Air fryer donut holes are here to save the day when you are craving donuts. Ready in minutes these irresistible donut holes will turn a simple biscuit dough into a sweet cinnamon heavenly bite for everyone to enjoy.
Recipe Highlights
Beyond the recipe: Air fryer donut holes are perfect to serve at your next brunch. No matter the occasion, they go great with a cup of coffee, hot chocolate, or even milk.
Equipment you will need: Air fryer.
Time for this recipe: Cook time is 5 minutes.
Servings: 32 donut holes.
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Air fryer baking
If this is your first time baking in the air fryer, you will love it. The air fryer donut holes are fun, delicious, and easy to make. Even better, this is an ideal recipe to start baking in the air fryer. So, let’s talk about that.
From the first day I started baking with my air fryer, I fell in love. I knew it would be a fun journey. Experimenting with new recipes is my passion and the air fryer gets testing done so quickly. From these experiences, I have learned key methods for adapting an oven recipe to the air fryer. Here are my key tips when baking in the air fryer and the differences to consider:
- Adjusting temperature & time – The general rule to start adapting an oven recipe to baking in the air fryer is to lower the temperature by 20°F and cooking times by 25%.
- Bakeware – Check that it fits before you start.
- Air fryer vs oven – The air fryer has a powerful fan circulating the hot air around the food item which will decrease cook time but can also lift lighter items.
- Air fryer baking with a batter – Cakes and such will bake differently so more adjustments will be needed.
Adjusting temperature & time
The first thing to do is to decrease the temperature and time of your oven baked recipe for air frying baking. Lowering the temperature by 20°F and cooking times by 25% is usually a great start. These are suggestions as every air fryer will cook differently depending on the type and brand. We use two different styles and brands here. The basket style air fryer is fairly consistent with the general rule. However, our oven style needs more attention when adapting a recipe. It does have the plus of being able to see in while the recipe is baking. Regardless of which air fryer you are using don’t plan on the first recipe conversion to be perfect. Here is an example of using the general rule with minor tweaks, cookie dough in the air fryer. Yes, it was a very delicious day of experimenting 😉.
Bakeware
Bakeware needs to fit which seems obvious. Unfortunately, I found out the hard way that the manufacturer’s measurements may not be entirely accurate. Additionally, depending on the brand, you may need to take into consideration rounded edges in a basket style air fryers. This lesson was learned with a 7-inch pan that technically should have fit except for the rounded edges. So that is why I use a 6-inch pan. It’s not a big deal, just annoying, and hopefully, this post will help you have success baking in the air fryer. I find the speed and convenience completely overshadows any difficulties. Here is one of the recipes with that 6-inch pan. It had dinner ready in under 30 minutes, shredded chicken.
Air fryer vs oven
The biggest difference here is that an air fryer uses a strong fan that circulates the hot air around the food. This can become problematic with light food items. A cheese slice, the top slice of bread on a sandwich, pepperoni on a pizza, or parchment paper can lift off and move around. You can prevent this with a little forethought like a toothpick to hold items down. Another option is to preheat then place the item in and let things melt a little before cooking. There is one thing you should never do.
DO NOT PREHEAT YOUR AIR FRYER WITH ONLY PARCHMENT PAPER IN IT.
Now with that said, parchment paper can be a game changer for baking in the air fryer. From cleaning to moving items out of the basket like Francesca’s air fryer nachos.
Air fryer baking with a batter
This is where you will need to start with the general rule and apply how the air fryer works while baking. A cake is an example. What I have learned from developing cake to bread recipes in the air fryer is the relationship between the temperature and the force of the air circling inside. The middle of a muffin or cake will rise more than when baking in an oven. The edges will be set sooner than the middle. Don’t panic, nothing a good frosting can’t fix. However, if it does rise too much, you will need to decrease the temperature so the batter won’t be moved around too much. This will impact the bake time. One of my tastiest successes is the funfetti cake, perfect for 4 – 6 people.
Ingredients
It is so simple just a store-bought biscuit dough, cinnamon, sugar, and a few staple ingredients.
Scroll down to the recipe card for exact quantities and ingredients.
Instructions
You will love this recipe because while the first batch is cooking you can get the butter melted and the cinnamon sugar ratio the way you want it. I did this recipe when the girls were younger and those little hands were so helpful in making the donut holes. Though, they called them cinnamon balls.
Cut & roll the biscuit dough into balls.
Air fry the dough.
Cool & coat with butter, then roll in cinnamon sugar.
Repeat and Enjoy.
Keep reading down to the recipe card for exact quantities and instructions.
Equipment
- Air fryer
Storage / Reheat
The air fryer donut holes are best the day of, but you can store them for 2 – 3 days in the fridge. To reheat and get that sweet cinnamon sugar crust back air fryer at 350°F for 1 – 2 minutes.
Did you have the air fryer cinnamon sugar donut holes for breakfast or dessert? Let us know and leave ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ in the review below. You can tag me @thekitchenbucketlist on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, and YouTube!
Air fryer donut holes
Equipment
- Air Fryer
Ingredients
- 1 tube flaky biscuit dough (8 biscuits)
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons melted butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (Optional)
Instructions
- In a shallow bowl, mix your sugars and cinnamon. Set aside.
- Preheat the air fryer to 350℉ for 3 minutes.
- Open the can of biscuit dough and separate it into 8 pieces, then cut into fourths.
- Shape the flaky biscuit dough into 32 donut holes. This is a great activity for little hands and new bakers.
- Place 8 donut holes in the air fryer and the rest back in the refrigerator. I do this for two reasons. First, I live in Florida so the kitchen is on the warm side. Second, keeping them in the fridge until baking leads to a flakier donut hole. NOTE: The biscuit dough will expand while baking so leave space between the donut holes. It took me 3 batches to air fry the 32 biscuit donut holes.
- Bake for 5 minutes in the air fryer at 350℉ or until golden brown.
- Melt the butter and add the vanilla extract, optional. Mix well.
- Once golden brown remove the donut holes and let them cool for 2 minutes. Start the next batch and repeat until done.
- Once cooled a bit, roll the donut holes in or use a brush to coat them with melted butter.
- Roll each one in the cinnamon sugar mixture until coated.
- Serve and Enjoy!
Loved these for two reasons. Simple ingredients and delicious flavour! Easy to whip up when my sweet tooth calls.
I love donuts and these donut holes looks fantastic!
These look so fun, can’t wait to try!
Just tried this and it is great! I have a 26 qt air fryer and was able to cook all 32 in 4 minutes. I did run out of butter and coating so I will double that next time.
Such an easy recipe and my kiddos LOVED it! We will definitely be making it again!
Great idea! I will have to try it. Thanks for sharing.
Why is there vanillla extract listed in the ingredients but not used in the recipe?
Thank you for pointing it out. It has been corrected. We add the vanilla into the melted butter.
Ok these are my new favorite afternoon snack! They were sooooo delicious and super easy to make which I appreciated. PLUS, it gave me an excuse to use my air fryer more which I am having fun with. Can’t wait to check out all your other air fryer recipes because this was a WIN!
Awesome! I am so excited you enjoyed them. Let us know when you make the other air fryer recipes what you think.
Oh my gosh! I can’t wait to try these!!! Growing up, my mom would make donuts with canned biscuits, but there were fried in lots of grease! They are a childhood favorite that I miss, because I try to cut back on food fried in grease. So this just made my day!!! I am so excited to try these! Thank you for the amazing recipe!
They are delicious! Let us know when you try them what you think.
I’ve been using my air fryer for a little while now, and have fallen in love with it! But now… now that I’ve tried this recipe, not only do I love the air fryer… I’m obsessed! Haha! This recipe is so easy and turns out amazing! Thank you!
Air Fryer has been a game-changer for us. Glad you liked the recipe.
Do you have to have a special dish for baking. Can you just put it in fryer basket?b
I have a basket-type air fryer. I have done it directly in the basket and also I have done it with parchment paper in the bottom. Be careful if you use parchment paper, always make sure you have the weight to hold it down. Don’t preheat your air fryer with it in by itself
I just made these with Pillsbury Flaky Layers Biscuits which came 10 in a tube. So I made a bit more sugar cinnamon mixture and a bit more butter. That are so good! Watch them because the first batch took 15 minutes but the others a lot less time.
I am so glad you like them. They are addictive for sure.
I have an air fryer that only has 3 racks, can I still make these?
Absolutely, you may need to adjust the time as all air fryer have different settings