Despite being a quintessential breakfast item, donuts often feel like a rare treat that you only get when a coworker brings a box in or you pass by Krispy Kreme’s neon “Hot Now” sign. While you may only enjoy the dessert every now and then, with an air fryer, you can have fresh donuts every morning. From roast beef to pork chops, it seems as if there’s not a single thing that air fryers can’t make. With a simple trick, you can add donuts to the list of desserts you didn’t know you could make in your air fryer.
Traditionally, donuts are made from scratch and deep fried, but air fryer recipes rely on accessibility. Canned crescent roll or biscuit dough can be used to make air-fried donuts. Both delicious, the air-fried treats contain buttery layers and a crisp exterior that tastes like freshly fried donuts.
For the biscuit-derived donuts, take the dough and use a small cookie cutter to cut a hole in the center. Heat the donuts in the air fryer for six minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit, flipping them halfway through cooking to ensure both sides develop a light, golden brown color. With the crescent rolls, separate the layers into about four rectangles and stack them on top of one another, pressing them so they stick. Use a biscuit cutter to round out the shape and cut a hole in the center, heating them in the air fryer for four minutes at 380 degrees Fahrenheit.
Top off your air-fried donuts with these sweet ingredients
Once your donuts are fluffy and golden brown, you can cover them in whatever saccharine toppings you have. Give them a two-ingredient glass-like glaze, sprinkle powdered sugar on top, or drizzle Nutella or maple syrup onto them. Spread chocolate or vanilla frosting on top and add sprinkles or finely chopped chocolate bars. For a buttery, savory flavor, add melted caramel to the donuts and complete the dish with a sprinkling of coarse sea salt and chopped candied bacon.
If you’re craving a burst of flavor, you can make strawberry jelly doughnuts in the air fryer. After the biscuit donuts have cooked, dip them in melted butter, cover them in sugar, and use a piping bag to fill them with strawberry jam. You can even add fresh fruit into the donuts if you’re not a fan of filled donuts. Slightly stuff blueberries into the biscuit dough before placing them in the air fryer. Once they’re finished cooking, cover it in a cardamom and vanilla-flavored glaze for an air fryer version of blueberry cardamom donuts.
