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Air Fryer Donuts

July 5, 2022 by Lucy Parissi 31 Comments

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Air Fryer Donuts from scratch – these yeasted donuts are pillowy soft, delicious and cook in just four minutes! So easy to make, no need to fuss with oil and frying and just as yummy.

You will also love my Air Fryer Cookies and Air Fryer Cake!

Post may contain affiliate links. For more information, check my disclosure

Stack of air fryer donuts, one with a bite taken out

Who doesn’t love a fresh donut with a buttery donut glaze or sugary crust? The only reason I make them so rarely is that deep frying puts me off. 

It’s not just the health aspect but also the mess and oil disposal post frying. Enter… Air Fryer Donuts! These delicious from scratch donuts use dough made with yeast but instead of fried they are Air Fried. 

No fuss, less fat than deep-fried donuts, but all the taste and such an incredible treat!  Light as air, incredibly fluffy and soft inside with a crisp, sweet, exterior. 

They put Krispy Kreme, Tim Hortons and Dunkin Donuts to shame – this according to my husband who, as a Canadian, has a lot of donut eating experience. 

Sugared donuts on plates

Air Fryer Donuts From Scratch

When I googled “Air Fryer Donut recipe” I got a lot of results for recipes that use canned biscuit dough. Sure, it’s faster than making donuts from scratch but it doesn’t taste ANYTHING like a real donut.

A real raised and glazed donut (or doughnut!) takes a little time to make the dough but the results are totally worth it!

Donuts with pink glaze on a ceramic board

Donut Dough Ingredients

You will need a large Air Fryer for this recipe such as the Cosori which I recommend wholeheartedly! Air fryer liners are not essential but useful nonetheless. A donut cutter makes for uniformly shaped donuts.

  • Milk – any type
  • Shortening or unsalted butter
  • Large egg
  • Glycerine – this ingredient is found in the baking section and helps keep the dough softer for longer. You can leave it out or replace it with corn syrup
  • Vanilla, nutmeg and salt 
  • Flour – I used 00 Pasta flour but you can use all purpose flour if you prefer
  • Sugar – these donuts are not overly sweet but the added glaze makes them simply perfect
  • Rapid rise yeast – this type of yeast is mixed in with the flour and requires no activation

Donut Glaze

This sweet donut glaze adds just the right level of sweetness. When you dip a warm doughnut in it, the butter will melt slightly creating a wonderful shiny glaze which becomes crackly when it dries. 

You simply need unsalted butter, powdered sugar, vanilla and hot water to make a classic glaze. You can leave the donuts plain or add sprinkles and other toppings if you like while the glaze is still wet.

dipping air fried doughnut into glaze

How to make Donuts in the Air Fryer

Full measurements and instructions can be found on the printable recipe card at the bottom of the page. Please take a look at the steps and video before attempting this recipe!

Make the dough. Add the milk, shortening and sugar to a mixing bowl (or the bowl of your stand mixer) and heat in the microwave until the shortening starts to melt. Stir to combine and allow it to cool slightly.

Stir in the egg, glycerine, vanilla, nutmeg and salt. Check the temperature – it should be just lukewarm.

preparing donut dough in a mixing bowl

Sift the flour and yeast into the liquid ingredients and stir to combine until you have a shaggy dough. Beat the dough using an electric hand mixer fitted with dough hooks or using a stand mixer. Alternatively rest the dough for ten minutes then stretch and fold with your hands until it becomes elastic.

Cover the bowl and allow the dough to rise until doubled. The timing will depend on how warm your kitchen is – in the summer an hour should be sufficient.

stretching and folding doughnut dough in a mixing bowl

Punch the dough down to deflate. Turn it out on a lightly floured worktop and roll the dough out to ½ inch thickness. Cut out the donuts – depending on the size of your cutter you will get 8-12  donuts and donut holes.

If you don’t own a donut cutter you can use any round cutter or a glass and cut out the centres using the underside of a piping tip or a shot glass.

cutting out donuts

Leave the donuts to rise again for 30 minutes. Spray them with oil or brush with melted butter.

Spray the Air fryer basket with oil and place 3-4 donuts to the Air Fryer basket spaced slightly apart. Air fry at 350F (180C) until golden brown, about 4 minutes. Repeat with remaining donuts and holes.

Donuts cooking in an air fryer

Prepare the glaze. Melt the butter in a small saucepan. Stir the sugar in then add the vanilla extract and the water, a tablespoon at a time, until you have a glaze that drips slowly off the spoon in a steady stream.

mixing donut glaze in a pot

Dip the donuts in the glaze while they are still warm and place on a wire rack to dry. If you would rather use a sugar crust, mist the donuts with cooking spray and dip into a plate of cinnamon sugar.

glazed donuts

Storing and Serving 

Air Fryer Donuts are at their best when freshly made. They don’t keep as long as deep fried donuts but you can store them in an airtight container at room temperature for a day or two.

Refresh them by heating them in a microwave for 15-20 seconds and they will taste good as new 😉

Air fried donuts with sugar crust

Have you made my Air Fryer Donut recipe? Please leave a rating, post a photo on my Facebook page, share it on Instagram, or save it to Pinterest with the tag @supergolden88 #supergoldenbakes and make my day!

Air fryer donuts with pink glaze

Air Fryer Donuts

Lucy Parissi | Supergolden Bakes
Air Fryer Donuts from scratch – these yeasted donuts are pillowy soft, delicious and cook in just four minutes! So easy to make, no need to fuss with oil and frying and just as yummy.
5 from 1 vote
Print Rate
Course: Donuts
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Air Fryer Donuts
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 4 minutes
Proving: 1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 49 minutes
Servings: 10 -12
Calories: 365kcal

Ingredients

For the donuts

  • 180 ml (3/4 cup) milk any type
  • 30 g (2 tbsp) shortening or unsalted butter
  • 50 g (1/4 cup) granulated sugar
  • 1 egg , large
  • 1 tbsp glycerine or corn syrup (optional)
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • ¼ tsp grated nutmeg
  • 360 g (3 cups) pasta flour or all-purpose flour / plain flour
  • 2 ½ tsp rapid rise yeast (1 packet)
  • Oil Spray as needed

For the Glaze

  • 6 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 250 g (2 cups) powdered sugar (icing sugar)
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 3 Tbsp hot water , or as needed

Optional Toppings

  • sprinkles
  • freeze dried strawberry powder

Instructions

Prepare the donuts

  • Add the milk, shortening and sugar to a mixing bowl (or the bowl of your stand mixer) and heat in the microwave until the shortening starts to melt. Stir to combine and allow it to cool slightly.
  • Stir in the egg, glycerine, vanilla, nutmeg and salt. Check the temperature – it should be just lukewarm.
  • Sift the flour and yeast into the liquid ingredients and stir to combine until you have a shaggy dough. Beat the dough using an electric hand mixer fitted with dough hooks or using a stand mixer. Alternatively rest the dough for ten minutes then stretch and fold with your hands until it becomes elastic.
  • Cover the bowl and allow the dough to rise until doubled. The timing will depend on how warm your kitchen is – in the summer an hour should be sufficient.
  • Punch the dough down to deflate. Turn it out on a lightly floured worktop and roll the dough out to ½ inch thickness. Cut out the donuts – depending on the size of your cutter you will get 8-12 donuts and donut holes.
  • If you don’t own a donut cutter you can use any round cutter or a glass and cut out the centres using the underside of a piping tip or a shot glass.
  • Leave the donuts to rise again for 30 minutes. Spray them with oil or brush with melted butter.
  • Spray the Air fryer basket with oil and place 3-4 donuts to the Air Fryer basket spaced slightly apart. Air fry at 350F (180C) until golden brown, about 4 minutes. Repeat with remaining donuts and holes.

Prepare the glaze

  • You will need to make this just before cooking the first batch of donuts. Melt the butter in a small saucepan. Stir the sugar in then add the vanilla extract and the water, a tablespoon at a time, until you have a glaze that drips slowly off the spoon in a steady stream.
  • Dip the donuts in the glaze while they are still warm and place on a wire rack to dry. Share and enjoy!

Video

Notes

  • To deep fry
    Heat the oil in a large, deep pot. If you have a candy thermometer, clip it on. The oil is ready when it reaches 190C/ 375F. (To check if the oil is ready without the use of the thermometer, drop a small cube of bread in it. It should brown within a minute.)
  • Lower the doughnuts into the oil using a wooden spoon two at a time. Fry until golden – about 1–1 1/2 minutes on each side using a chopstick to flip over.
    Drain on kitchen towels.
  • Dip each doughnut in the glaze while they are still quite warm. Twist the doughnut so it’s well covered in the glaze then place on a wire rack to cool.

Nutritional Info

Calories: 365kcal | Carbohydrates: 60g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 37mg | Sodium: 75mg | Potassium: 106mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 31g | Vitamin A: 264IU | Vitamin C: 0.01mg | Calcium: 34mg | Iron: 2mg
Tried this recipe?Mention @supergolden88 or tag #supergoldenbakes!

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Comments

  1. Sam Williams says

    September 29, 2014 at 8:54 am

    These look perfect! I'll have to try the recipe

    Reply
  2. William G says

    September 19, 2014 at 7:18 am

    I can never get them to be as good as the ones you can buy in the USA!

    Reply
  3. Sam Williams says

    September 09, 2014 at 7:43 am

    I do love a good doughnut!

    Reply
  4. Jayne says

    September 04, 2014 at 6:48 pm

    These look so amazing, I don't think I would dare to try them out though, for fear of eating them all.

    Reply
  5. Bohdan Kuczynski says

    August 08, 2014 at 2:42 pm

    Lovely doughnuts, I've been looking for a good recipe for ages.

    Reply
  6. Heather Haigh says

    August 04, 2014 at 2:38 pm

    they look absolutely fabulous.

    Reply
  7. Zoey H. says

    August 04, 2014 at 6:10 am

    This look delish ill be making these next

    Reply
  8. 1806louise says

    August 03, 2014 at 11:12 pm

    Mmm I want to come and live with you, they look so delicious

    Reply
  9. prwilson says

    August 01, 2014 at 11:43 pm

    Mmmmmm.

    Reply
  10. Natalie Crossan says

    July 28, 2014 at 11:52 pm

    Oh wow! Send me some, I'll pay you! 😀

    Reply
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HEY, NICE TO MEET YOU!

Picture of Lucy ParissiHi, I am Lucy Parissi, the recipe developer, food  photographer and author behind Supergolden Bakes. If you are looking for easy sweet and savoury recipes that are packed with flavour you have come to the right place!  READ MORE

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