) and dipped them in the glaze. Both were delish. For the donut holes (the middle) we baked on 350 for 3.5 minutes. The more butter you roll them in the more they taste like a donut. We loveeeeee these!
Julie says
I’m so happy you enjoyed these! Chocolate dipped sounds amazing! Thanks for the rating and review!
Melisa says
I grew up eating biscuit donuts but didn’t make them as much as when I was an adult because of the oil mess. These brought back so many memories, and they were delicious. For anyone thinking they’re going to be eating a cake donut, these aren’t that.
I lightly brushed mine with butter using a pastry brush and placed them in a paper bag with the sugar/cinnamon (although I used pumpkin spice) mixture.
These are a perfect Thanksgiving morning treat!
Julie Evink says
I’m so glad you enjoyed them Melisa! You are correct, they don’t taste like a cake donut, but I love them all the same!
Sunny says
O just had to make these….my husband knocked a roll of biscuits out of the refrigerator and they popped the seal. They weren’t the big fluffy ones, but I thought they might work. So, I got my M1 decorating tip out and used it to make the holes, it worked perfectly. 350 degrees for 5 mins on the doughnuts and 3 mins on the holes. Half were cinnamon and sugar, the other half were powdered sugar. He wolfed them down as quickly as they came out of the sugar.
Julie Evink says
So glad you enjoyed them, I might go drop some biscuits so I can rationalize having a treat 🙂
Staci says
They came out great…I had to run my family out of the kitchen.
Thanks
Julie Evink says
Love this! Thanks for commenting and rating the recipe Staci!
Mackenzie Moore says
Another time I have been burned by people putting five star reviews on things they haven’t actually made! These are bad! A biscuit topped with sugar…
Julie Evink says
In the post I say this is NOT a normal donut it’s a quick spin on a donut, so I’m not sure why you expected it to actually magically turn into a donut?
MacKenzie says
I’m so sorry that I thought a recipe that you posted was supposed to taste good or even edible! My mistake.
Sue says
I love your remark on this one. People can be so rude. Thanks for the recipe.
Julie says
You’re welcome, I hope you enjoy it!
Angie Miller says
I agree! Fried “donut” biscuits or in this case air fried taste NOTHING like a doughnut. If I am going to waste the calories and time to make doughnuts they will be the real deal not something that is a fried biscuit. I don’t get these at all.
Dana Therrian says
Lol they WHY did you even read the recipe let alone post on a recipe you never planned to make??
Julie, thanks! My husband and I wanted a “donut” today and these hit the spot…. without all the time and effort or even driving time to get to Duck’s.
Julie says
You’re welcome! I’m glad you both enjoyed them!
Nancy Skversky says
I have a question – the cinnamon sugar in the picture is so light and appealing. My cinnamon just kind of melted on to the warm donuts. Am I supposed to wait? It says serve immediately, so I dipped the warm biscuit in the butter and then in a cinnamon sugar mixture. They are nowhere as pretty as your pic. And these are delicious. I don’t know what is wrong with some people! lol
Julie says
I did let mine cool a bit before dipping in butter and the cinnamon sugar but either way, they still taste the same whether they are pretty or not 😆 I’m glad you enjoyed them!
Claire says
Can anyone help what are the jumbo flaky biscuits that are used in this recipe please
Julie Evink says
This is what we use – Pillsbury Grands Flaky Layered Biscuit
Samantha says
You had me at donut. Love that these are made in the air fryer…so yummy and easy!
Julie Evink says
Can’t go wrong with donuts!
Nellie Tracy says
Going to have to get an air fryer just to try this recipe! It looks incredible!
Julie Evink says
Totally worth it!
Malinda Linnebur says
Ooooh, we love donuts and spend way too much on them! Can’t wait to try these!
Julie Evink says
These are so quick and easy! Perfect in a pinch 🙂
Melissa Howell says
Julie, you are going to bankrupt me! First I need to buy a Traeger smoker, and now I need to buy an air fryer! Your recipes just look so dang good! (Now are you going to smoke a doughnut on your Traeger? I swear, there’s nothing you can’t do on that thing!)
Julie Evink says
LOL! I’ll put my husband on that recipe development!
Mary Ann Naylor says
I have been wanting to buy an Air Fryer and have been looking at various brands. I know that you do not endorse products, bur would appreciate if you could share some of your thoughts with me about the ones that you have researched/tried.
Thank you.
Mary Ann Naylor
Julie Evink says
Hi Mary Ann! This is the one I have (https://amzn.to/2TuaPiE – affiliate link) and I love it but I haven’t tried any other one!
Danielle Green says
You had me at “without the grease”! Looks amazing!
Julie Evink says
Such a quick and easy treat!
Darlene Brooks says
I don’t have a comment, I have a question. You nicely supply the nutritional value for the Air Fryer donuts. My question is is that for all the donuts or just one? If it for all the donuts, I would like to meet the person who would ear an entire can of biscuits!
Thanks in advance,
Darlene Brooks
Julie Evink says
As you can see in the recipe card it’s marked as 8 servings, therefore it would be per donut.
Mary says
Talk about don’t shoot the messenger. How about common sense! Do you really think it was for the whole can?
Shannon says
Your ads are incredibly annoying. It makes your website NOT mobile friendly because the screen keeps bouncing up and down from all the ads. Everyone likes to make buck but you need to chill!
Julie Evink says
Hey Shannon! I thank you for your feedback and user experience is important to me. I’m assuming it’s happening on this post and I tried to replicate the problem on my iPhone without luck. Would you let me know how you are viewing it? Browser and operating system? Thanks!
Shana says
Shannon, hit the “print” option just above the recipe. This will bring up only the recipe without the ads. Ads annoy the heck out of me too (specially the video or rotating ones). This is what I’ve resort to to combat the issue and it works.
Jan says
Shana,
I’m right there with you. I’m trying to view it on my iPad, but these annoying videos and block the view. Not worth the hassle
Cheri Fine says
I just bought my Air friar i am so excited to learn more about it so whatever you go send it please and thank you Cheri
Julie Evink says
Hope you love them Cheri!