You will love biscuits in air fryer. These flaky American style biscuits are made with less salt, and feature both honey and buttermilk.
Whether you live in the UK and would call them a homemade dumpling or a savoury scone, or in the US and would call them buttermilk biscuits, they are delicious cooked in the air fryer.

Biscuits In An Air Fryer
Those of you that read Recipe This regularly will know that we live in the UK and are lucky enough to have readers from around the globe. From the UK where we live to the US to Canada to Australia to South Africa and so many great places.
What you might not know is that I also had an American family. Two of my mumsโ sisters married American soldiers in the 1960โs and relocated to the United States, long before I was born. (My aunts sadly have since passed away).
This meant that whenever they were visiting us in the UK when I was growing up there was always an American food influence. My mum loved it because she got to try food long before it had become popular.
It also means that I have a better than most knowledge of American Vs British cuisine and that over the years I have learnt more and more cooking terms. Plus, many of our American readers have helped us out over the years, which I am truly grateful for.
Air Fryer Biscuits Vs UK Dumplings
Whilst in the UK we would often load up our stew with our air fryer suet dumplings, these American-inspired biscuits are like making a suet-free version with a similar dough to savoury scones, then adding in some extra salt.
They are delicious and a good vegetarian alternative to dumplings and the buttermilk makes them so fluffy and delicious.
The Complete Air Fryer Cookbook

The Complete Air Fryer cookbook is our debut air fryer cookbook which we published in September 2023. It has sold more than 160,000 copies and is still selling well. In it we have how to make homemade savoury scones with cheese. But underneath you will find how to adapt it for flaky American biscuits. Itโs filled with more than 140 everyday recipes and a good baking selection to get you started.
Read more about The Complete Air Fryer Cookbook here.
Can You Make Biscuits In An Air Fryer?
YES YES YES! Can I shout from the roof tops and say how amazing the air fryer is for cooking delicious homemade biscuits????
They cook them so well and give you a wonderful crunch on the outside and a tender in the dough in the centre.
You can also load them over your stew in the slow cooker such as our slow cooker vegetable stew and they are perfect for the winter months when you want comfort food.
What Is The Secret To An Excellent Biscuit?
The secret to an excellent biscuit is the layers. Rolling out your dough and then folding it over again and again, and then it has the markings similar to puff pastry and rises so well and becomes so fluffy and light.

Should You Chill Biscuit Dough Before Baking?
Its personal choice whether or not you chill the biscuit dough before baking. We have found that we get the best results when we have made the dough and then placed the biscuits straight into the air fryer.
Is It Better To Use Milk Or Water For Biscuits?
For the best results, and for flaky biscuits we recommend milk in both biscuits and in scones. They give an amazing fluffy texture. If you can opt for buttermilk over regular whole milk.
What About Ninja Air Fryer Biscuits?
If you have a Ninja, then itโs just the same method for baking biscuits in an air fryer. If you have the dual drawer option then you can do a larger batch, match the drawers and get them cooked quicker. If you have the Ninja Foodi (this is the one we have) you can use the slow cooker or pressure cooker to make a stew or casserole, then use the air fryer button for the biscuits.
Air Fryer Biscuit Recipe Ingredients

Flour โ We recommend opting for self raising (self rising in the US) as then you need less ingredients and it helps the biscuits rise.
Butter โ For biscuits its better to use salted butter rather than unsalted. It adds to its amazing flavour too.
Buttermilk โ Not just any milk for yummy homemade biscuits in air fryer, but buttermilk. It makes such a HUGE difference when baking. If you have leftover buttermilk, use it in one of our air fryer KFC recipes.
Salt โ The fourth main ingredient for homemade biscuits is the salt. We have toned it down a little as we do find traditional biscuits way too salty for our taste. So you can add more if you prefer.
Honey โ Honey mixed with buttermilk towards the end of the cooking time gives a wonderful golden glow to the biscuits but also adds a wonderful, sweet taste too.
Can You Recommend An Air Fryer?
I often get asked which air fryers I recommend and which one I use. In 95% of our air fryer recipes, we use either the Philips Air Fryer XL or the Cosori XL because they are the best ones, we have found out of many air fryers we have tried over the years. You can click on the links above and read up on them. But if you would rather have a dual air fryer we recommend this Ninja Dual (make sure you order the right one as not all are good) or the Philips Dual.
How To Cook Biscuits In Air Fryer?

- Start. Because we are making air fryer biscuits from scratch lets start with the dough. Add the flour and butter into the bowl along with the salt and rub the fat into the flour until it resembles breadcrumbs.
- Mix. Next create a well in your flour and add the buttermilk and then the honey. Use a wooden spoon or spatula to mix the wet ingredients into the dry, until you almost have a dough. Then use your hand to form into a big soft dough ball.
- Roll. Now for the main technique of biscuit air fryer dough, roll out the dough with a floured worktop and floured rolling pin and once rolled flat. Fold the dough over several times and then rinse and repeat another 3 times. This will create the layers of the biscuit dough. If making ahead you can now wrap the dough in cling film
- Cutters. Then roll out the dough a final time and use biscuit cutters to make into biscuits. For really tall biscuits we recommend rolling the dough to ยพ inch thick before cutting.
- Cook. Next place the biscuits in the air fryer and air fry for 8 minutes at 180c/360f or until golden.
- Golden. For even better biscuits mix together honey and buttermilk and brush over the tops of the biscuits before air frying.
Now that is how simple it is baking biscuits in air fryer and now itโs your turn.
How Long To Cook Biscuits In Air Fryer?
We recommend just 8 minutes for cooking biscuits in the air fryer. If you have a really thick dough and are aiming for large ones, then I would increase this to 10 minutes.
What Temperature Do You Cook Biscuits In An Air Fryer?
The ideal temperature for biscuits in the air fryer is 180c/360f. Donโt go any higher as it will cook the biscuits from the top and not get the centre cooked and all fluffy.
How To Warm Up Biscuits In Air Fryer?
When we were recipe testing our air fryer biscuits recipe we did lots of batches as we experimented and got the recipe spot on for you. We stored the leftover biscuits in an airtight container and then warmed up the biscuits in the air fryer.
We reheated biscuits in the air fryer for 3 minutes at 180c/360f.
Sam & Doms Top Tips For Success
Itโs all about those layers of the biscuit pastry. This is what makes them just like the biscuits you have had in a restaurant or in a cafรฉ.
Take your time to roll out the biscuit pastry at least 3 times and then folding it over to create several layers as this is what makes your flaky layers.
Get Air Fryer Confident
It can be daunting when you first get an air fryer, you land on a recipe site and then think now what?
Well, we love helping new people to the air fryer as we remember the struggle ourselves when got our first air fryer back in 2012. That is why we have put together these useful resources just for you.
Prefer the visual then check out our You Tube Channel โ with more than 750 step by step kitchen gadget recipes. Donโt forget to hit the subscribe button to get access to new videos as they happen!
Sign up for our 100% free air fryer kickstart course. Itโs a 5 day free mini series delivered by email and teaches you the basics of air frying. Get it here โ its free!
We also have two amazing air fryer cookbooks that are perfect for learning the air fryer. With step by step photos for key techniques and more than 140 recipes in each book. The Complete Air Fryer Cookbook was our first and has sold over 150,000 copies worldwide, and our new baby is Air Fryer Easy Everyday.
Want to get cooking over and done with? Donโt want to always be cooking? Then let me introduce you to our meal prep course which teaches you how to efficiently use the air fryer for your meal prep.
We also have two amazing air fryer cookbooks that are perfect for learning the air fryer. With step by step photos for key techniques and more than 140 recipes in each book. The Complete Air Fryer Cookbook was our first and has sold over 150,000 copies worldwide, and our new baby is Air Fryer Easy Everyday.
More Air Fryer Resources
Plus, if you love comfort food also try: slow cooker sausage and bean casserole, slow cooker sausages in onion gravy, Ninja foodi chicken pot pie, or what about an air fryer chocolate mug cake for your sweet tooth.
These air fryer biscuits are an updated post having originally shared them with you back in 2017.
Learn all about cooking biscuits in air fryer below, note you can print it out with or without photos, adjust servings, or click between metric and imperial depending on where you are in the world.
Though before you do, donโt forget to subscribe, and grab your FREE VIP Pass to Recipe This. You will get access to our latest recipes first, you will be able to request recipes, you will have access to free mini courses, free ebooks and useful cooking time charts and so much more.

Biscuits In Air Fryer
Ingredients
- 300 g Self-Raising Flour
- 115 g Salted Butter room temperature
- 120 ml Buttermilk
- 1 Tbsp Clear Honey
- 1 Tsp Salt
For Brushing
- 1 Tbsp Clear Honey
- 2 Tbsp Buttermilk
Instructions
- Place into a bowl the flour and salt and rub the fat into the flour, until it resembles breadcrumbs.
- Make a hole in the centre, pour in the buttermilk followed by the honey and use a wooden spoon or spatula to gradually mix the dry ingredients into the wet.
- Flour your hands and a rolling pin generously and bring the dough together and then knead on a floured worktop.
- To knead biscuits, we recommend folding one side into the centre, then the other side on top and then turning the dough horizontally and then gently flattening into ยฝ to ยพ inch thickness. Then repeat the folding and rolling one last time. This creates the amazing fluffy lines similar to if you were to make homemade puff pastry.
- Finally roll the biscuits dough to ยฝ to ยพ inch thick (depending how you like them). Use a medium cookie cutter to then cut into biscuit circles.
- Spread out in the air fryer basket.
- Then mix in a little bowl the extra honey and buttermilk. Brush over the tops of the biscuits using a pastry brush.
- Air fry the biscuits for 8 minutes at 180c/360f or until golden.
Notes
Nutrition
Canโt make it now? Then save it for later!


Thank you so much for this recipe. We moved into our tiny home four months ago and we decided against an oven, for the moment. I currently use an air fryer. I love this incredibly invention. I normally make my biscuits with two methods, since moving to tiny living. Either Dutch oven, campfire style or stove top in a cast iron skillet. I was rushed for time and found your recipe for air fryer biscuits. I loved it. My husband loved it. We are fans.
Hi Elizabeth,
Thank you very much for the kind words. We are happy you found our recipe helpful ๐
What are American conversions for ingredient amounts
Hi Crystal,
Under the ingredients you will see 2 words highlighted in red. One reads metric and the other reads imperial. If you click either of these the recipe will change to which ever conversions you want to use ๐
Hope this helps
Dom