Pillsbury Fried or Air Fryer Biscuit Donuts

Biscuit donuts are great using refrigerated Grands. Fluffy and sweet, they take less than 10 minutes to bake in an air fryer or fried in oil. If you wanted to do another round of powdered sugar donut holes go ahead and do that.

Air Fryer Biscuit Donuts

We will show you how to make donuts in an air fryer, as well as frying them on the stovetop or deep fryer. Of course hot air is going to have a lot fewer calories and fat than the other. I really really don’t like submerging any food in oil. Not only is it horrible for my cholesterol but it always has a weird after taste.

Another tweak to this is we love making air fryer apple fritters too. Those use a homemade batter so it will take a bit longer to get everything together but as for “baking” them there isn’t much of a difference between the two. You should try both and see which you prefer.

Biscuit Donuts Holes

We chose to leave them hole with a space in the center. You could break in half and roll into a ball and cook that way too. If you choose to fry in oil you can do that as well. I would use a cast iron pan and a thermometer. Optimal temperature should be 350 degrees F when you drop those babies in to get them nice and crispy.

How do you make canned biscuits better?

We have done a lot with them! We’ve made peanut butter donuts and you should make our garlic pull apart bread too.

Choose this style versus the smaller versions. They will come out fluffier and the size you’d expect when visiting Krispy Kreme or Dunkin’ Donuts. As of the toppings the world is your oyster. Use your imagination and go for it!

Canned biscuit donuts

Another option if you want to make donut bites is to cut refrigerated cinnamon rolls into 4ths and air fry. For the classic shape you love you’ll need Grands though. They’re nice and flaky with a buttery taste. I remember making these with my Girl Scout troop WAY back in the day.

Anything that made us smile that was easy to teach us how to do, and super cheap was the focus of our troop.

Needless to say these bring back a lot of memories for me. I am sure you’ve had them before too, if not you’re in for a treat! You can in fact use homemade dough like our Biscuit Donut Holes, but this way is easier. Perfect Christmas brunch menu item or for Sunday breakfast.

Fried Biscuit Donuts

Here are simple step by step directions but there is a printable recipe card at the bottom as well. First you’re going to want to separate buttermilk biscuit dough pieces. Lay on cutting board. Use an apple corer to put a hole into the middle to get that donut shape.

1. Preheat air fryer to 330 degrees F, OR heat 2 inches of oil in a large skillet. Heat the oil until it reaches 350 degrees F. (could submerge in a deep fryer too) Spray air fryer basket with non stick spray.
2. Lay 4 pcs into air fryer and close basket. Cook at 330 F for 4-7 minutes until outsides are golden brown. OR drop into hot oil and flip after about 2 minutes so both sides are browned.
3. Remove and allow to cool on top of paper towels for 5 minutes.
4. Brush melted butter on top of each on, flip over and dip into shallow bowl of cinnamon and sugar (or just fine sugar) so it sticks. Alternatively you could melt a tub of frosting and top with that, or melt Wilton melts for chocolate.

These semi homemade donuts just rock! Your kids will help you and they will love all the different toppings they can add on to the outsides.

How do you dip donuts?

Whether you just want fine sugar on top, melted chocolate or a glaze you’ll follow this same method. Hold donut with 3 fingers upside down and gently dip into donut frosting. Twist and turn right side up. Put on rack to dry/stiffen up.

What can I put on a donut?

Once you have some butter or sticky glaze or frosting on top the possibilities for toppings are endless!

1. Crushed peanuts
2. Sprinkles
3. Gummy bears
4. Chocolate chips
5. Powdered sugar
6. Nerds for a fruity twist
7. Cinnamon sugar mixture sprinkled all over

Use small bowls for each of these for easier dipping.

Pillsbury Biscuit Donuts

Now you have to decide how you want to “fry” these babies. I do not deep fry anything, ever. I don’t like the aftertaste left from the oil, and it adds fat where it’s not needed.

• If you ask me how you should cook these, hands down I’d use an air fryer y’all.
• New to that method and apprehensive about it all? Don’t be!! It only took me a few times of following someone else’s recipe to get the hang of it.
• Now I use it literally every day to make air fryer cake and tons of air fryer breakfast recipes like this one.

Not done yet? Ready for a few more to try this week to see which one is your very favorite? Make sure you sign up for our newsletter below too because I share new ones each week too.

1. We used refrigerated biscuits to make this cinnamon pull apart bread too. With apples inside, it’s amazing.
2. Fresh apple monkey bread is fabulous too.
3. Or you can make homemade baked pumpkin donuts in the Fall.

Last but certainly not least you could pipe things like peanut butter and/or jelly inside when done too for added yum. Either way it’s a kid fave.

1. If you just want to make air fryer frozen biscuits we have directions for that too.