Lots of folks are trying air fryers these days to make food taste good but with less fat. They just cram the food in a basket and hot air swirls around it, giving a golden crust with almost no oil. Its a neat trick if you want to eat better but still enjoy fatty treats.
Donuts and biscuits are two of those treats we cant resist. A fluffy glazed donut or a soft flaky biscuit can put a smile on your face. Topped with sugar or drizzled with honey or jam, theyre perfect for breakfast or dessert.
In this post, well show you how to make both air fryer donuts and biscuits at home. Youll get simple recipes and tricks to nail the texture and flavour every time. Lets dive in and start cooking!
Understanding the Air Fryer
An air fryer is a small kitchen gadget that cooks food by blowing hot air all around. Its like a mini convection oven that give food a crispy outer layer without dunking it in oil. Plus you can turn the temp up or down, and many air fryers got buttons for things like fries or chicken, so it isnt too hard to use.
One big upside is you use way less oil, so your meals got less fat and calories. Also, they cook faster than a normal oven, so you dont have to wait long. And cause they heat up quick, they use less energy, wich is good if you care about saving on your bills.
How It Affects the Cooking Process
Hot air keeps whirling around the food in the fryer basket, making it cook quick and even. This rapid air flow gives a lot that crispy outside but the inside stay soft. That’s why donuts and biscuits dont come out doughy but have a nice crust.
Baking in an oven can leave food denser, but air frying often makes it lighter and fluffier because of all that air movement. So your donuts and biscuits still got their soft inside but with a crunch outside. Its like magic, but without all the oil we hate.
The Basics of Donuts and Biscuits
Types of Donuts
Donuts come in a couple of main kinds, each tasting different. Cake donuts are thicker and heavier, made with a batter that got eggs and stuff. Theyre usually plain or covered in sugar or glaze. Yeast donuts use yeast to puff up, so theyre light and airy. You can fill em with jelly, cream, donut custard or whatever you like.
Toppings matter alot too. You can go classic with chocolate glaze or sprinkles, or even try bacon bits for a sweet-and-salty mix. The sky's the limit, so you can get real creative.
Types of Biscuits
Biscuits also come in all sorts. Buttermilk biscuits are a southern classic, soft and rich, great with butter or jam. Southern style biscuits got layers and flakiness that go perfect with sausage gravy or breakfast sandwiches.
You can do savory biscuits with cheese or herbs, or sweet ones with sugar and cinnamon. People serve biscuits with breakfast, soups and stews, or sandwich fillings like fried chicken for a hearty meal.
Air Fryer Donuts Biscuits Recipe
Ingredients
For Air Fryer Donuts
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup milk
- ¼ cup unsalted butter (melted)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Optional toppings: powdered sugar, glaze, sprinkles
For Air Fryer Biscuits
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup shortening or butter
- ¾ cup milk
Directions
Air Fryer Donuts
- Prepare the batter: Grab a big bowl and mix your flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. In another bowl, stir the milk, melted butter and vanilla. Then slowly pour the wet stuff into the dry and stir untill it just comes together. Dont overmix or it gets tough.
- Shape the donuts: Sprinkle some flour on your counter and roll the dough to about ½ inch thick. If you have a donut cutter, use it. If not, use two round things, like cups, to cut the circles.
- Air fry: Warm up your air fryer to 350°F (175°C). Put the donuts in a single layer in the basket, with some room so the air can move. Cook for 5 or 6 minutes untill they look golden and done.
- Prepare toppings: While the donuts cool down, mix up your toppings. You can do a basic icing with powdered sugar and milk, or melt some chocolate for a choco glaze.
- Serve: After theyve cooled, dunk em in your glaze, sprinkle on toppings, and enjoy em right away!
Air Fryer Biscuits
- Prep the dough: In a bowl mix flour, baking powder, and salt. Use a pastry cutter or your fingers to mix in the shortening or butter till it looks like coarse crumbs. Then pour in milk little by little and stir till it forms a dough.
- Roll and cut: Put dough on a floured board and roll to about 1 inch thick. Use a round cutter or a glass to cut biscuits and put them on a parchment paper in your air fryer basket.
- Air fry: Heat your air fryer to 320°F (160°C). Cook the biscuits in batches for 8 to 10 minutes, untill theyre golden and done inside.
- Serve: Eat the biscuits warm, plain or slathered with butter and jam!
Adaptations and Variations
If you got diet needs, you can swap ingredients easy. Use gluten-free flour for both donuts and biscuits if you cant eat gluten. Or swap sugar with honey, agave, or stevia if you wanna cut down on sugar.
To mix up flavors, add stuff like lemon zest or cinnamon to your donut batter, or toss in some chocolate chips. For biscuits, try mixing in rosemary, thyme, or even cheese for a tasty twist.
Tips for Perfect Air Fryer Donuts and Biscuits
Dont overcrowd the air fryer basket. If you pack in too many donuts or biscuits at once, the air cant move right and they come out uneven. Give each piece some room so they get crispy all around.
Use 350°F (175°C) for donuts and around 320°F (160°C) for biscuits to hit that golden look. Let donuts stay soft and puffy, and let biscuits get those flaky layers. Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temp. If you wanna keep them longer, freeze them and reheat later in the air fryer for a few minutes.
Serving Suggestions
Donuts go great with coffee or tea in the morning. The sweet donut and hot drink taste so good together and make breakfast feel special.
Biscuits are super versatile. Eat them with butter, jam, or gravy for a savory start. You can also make sandwiches with fried chicken, bacon, or eggs. If you have friends over, set up a donut and biscuit bar so everyone can pick their own toppings and fillings.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Common Questions
1. Can I use biscuit dough to make donuts?
Yep, you can turn biscuit dough into donuts. Theyll be a bit denser than normal donut dough, but theyre still pretty good!
2. How do I store leftovers?
Keep your donuts and biscuits in a airtight container at room temp for 1-2 days. To keep em longer, stick them in the fridge or freezer.
3. Can I freeze air fryer donuts/biscuits?
Sure! Freeze them in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. When you want one, pop it back in the air fryer for a couple minutes.
4. What are the best toppings for air fryer donuts?
It depends on you! Classic toppings are powdered sugar, chocolate glaze, or sprinkles. For something new, try maple glaze or fruit compote.
5. What should I avoid when using an air fryer?
Dont drown your food in oil, air fryers dont need much. Also, dont jam the basket full, or the food wont cook evenly.
air fryer donuts biscuits
Equipment
- 1 air fryer
- 2 mixing bowls
- 1 whisk
- 1 baking sheet or air fryer basket
- 1 cooling rack
- 1 cookie cutter or donut cutter
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup buttermilk
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon (optional) For flavor.
- Cooking spray for air fryer basket
- 1 cup powdered sugar For the glaze.
- 2-3 tablespoons milk For the glaze.
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract For the glaze.
Instructions
- Preheat your air fryer to 350°F (175°C).
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, granulated sugar, and cinnamon (if using).
- In another bowl, combine the buttermilk, melted butter, egg, and vanilla extract. Mix well.
- Gradually pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, stirring until just combined. Do not overmix.
- Lightly flour a clean surface and turn out the dough. Roll it out to about ½ inch thick.
- Use a cookie cutter or donut cutter to cut out biscuit shapes and place them on a lightly floured surface.
- Spray the air fryer basket with cooking spray, and arrange the biscuit shapes in a single layer. Depending on the size of your air fryer, you may need to cook in batches.
- Air fry the biscuits at 350°F (175°C) for 5-6 minutes or until they are golden brown.
- While the biscuits are cooking, prepare the glaze by whisking together the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract in a small bowl until smooth.
- Once the biscuits are cooked, transfer them to a cooling rack for about 2-3 minutes, then dip the tops in the glaze or drizzle it over the biscuits.
