These Air Fryer Biscuit Donuts are ready quick in about 10 minutes, and coated in a sweet cinnamon sugar combination. Perfect for a holiday brunch or fun weekend treat.
My family is literally obsessed with all the donuts. They are always requested for a treat when we are out, or when I ask what they would like for a dessert. Luckily, these Air Fryer Biscuit Donuts are extremely quick and easy to make, plus ready in about 10 minutes.
The donuts are air fryer in the Ninja Foodi then coated in a homemade cinnamon sugar topping for the perfect sweet bite. These make the perfect weekend brunch or sweet dessert for both kids and adults.
Ingredient Notes
- Canned Biscuits: I recommend using Pillsbury Grands Flakey Layers Canned Biscuits if you can find them at your local grocery store. Any Grands will work, and I used Southern Homestyle and the donuts turned out well still. If using regular sized canned biscuits the cook time will need to be cut in half.
Why You'll LOVE Them!
Not Fussy: Only 6 Ingredients Required
Little Prep Work Needed
Ready Fast in Under 10 Minutes
Easier than Homemade, but Still Soooo Satisfying
Instructions
Prepping the Ingredients
Making the Cinnamon Sugar Coating
Combine the brown sugar, white sugar, salt and cinnamon in a large prep bowl and stir to combine. Once finished set aside until donuts are ready.
Making the Donuts
Open your biscuits and place one a flat surface like a plate or cutting board. Use a bottle cap (cleaned first) or a small cookie or biscuits cutter. Use the cap and press down in the center of the dough firmly. Pull up and you should create a hole forming your donut, set aside on a plate with the donut hole. Repeat this until all the donuts are prepped.
Donuts in an Air Fryer
Air Frying Donuts
Mist your Ninja Foodi Air Fryer (or air fryer of choice) with olive oil. Add 4 donuts (or as many as you can fit without the donuts touching) to the basket of your air fryer then close the lid.
Press START, then AIR CRISP. Next set the TEMP to 360 degrees F and TIME for 10 minutes then press START. Check your donuts at 8 minutes to ensure they do not burn. Once the donuts are golden brown and crisp on the outside remove them carefully with tongs and place them on a plate.
The Second Batch
If you have a smaller air fryer like mine, then you will have to air fry the donuts in several batches. Since the air fryer is hot from the first batch, the second batch will cook faster. I find that my first batch cooks in 10 minutes, the second batch in 8 minutes and the donut holes in 2-3 minutes.
Once all your donuts are baked in the air fryer move on to coating them in the cinnamon sugar topping.
Air Fryer Note
I use the Ninja Foodi 6.5 quart size for all of my air frying. I love this air fryer and recommend it to everyone. If you have a different air fryer your buttons may be different, and the cook time may need to be adjusted slightly.
Finishing Touches
Melting the Butter
Once your donuts are finished air frying let them cool for about 3 minutes. This will help the cinnamon sugar mix stick better. While the donuts are cooling off melt your butter in the microwave in a bowl for 30-45 seconds or until melted completely.
Coating the Donuts
Once cooled, dip the air fryer donut in the melted butter and coat. Let the excess butter drip off then place in the cinnamon sugar coated and press on all sides to coat. Set the coated donut aside then repeat until all donuts are coated.
Don't forget to toss the cooked donut holes in the butter and cinnamon sugar as well! Serve warm and enjoy immediately.
FAQS
Yes, you can instead of using a microwave. The air fryer will warm them without making them soggy. Set the temp of your air fryer to 350 degrees F and heat your donuts for 2-3 minutes.
No, do not use PAM or an aerosol spray and they have harsh agents that can damage and chip your air fryer basket. It is best to use an Olive Oil mister or sprayer.
Short answer: LOTS OF THINGS! Some of my favorites include these Air Fryer Biscuit Donuts or my Baked Apples. Other great things to make include cookies, cupcakes, bread, biscuits, or cinnamon roles.
Storing Leftover Donuts
Store leftover donuts in an airtight container for up to 4 days. You can rewarm the donuts in the microwave for about 10 seconds to soften them up a bit. Just don't microwave too long or the cinnamon sugar coating will melt.
Pro Tips
Don't Crowd the Doughnuts: When adding the donuts to your air fryer you want to make sure they are not touching. My air fryer (6.5 quarts) can hold four donuts at a time, so I cook mine in a few batches. Depending on the size of your air fryer you may need to bake the cinnamon sugar donuts in more or less batches.
Adjust the Bake Time: Because the air fryer will already be hot, the second batch of donuts will bake less than the first. Mine usually go 1-2 minutes less, but watch them to make sure they do not get burnt.
Shop this Recipe
My All-Time Favorite Air Fryer: Ninja Foodi
Great Prep Bowls that Come in a Variety of Sizes: Stackable Bowls
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Happy Eating!
Cinnamon Sugar Air Fryer Biscuit Donuts
Ingredients
- 16 Oz Pillsbury Grands Flakey Layers Biscuits
- ½ Cup Unsalted Butter Melted
- ½ Cup Sugar
- ¼ Cup Brown Sugar
- ¼ teaspoon Salt
- 1 tablespoon Ground Cinnamon
Instructions
- Combine sugar, brown sugar, salt and cinnamon in a small bowl and whisk to combine the set aside.
- Lay your biscuits out on a flat surface, then use a clean bottle cap or similar size cookie/biscuit cutter to press into the center of the biscuit creating the hole of the donut. Repeat this until all the holes are creating, do not discard the dough you can use it to make donut holes.
- Mist the basket of your air fryer* with olive oil or use a paper towel to wipe the surface down. Place four donuts (or as many as you can fit without any touching) in the basket of the air fryer then close the lid.
- Press START then AIR CRISP, set the TEMP to 360 degrees F and set the TIME for 10 minutes then press the START button again. Check a couple times to make sure they do not over bake.
- After 10 minutes open the air fryer and remove your finished donuts. They should be golden brown and crisp on the outside. Repeat this process until all the donuts and holes are air fried. I find that the second batch of donuts needs 7-8 minutes of bake time and the holes need 2-3 minutes.
- Once all the donuts are air fryer, dredge the donuts one at a time in the melted butter letting the excess drip off. Then place the donut into the bowl of cinnamon sugar mix and coat on all sides. Repeat until all donuts are coated.
- Enjoy warm immediately, or store leftovers appropriately. Enjoy!
Reigh Lea
These were delish! I have a cosori air fryer. 5-6 min at 360 was plenty! Such a fun easy treat. My kids thanked me and so will yours.
Caitlyn Erhardt
MY kids love them too! Glad yours liked them as well 🙂
R C Will
Just tried these and great recipe. Love the small donut holes. Very easy recipe. Thanks for sharing.
Caitlyn Erhardt
Glad you enjoyed and thanks for the review!
Qweenieme
Easy, quick and delicious! Made them this morning for breakfast and loved them! Thanks for posting your recipe.
Caitlyn Erhardt
Glad they were a hit! We love these as well 🙂
Christine Southwick
Just made these, exactly to your recipe and they are a hit! My husband says he now prefers these over regular donuts!! Yummmm
Caitlyn Erhardt
YAY! We love these too and my kids prefer these over traditional donuts as well.
Kushigalu
Love this air fryer version. Sounds so delicious and looks amazing.
Caitlyn Erhardt
Thank you!
Helen
These look great - so tasty! I love how easy they are to make too.
Caitlyn Erhardt
Same! So simple!
Srikanth
Now that’s a recipe to try for the new year! Glad I found it 🙂
Caitlyn Erhardt
🙂 Hope you love them!
Claudia Lamascolo
This was so easy and my son flipped over them they're so easy now he can make them himself he just loves anything quick and with cinnamon!
Caitlyn Erhardt
YAY! My son is a huge fan of these as well!
Jen
I’ve made these and they are delicious!! One of my favorite easy ways to make donuts.
Caitlyn Erhardt
So happy you enjoyed the donuts!