The exact cook time can vary. Read below for our tips!
Air fryer donuts? Oh yes, please! If you love donuts and have an air fryer, this is a recipe for you.
We’ll show you how to make amazing donuts from scratch with a simple yeast dough. The dough is easy to make and requires only a few ingredients.
The donuts are then air-fried until golden and fluffy, and coated with a delicious cinnamon-sugar mixture.
These donuts make a nice dessert or sweet snack. They are a great alternative to deep-fried donuts because they use less oil and fat. Plus, they are super fun to make and customize.
Some recipes use pre-made biscuit dough to make donuts in the air fryer, which is a quick and convenient option.
But in this homemade version, we’ll make the dough from scratch… and it isn’t scary at all!
Ingredients
To make this air fryer donuts recipe, here are the ingredients you’ll need. It’s a homemade yeast dough, but it’s not that scary (we promise!).
- All-purpose flour – To make the donut dough.
- Powdered sugar – Adds sweetness to the dough.
- Cane sugar – Adds sweetness and a hint of caramel. Alternatively, use regular granulated sugar. Some for the dough, some for the sugar coating.
- Instant dry yeast – To help the dough rise. Make sure the yeast hasn’t expired.
- Salt – To enhance the flavor.
- Warm milk – To make the dough. You can use whole milk or low-fat milk.
- Egg – To make the dough.
- Melted butter – Some for the dough and the rest to coat the donuts when they are done.
- Cinnamon – To coat the donuts with cinnamon sugar when they are done.
Recipe Tips
Before you make these homemade donuts in the air fryer, have a good read through these recipe tips. This way, you’ll have a better understanding of what to expect when you bake at home!
- This recipe is made with yeast, so it’s important that the milk is warm, but not hot (this could harm the yeast bacteria). The egg should be at room temperature and the butter should be melted, but not overly hot.
- You can make the dough with active dry yeast instead of instant yeast. In this case, however, the yeast must first be activated in some warm milk mixed with sugar before use.
- The dough should be elastic and slightly sticky, but not wet. If the dough doesn’t have the right consistency, add some more flour (if it’s too wet) or some more warm milk (if it’s too dry).
- The rising time for the dough can vary depending on how warm it is in your home. Allow it to rise in a warm, draft-free place until it has roughly doubled in size.
- Don’t overcrowd the air fryer as this could prevent the donuts from cooking evenly. Also, keep in mind that the donuts will increase in size as they cook.
Step by Step Instructions
In this section, you’ll see exactly how to make homemade donuts in the air fryer.
You can follow along below with all the recipe process photos in case you want to see what the dough should look like at each recipe step.
The recipe card with cooking times, temperatures, and ingredient amounts is at the end of this post if you want to skip down there now!
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, yeast, sugar, powdered sugar, and salt.
Add the milk and egg to the bowl. Set aside about 3 tablespoons of the melted butter and pour the rest into the bowl.
Knead with the spiral dough hooks of your electric mixer or your hands until you have a soft and slightly sticky dough, about 5 minutes.
If the dough feels too sticky, add a bit more flour. If it feels too dry, add a little more warm milk.
Cover the bowl with a lid or cling film and let it rise in a warm place without draft for about an hour.
You can also transfer the dough to a bread maker or multicooker and set the bread rise mode for 30-40 minutes.
On a lightly floured surface, gently roll out the dough to 1 inch thick. Use a 4-inch round cutter to cut circles from of dough and a 1-inch round cutter to make holes in the center.
Cover the donuts with a dishtowel or plastic wrap and leave the dough to rise for another 20-30 minutes.
Preheat the air fryer to 360 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray or brush some oil on the air fryer basket and place 2-3 donuts in it, depending on their size and the size of the air fryer.
They should not overlap.
Air fry the donuts at 360 degrees Fahrenheit for 5-6 minutes. Then flip the donuts over and air fry for another 4 minutes or until golden and cooked through.
Then air fry the rest of the donuts if applicable. The exact cooking time can vary.
Brush each donut with some of the melted butter you set aside earlier (you may need to melt it again) and sprinkle with a mixture of sugar and cinnamon.
If you want to add a glaze instead of the cinnamon sugar, you can have a look at Bigger Bolder Baking’s 5 donut glaze recipes.
Enjoy these donuts fresh!
Storage Tips
These air fryer donuts definitely taste best when they are fresh.
If you need to store them, you can put them in a sealed container once they have cooled and keep them at room temperature for up to 2 days.
But keep in mind that they likely won’t taste as good on the second day.
You can place donuts that have gone slightly stale in the air fryer for a minute or two at a lower temperature, such as 300 degrees Fahrenheit, or reheat them in the microwave for a few seconds.
FAQ
Yes, you can definitely make donuts in the air fryer using different methods and ingredients. Depending on your preference and time, you can either make them with a simple yeast dough or pre-made biscuit dough.
Related Recipes
Craving more air fryer desserts after trying these air fryer doughnuts? Here are some other sweet recipes that you might want to try:
- Air Fryer Churros
- Air Fried Homemade Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Air Fried Donut Holes
- Easy Apple Turnovers in the Air Fryer
- Homemade Cinnamon Rolls Air Fried
Air Fryer Donuts
Ingredients
For The Dough
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 3 tablespoons powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons cane sugar, or granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons instant yeast
- 1/3 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup milk, warm
- 1 egg, at room temperature
- 1/3 cup butter, melted
For The Sugar Coating
- 3 tablespoons cane sugar, or granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, yeast, sugar, powdered sugar, and salt.1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, 3 tablespoons powdered sugar, 2 teaspoons instant yeast, 1/3 teaspoon salt, 2 tablespoons cane sugar
- Add the milk and egg to the bowl. Set aside about 3 tablespoons of the melted butter and pour the rest into the bowl.1/2 cup milk, 1 egg, 1/3 cup butter
- Knead with the spiral dough hooks of your electric mixer or your hands until you have a soft and slightly sticky dough, about 5 minutes.
- Cover the bowl with a lid or plastic wrap and let it rise in a warm place without draft for about an hour. You can also transfer the dough to a bread maker or multicooker and set the bread rise mode for 30-40 minutes.
- Roll out the dough to 1 inch thick on a lightly floured surface. Use a 4-inch round cutter to cut circles from the dough and a 1-inch round cutter to make holes in the center. Cover the donuts with a dishtowel or plastic wrap and leave the dough to rise for another 20-30 minutes.
- Preheat the air fryer to 360 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray or brush some oil on the air fryer basket and place 2-3 donuts in it, depending on their size and the size of the air fryer.
- Air fry the donuts at 360 degrees Fahrenheit for 5-6 minutes. Then flip the donuts over and air fry for another 4 minutes or until golden and cooked through. Air fry the rest of the dough if applicable. The exact cooking time can vary.
- Brush each donut with some of the melted butter you set aside earlier (you may need to melt it again) and sprinkle with a mixture of sugar and cinnamon.1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 3 tablespoons cane sugar
Notes
- This recipe is made with yeast, so it’s important that the milk is warm, but not hot (this could harm the yeast bacteria). The egg should be at room temperature and the butter should be melted, but not overly hot.
- You can make the dough with active dry yeast instead of instant yeast. In this case, the yeast must first be activated in some warm milk mixed with sugar before use.
- The dough should be elastic and slightly sticky, but not wet. If the dough doesn’t have the right consistency, add some more flour (if it’s too wet) or some more warm milk (if it’s too dry).
- The rising time for the dough can vary depending on how warm it is in your home. Allow it to rise in a warm, draft-free place until it has roughly doubled in size.
- Don’t overcrowd the air fryer as this could prevent the donuts from cooking evenly. Keep in mind that the donuts will increase in size as they cook.
- If you want to add a glaze instead of the cinnamon sugar, you can have a look at these 5 donut glaze recipes.
Nutrition
This nutritional information has been estimated by an online nutrition calculator. It should only be seen as a rough calculation and not a replacement for professional dietary advice.
Could you use almond flour and low cal sugars for this recipe?
Thank you for your comment, Marylin! If you want to make donuts with almond flour and low-calorie sugar, I would recommend using a recipe that has been tested with those specific ingredients, since the (proportions of) ingredients may change. Here is an example: https://www.wholesomeyum.com/recipes/low-carb-donuts-recipe-almond-flour-keto-donuts/ Since the donuts in our recipe are made with a yeast dough (and yeast can be a bit finicky), simply substituting almond flour for all-purpose flour may not yield the best results.