INTRODUCTION
Air Fryer Easter Donuts are a fun and quick treat for spring mornings. They use store-bought jumbo buttermilk biscuits and cook fast in an air fryer. The donuts finish with a soft green glaze, sprinkles, and Cadbury mini eggs on top. You do not need to deep fry or mix dough from scratch. This recipe makes bright and fresh donuts for kids and adults.
For a simple drink to serve with these sweets, try pairing them with a light juice recipe that fits special diets, like the Ace Juice gluten-free recipe, which goes well with sweet donuts and keeps things easy.
WHY YOU WILL LOVE THIS RECIPE
- Fast: The air fryer cooks each batch in about seven minutes.
- Simple: You use canned biscuits and a quick glaze.
- Festive: The green glaze and mini eggs make a clear Easter theme.
- Kid friendly: Little hands can help cut holes and add sprinkles.
- Less oil: Air frying gives a light crust without deep frying.
This recipe gives the same tasty feel of a bakery donut with less mess and less time.
HOW TO MAKE Air Fryer Easter Donuts
This method is easy to follow. You cut the biscuit centers, air fry the rings and holes, then dip the tops in a green glaze. You will get soft donuts with a thin sweet shell. If you want a warm serving, make the donuts and glaze just before guests arrive.
When you want to add a warm drink beside the donuts, a hot fruit drink works well; try a cozy cranberry cider gluten-free dairy-free to keep the flavors bright and light.
EQUIPMENT NEEDED
- Air fryer with a basket large enough for 3–4 donuts per batch.
- Small circle cookie cutter or a biscuit cutter for donut holes.
- Cooling rack or plate.
- Small bowl for glaze.
- Whisk or fork for mixing glaze.
- Shallow plate for dipping glaze.
If your air fryer has a non-stick basket, the donuts release easier. Use a cooling rack so glaze drains and sets.
Ingredients You’ll Need :
- 1 package jumbo buttermilk biscuits dough
- 1 package Easter sprinkles
- 1/2 cup Cadbury mini eggs
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 3 teaspoons milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 5 drops green food coloring
STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS :
Using a small circle cookie cutter, cut out the centers of all the biscuits. Depending on your air fryer’s size, place 3-4 biscuits into the air fryer’s basket, so they have about 1/2 inch around each one. Turn the air fryer on to 360F for 7 minutes. Remove the donuts from the air fryer onto a cooling rack. You will need to reduce the time by one minute for the next batch of donuts since it’s preheated. Repeat this until all your donuts, and donut holes are cooked off. While the donuts are cooking, combine the powdered sugar, two teaspoons of milk, and vanilla. Whisk until you have a smooth glaze. Add in the food coloring until you have a shade of green you like. You want the glaze to be thick enough it doesn’t run right off the donuts, but if it’s too thick, you can add more milk. Pour your glaze onto a shallow plate. Dip the donuts’ tops into the glaze, lift the donut straight up from the glaze and allow the extra glaze to drip off. Add the sprinkles to half of the donut so you still see half the glaze. Place three mini eggs on half of the donuts with the sprinkles.
HOW TO SERVE Air Fryer Easter Donuts
Serve the donuts warm or at room temperature. Place them on a flat tray so the glazed tops stay neat. For a casual table, stack donuts on a cake stand. For a kids’ plate, place one donut with three to four mini eggs on the side. If you want to keep the glaze bright, do the dipping just before guests arrive so the glaze stays shiny.
A cold milk or fruity drink pairs well. For a playful adult pairing, a chilled milkshake also works as a sweet match for the donuts.
STORAGE & FREEZING : Air Fryer Easter Donuts
Store leftover donuts in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. The glaze will soften over time. If you need to keep them longer, place the donuts in a single layer in the fridge for up to 5 days. To freeze, wrap each donut in plastic wrap and place them in a freezer bag. Freeze for up to 1 month. Thaw in the fridge or at room temperature. Reheat briefly in the air fryer at 300F for 2–3 minutes to refresh the crust. Do not re-glaze until they are warm and dry.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
- Serve on a platter with napkins for a quick buffet.
- Add fresh fruit like sliced strawberries or orange wedges to balance the sweetness.
- Pair with a cold milkshake such as a creamy Neapolitan milkshake gluten-free dairy-free for a child-friendly treat.
- For a breakfast table, add scrambled eggs and bacon for a mix of sweet and savory.
Use simple plates and pastel napkins to keep the Easter look bright and easy.
VARIATIONS
- Cinnamon Sugar Donuts: Skip the glaze and toss the hot donuts in a mix of 1/4 cup sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon.
- Chocolate Glaze: Swap green food coloring for 2 tablespoons cocoa powder and add a touch more milk.
- Citrus Glaze: Add 1 teaspoon of lemon or orange zest to the powdered sugar mix for a fresh note.
- Filled Donuts: Use a small piping bag to add jam or pastry cream after glazing. Make a small hole on the side and pipe in filling.
- Vegan Version: Use vegan biscuit dough and a non-dairy milk for the glaze.
Each change stays simple and keeps the quick air fryer method.
FAQs
Q: Can I use regular size biscuits instead of jumbo?
A: Yes. Smaller biscuits make smaller donuts. You may need to cut more from the package and cook a bit less time. Check at 5–6 minutes.
Q: Can I make these without an air fryer?
A: Yes. Bake in the oven at 375F for about 10–12 minutes or until golden brown. Frying oil is not needed.
Q: How do I stop the glaze from sliding off the donuts?
A: Let donuts cool for a minute but dip while slightly warm. Make the glaze thicker by adding more powdered sugar or less milk so it clings to the dough.
Q: Can I make the glaze ahead?
A: You can make the glaze a few hours ahead and keep it covered in the fridge. Stir well and add a drop of milk if it thickens too much.
Q: What if my air fryer is small?
A: Cook fewer donuts each batch so they do not touch. Reduce cooking time by one minute on the second and later batches if the fryer is already hot.
MAKE-AHEAD TIPS FOR Air Fryer Easter Donuts
- Prepare the biscuit centers quickly and store them covered in the fridge for up to 2 hours before frying. This saves time when guests arrive.
- Make the glaze ahead and keep it in the fridge. Take it out 10 minutes before dipping so it thins slightly.
- Keep sprinkles and mini eggs in small bowls ready to top each donut as you glaze them.
- If you want a large batch, cook donuts early, cool them on racks, and reheat for 2–3 minutes in the air fryer on low heat before glazing.
These small steps save time and keep the final result fresh and bright.
Air Fryer Easter Donuts
Ingredients
Method
- Using a small circle cookie cutter, cut out the centers of all the biscuits.
- Depending on your air fryer’s size, place 3-4 biscuits into the air fryer’s basket, leaving about 1/2 inch around each one.
- Turn the air fryer on to 360°F for 7 minutes.
- Remove the donuts from the air fryer onto a cooling rack. For subsequent batches, reduce the time by one minute since it’s preheated.
- Repeat until all donuts and donut holes are cooked.
- While the donuts are cooking, combine powdered sugar, two teaspoons of milk, and vanilla in a small bowl. Whisk until you have a smooth glaze.
- Add food coloring until you achieve a preferred shade of green.
- Pour your glaze onto a shallow plate.
- Dip the tops of the donuts into the glaze and allow excess glaze to drip off.
- Add sprinkles to half of the donuts and place three mini eggs on half of the donuts with the sprinkles.