Air Fryer Cinnamon Sugar Donuts: Easy 15-Minute Recipe
Golden air fryer cinnamon sugar donuts ready in 15 minutes — made from biscuit dough, no deep frying needed. Crispy outside, fluffy inside, coated in buttery cinnamon sugar. 8 servings, easy weeknight dessert.
May 28, 2026
Ingredients
Step-by-Step Method
Preheat and Prep
Preheat your air fryer to 350F (175C) for 3 minutes. Line a small tray with parchment paper. While it heats, mix the granulated sugar and cinnamon together in a shallow bowl and set it aside. Melt the butter and keep it close — you'll need it fast once the donuts come out.
Shape the Donuts
Open the biscuit can and separate each biscuit onto the parchment-lined tray. Use a 1-inch round biscuit cutter, a bottle cap, or a shot glass to cut a hole in the center of each biscuit. Press firmly and twist slightly for a clean cut. Set the holes aside — those go in the air fryer too, just for less time. Lightly spray the air fryer basket with coconut or olive oil spray. Skip the nonstick sprays like Pam; they can damage the basket coating over time.
Air Fry the Donuts
Place 3 to 4 donuts in a single layer in the basket — they should not touch each other, since the hot air needs room to circulate around each one. Air fry at 350F for 5 to 6 minutes, flipping once halfway through, until both sides are golden brown and the centers feel set when pressed gently with a finger. Cook in batches. Donut holes take about 3 minutes total — pull them at 2 minutes and check, since they brown faster than the full rings.
Coat in Cinnamon Sugar
Work fast here — hot donuts absorb the butter and hold the sugar; cool ones don't. The moment each batch comes out, brush both sides generously with melted butter using a silicone pastry brush. Then dip each donut into the cinnamon-sugar mixture and flip to coat both sides fully. The butter is the glue — if you wait more than a minute, the coating will start sliding off instead of sticking.
Serve Warm
Plate them immediately and serve within 10 minutes of coating, while the sugar is still slightly crystallized and warm. Leftovers keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 day. To refresh them, air fry at 300F for 2 minutes — they won't be quite as good as fresh, but close enough. Skip the microwave; it turns them dense and rubbery.
These air fryer cinnamon sugar donuts are the shortcut your weekend mornings have been missing. Made from refrigerated biscuit dough and ready in 15 minutes flat, they come out golden with a crisp cinnamon-sugar crust and a soft, fluffy inside — no hot oil, no splatter, no waiting for dough to rise. If you own an air fryer and haven’t made these yet, today’s the day.
Air Fryer Cinnamon Sugar Donuts FAQs
Can I use any brand of biscuit dough for air fryer cinnamon sugar donuts?
Pillsbury Grands flaky biscuits work best — they’re thick enough to hold the donut shape and puff up nicely in the air fryer. Regular (smaller) biscuit cans work too but give you thinner donuts. Avoid the butter-flavored varieties; the added sweetness can make the cinnamon sugar coating taste off.
Why does the cinnamon sugar fall off my donuts?
The butter is the glue. Coat each donut in melted butter immediately after it comes out of the air fryer, while still hot, then dip into the cinnamon sugar right away. If you let them cool even a few minutes first, the butter firms up and the coating won’t stick properly. Work in small batches so you’re not racing against cooling donuts.
How do I reheat leftover air fryer donuts?
Pop them back into the air fryer at 300F for 2 minutes. They won’t be quite as good as fresh — the cinnamon sugar coating softens overnight — but they’re still worth eating. Skip the microwave; it makes them rubbery.
Can I make these without a biscuit cutter?
Yes. A bottle cap, a shot glass, or the wide end of a piping tip all work fine for cutting the hole. The exact size doesn’t matter much; smaller holes mean more donut, larger holes give you more donut holes to air fry separately.
Read Next: If you love sweet treats in the air fryer, be sure to check out our complete round-up of the 10 Best Air Fryer Recipes for Weeknight Dinners!
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