Air Fryer Canned Biscuits

Golden on the outside, fluffy on the inside, and ready in under 10 minutes. I’ve tested Pillsbury Grands, Aldi Bake House Creations, Trader Joe’s Buttermilk Biscuits, and Immaculate Baking across three different air fryers — basket, oven-style, and dual-zone. This is everything I learned, so yours come out perfect the first time.

Why this works so well!

Canned biscuits in the air fryer are genuinely better than the oven. The circulating hot air crisps the outside in the first few minutes while keeping the inside soft and layered — something the oven takes 15+ minutes to do, and often unevenly. No preheating the whole kitchen. No waiting. Just open the can, place them in the basket, and you’re eating in 10 minutes.

I make these at least twice a week. Once you try them this way, you won’t go back to the oven.

If you have been looking for even more air fryer bread recipes, here are some easy Air Fryer Bread Recipes, including homemade recipes. Some of my favorites are AIR FRYER IRISH SODA BREAD, AIR FRYER RANCH PITA CHIPS, AIR FRYER COPYCAT DOMINO’S BREAD TWISTS, and AIR FRYER 2 INGREDIENT WEIGHT WATCHER FRIENDLY BAGELS.

What you need

• 1 can refrigerated biscuits: Pillsbury Grands, Pillsbury Flaky Layers, Aldi Bake House Creations, Trader Joe’s Buttermilk, Immaculate Baking Organic, or any store brand all work
• Cooking spray (optional): olive oil or avocado oil spray; most non-stick baskets don’t need it but it helps with smaller biscuits
• Melted butter (optional): brush on after cooking for extra richness

That’s it. No bowls, no flour, no mess.

How To Make Air Fryer Canned Biscuits

Step 1: Open the can and separate the biscuits

Pop open your can of refrigerated biscuits and separate them. Do not flatten or reshape them — they need to stay thick so the inside cooks through before the outside burns.

Step 2 — Arrange in a single layer

Place the biscuits in the air fryer basket or tray in a single layer with space between each one. They expand as they cook, so leave at least half an inch of space. Do not stack or overlap — air needs to circulate underneath and around every biscuit.

Step 3 — Air fry at 330°F

Set your air fryer to 330°F (165°C). This lower temperature is the key. Higher temps (375°F+) will brown the outside too fast while leaving the center doughy.

• Regular-sized biscuits (like Pillsbury Flaky Layers): cook for 6–8 minutes
• Jumbo biscuits (like Pillsbury Grands): cook for 8–10 minutes

Step 4 — Flip halfway

At the halfway mark, flip each biscuit with tongs. This ensures both sides get that golden color. Some basket-style air fryers with top-mounted heating elements will cook the bottom slower — flipping fixes this.

Step 5 — Check and serve

Biscuits are done when they’re golden brown on both sides and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. If the center still feels doughy, add 1–2 minutes. Brush with melted butter immediately after removing from the basket for the best flavor.

Temperature and time cheat sheet

Biscuit type	Temp	Time	Flip?
Regular/small canned biscuits	330°F	6–8 min	Yes, halfway
Pillsbury Grands (jumbo)	330°F	8–10 min	Yes, halfway
Pillsbury Flaky Layers	330°F	7–9 min	Yes, halfway
Trader Joe’s Buttermilk	330°F	8–10 min	Yes, halfway
Aldi Bake House Creations	330°F	8–10 min	Yes, halfway
Frozen biscuits (not canned)	340°F	10–12 min	Yes, halfway

Oven-style air fryer? Use the middle rack only. The top rack burns the outside before the inside cooks. The bottom rack undercooks because the heat doesn’t reach down as effectively.

Brand-by-brand results

After testing every major brand, here’s what I found:

• Pillsbury Grands: The gold standard. Fluffy, tall, and golden in 9 minutes at 330°F. These are the biscuits in the photos on this page.
• Pillsbury Flaky Layers: Slightly thinner than Grands so they cook a minute faster. The layers separate beautifully in the air fryer.
• Aldi Bake House Creations: Basically identical results to Pillsbury Grands at a fraction of the price. Highly recommend.
• Trader Joe’s Buttermilk Biscuits: A little tangier flavor, slightly denser. Give them a full 10 minutes and they come out great.
• Immaculate Baking Organic: Bigger than most and made with cleaner ingredients. Take the full 10 minutes, sometimes a minute more.

Pro tips for perfect results every time

• Don’t go above 330°F. I know it’s tempting to crank the heat for speed, but 350°F+ causes the outside to overbrown while the inside stays raw. 330°F is the sweet spot for every brand I’ve tested.
• Don’t skip the flip. Even if your air fryer claims to cook evenly, flipping halfway gives you a uniformly golden biscuit on both sides. Takes 10 seconds and makes a real difference.
• Don’t crowd the basket. Air fryers work by circulating hot air. If biscuits touch each other, the sides never brown and the texture gets dense. If your air fryer is small, cook in two batches — it’s worth it.
• Spray the basket for smaller biscuits. Grands and large biscuits rarely stick. Smaller, thinner biscuits sometimes do. A quick spray of olive oil or avocado oil spray before placing them in solves this.
• Brush with butter the moment they come out. The residual heat melts the butter instantly and soaks it into the top of the biscuit. This is the difference between a good biscuit and a great one.

Serving ideas

These biscuits are endlessly versatile. Some of our favorites at Fork to Spoon:

• Mini pizzas: split the biscuit, add sauce, cheese, and toppings, and air fry at 350°F for 3–4 minutes
• Classic: butter and honey, or your favorite jam
• Southern style: Air Fryer Sausage Gravy poured over the top
• Breakfast sandwich: split and filled with a fried egg, cheddar, and bacon
• Garlic herb: brush with a mix of melted butter, garlic powder, and dried parsley before the last 2 minutes of cooking

How to store and reheat

• Storing: Let biscuits cool completely, then store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, or in the fridge for up to 5 days.
• Reheating: Air fry at 300°F for 2–3 minutes. This restores the crispy outside without drying out the inside. Do not microwave — they go rubbery.
• Unused raw dough: Once the can is open, store unused dough in a sealed zip-lock bag in the fridge and use within 1–2 days. The dough starts to harden after that.
• Freezing cooked biscuits: Wrap individually in foil, place in a freezer bag, and freeze for up to 2 months. Reheat in the air fryer at 300°F for 5–6 minutes from frozen.

Frequently asked questions

Do you flip biscuits in the air fryer? Yes — flip them halfway through cooking. Most air fryers heat from the top, so the bottom cooks slower. Flipping at the halfway mark gives you even browning on both sides.

Do you need to preheat the air fryer for biscuits? No. Unlike an oven, you don’t need to preheat your air fryer for this recipe. Place the biscuits in cold and start cooking. If your air fryer is already hot from a previous batch, reduce the cooking time by 1–2 minutes.

What temperature do you cook canned biscuits in the air fryer? 330°F (165°C) is the ideal temperature for all brands of canned refrigerated biscuits. This cooks them through evenly without over-browning the outside.

Why are my biscuits raw in the middle? The temperature is too high or the biscuits are too large for the time used. Lower to 330°F and add 2 minutes. Also check that biscuits are not touching each other, which traps steam and prevents even cooking.

Can you stack biscuits in the air fryer? No. Air fryers cook by circulating hot air around the food. Stacking or overlapping biscuits blocks airflow and results in uneven, undercooked biscuits. Cook in a single layer, always.

Can you cook canned biscuits from frozen? Yes — if your canned biscuits accidentally got frozen, cook at 340°F for 10–12 minutes, flipping halfway. They come out nearly identical to fresh.

What rack position for oven-style air fryers? Always use the middle rack. The top rack burns the outside before the inside cooks, and the bottom rack doesn’t get enough heat from the element. Middle rack every time.

More air fryer biscuit recipes

Love these? Here are the other biscuit recipes on Fork to Spoon:

• Air Fryer Frozen Biscuits — for Pillsbury frozen biscuits straight from the freezer
• Air Fryer Bisquick Biscuits — homemade with Bisquick mix in 15 minutes
• Air Fryer Buttermilk Biscuits from Scratch — if you want to make them entirely from scratch
• Air Fryer Breakfast Biscuit Sandwiches — egg, cheese, and bacon on a canned biscuit

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