Skip the hassle of finding a Dunkin' Donuts that’s open on Christmas and make some Christmas Donuts at home! This easy recipe uses biscuit dough for a quick shortcut to homemade Christmas donuts that’s worth trying. Decorate them to your liking or turn them into a fun activity to do with your kids.
The biscuits become perfectly golden and fluffy in either the air fryer or the oven. I brush melted butter on top to help with the browning process as the holiday donuts cook. Choose your favorite icing and toppings, too!
If you like tasty donut recipes, you will love Brownie Batter Donuts, Cake Mix Donuts and Glazed Pumpkin Donuts.
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Why You’ll Love This Christmas Donuts Recipe
- Budget-friendly: All you need to make these Christmas-themed donuts is biscuit dough, butter, and whatever you would like to use to decorate them.
- Christmas breakfast idea: Making breakfast holiday donuts is a lovely activity for Christmas morning!
- Quick and easy: This is a super simple recipe that takes minimal effort to put together.
Ingredients
The refrigerated biscuits are the most important ingredient for these donuts for Christmas. With the decorations and toppings, feel free to get more creative as you see fit!
- Refrigerated biscuits: I like to use Grands homestyle biscuits for these Merry Christmas donuts because they are soft, pillowy, and a little flaky. Feel free to use any type of homestyle biscuit for this recipe.
- Butter: I brush the tops of the donuts with melted butter to give them a beautiful golden brown color as they cook.
- Icing: For Christmas-decorated donuts, I chose red, green, and white icing.
- Milk: Adding a little milk to the icing helps to thin it out so you’re able to dip the donuts in it!
- Decorations: Any Christmas topping is great! Red and green sprinkles, crushed candy canes, sugar pearls, and red and green sanding sugar are my top recommendations.
See the recipe card below for exact ingredient amounts, nutritional information, and detailed instructions.
Variations
- Hot chocolate: Dip your donuts in a chocolate glaze and top with mini marshmallows as a nod to the classic beverage.
- White chocolate coconut: Glaze the donuts with melted white chocolate and dip them in shredded coconut. It will look like they are covered in snow!
- Gingerbread: Sprinkle cinnamon and nutmeg over white icing and top the donuts with crushed gingerbread or gingersnap cookies.
- Mini Christmas donuts: Cut the biscuits into smaller pieces and roll them into balls to make donut holes! Adjust the cooking time by a few minutes.
How to Make Christmas Decorated Donuts
You can make these Christmas Doughnuts in the air fryer or oven. This will depend on your preference (or whether or not you own an air fryer). To get started, preheat your air fryer to 340° F or oven to 350° F. Spray the basket with non-stick cooking spray or line a baking sheet with parchment.
Step 1: Cut circles in the biscuits. Using a bottle cap, large piping tip, or a knife, cut a small hole in the middle of each of the biscuits.
Step 2: Brush and place in air fryer. Arrange the donuts in the air fryer basket so they are about 2 inches apart. Brush the tops with melted butter.
Step 3: Cook. Air fry the donuts for about 6 minutes. Repeat this process if you are doing it in batches. They will take about 8-10 minutes in the oven.
Step 4: Prepare the icing and dip. Add each color of icing to a separate microwave-safe bowl. Melt in the microwave for about 30 seconds per color. Then, add a little bit of milk to each one to thin it out. Dip each donut and then place it on a piece of parchment paper. Add your favorite decorations to the top before it sets.
⭐ Hint: Do not overcrowd the air fryer basket. If needed, cook the donuts in batches so they can rise properly.
If you love this recipe, you may also enjoy these Halloween Spider Donuts, Pumpkin Ice Cream or our Festive Gingerbread Dip.
Storage Directions
- Storing: Cover the donuts and store at room temperature for about 3-4 days.
- Refrigeration: Store leftover donuts in the refrigerator for about 1 week in an airtight container. I don't recommend freezing them after they're frosted.
- Reheating: The donuts can be reheated for about 10 seconds in the microwave. Just be careful not to melt the icing.
Serving Suggestions
- Breakfast: Complete a nice Christmas breakfast with these donuts. Some great breakfast options are this Biscuit Breakfast Casserole, Brunch Charcuterie Board, and Apple French Toast Casserole.
- Warm beverage: Enjoy a Christmas donut with this Mexican Hot Chocolate or this Copycat McDonald’s Caramel Mocha.
- Holiday Activity: These also make a great treat to enjoy on Christmas Eve! Christmas donut decorating is a fun family activity.
Recipe Tips
- Save the middles: You may also use the cutout circles to make little donut holes, too! These are great if you have more Christmas donut ideas for decorations.
- Enjoy room temperature: When the donuts are cold, they taste a little dry. Let them sit out at room temperature or heat them for a few seconds to warm them up.
- Decorate quickly: The icing won’t take long to set, so make sure you add your sprinkles and other toppings while it’s still warm.
Recipe FAQs
You can flip them if you want more color on the bottom, but it isn’t necessary.
As long as it’s a firm dough and not too sticky, it should work just fine. I am unsure about the exact cooking times, so keep an eye on them.
If you want less color, turn the air fryer or oven down to 325° F. They will take an extra 2-3 minutes to cook.
Video
More Delicious Christmas Recipes
Ready to get cooking? Remember that you can print this recipe if you would like.
Air Fryer Christmas Donuts
Equipment
- piping bag large round tip
Ingredients
- 1 tube (16 oz) Grands Homestyle Biscuits 8 count
- 1 tablespoon salted butter melted
- 1 cup red icing
- 1 cup green icing
- 1 cup white icing
- 1 cup chocolate icing
- ¼ cup whole milk divided
Decorations and Toppings
- sprinkles
- candy cane crumbles
- sugar pearls
- white icing
Instructions
- Preheat the air fryer to 340°F and spray the basket with a nonstick spray.
- Using a bottle cap, large piping tip, or free hand with a paring knife, cut circles out of the center of each raw biscuit
- Brush the top of each biscuit with melted butter and place into the basket about 2 inches apart. (Note: Do not overcrowd because they will rise.) Make several batches if necessary. Cook for 6 minutes and set aside on parchment paper or another non-stick surface.
- Place each color icing into a separate, microwave safe, bowl and microwave each for 30 second intervals until they are melted and smooth when stirred. Stir a tablespoon of milk into each bowl to thin the icing slightly.
- Dip each cooked donut top into the icing and then set it back on the parchment paper.
- Decorate the donuts before the icing sets using any sprinkles or decorations you like.
Video
Notes
- Save the middles: You may also use the cutout circles to make little donut holes, too! These are great if you have more Christmas donut ideas for decorations.
- Enjoy room temperature: When the donuts are cold, they taste a little dry. Let them sit out at room temperature or heat them for a few seconds to warm them up.
- Decorate quickly: The icing won’t take long to set, so make sure you add your sprinkles and other toppings while it’s still warm.
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