The Kitchen Bucket List

  • Air Fryer
  • Baking
  • BBQ
  • Griddle
  • About
  • Contact
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Air Fryer
  • Baking
  • BBQ
  • Griddle
  • About
  • Contact
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • search icon
    Homepage link
    • Air Fryer
    • Baking
    • BBQ
    • Griddle
    • About
    • Contact
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • ×
    Home » Air Fryer Recipes

    Air fryer donut holes

    Published: Jun 11, 2021 · Modified: Feb 7, 2025 by Karina

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    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.

    A plate of air fryer cinnamon sugar donut holes.

    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.

    Jump to:
    • Recipe Highlights
    • Air fryer baking
    • Adjusting temperature & time
    • Bakeware
    • Air fryer vs oven
    • Air fryer baking with a batter
    • Keep on air frying
    • Ingredients
    • Instructions
    • Equipment
    • Storage / Reheat
    • Looking for a clever meal
    • Air fryer donut holes

    Air fryer baking

    Air frying baking made easy with biscuit donut holes. this recipe

    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.

    Keep on air frying

    • Seasoned air fryer gnocchi coming out of the air fryer in the basket with a beautiful golden color.
      Air fryer gnocchi
    • Overhead shot of the French onion baked potatoes. The melted Gruyere cheese has crisped on the side of the potatoes sitting in the air fryer basket.
      French onion baked potatoes
    • Overhead shot of the piggies in a blanket in the air fryer basket. They are done up for Halloween to look like mummy dogs with googly eyes.
      Piggies in a blanket air fryer (Halloween edition)
    • Plated cranberry meatballs with orange slices and cranberries as a garnish. You can see the cranberries and juiciness of the meatballs.
      Cranberry meatballs

    Ingredients

    Overhead shot of the staple ingredients for the recipe that use biscuit dough as the base.

    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.

    Two biscuit dough pieces cut in fourths and eights dough balls resting on a wood cutting board.

    Cut & roll the biscuit dough into balls.

    Eight biscuit dough balls waiting to be air fried.

    Air fry the dough.

    Eight air fryer baked donut holes waiting to be coated with melted butter and cinnamon sugar.

    Cool & coat with butter, then roll in cinnamon sugar.

    A pile of cinnamon sugar donut holes with one that has a bite taken out of it, showing the cinnamon crust.

    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.

    Looking for a clever meal

    • Holding a piece of the crispy bacon chicken ranch quesadilla with meted cheese and a drip of ranch dressing coming from the middle. It is ready to be eaten.
      Bacon chicken ranch quesadilla
    • A chicken crunchwrap sliced into 3 pieces and stacked on a cutting board. You can see the crispiness of the tortilla and the freshness of the ingredients.
      Chicken crunchwrap
    • Holding the Philly cheesesteak hot and fresh right above the griddle. It has melted provolone, grilled onions and peppers, and a hot dog bun grilled to perfection.
      Philly cheesesteak on the griddle
    • Sliced smoked meatloaf with BBQ sauce that has caramelized to form a crust. It is moist and tender.
      Smoked meatloaf recipe for the BBQ or smoker
    A close-up of the cinnamon sugar donut holes with one that has a bite taken out of it, showing the cinnamon crust.

    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!

    A pile of cinnamon sugar donut holes with one that has a bite taken out of it, showing the cinnamon crust.

    Air fryer donut holes

    Karina
    We all need a sweet cinnamon sugar treat now and then. The Kitchen Bucket List has you covered by using simple ingredients like biscuit dough for a tasty breakfast or dessert.
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save Saved!
    Prep Time 10 minutes mins
    Cook Time 5 minutes mins
    Total Time 15 minutes mins
    Course Breakfast, Dessert, Snack
    Cuisine American
    Servings 32 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!
    Keyword air fryer backing, air fryer donut hole, air fryer donut holes, air fryer doughnut holes, cinnamon balls, cinnamon sugar doughnut holes, cinnamon sugar ratio

    HAPPY AIR FRYING!!!

    Air Fryer Recipes

    • You can see how the addition of nutmeg, ginger, and cinnamon in chocolate chip cookies has given them a golden color. A plate full of chocolate cinnamon chip cookies.
      Chocolate chip cinnamon cookies
    • Goldenly seared air fryer ribeye steak with herb butter melting on top.
      Air Fryer Ribeye Steak
    • Frozen French toast sticks cooked in the air fryer stacked up with maple syrup being pour over them.
      Frozen French toast sticks air fryer
    • A golden crispy chocolate chip cookie on spatula coming up from air fryer basket with four other cookies.
      Cookie Dough in Air Fryer
    FacebookTweetPinLinkedIn

    Filed Under: Air Fryer Recipes, Baking, Breakfast, Desserts, Holidays, Kids can cook, Recipes

    Comments

    1. Mike Jones says

      January 28, 2023 at 9:03 am

      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.

      Reply
    2. Brittany says

      August 17, 2022 at 6:50 pm

      5 stars
      Such an easy recipe and my kiddos LOVED it! We will definitely be making it again!

      Reply
    3. Karina says

      April 06, 2022 at 5:00 pm

      Great idea! I will have to try it. Thanks for sharing.

      Reply
    4. Connie says

      January 01, 2022 at 7:33 pm

      Why is there vanillla extract listed in the ingredients but not used in the recipe?

      Reply
      • Karina says

        January 03, 2022 at 8:48 am

        Thank you for pointing it out. It has been corrected. We add the vanilla into the melted butter.

        Reply
    5. Chandice says

      November 22, 2021 at 2:05 pm

      5 stars
      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!

      Reply
      • Karina says

        November 23, 2021 at 11:51 am

        Awesome! I am so excited you enjoyed them. Let us know when you make the other air fryer recipes what you think.

        Reply
    6. Molly says

      November 22, 2021 at 1:46 pm

      5 stars
      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!

      Reply
      • Karina says

        November 22, 2021 at 1:58 pm

        They are delicious! Let us know when you try them what you think.

        Reply
    7. Jessica Burgess says

      November 22, 2021 at 1:33 pm

      5 stars
      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!

      Reply
      • Karina says

        November 22, 2021 at 1:51 pm

        Air Fryer has been a game-changer for us. Glad you liked the recipe.

        Reply
    8. Carol says

      November 21, 2021 at 10:40 pm

      Do you have to have a special dish for baking. Can you just put it in fryer basket?b

      Reply
      • Karina says

        November 22, 2021 at 1:14 pm

        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

        Reply
      • Sue Kulhanek Reuschlein says

        April 02, 2023 at 11:41 am

        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.

        Reply
        • Sean says

          April 26, 2023 at 5:58 pm

          I am so glad you like them. They are addictive for sure.

    9. Kay Fradl says

      November 20, 2021 at 7:32 pm

      I have an air fryer that only has 3 racks, can I still make these?

      Reply
      • Karina says

        November 22, 2021 at 1:12 pm

        Absolutely, you may need to adjust the time as all air fryer have different settings

        Reply

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    I'm Karina,

    After years of cooking and baking with my girls, where even dad shows up from time to time, especially for BBQ. The Kitchen Bucket List was created.
    I hope you enjoy these Simple, Easy, and Tasty Recipes with your friends and family.

    More about me →

    Recent Recipes

    • Searing a smoked ribeye with the smokers flame broiler. This recipe can be done on a charcoal BBQ too.
      Smoked ribeyes with BBQ spice rub
    • Smashed Baby Dutch Yellow potatoes with Colby Jack cheese melting while they crisp up.
      Smashed potatoes with cheese
    • The smoked meat being sliced on a cutting board.
      Smoked corned beef brisket
    • Two smoking beef short rib racks resting vertically on a BBQ grill grate.
      Smoking beef short ribs

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    Recipes

    Air Fryer

    Baking

    Griddle

    BBQ

    About

    About
    The Kitchen Bucket List

    Contact

    Modern footer. Welcome to The Kitchen Bucket List's Recipes & About footer. My name is Karina and I am very excited to share with you our Simple, Easy, and Tasty recipes. After years of cooking and baking with my girls, where even dad shows up from time to time, especially for the BBQ, The Kitchen Bucket List was created in the Spring of 2020.

    Privacy Policy - Disclaimer - Terms and Conditions - Website Accessibility Statement

    Copyright © 2025 | The Kitchen Bucket List