Air Fryer Biscuit Donuts with Cinnamon Sugar Coating

Air Fryer Biscuit Donuts

I rely on the visual cue more than the clock here because air fryers vary. These biscuit donuts should look deeply golden, puffed, and flaky, with bottoms that feel set instead of soft. The part I pay attention to most is basket spacing, since crowded biscuits stay pale and can turn doughy in the center.

This is a good shortcut when you want fresh, warm donuts without deep frying. Flaky buttermilk biscuits give you lift and layers, and the quick butter dip helps the cinnamon-sugar coat evenly instead of falling off in patches.

Ingredients for Air Fryer Biscuit Donuts

• 1 can flaky buttermilk biscuit dough, 16.3 ounces (about 460g), such as Grands-style biscuits
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar (about 100g)
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• Neutral oil spray, as needed for the basket or liner

Use flaky or layers-style refrigerated biscuits for the lightest texture. Homestyle biscuits can work, but they usually need a little longer and tend to stay heavier in the middle.

If your basket tends to stick, use a very light mist of oil or perforated parchment if your air fryer manual allows it. Heavy oiling is not helpful here and can smoke.

Flaky vs. Homestyle Biscuits

Flaky buttermilk biscuits work best because the layers separate and puff as they cook. That gives these donuts a lighter, pull-apart texture.

Homestyle biscuits are denser. If that is what you have, expect a slightly heavier donut and check carefully for a fully cooked center before coating.

How to Make Air Fryer Biscuit Donuts

1. Mix the coating: Stir the sugar and cinnamon together in a shallow bowl until evenly combined. Put the melted butter in a second shallow bowl and keep it warm so it stays easy to dip.
2. Preheat the air fryer: Preheat to 350°F (175°C) for 3 minutes. I find this helps the biscuits puff sooner and brown more evenly. Lightly mist the basket, or line it with perforated parchment if your model allows it.
3. Shape the donuts: Open the biscuit can and separate the 8 biscuits. Use a small round cutter, about 1 inch wide, or a clean bottle cap to cut out the centers. Save the centers for donut holes.
4. Test a small batch first: If this is your first time making them in your air fryer, start with 1 or 2 donuts. That makes it easier to adjust the timing before you cook the rest.
5. Air fry the donuts: Arrange the donuts in a single layer with space between them. Air fry at 350°F (175°C) for 6 to 8 minutes, flipping at 3 to 4 minutes. They should be puffed, deeply golden, and set on the bottom. If you split one open, the center should look cooked through, not wet or gummy.
6. Cook in batches: Repeat with the remaining donuts as needed, keeping each batch in a single layer. In an oven-style air fryer, rotate the tray midway if the tops are browning faster than the bottoms.
7. Air fry the donut holes: Arrange the centers in a single layer and air fry at 350°F (175°C) for 3 to 5 minutes, turning once halfway through. Start checking at 3 minutes since the smaller pieces brown quickly and can dry out if left too long.
8. Coat while warm: As soon as the donuts come out, brush or dip each one lightly but fully in melted butter, then roll in the cinnamon-sugar until coated on all sides. Do the same with the holes. Warm donuts hold the coating best, so do not wait for them to cool.
9. Rest briefly and serve: Let the coating set for about 2 minutes, then serve warm. These are best the day they are made.

Air Fryer Time and Temperature for Biscuit Donuts

Cook the donuts at 350°F (175°C). The full-size biscuit donuts usually take 6 to 8 minutes, and the donut holes usually take 3 to 5 minutes.

Flip the donuts halfway through, and start checking early if your air fryer runs hot. I would use color and texture as the final cue: the outside should be golden and flaky, and the bottom should feel set rather than soft.

Do You Need to Preheat the Air Fryer?

Yes, a short preheat is worth it here. Starting in a hot air fryer helps the biscuit dough lift quickly and cuts down on pale patches.

If you skip preheating, expect the donuts to need about 1 to 2 extra minutes. Keep a closer eye on them after flipping so the outside browns before the inside dries out.

Why Air Fryer Biscuit Donuts Turn Pale or Doughy

• Pale tops: The basket may be crowded, or the air fryer may not have been preheated. Give the donuts more space and cook a little longer if needed.
• Doughy centers: The biscuits may be thick or slightly undercooked. Split one open and keep cooking until the center is no longer wet or gummy.
• Uneven browning: Flip halfway through, and rotate the tray midway in an oven-style air fryer if one side colors faster.
• Burned coating: Add the butter and cinnamon-sugar after air frying, not before.

Easy Variations

Powdered Sugar or Glaze

Skip the cinnamon and either dust the warm donuts with powdered sugar or dip them in a simple vanilla glaze made with powdered sugar, milk, and a little vanilla. If you are dusting, let the donuts cool for about 2 minutes first so the sugar does not melt away. If you are glazing, a 5 to 10 minute cool-down helps the glaze set better.

3-Ingredient Version

For the simplest version, use the biscuits, melted butter, and plain sugar, or use a store-bought cinnamon-sugar blend in place of the separate sugar and cinnamon. The flavor is plainer, so make sure the donuts are still warm and evenly buttered before coating.

How to Store and Reheat Air Fryer Biscuit Donuts

These are best the day they are made. Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 day. I would skip the refrigerator here, since it tends to dry them out faster.

To reheat, warm the donuts in the air fryer at 300 to 320°F (150 to 160°C) for 1 to 2 minutes, just until heated through. They will be a little softer than fresh. If the coating looks patchy after reheating, add a little more melted butter and roll them in extra cinnamon-sugar.

For longer storage, freeze the donuts uncoated for up to 1 month. Reheat from frozen at 320°F (160°C) for 3 to 4 minutes, then dip in butter and coat in cinnamon-sugar.

Nutrition

Approximate nutrition, based on 1 donut with 1 hole and using the full butter and cinnamon-sugar coating. Actual values will vary by biscuit brand and how much coating you use.

• Serving size: 1 donut plus 1 hole
• Calories: about 280
• Protein: about 3g
• Fat: about 13g
• Carbohydrates: about 37g

Per 100g approximate: 370 calories, 4g protein, 18g fat, 49g carbohydrates.