These air fryer donuts are warm, golden, and surprisingly easy to make without deep frying. Refrigerated biscuit dough keeps the recipe quick, while cinnamon sugar or vanilla glaze gives you that classic donut finish.
Quick Answer
Cut a small hole in the center of each refrigerated biscuit, arrange the donuts in a single layer, and air fry at 370°F (188°C). Cook for about 5–6 minutes, flip, then continue for another 3–4 minutes, or until deep golden and cooked through.
Finish them warm with melted butter and cinnamon sugar, or let them cool slightly before adding glaze.
Why This Recipe Works
Traditional yeast donuts take time because the dough needs to rise before cooking.
Refrigerated biscuit dough skips the mixing, kneading, and proofing, making this an easy option when you want fresh donuts without turning dessert into an all-day project.
The texture is slightly different from a bakery yeast donut. Biscuit donuts are a little more bread-like, but they are still soft inside, golden outside, and especially good when served warm.
If you enjoy simple air fryer desserts, try my Air Fryer Apple Chips for another easy sweet option.
Ingredients
For the donuts:
- 1 can refrigerated flaky biscuit dough, about 8 biscuits
- 2 tablespoons melted butter
- Neutral oil for lightly greasing the basket
For cinnamon sugar:
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
For an optional vanilla glaze:
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- About 2 tablespoons milk
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
You can make the entire batch cinnamon sugar, glaze all of them, or split the batch between the two toppings.
What Biscuit Dough Works Best?
Large refrigerated flaky biscuits work especially well because they are thick enough to stay soft inside while developing a golden surface.
Grands-style biscuits are a popular choice for this method, but you do not need one specific brand.
The important thing is to use refrigerated biscuit dough rather than crescent dough or puff pastry.
Package sizes and dough thickness vary, so watch your first batch carefully. A very thick biscuit may need slightly longer than a thinner one.
How to Make Donuts With Biscuit Dough
1. Shape the Donuts
Separate the refrigerated biscuits and place them on a clean work surface.
Use a 1-inch round cutter to remove the center of each biscuit. A wide piping tip also works well if you do not own a donut cutter.
Save the small centers. You can turn them into donut holes instead of throwing them away.
2. Prepare the Basket
Lightly grease the air fryer basket according to your appliance instructions.
Place the donuts in a single layer, leaving space around each one so hot air can circulate.
Most smaller air fryers will need two batches.
3. Air Fry
Set the air fryer to 370°F (188°C).
Cook the donuts for 5–6 minutes, then carefully turn them over.
Continue cooking for another 3–4 minutes, until both sides are deep golden and the centers are cooked through. Pillsbury uses this method for its tested Grands biscuit air-fryer donuts.
Air fryer models vary, so use color and texture as your final guide rather than relying only on the timer.
4. Add the Topping
For cinnamon sugar donuts, brush the hot donuts lightly with melted butter and coat them in the cinnamon sugar mixture.
For glazed donuts, let them cool for several minutes first. If the donuts are too hot, the glaze will become thin and run off.
Cinnamon Sugar Topping
Mix the sugar and cinnamon in a shallow bowl before the donuts finish cooking.
As soon as a donut comes out of the air fryer, brush it lightly with melted butter and turn it in the cinnamon sugar until evenly coated.
The warm surface helps the coating stick, while the butter adds just enough richness without the need for deep frying.
Easy Vanilla Glaze
Whisk the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla until smooth.
Start with slightly less milk than you think you need. Add more a teaspoon at a time until the glaze is thick enough to coat the donut without immediately running off.
Dip the top of each slightly cooled donut into the glaze.
Sprinkles can be added while the glaze is still wet.
Chocolate Glaze Option
You can easily turn the vanilla glaze into chocolate glaze.
Mix about 1 tablespoon of unsweetened cocoa powder into the glaze. Add a tiny splash of milk if needed to keep it smooth.
This lets you make several flavors from one batch without changing the donut dough.
No Yeast Needed
This is an easy air fryer donuts no yeast method because the refrigerated biscuit dough is already prepared.
There is no proofing time, so you can start cooking almost immediately after opening the package.
That convenience is the main advantage of this shortcut. Just keep in mind that the texture will be more like a tender biscuit donut than a traditional yeast-raised donut.
Don’t Forget the Donut Holes
The centers removed from the biscuits make perfect mini donut holes.
Air fry them at 370°F (188°C) for about 2 minutes, flip, then cook another 2–3 minutes, checking for a deep golden surface and cooked center. This timing also aligns with Pillsbury's tested biscuit-donut method.
Coat them with cinnamon sugar while warm or drizzle them with leftover glaze.
Tips for Soft, Golden Donuts
The biggest mistake is overcooking.
Start checking the first batch early and use it to learn how quickly your particular air fryer cooks the dough.
If the outside is browning too quickly but the center still looks doughy, the biscuits may be especially thick. Give them a little more time while watching the color carefully.
Do not crowd the basket. Leaving space around each donut allows the circulating air to cook the sides and center more evenly.
A slightly larger center hole can also help very thick biscuits cook more evenly.
Air Fryer vs Deep-Fried Donuts
These will not taste exactly like donuts cooked in a pot of oil.
Deep frying creates a richer, more evenly fried crust because the dough is completely surrounded by hot oil.
The air fryer produces a lighter exterior and requires much less added oil. It also avoids the mess of frying and makes cleanup much easier.
For a quick dessert made from biscuit dough, that tradeoff works very well.
Can You Make Them From Scratch?
Yes, but scratch-made donuts are really a different recipe.
Homemade dough may use flour, milk, butter, eggs, baking powder, yeast, or Greek yogurt depending on the type of donut.
This recipe intentionally stays focused on air fryer donuts from biscuits so the measurements and cooking method remain simple and predictable.
A from-scratch version would be better as its own recipe.
What to Serve With Them
These donuts are at their best while still slightly warm.
Serve them with coffee, tea, milk, or hot chocolate for breakfast or dessert.
Cinnamon sugar donuts are great as they are, while glazed donuts can be finished with sprinkles, chopped nuts, or a little extra cinnamon.
Storage
Air fryer donuts taste best the day they are made.
Once completely cool, keep leftovers in an airtight container. If you are storing foods for longer periods and want general storage guidance, FoodKeeper from FoodSafety.gov provides recommendations for a wide range of prepared foods.
Glazed donuts may become sticky during storage, so if you are planning ahead, storing the donuts without glaze and adding it later usually gives a better texture.
How to Reheat Them
Reheat only until the donuts are warm.
A short burst in the air fryer at a low temperature works better than leaving them in too long, which can dry the biscuit dough.
Check frequently and remove them as soon as they are warmed through.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why are my donuts dry?
They were most likely cooked too long.
Because biscuit dough browns quickly, check the first batch early and adjust the remaining batches if needed.
Why are they doughy in the center?
The biscuits may be particularly thick or crowded too closely together.
Give the donuts space, make sure the center hole is large enough, and continue cooking until the middle is no longer raw.
Do I need to preheat the air fryer?
Not necessarily.
Pillsbury's tested biscuit-donut recipe does not require preheating; it starts the air fryer at the cooking temperature.
Can I use any refrigerated biscuit dough?
Most flaky refrigerated biscuits should work, but thickness and cooking times can vary.
Watch your first batch and adjust from there.
Can I make these ahead?
You can, but the texture is best when they are freshly cooked.
If possible, cook them shortly before serving and add the topping near serving time.
Can I skip cinnamon?
Absolutely.
Use vanilla glaze, chocolate glaze, powdered sugar, or another topping you enjoy.
Recipe Card
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: About 8–10 minutes per batch
Total Time: Approximately 15–25 minutes, depending on batch size
Servings: About 8 donuts
Temperature: 370°F / 188°C
Ingredients
- 1 can refrigerated flaky biscuit dough, about 8 biscuits
- 2 tablespoons melted butter
- Neutral oil for the basket
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
Optional Glaze: 1 cup powdered sugar, about 2 tablespoons milk, and ½ teaspoon vanilla extract.
Instructions
- Separate the refrigerated biscuits.
- Cut a 1-inch hole from the center of each biscuit.
- Save the centers for donut holes.
- Lightly grease the air fryer basket.
- Arrange the donuts in a single layer with space between them.
- Air fry at 370°F (188°C) for 5–6 minutes.
- Flip the donuts carefully.
- Continue cooking for 3–4 minutes, until deep golden and cooked through.
- Brush warm donuts with melted butter.
- Coat with cinnamon sugar, or let them cool slightly and dip them in glaze.
- Serve warm.
Final Tips
Good biscuit donuts are mostly about timing.
Leave enough room around each donut, watch the first batch closely, and take them out as soon as the centers are cooked and the outside is golden.
From there, keep the finish simple: cinnamon sugar for the fastest option, or vanilla and chocolate glaze when you want something a little more dessert-like.
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