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Did you know you can make donuts in your air fryer with a can of biscuit dough? These easy air fryer apple cider donuts have the texture of a donut without the greasy aftertaste of regular donuts. After they’re cooked, dip them in an apple cider glaze 🍎 and cinnamon sugar topping for the best fall treat! 🍂
❤️ Why You’ll Love This Air Fryer Apple Cider Donuts Recipe
These air fryer biscuit donuts deliver all the cozy autumn flavors without deep frying. They are soft on the inside, slightly crisp on the outside, and perfectly spiced with cinnamon and fresh apple cider. Using the air fryer cuts down on grease, making them a lighter option than traditional fried donuts, all while keeping that irresistible flavor.
🍩 Air Fryer Apple Cider Donuts Ingredients
- Biscuits: You can use canned biscuit dough or make homemade biscuits if you have a go-to recipe.
- Apple Cider Glaze (or apple cider frosting as my kids call it) helps the cinnamon sugar stick to the donuts. You’ll need powdered sugar, apple cider, cinnamon, salt, orange juice, and lemon juice.
- Cinnamon Sugar Topping: Cinnamon, sugar, cardamom, salt
👩🍳 How to Make Air Fryer Apple Cider Donuts
- Make the Biscuit Donuts: Pop out the biscuits and cut a small circle in the middle of each donut. Roll the extra dough into donut holes.
- Air Fry Donuts at 350℉ for six minutes.
- Make the Apple Cider Glaze: Put all the glaze ingredients into a saucepan and boil over medium heat. Reduce to low and simmer until thick.
- Make the Cinnamon Sugar by mixing all the ingredients in a bowl.
- Glaze the Donuts: Dip one side of the donut in the syrup and then the cinnamon sugar.
- How to Make Donut Holes: Air fry the donut holes for six minutes and repeat the same process for glazing them.
📹 Watch me make these easy apple cider donuts on Instagram.
Tips and Tricks
- Donut Holes: Use the back of a tablespoon to press out the center of each biscuit.
- Other Uses for the Apple Cider Syrup: Any leftover syrup is delicious on pancakes 🥞, ice cream 🍨, mocktails, and cocktails 🍹. It adds a nice fall touch to breakfasts, desserts, and drinks!
🗒 Variations
- Less Sugar: Feel free to omit the cinnamon sugar topping if you want less sweet donuts.
- Cinnamon Sugar Donuts: If you don’t want to make the apple cider glaze, dip the donuts in melted butter before the cinnamon sugar.
🗒 Substitutions
- Spices: Add nutmeg or ginger to the glaze or sugar topping. Substitute cinnamon in the glaze for pumpkin pie spice.
- Sugar: Swap powdered sugar for granulated sugar for a thinner glaze.
👝 How to Store Air Fryer Donuts
These biscuit donuts are best eaten warm right out of the air fryer. However, they’ll stay fresh in an airtight container at room temperature for about four days. Eat them at room temp or pop them back in the air fryer for a few minutes to warm them.
🤔 Common Questions
Yes, that’s the beauty of using canned biscuits to make donuts in the air fryer. You don’t need a special donut pan!
When you pop out the circle in the middle of each biscuit, save the extra dough to make donut holes. My kids love them! You bake and top them just like regular donuts.
Air Fryer Apple Cider Donuts
Equipment
- Air Fryer
Ingredients
- Canned biscuit dough, or make homemade biscuit dough
Apple Cider Glaze
- 6 cups powdered sugar
- ¾ cup apple cider
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Pinch of table salt
- ¼ orange, juiced
- ¼ lemon, juiced
Cinnamon-Sugar Topping
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground cardamom, optional
- Pinch of table salt
Instructions
Donuts
- Cut a hole in the center of each biscuit. Roll the extra dough into donut holes and set aside.
- Spray the air fryer basket with avocado oil. Place 3-4 donuts in a single layer in the air fryer and set to 350℉ for 6 minutes. Remove them from the air fryer and repeat with the remaining dough.
- Air fry the donut holes for 6 minutes.
- Dip the cooked donuts into the glaze and then into the cinnamon-sugar mixture.
Apple Cider Glaze
- Whisk the powdered sugar, apple cider, cinnamon, salt, orange juice, and lemon juice in a saucepan on medium heat.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low. Simmer until the glaze thickens.
Cinnamon-Sugar Topping
- Stir the sugar, cinnamon, cardamom (if using), and salt in a small bowl.
Notes
- Want a thinner glaze? Swap the powdered sugar for granulated sugar.
-
Store any leftover syrup to use on pancakes, ice cream, or mock/cocktails.
My family loved this!