Air Fryer Donuts: Quick Biscuit Transformation

Air fryer donuts are a quick and easy way to make delicious homemade treats without the mess and health drawbacks of deep-frying. Using just a few simple ingredients, such as store-bought biscuit dough, cinnamon, sugar, and butter, you can create a variety of tasty toppings and flavours. This method is also a fun activity to do with kids, who will love getting creative with their donuts. With an air fryer, you can enjoy warm, flaky, and golden-brown donuts in just 5 to 15 minutes, making it the perfect weekend treat for the whole family.

Choosing the right biscuit dough

The first step to making air fryer donuts is choosing the right biscuit dough. You can use either refrigerated biscuit dough or canned biscuit dough. If you opt for refrigerated dough, look for the homestyle or flaky variety. For canned dough, go for the Grand size, either homestyle or flaky.

Pillsbury Grands! Flaky Biscuits are a popular choice for air fryer donuts, as they are already shaped into rounds and produce taller, flakier donuts. If you want to make the process even easier, you can also opt for crescent roll dough.

When selecting your biscuit dough, consider the size of your air fryer. You'll need to cut the dough into donut shapes, so choose a dough that will fit the size of your air fryer basket.

Once you have your biscuit dough, simply open the can or package and separate the individual biscuits. Then, use a small round cookie cutter, the back of a pastry tip, or even a bottle cap to cut out the centers of each biscuit, creating the classic donut shape.

Now that you have your biscuit dough prepared, you're ready to move on to the next steps of making your air fryer donuts!

Cutting the dough into the right shape

To cut the dough into the right shape, you'll need to remove the biscuits from the can and cut out the centre of each one, creating a hole so that the biscuits resemble donuts. You can use a 1-inch circular cookie cutter or the cap of a bottle to cut out the centres. If you don't have either of those, you can also use the back of a pastry tip or a napkin ring. Set the holes that you've cut out to one side, as you can use these to make donut holes.

Place the newly formed donuts on a baking sheet or cutting board. You can also use donut moulds to help shape the dough before air frying.

Air frying the donuts

Cook the donuts for 5 to 7 minutes, flipping them halfway or two-thirds through to ensure even cooking on both sides. The donuts are done when they are golden brown and puffed up. If you want to cook the donut holes as well, place them in the air fryer for 3 to 5 minutes.

While the donuts are cooking, you can prepare your desired toppings or glaze. For a simple glaze, whisk together powdered sugar and milk. For a cinnamon-sugar coating, mix cinnamon and sugar in a shallow bowl and set aside. You can also melt butter to brush onto the warm donuts before coating them in the cinnamon-sugar mixture.

Once the donuts are done, remove them from the air fryer and place them on a plate or cooling rack. If you're using a glaze, dip the tops of the donuts into the glaze and then place them on a cooling rack to allow the excess glaze to drip off. If you're using the cinnamon-sugar coating, brush the warm donuts with melted butter and then toss or dip them in the cinnamon-sugar mixture.

Your air-fried donuts are now ready to be served and enjoyed! They are best served warm, but you can also store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.

Preparing the glaze or toppings

There are several ways to glaze or top your air fryer donuts. One popular option is a cinnamon-sugar mixture. To make this, simply mix together cinnamon and sugar in a shallow bowl. You can also add other spices like ground ginger and cloves. After your donuts are done cooking, brush them with melted butter, then dip or roll them in the cinnamon-sugar mixture until they are completely coated.

Another option is to make a simple glaze by whisking together powdered sugar and milk. You can dip the tops of the donuts into the glaze, then place them on a cooling rack to allow the excess glaze to drip off. You can also add a few drops of food colouring to the glaze for a fun twist.

If you're feeling extra indulgent, you can dip your donuts in melted chocolate. You can then top them with sprinkles, chopped nuts, crushed cookies, or shredded coconut.

For a classic donut shop flavour, mix together granulated white sugar and cinnamon. Brush the warm donuts with a little melted butter, then sprinkle on the cinnamon-sugar mixture.

For a simple, sweet option, dip your donuts in powdered sugar or confectioner's sugar. You can also add sprinkles for some extra colour and texture.

Feel free to get creative and experiment with different toppings to find your favourite combination!

Storing the donuts

Air fryer donuts are best enjoyed fresh, but if you have leftovers, you can store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two days. They will get tougher as time goes on, so it's recommended to eat them on the same day they're made.

If you want to keep them for longer, you can refrigerate the donuts for up to five days, although this may slightly affect their texture.

For even longer storage, you can freeze the donuts. First, let them cool to room temperature, then wrap them in plastic wrap and place them in a freezer-safe bag or container. Frozen donuts will keep well for up to three months. When you're ready to enjoy them again, thaw them overnight in the fridge, then reheat them in the air fryer or microwave until warmed through.

Frequently asked questions