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I love making these Air Fryer Donuts! They come out soft, golden, and are so easy! You can make them using biscuit dough or make them from scratch. Both versions are fluffy, warm, and full of flavor, without the oil or mess of deep frying.
“These air fryer donuts are everything you love about donuts, made easier and lighter!”
-Becky
Soft donuts are a favorite breakfast food for good reason. The biscuit version is perfect for quick weekday treats, while the yeast dough version gives that classic bakery style taste. Either way, they cook up golden and delicious in the air fryer.
Love these donuts? You’ll also enjoy easy breakfast favorites like our crispy Air Fryer Turkey Bacon, fluffy Air Fryer Egg Bites, golden Air Fryer Breakfast Potatoes, Air Fryer Hash Browns, and sweet Air Fryer French Toast Sticks.
Table of Contents
Biscuit Donut Ingredients
- 1 can of flaky biscuit dough – Honey butter flavor is my favorite.
- Butter – Melted, for brushing warm donuts.
- Granulated sugar + cinnamon – A perfect, simple coating.
A full list of ingredients is included in the recipe card below.
Donut Variations
- Classic Glazed – Dip warm donuts in a mix of powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla.
- Chocolate Coated – Melt chocolate chips with cream and dip cooled donuts.
- Filled Donuts – Skip the hole and pipe in jam or custard after cooking.
- Mini Donut Holes – Air fry leftover centers for 2–3 minutes and roll in sugar.
How to Make Biscuit Donuts in the Air Fryer
- In a small shallow bowl mix the sugar and cinnamon together, and then set aside. Open the can of biscuits and separate them. On a flat surface, use a donut cutter or biscuit cutter, to cut a small hole in the center of each biscuit.
- Line the basket with parchment paper, or lightly spray with olive oil. Place the donuts in the basket, working in batches so you don’t stack or overlap.
- Air Fry at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 6-7 minutes, or until golden brown.
- Once they are done cooking, brush melted butter on both sides, then dip into the cinnamon sugar to coat. Or skip the coating and dip in frosting or glaze.
Yeast Donut Ingredients
This recipe makes 12 donuts and comes straight from our cookbook, Air Fryer All Day.
- 1 cup whole milk
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 2¼ teaspoons (or 1 packet) instant yeast
- ¼ teaspoon kosher or sea salt
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 1 large egg, beaten
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Olive oil cooking spray
How to Make Air Fryer Yeast Donuts from Scratch
Gently warm the milk in the microwave or on the stovetop until just warm. In a medium bowl, mix warm milk, sugar, yeast, and salt. Let bloom for 3–5 minutes. Stir in flour, melted butter, egg, and vanilla until a soft dough forms.
Knead on a floured surface for about 5 minutes until smooth. Form into a ball and place in a greased bowl. Cover and let rise until doubled in size (45–60 minutes). Punch down the dough. Roll out to ½-inch thickness and cut out 12 donuts using a 3-inch cutter. Air fry at 320 degrees F (160 degrees C) for 6–8 minutes, flip, and cook 2–3 more minutes until both sides are golden.
For more delicious breakfasts, check out this Air Fryer Omelette, Air Fryer English Muffins, Air Fryer Granola, or Air Fryer Soft Boiled Eggs!
Expert Tips
- Make donut holes: Use the middle cutout to make air fryer donut holes, from the center piece of the donut.
- Let the yeast bloom fully: Make sure the milk is warm, not hot, to activate the yeast.
- Spray, don’t brush: Use olive oil spray to get an even, golden finish in the air fryer.
Air Fryer Donuts FAQ’s
Yeast donuts have that classic light and fluffy texture you’d expect from a bakery. Biscuit donuts are more buttery and dense. Still delicious, just a little different!
Definitely. Air fryer donuts use little to no oil, which means fewer calories and less mess. But they are still donuts!
Yes! The air fryer is perfect for donuts! They come out soft, golden, and delicious without any deep frying.
For biscuit dough donuts, air fry at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 6–7 minutes, flipping halfway through. If you’re making yeast donuts from scratch, air fry at 320 degrees F (160 degrees C) for 6–8 minutes, then flip and cook 2–3 more minutes until golden brown on both sides.
More Air Fryer Breakfast Recipes
Breakfast
Air Fryer Cinnamon Rolls
Breakfast
Air Fryer Turkey Bacon
Holidays
Air Fryer Cinnamon Roll Bunnies
Side Dishes
Air Fryer Apples
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Air Fryer Donuts
Equipment
- Air Fryer
- Donut Cutter
Ingredients
- 1 can refrigerated flaky biscuit dough
Cinnamon Sugar Coating
- 1/4 cup butter, melted
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
Instructions
- Open the can of refrigerated biscuits and separate, then lay them on a flat surface. To make them into a donut shape, use a donut cutter, biscuit cutter, apple corer, or a 1-inch round cutter, to cut a small hole in the center of each biscuit. Set the inside piece aside to make donut holes later.
- Transfer Donuts to the air fryer basket. Lay them in a single layer, work in batches as necessary. I only cook 4 donuts at a time. Air Fry at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 6-7 minutes, until golden brown.
- Once they are done cooking, brush donuts on both sides with the melted butter and then dip the donuts into the cinnamon sugar to coat.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
