Clicky

Air Fryer Doughnuts

5 from 4 votes
Jump to RecipePinSave to Favorites

Site Index Air fryer Air fryer recipes Doughnut

This post may contain affiliate links. See my privacy policy for details.

Homemade doughnuts are just one of those things that most people can never be bothered to make. Thanks to a handy package of biscuit dough and a simple air fryer, however, it couldn’t be easier!

Why not learn How to Make Brown Sugar Sauce to pour over your doughnuts? Or you could try this Raspberry Sauce Recipe!

Table of Contents
  1. Air Fryer Doughnuts
  2. Tips For Melting Butter For This Recipe
  3. How To Tell When Your Doughnuts Are Cooked
  4. What To Do If You Can’t Find Flaky Biscuit Dough
  5. Alternative Doughnut Coatings
  6. PIN THIS RECIPE to your DESSERT AND AIR FRYER RECIPE Boards and Remember to FOLLOW ME ON PINTEREST!
  7. Air Fryer Recipes Recipe
air fryer doughnuts on a large white plate

Air Fryer Doughnuts

Doughnuts are one of mankind’s greatest creations – tender, sweet, doughy, and delicious, they are perfect for breakfast with coffee or as a snack.

However, despite how incredible doughnuts are, they are just not worth making at home.

The dough takes ages to prepare and rise, and the oil is messy, hot, and dangerous, so much so that the whole idea of doughnuts is better left to when you get them from a takeout place that specializes in them.

Of course, if you don’t mind using a few tricks, like a handy air fryer and some ready-made biscuit dough, then delicious doughnuts could be in your hands a lot sooner than you might think.

air fryer doughnuts ingredients in measuring cups

Tips For Melting Butter For This Recipe

A lot of recipes will tell you to simply melt some butter in anticipation of using it as the fat of choice to cook your food in.

This recipe is no different, as the melted butter not only prevents the doughnuts from sticking but also helps to brown the surface.

To melt your butter, you can easily just stick the required amount in a frying pan, as long as you keep in the mind the inherent loss from having some stick to the pan.

The other thing you can do is to simply microwave it in a microwavable safe bowl. This lets you melt the butter precisely as quickly as you want, helping to avoid any unnecessary burning.

You could also just use the air fryer, so long as you keep in mind that that will always be a little bit of leftover butter that sticks to everything and has the potential to burn.

air fryer doughnuts in the air fryer basket ready to be cooked

How To Tell When Your Doughnuts Are Cooked

Doughnuts are one of the trickiest fried or baked foods to know precisely when they are perfectly cooked.

This is because of the fact that if your heat was too high, the outer surface can become cooked way too quickly, resulting in a well-done exterior.

The best way to check for a doughnut’s doneness is, sadly, to break it open and check inside. If it is done, it should be visibly dough-like, and have plenty of soft, pillowiness inside it.

If you are finding that your doughnuts are cooking too much, make sure to flip the doughnuts one at a time. This ensures a more even cooking, and makes sure that you don’t end up with one side still raw.

air fryer doughnut with a bite out of it

What To Do If You Can’t Find Flaky Biscuit Dough

This recipe relies on some good old-fashioned, handy flaky biscuit dough, the kind that comes in a refrigerated cylinder.

This handy trick of getting your doughnuts basically premade allows for a really easy cooking experience.

However, if you can’t find them, you could always make your own. There are all kinds of easy doughnut dough recipes out there, you just need to pick one.

One thing to keep in mind, though, is that this recipe is all about easy, quick, and convenient doughnuts with your air fryer, allowing you to make some tasty doughnuts whenever you want.

If you don’t have the easy ingredient needed to make them… it might be worth making something else.

air fryer doughnuts on a plate with sugar and cinnamon

Alternative Doughnut Coatings

Instead of the tasty cinnamon sugar mixture listed in this recipe, why not try using an alternative coating instead?

  • Powdered Sugar

A simple coating of powdered sugar isn’t just an easy doughnut coating, it is also one of the most classic, with a ton of natural, sweet flavor that allows the doughnuts themselves to shine through.

  • Cocoa Powder

Simple cocoa powder dusted over top can make for a really good doughnut topping, but you could even improve it with a few extra ingredients. A little bit of sugar, or even some chili powder, would massively improve the flavor and experience of biting into each chocolate-sprinkled doughnut.

  • Oreo Crumbs

Some simple crushed-up Oreos make for a great coating on some doughnuts, so long as you crush them really finely.

  • Strawberry Icing Glaze

Strawberry icing glaze can add a ton of unique flavor to your doughnuts, as they offer not only some extra sweetness but also a good hit of strawberry flavor.

  • Sprinkles

If all else fails, reach for the ever-dependable topping of some dustings of sprinkles. Whether you call them Rainbow Sprinkles or Hundreds & Thousands, they make for a great topping for any kind of sweet treat.

Looking for more delicious Air Fryer recipes? Try these out:

Air Fryer Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

Air Fryer Corn Dogs

Air Fryer Hamburgers

Happy Cooking

Love,

Karlynn

PIN THIS RECIPE to your DESSERT AND AIR FRYER RECIPE Boards and Remember to FOLLOW ME ON PINTEREST!

Doughnuts are one of mankind’s greatest creations – tender, sweet, doughy, and delicious, they are perfect for breakfast with coffee or as a snack.
EMAIL YOURSELF THIS RECIPE!
Enter your email to get this recipe emailed to you, so you don’t lose it and get new recipes daily!

Air Fryer Recipes

Doughnuts are one of mankind’s greatest creations – tender, sweet, doughy, and delicious, they are perfect for breakfast with coffee or as a snack.
5 from 4 votes
air fryer doughnuts on a large white plate
Prep Time
10 minutes
Cook Time
8 minutes
Course
Dessert
Cuisine
American
Author
Karlynn Johnston

Ingredients
 

  • One 16.3oz package refrigerated flaky biscuit dough (Like Pillsbury™ Grands!™ Flaky Layers)
  • ¼ cup butter (melted)
  • ½ cup white sugar
  • ¼ cup brown sugar
  • 1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon

Instructions
 

  • Pre heat your air fryer if needed to 350°
  • Melt your butter in a small bowl or microwave safe measuring cup.
  • In a medium sized bowl add the melted butter. In a second medium sized bowl combine white sugar, brown sugar and cinnamon. Set aside.
  • Separate biscuit dough into the individual biscuits and cut out the centers using a biscuit cutter, or a icing tip to create a doughnut shape.
  • Place the prepared doughnuts in the air fryer basket so they are not touching and have room to expand.
  • Air fry at 350 ° until golden brown for 4 to 6 minutes. Flip doughnuts and cook an additional 2 to 3 minutes.
  • Remove the doughnuts from air fryer onto a plate.
  • Dip each doughnut into the melted butter (making sure to coat top, bottom, and the sides), then dip into the sugar-cinnamon mixture until completely coated.
  • Serve while warm, Enjoy!

All calories and info are based on a third party calculator and are only an estimate. Actual nutritional info will vary with brands used, your measuring methods, portion sizes and more.

Made this recipe?

Share a photo of what you made on Instagram or Facebook and tag me @thekitchenmagpie or hashtag it #thekitchenmagpie.

Please rate this recipe in the comments below to help out your fellow cooks!

Learn to cook like the Kitchen Magpie

A Very Prairie Christmas Bakebook

Cookies, Candies, Cakes & More: Vintage Baking to Celebrate the Festive Season!

Learn More

a copy of Flapper Pie cook book

Flapper Pie and a Blue Prairie Sky

A Modern Baker’s Guide to Old-Fashioned Desserts

Learn More

The Prairie Table

Suppers, Potlucks & Socials: Crowd-Pleasing Recipes to Bring People Together

Learn More

Karlynn Johnston

I’m a busy mom of two, wife & cookbook author who loves creating fast, fresh meals for my little family on the Canadian prairies. Karlynn Facts: I'm allergic to broccoli. I've never met a cocktail that I didn't like. I would rather burn down my house than clean it. Most of all, I love helping YOU get dinner ready because there's nothing more important than connecting with our loved ones around the dinner table!

Learn more about me

Site Index Air fryer Air fryer recipes Doughnut

Reader Interactions

Leave a Comment or Recipe Tip

Recipe Rating