These easy Air Fryer Donuts are made from Pillsbury Grands Biscuits. The sweet little treats turn into flaky, crispy bites of cinnamon-sugary goodness in no time.
Simple Air Fryer Donuts
Think the only way to make donuts is with a deep fryer and a giant tub full of vegetable oil? Think again, because these delicious sweet treats are super simple to make with just your air fryer — using Pillsbury Grands Biscuits! I enjoy making classic cinnamon donuts for breakfast with my family, but if you need something more exciting for the office or brunch—these quick Air Fryer Donuts are the perfect way to go.
Ingredients for Air-fried Donuts Recipe
This recipe makes 8 donuts and 8 donut holes.
- Pillsbury Grands Flaky layers biscuits
- 2 tablespoons melted butter
- Cooking spray. I used Ghee oil butter taste
- Cinnamon sugar
Directions
- Preheat your air fryer to 350 degrees. To do so, simply run the air fryer for 2-3 minutes.
- Open the can of Pillsbury flaky biscuits and set them on the cutting board.
- Cut the dough from the center with a 1-inch cookie cutter. If you do not have a cookie cutter you can use any soda bottle cap for this or this stainless steel 1 inch round biscuit cutter.
- Coat your air fryer basket with oil spray.
- Place the donuts into the air fryer. Be sure to give them some room to breathe.
- Air fry mode 350 degrees F (177 degrees C) for 6 minutes, flipping halfway until they turn golden brown.
- Remove the donuts from the air fryer and let them cool for a minute.
- Now brush the donuts with melted butter with the help of a silicone pastry brush, (be sure to cover the sides too).
- Sprinkle with Cinnamon sugar, powdered sugar, or icing of your choice.
- You can also try the below glaze recipes for your donuts.
5 Donut Glaze Recipes
- If you want to add a little something extra to your donuts, a simple glaze can do the trick. Start with a combination of 3 tablespoon butter (unsalted), 1 cup powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, and 2 tablespoon hot water. This donut glaze is perfect to either drizzle on top of your air fryer donuts, or to completely dunk them in.
- Make a glaze with maple syrup: Add half a cup of powdered sugar or icing sugar and 5 tablespoon of maple syrup. Stir it together and apply it to the top of your donuts by dipping them.
- Maple glaze and Bacon topping: dip the top part of the donuts into maple glaze and sprinkle bacon into it.
- Cinnamon and sugar topping: Take half a cup of ground sugar and cinnamon mix them together and sprinkle on the top after butter wash. (I used this topping in my recipe)
- Chocolate glaze: Dip your donuts into Nutella or melted chocolate for chocolate topping. Or you can also drizzle chocolate syrup on the donuts.
How To Shape Donuts without Donut Cutter
If you want your air fryer donuts to look more like a traditional donut with a hole in the center, it’s absolutely doable without a specialty tool. The easiest thing to use would be a shot glass to cut a hole in the center of your dough. However, you can get creative and use any size circular top from drink bottles or milk bottles to get the look you desire. The piece you took out will make donut holes like the popular Munchkins from Dunkin Donuts!
What is the Best Way To Store Air Fryer Donuts?
In the unlikely event that you have leftover donuts, you can place them in an airtight container overnight at room temperature. However, anything more than that and you will want to keep them in the fridge for 2-3 days. If they start to taste stale or if they get hard, you can place them in the microwave for a minute to give them some texture. On the other hand, this recipe is so easy, you could just make some in the time it would take to bring them back to freshness.
Which Air Fryer is best?
I use Cuisinart Air Fryer (oven type) and Ninja Foodi for the air fryer donuts recipe. If you are searching for the best air fryers for your family then the Cuisinart air fryer (an oven type) is best for you. I've been using these models for the past 3 years. I love them and will recommend them.
Donuts have been around since the 18th century. Thanks to the invention of modern cooking appliances, now we can enjoy them anytime without the oily mess! Enjoy this recipe and all the creative ways to dress them up!
Have you tried this easy air fryer donuts recipe? Please give me your feedback in the comment section below.
Other Pillsbury recipes to try in your Air Fryer
Disclosure: Affiliate links are present
Easy Air Fryer Donuts (Using Pillsbury biscuits)
Air fryer donuts, made from Pillsbury biscuits
Ingredients
- Pillsbury grands! Flaky layers biscuits
- 2 TBS butter, melted
- Cinnamon sugar
- Cooking spray
Instructions
- Preheat your air fryer to 350 degrees. To do so, simply run the air fryer for 2 minutes.
- Open the can of Pillsbury flaky biscuits and set them to the cutting board.
- Cut the dough from the center with a 1-inch cookie cutter. If you do not have a cookie-cutter you can use any soda bottle cap for this or a stainless steel 1 inch round biscuit cutter.
- Coat your air fryer basket with oil spray.
- Place the donuts into the air fryer. Be sure to give them some room to breathe.
- Air fry mode 350 degrees F (177 degrees C) for 3 minutes. Change the side after 3 minutes and air fry for another 3 minutes until they turn to a golden brown.
- After 6 minutes take out donuts from the air fryer and let them cool for a minute.
- Now cover the donuts with melted butter with the help of a silicone pastry brush, (be sure to cover the sides too)
- Sprinkle with Cinnamon sugar, powdered sugar, or icing of your choice.
- You can also try the below glaze recipes for your donuts.
Notes
I used both Cuisinart Air Fryer (oven type) and Ninja Foodi for the air fryer donuts recipe.
More Air fryer Pillsbury hacks to try:
5 Donut Glaze Recipes
- If you want to add a little something extra to your donuts, a simple glaze can do the trick. Start with a combination of 3 tablespoon butter (unsalted), 1 cup powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, and 2 tablespoon hot water. This donut glaze is perfect to either drizzle on top of your air fryer donuts, or to completely dunk them in.
- Make a glaze with maple syrup: Add half a cup of powdered sugar or icing sugar and 5 tablespoon of maple syrup. Stir it together and apply it to the top of your donuts by dipping them.
- Maple glaze and Bacon topping: dip the top part of the donuts into maple glaze and sprinkle bacon into it.
- Cinnamon and sugar topping: Take half a cup of ground sugar and cinnamon mix them together and sprinkle on the top after butter wash. (I used this topping in my recipe)
- Chocolate glaze: Dip your donuts into Nutella or melted chocolate for chocolate topping. Or you can also drizzle chocolate syrup on the donuts.
Doughnut Nut
Tried this exactly on the presto pizzazz pizza oven and in a go wise air fryer. And also baked the doughnut holes.
Both instances, they smelled and tasted like sugar covered biscuits. Not like doughnuts.
I've not tried other air fryer doughnut recipes, so I can't compare.
2 stars because, well, they weren't bad biscuits. But it was very misleading because they did not taste or smell like doughnuts but...like biscuits.
:/ it was kind of a waste of time and money and effort.
Kristi
Mine came out delicious too! Use them all the time
Brenda
Made these with my grandson tonight, and they are delicious! Will be making them often.
Jennifer Winfrey
Definitely a hit! My kids loved them!
Irina
Yummy!
Cindy Bowers
Wat kind of air fryer are you using. I have a Emeril Lagasse 360.
Irina
The one I'm using is a Cuisinart air fryer oven.
nina
we used a farberware xl digital air fryer.we followed directions and easy tasty recipe.just right for a sweet tooth! tou can use a shot glass to make the hole came out flaky several round pieces to dip. we would make them again maybe dip in nutella but i love sugar and cinnamon
Irina
I had them dipped in Nutella today. Delicious!
Karen
What setting is ninja oven fryer set on? Air fry? Bake?
Thanks!
Sandy Burke
Made the Air Fryer Donuts .....ABSOLUTELY DELICIOUS. Sugar and Cinnamon was my topping .
Irina
Yummmyyyy!!! Thank you for writing!
Tammy montoya
I made these I only have small air fryer had to make 2 at a time . I made 2 brown sugar and cinnamon. 2 glazed, 2 powder sugar, 2 carmel glazed and just left the donut holes plain brushed with homemade butter. Will be making again. They are easy and delicious
Irina
Yummy. Sounds delicious 😋 thank you for sharing your feedback 😊
sandra brown
I have to agree with the first responder, I too am a donut lover and these do not taste like donuts but more like sweet biscuits.
Melinda
I agree with other posts. Taste nothing like donuts. Maybe if you put enough sugar, cinnamon, or chocolate on them. I won't be doing this anymore. I only bought the flaky layers for this recipe. Other brand biscuits taste as good, and can be cheaper.
DONNA DONAH
I tried these this morning. My air fryer is small, so I did in batches of four. I lowered my temp to 340 & 6 minutes. They were good but not like a real donut. I would make them again. I think eating them warm will be the best way to eat them. I am going to try biscuits in the air fryer next.
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