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Home » Recipes » Air Fryer

Air Fryer Copycat Krispy Kreme Donuts

Published: Mar 24, 2021 · Modified: Jan 30, 2023 by Ginny · This post may contain affiliate links.

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This Air Fryer Copycat Krispy Kreme Donuts recipe is so simple in just 20 minutes from start to finish. A biscuit donut that is dipped in a homemade vanilla glaze. These have never tasted so good.

stacked air fryer donuts on a cake stand with air fryer behind it.
Kids Love Air Fryer Krispy Kreme Donuts
Contents hide
1 🍽️ Why This Works
2 🍩 Ingredients
3 📝 Instructions
4 Storing
5 👩‍🍳 Expert Tips
6 🥛 Recipe FAQs
7 Air Fryer Copycat Krispy Kreme Donuts

If you are looking for a simple quick and easy breakfast, this Krispy Kreme copycat recipe might be a perfect fit. Light and soft donuts, that melt in your mouth that are ideal for lazy Saturdays or holiday weekends. Serve a plate full of them with Sausage Breakfast Casserole and Crockpot Coffee.

Plus if you are new to the air fryer, this recipe takes just 5 minutes to cook plus time to make the glaze. Donuts are always best warm and fresh from being cooked.

🍽️ Why This Works

  • Make at home
  • Affordable
  • Quick prep and cook time
  • Similar flavor to Krispy Kreme’s
  • Can double batch the recipe for serving a larger group
  • Use canned biscuit dough for easy prep

🍩 Ingredients

five ingredients laid out on a counter with labels.
Five Simple Ingredients

Biscuits – This is main ingredient in the donut. You can certainly make them from scratch, but I use the buttermilk biscuits in a can.

Simple Glaze – Vanilla, powdered sugar, butter and evaporated milk make an extremely simple (and tasty) glaze. Wait until it hardens before biting in!

📝 Instructions

process photos showing cutting out the donut holes from the biscuits, air frying them and adding a glaze.
Simple Instructions For a Fun Snack!

Step One: Cut out the center of the biscuits with a baking hole punch or even a shot glass to make the donut holes.

Step Two: Spray the basket and donuts lightly with oil to prevent the biscuits from sticking to the tray. Don’t overlap the donuts. Batch cook them at 390 degrees for around five minutes or until they are fully cooked through. Remove and place on a cooling rack.

Step Three: Whip up the donut glaze while the donuts are cooking. Just whisk the ingredients until creamy.

Step Four: Pour the glaze over the donuts, repeat the process by capturing the fallen glaze with a baking dish.

Step Five: Let the donuts cool a bit then serve warm.

Full directions and measurements are in the printable recipe card below.

stack of donuts on a white doily and covered in a homemade glaze.
Don’t Skip the Glaze!

Storing

Donuts are best when served fresh. But you can keep them for 1-2 days in an airtight container.

When you want to eat one, grab and go, or toss in the microwave for five seconds to heat the donut up slightly. This will give it a fresher flavor! Also, try these cinnamon roll donuts for a fun breakfast option.

👩‍🍳 Expert Tips

  • If you want a glaze that will harden more than this one, use 2.5 cups of powdered sugar, ¼ cup of milk and ¼ of light corn syrup and whisk.
  • Do not use cooking spray in your air fryer. You will find it eats away the non-stick coating over time. This goes for basket style and oven style air fryers.
  • Make sure to use a biscuit that is not a pull apart style.
  • I find pouring the glaze over the donuts a few times ensures an even coat. Use a pan to catch the drippings, to then pour back over. That way you don’t waste. The donuts will start to cool and the glaze will start to stick more each time rather than rolling off, just like you would applying several coats of bbq sauce to ribs.
  • Use a different flavor of glaze by adding lemon or cinnamon.
  • All air fryers heat a bit differently so make sure that you check early to ensure they are not over-cooking.
  • Leave space so the hot air can circulate all around the donuts.
  • Cook the donut holes as well for a few minutes! They are just as tasty.

New to the air fryer? Check out my air fryer cheat sheet printable to help keep you on track of how long to cook food!

overhead shot of donuts on a white doily on a table.
Make These as a Fun Snack for the Kids!

🥛 Recipe FAQs

How to shape donuts without donut cutter?

If you don’t own a donut cutter, use a shot glass, small cookie cutter, etc. Just anything that is circular will work on pushing into the donut dough.

Is it better to bake or fry donuts?

Air fry the donuts! In terms of health, air fried donuts or baked donuts are best. Frying donuts in grease adds extra calories and unwanted grease into your diet.

Can you freeze donuts?

Go ahead and freeze the donuts you don’t plan to eat right away. Just place them in a freezer container for up to three months. Freeze them on a sheet pan first and allow to freeze for about 6 hours. Then remove and place into a freezer safe bag so you can pull one out at a time. Thaw on the counter or heat in the microwave to warm them up. Only heat up about 10-15 seconds or the glaze will end up on the plate and not on the donut.

Why won’t the glaze harden like the packaged donuts?

The glaze written here will be a softer glaze that won’t be thick and hard. If you choose to have a harder, thicker glaze:

  • Use 2.5 cups of powdered sugar, ¼ cup of milk and ¼ of light corn syrup and whisk.
  • More Breakfast Recipes

    • Sausage Breakfast Casserole Recipe
    • How to Bake Eggs in Oven in Muffin Tin {15 Minutes Meal Prep}
    • How to Freeze Pancakes
    • Breakfast Yogurt Parfait Meal Prep

    Tried this recipe? Please leave a star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating in the recipe card below and/or a review in the comments section further down the page. You can also stay in touch with me through social media by following me on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook!

    stacked donuts on a cake stand with air fryer behind it

    Air Fryer Copycat Krispy Kreme Donuts

    These are a quick and easy air fryer donuts that use store bought biscuit dough. The glaze is similar to the famous Krispy Kreme donut recipe!
    4.50 from 2 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Breakfast
    Cuisine: American
    Diet: Vegetarian
    Prep Time: 10 minutes
    Cook Time: 10 minutes
    Total Time: 20 minutes
    Servings: 8
    Calories: 326kcal
    Author: Ginny

    Equipment

    • Air Fryer

    Ingredients

    • 8 Biscuits one can, or homemade

    Homemade Glaze (thinner version)

    • 6 tbsp Butter melted
    • 2 cups Powdered Sugar
    • 2 tsp Vanilla
    • ¾ cup Evaporated Milk

    Homemade Glaze (thicker + will harden version)

    • 2.5 cups powdered sugar
    • 1/4 cup milk
    • 1/4 cup light corn syrup

    Instructions

    Make the Donuts

    • Using a baking hole punch, punch hole in the center of biscuit to form a donut shape. Keep the centers for making donut holes!
    • Spray the air fryer basket lightly with oil and place four donuts in it, leaving space to expand. Spray donuts with oil. 
    • Cook at 390 degrees for five minutes 

    Make the Glaze (thinner version)

    • Mix powdered sugar, vanilla, melted butter and evaporated milk until completely combined.
    • Place donuts on cooking resting rack over a baking sheet. 
    • Pour glaze over the donuts. Place a tray under the cooling rack to catch any glaze that drips off. Re-glaze donuts several times.

    Make the Glaze (thicker/harder version)

    • Mix powdered sugar, milk and corn syrup in a bowl and whisk well to combine.
    • Place donuts on cooking resting rack over a baking sheet. 
    • Pour glaze over the donuts. Place a tray under the cooling rack to catch any glaze that drips off. Re-glaze donuts, as desired.

    Notes

    Biscuit Choice: Use buttermilk style biscuits, don’t reach for the pull-apart style biscuits or they will mess up the donuts. 
    Thicker Glaze: If you want your glaze thicker add a bit more powdered sugar. For thinner glaze add more evaporated milk. This version won’t necessarily harden it but will make it thicker. 
    Thicker Glaze to Harden: If you want your HARDEN like the packaged version or that you see at Dunkin Donuts, use the 2.5 cups of powdered sugar, ¼ cup of milk and ¼ of light corn syrup as stated in recipe card. The light corn syrup will allow it to harden to the desired effect. 
    Variations: Change up the glaze used on the donuts to make a chocolate version, maple, cinnamon or lemon, etc. 
    Batch Cooking Donuts: Cook in batches as there won’t be enough room to cook them all at the same time. 
    Air Fryer Make Room: Make sure the donuts don’t touch each other, or they will not cook up properly. 
    Air Fryer Differences: All air fryers heat differently so make sure to watch the cooking time. 
    Ninja Foodi And Instant Pot Duo Crisp – You can also cook these donuts using your crisping lids in these devices. Make sure to follow the same directions above. 

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1g | Calories: 326kcal | Carbohydrates: 46g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 30mg | Sodium: 355mg | Potassium: 136mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 33g | Vitamin A: 320IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 79mg | Iron: 1mg
    Tried this recipe?Mention @savorandsavvy or tag #savorandsavvy!
    Air Fryer Copycat Krispy Kreme DonutsAir Fryer Copycat Krispy Kreme Donuts
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    About Ginny

    Hi! My name is Ginny and I know how busy life can be! I am a mom working hard to prepare healthy meals for my family that is always on the go!

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Lisa says

      August 13, 2021 at 12:49 am

      4 stars
      Thank you for sharing this recipe. I love finding quick, easy recipes like this. The first time I tried it, I didn’t have evaporated milk or powdered sugar so just improvised and dipped them in butter and then granulated sugar. Still great 😊.

      My only problem this time was the glaze. I followed your directions and poured it over the donuts several times (actually probably more like half a dozen times since it wasn’t really working). Even over an hour later the glaze on the remaining donuts still hasn’t hardened. Do you have any tips on this? Thanks!

      Reply
      • Ginny says

        August 23, 2021 at 2:24 pm

        Lisa! Thanks for the quick question! I’m happy to help! The glaze is sticky and doesn’t harden like you think of a Dunkin Donut has a hard shell. The butter in the glaze prohibits it from hardening too much. If you want it to harden, leave out the butter and add a little bit of corn syrup in stead. Alternatively, another option for you is to make a basic glaze of 2 cups of powdered sugar, ¼ cup of milk and 1 tsp of vanilla to combine until smooth. Once the donuts are cool, you can dip or drizzle this on them and it will harden. I hope these ideas help for you. Let me know how else I can help! 🙂

        Reply

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    Family Photo Hi! I'm Ginny and for over 30 years, I've been creating simple and easy recipes without sacrificing on taste for our family on the go. I can't wait to show you how to do the same for your family. Read More...

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