Save I discovered air fryer donuts by accident one Saturday morning when my kids woke up craving something sweet and I had exactly nine minutes before we needed to leave for soccer practice. Rifling through the fridge, I found a can of biscuit dough and wondered aloud if it could work. Five minutes later, golden, puffy donuts emerged from the air fryer, and the cinnamon sugar coating made the kitchen smell like a fair. What should have been a desperate shortcut became our new weekend ritual, and now I keep those cans stocked specifically for this.
I'll never forget the look on my neighbor's face when she stopped by at 7 a.m. to borrow milk and got hit with the smell of cinnamon sugar donuts instead. She stayed for three, and now she texts me photos of her own air fryer donuts. It's become the kind of recipe you text friends about before they've even finished their coffee.
Ingredients
- Refrigerated biscuit dough (1 can, 16 oz): This is the entire shortcut—it's already seasoned, already risen, and all the butter is built in, so don't overthink it.
- Nonstick cooking spray: Just a light coat keeps them from sticking without adding oil or fuss.
- Granulated sugar (1/2 cup): The sweet coating that makes them special, and honestly, you can never have too much.
- Ground cinnamon (1 1/2 tsp): This is where the magic lives—don't skip it or use old cinnamon that's lost its punch.
- Unsalted butter (4 tbsp, melted): Melted warm, it helps the cinnamon sugar stick and adds that bakery-fresh richness.
Instructions
- Get your air fryer ready:
- Set it to 350°F and let it preheat for the full 3 minutes—this matters more than you'd think for even cooking.
- Shape your donuts:
- Pop open the biscuit can and separate the dough into 8 individual biscuits. Using a small round cutter (a shot glass works in a pinch), press straight down through the center of each one to create that classic donut hole, and save those little pieces if you want extra treats.
- Prepare the basket:
- Give it a light spritz of nonstick spray—just enough so nothing sticks, not so much that it pools.
- Air fry with confidence:
- Lay the donuts flat in a single layer, keeping them from touching. Set the timer for 3 to 4 minutes and flip them halfway through, which only takes a second and makes them puff evenly.
- Make the coating while they cook:
- Mix the sugar and cinnamon in a shallow bowl so it's ready the moment they come out hot.
- Coat them immediately:
- Working quickly while they're warm, brush each donut with melted butter on both sides, then toss them in the cinnamon sugar until they're completely covered. The warmth helps everything stick.
- Serve and repeat:
- Enjoy them warm with coffee or milk, and cook any remaining biscuits or donut holes the same way.
Save Last week my daughter made these for her best friend's birthday morning before school, and something shifted—it stopped being just a quick breakfast and became the thing she wanted to make for people she loves. That's when I realized this recipe had become more than a time-saver; it was her way of saying good morning.
Why the Air Fryer Changes Everything
Before I owned an air fryer, donuts meant either a trip out or deep frying, both of which felt like too much effort for a spontaneous craving. The air fryer solved that without making them taste like they were microwaved or baked into hockey pucks. They stay tender, the cinnamon sugar coating actually caramelizes slightly on the outside, and there's zero oil mess to clean up afterward. It's the kind of kitchen shortcut that doesn't feel like a compromise.
Toppings Beyond Cinnamon Sugar
Once you've mastered the basic recipe, the variations are endless and honestly more fun than sticking to one way. I've drizzled a quick vanilla glaze over cooled donuts and watched them disappear, dusted them in powdered sugar for a more delicate look, and even rolled a batch in cocoa powder when I wanted to feel fancy without actually trying. The dough is neutral enough that it plays well with almost anything you want to coat it with.
Storing and Timing Your Donuts
These are undeniably best eaten within an hour of cooking when the sugar coating is still crisp and the donut is still warm enough to taste freshly made. If you need to make them ahead, you can store them in an airtight container for a day, though they'll soften a bit. I've reheated them in the air fryer at 300°F for just a minute to bring back some of that fresh texture, and it works better than you'd expect. The one thing I've learned is that patience doesn't help here—warm donuts with cold milk is genuinely the best way to eat them.
- Store in an airtight container to keep them from drying out.
- Reheat briefly in the air fryer if they've lost their warmth and you want that fresh-made feeling back.
- Make them the morning you want to eat them for the best texture and flavor.
Save These 1-minute donuts have become my answer to those mornings when everyone's rushing out the door but nobody wants to skip breakfast. They're proof that the best recipes aren't always complicated—they're the ones that fit into real life.
Recipe FAQs
- → What type of dough is used for these donuts?
Refrigerated biscuit dough is used as a convenient base, providing a soft and flaky texture when air fried.
- → How do you achieve the donut shape?
Use a small round cutter to cut a hole in the center of each biscuit, creating the classic donut shape before air frying.
- → What temperature and time are best for air frying these?
Preheat the air fryer to 350°F (175°C) and cook the donuts for 3-4 minutes, flipping halfway to ensure even browning.
- → How is the cinnamon sugar coating applied?
Once air fried, donuts are brushed with melted butter and then tossed in a cinnamon sugar mixture to fully coat their surface.
- → Can these donuts be customized with other coatings?
Yes, they're versatile and can be rolled in powdered sugar or cocoa powder, or drizzled with a simple glaze for variety.
- → Are any special tools required?
An air fryer, small round cutter, pastry brush, and mixing bowls are helpful tools for preparation and coating.