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Air Fryer Biscuits Recipe

Air Fryer Biscuits Recipe

By What’s Baking

Perfectly golden, flaky biscuits with tender, buttery interiors achieved in half the time using an air fryer's powerful convection heat.
Difficulty:
Beginner
Prep Time:
15 mins
Cook Time:
10 mins
Serves:
8 biscuits
Air Fryer Biscuits — approved finished-recipe photograph.

Ingredients

<ul class="ingredients-main-list"><li class="ingredients-single-item">300g all-purpose flour</li><li class="ingredients-single-item">15g baking powder</li><li class="ingredients-single-item">5g salt</li><li class="ingredients-single-item">1g baking soda</li><li class="ingredients-single-item">115g cold unsalted butter, cubed</li><li class="ingredients-single-item">180ml cold buttermilk (or 175ml milk + 1 tbsp lemon juice)</li><li class="ingredients-single-item">15g melted butter for brushing</li></ul>

Equipment

<ul class="equipment-main-list"><li class="equipment-single-item">Air fryer</li><li class="equipment-single-item">Biscuit cutter (6cm/2.5-inch)</li><li class="equipment-single-item">Parchment paper</li><li class="equipment-single-item">Pastry brush</li></ul>
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Directions

<ol class="no-list-style"><li class="MethodStepper"><h4 class="step-title">Step 1</h4>In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda until well combined. This even distribution of leavening agents ensures your biscuits will rise uniformly.</li><li class="MethodStepper"><h4 class="step-title">Step 2</h4>Add the cold cubed butter to the dry ingredients. Using your fingertips or a pastry cutter, work quickly to incorporate the butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-sized pieces remaining. These butter pockets will create steam during cooking, resulting in those lovely flaky layers we're after.</li><li class="MethodStepper"><h4 class="step-title">Step 3</h4>Make a well in the center and pour in the cold buttermilk. Using a fork, gently stir until the dough just begins to come together - it will look shaggy and that's perfect! The key is minimal handling to keep the butter cold and the gluten development low.</li><li class="MethodStepper"><h4 class="step-title">Step 4</h4>Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Gently pat it into a rectangle about 2.5cm thick. Fold the dough in thirds like a business letter (this creates layers). Rotate 90 degrees and repeat the patting and folding process twice more.</li><li class="MethodStepper"><h4 class="step-title">Step 5</h4>Finally, pat the dough to about 2cm thickness. Using a sharp-edged biscuit cutter, press straight down without twisting (twisting seals the edges and prevents rising). Cut out as many biscuits as possible, then gently gather scraps, pat out once more, and cut additional biscuits.</li><li class="MethodStepper"><h4 class="step-title">Step 6</h4>Cut parchment paper to fit your air fryer basket. Place the biscuits on the parchment, ensuring they're just touching each other (this helps them rise upward rather than spreading). Brush the tops lightly with melted butter.</li><li class="MethodStepper"><h4 class="step-title">Step 7</h4>Preheat your air fryer to 180°C for 3 minutes. Place the parchment with biscuits in the basket and cook for 8-10 minutes until the tops are golden brown and the biscuits have risen significantly. If your air fryer can't fit all biscuits at once, work in batches rather than overcrowding.</li><li class="MethodStepper"><h4 class="step-title">Step 8</h4>Remove immediately and brush with additional melted butter if desired. Let cool slightly on a wire rack for 3-5 minutes - the inside will be very hot! Serve warm for the most delightful texture. Your biscuits should have a crisp exterior and a tender, layered interior that pulls apart beautifully.</li></ol>

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

🍽️ Serving Size: 1 biscuit
🔥 Calories: 245 calories
🥑 Fat: 14 g
🧈 Saturated Fat: 8 g
🍞 Carbohydrates: 26 g
🍭 Sugar: 2 g
🍗 Protein: 4 g
🫀 Cholesterol: 35 mg
🧂 Sodium: 390 mg

Chef’s Notes

A few helpful details for making this recipe.

Can I use regular milk instead of buttermilk for flaky biscuits?

Yes! If you don't have buttermilk, simply add 1 tablespoon of lemon juice to 175ml of regular milk and let it stand for 5 minutes. This homemade buttermilk substitute provides the same tangy flavour and chemical reaction with the baking soda that helps create those lovely, flaky layers.

Why is it important to keep the butter cold when making flaky biscuits?

Cold butter is crucial because it creates pockets of steam during cooking. As the butter melts in the hot air fryer, it releases steam that pushes the dough apart, creating those distinctive flaky layers. Warm butter would simply incorporate into the dough, resulting in dense, cake-like biscuits.

Do biscuits cook faster in an air fryer than a conventional oven?

Absolutely! Air fryers cook biscuits in about half the time (8-10 minutes versus 15-20 in a conventional oven). The powerful convection heat circulates intensely around the dough, creating a beautiful golden exterior quickly while maintaining a tender interior.

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