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Air Fryer Glazed Doughnuts

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By Pillsbury Kitchens
Updated Aug 6, 2024
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When you’ve got a craving, this easy Air Fryer Donuts recipe is here to bring donuts to the table quicker and easier than you thought possible. Just break out your favorite countertop appliance and get ready for your new favorite donuts!

The secret? We’re going to make these air fryer donuts from Grands!™ biscuits! Skip a few steps and get straight to the good part. With just a few simple ingredients and only 15 minutes of prep time required, this is one heck of a shortcut to delicious!

So, whether you’re entertaining, heading to a party, or just want a reason to enjoy something simple and amazing, fire up the air fryer and get ready for the best—and fastest—air fryer glazed donuts you’ve ever had!

How to Make Air Fryer Glazed Donuts

Separate your dough into 8 biscuits on a cutting board, then cut a hole in the center of each biscuit to get that perfect donut shape. Don’t throw the center away! You’ll be using them later to make bonus donut holes. Dip each donut and donut hole into melted butter, shake off any excess, and then it’s time to fry.

Set the air fryer to 370° and cook 4 donuts at a time for 5 to 6 minutes, flip and continue cooking for 3 to 4 minutes. You’ll be able to tell when the donuts are ready by looking for a deep golden brown color on the surface. When the donuts are done, you can fry the donut holes all at once, cooking about 2 minutes per side.

Lastly, it’s time to glaze these air fryer glazed donuts! Mix the glaze in a small bowl and dip each donut halfway into the glaze until it’s nicely covered. The best part—it’s time to eat!

Shaping Donut Holes without a Donut Cutter

No round cutter? No problem! The easiest way to get a perfect 1-inch hole in the center of your donuts is with a cookie cutter, but there are plenty of other things that can be substituted. You can use the other end of a piping tip to make the cut or, in a pinch, you can simply cut a hole with a knife, or cut a smaller hole, and stretch the donut evenly on all edges until you have a 1-inch hole in the center.

Storing Air Fryer Donuts

When you’re making air fryer donuts from Grands!™ biscuits, you can follow a lot of the same guidelines as you would for biscuits. However, the glaze requires extra attention.

These easy air fryer donuts are best stored in an airtight container. In the fridge, they’ll keep for 5 to 6 days. You can also freeze them, where they’ll last for up to 3 months. However, the glaze can lose its structure after being frozen, and glazed donuts don’t last as long in the freezer. That’s why it’s recommended that you only freeze un-glazed donuts and glaze them once thawed.

Frequently Asked Questions

How Can I Tell When the Donuts Are Done?

For air fryer donuts, one of the main telltale signs for doneness is the color. Since these are air fryer donuts made from Grands!™ biscuits, look for the same golden brown you’d be looking for in biscuits. You can also check the shape. The dough should rise a bit and shift from flat biscuit dough to a fluffy donut shape. And if you check the surface of the donuts—carefully, they’re probably hot!—they should be firm and a little crispy.

How Do I Prevent Donuts from Sticking to the Air Fryer?

The easiest way to prevent your air fryer donuts from sticking is to use parchment paper or cooking spray. But be careful: some of the more widely available cooking sprays contain an ingredient called soy lecithin. It’s perfectly safe, and it’s just fine when you’re using it on a skillet, but at an air fryer’s higher temperatures, it can deteriorate and potentially ruin the surface of your fryer.

The best way to prevent sticking is to simply use a neutral oil with a high smoke point like avocado oil, sunflower oil, or coconut oil. Simply apply a small amount with a brush or rub it on the interior of your fryer with a paper towel. And remember: a little will go a long way.

What Is the Difference between Air Fryer Donuts and Regular Donuts?

Traditional donuts from a diner or café—or Pillsbury’s own Easy Chocolate Sprinkle Doughnuts—are fried in oil, which does a great job at cooking the exterior and interior at different rates, so each donut is crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside. However, frying donuts in oil is a much more hands-on recipe.

You can also make donuts in the oven, like these Baked Sugar Donuts, for a slightly lighter texture that requires less effort—and less oil.

When you pop them in the air fryer, donuts take on the best of both worlds, the appetizing texture of fried donuts, plus the ease and lightness of baked donuts.

Air Fryer Glazed Doughnuts

  • Prep Time 15 min
  • Total 40 min
  • Ingredients 5
  • Servings 8
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Ingredients

Doughnuts

Glaze

  • 1 1/4 cups powdered sugar
  • 3 tablespoons milk
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Instructions

  • Step 
    1
    Wipe down bottom of air fryer basket with a high smoke point oil, such as avocado oil or coconut oil.
  • Step 
    2
    Separate dough into 8 biscuits. Place biscuits on cutting board. With 1-inch round cookie cutter, cut hole in center of each biscuit. Dip all sides of biscuits and centers into butter; shake off excess butter. Place 4 biscuits in air fryer basket, spacing apart.
  • Step 
    3
    Set air fryer to 370°F; cook 5 to 6 minutes or until biscuit tops are deep golden brown. Using tongs or spatula, turn over each biscuit. Cook 3 to 4 minutes or until deep golden brown and cooked through. Remove from air fryer; cover loosely with foil to keep warm while cooking second batch. Cook as directed above for remaining 4 biscuits. Remove from air fryer; cover loosely with foil to keep warm while cooking centers.
  • Step 
    4
    Place 8 biscuit centers in bottom of air fryer basket. Set air fryer to 370°F; cook 2 minutes. Using tongs or spatula, turn over each biscuit center. Cook 2 to 3 minutes or until deep golden brown and cooked through.
  • Step 
    5
    In small bowl, mix Glaze ingredients. Turn each doughnut upside down, and dip halfway into glaze. Let any excess drip off, then transfer right side up to cooling rack or serving plate. Serve warm.

Nutrition

300 Calories
12g Total Fat
4g Protein
45g Total Carbohydrate
24g Sugars

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size: 1 Doughnut and 1 Doughnut Hole
Calories
300
Calories from Fat
110
Total Fat
12g
18%
Saturated Fat
6g
31%
Trans Fat
0g
Cholesterol
15mg
5%
Sodium
500mg
21%
Potassium
270mg
8%
Total Carbohydrate
45g
15%
Dietary Fiber
0g
0%
Sugars
24g
Protein
4g
% Daily Value*:
Vitamin A
4%
4%
Vitamin C
0%
0%
Calcium
0%
0%
Iron
8%
8%
Exchanges:
1 Starch; 0 Fruit; 2 Other Carbohydrate; 0 Skim Milk; 0 Low-Fat Milk; 0 Milk; 0 Vegetable; 0 Very Lean Meat; 0 Lean Meat; 0 High-Fat Meat; 2 1/2 Fat;
Carbohydrate Choice
3
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

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