Air Fryer Donuts
User Reviews
4.6
Air Fryer Donuts
Description
The Air Fryer Donuts recipe starts with warming milk, yeast, and sugar to activate fermentation, which creates a bubbly yeast mixture. This is combined with melted butter, eggs, and sugar, then mixed with flour and salt to form a slightly sticky but elastic dough. The dough undergoes a long rise for volume and lightness before being rolled out and cut with donut cutters or similar tools. Cooking in the air fryer crisps the surface while keeping the interior soft and airy. The glaze is prepared with confectioners’ sugar, milk, butter, and vanilla extract to coat the donuts shortly after cooking, giving a delicate sweet finish.
Serving these donuts fresh is recommended to enjoy their tender crumb and glaze texture. They provide a way to enjoy traditional flavors with less oil and frying mess. This method requires care not to over-flour the dough to maintain softness and to time the glazing when the donuts are warm but not hot, ensuring proper adherence and a crackly appearance. Rising times depend on kitchen temperature, with an ideal warm range helping the dough proof effectively.
The recipe notes suggest using a scale to measure flour accurately and avoiding over-kneading or skipping the second rise to preserve lightness. If lacking a stand mixer, dough can be kneaded by hand. Alternative cutters can substitute for donut cutters for shaping. The recipe emphasizes managing dough thickness to avoid flat donuts and adjusting rising conditions based on ambient temperature.
Ingredients
For the Donuts:
- 1 cup whole milk 105 to 110F)(240mL, warm
- 1 (0.25-ounce/7g) packet active dry yeast (2 1/4 teaspoons)
- ¼ cup granulated sugar divided (62g, 1 teaspoon
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter 85g, melted
- 1 large egg at room temperature
- 3 cups all-purpose flour plus additional for dusting (360g)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- Coconut oil cooking spray or olive oil cooking spray
For the Glaze:
- 3 cups confectioners’ sugar (120g)
- ½ cup milk 120mL, whole
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
Prepare the Donuts:
- In a small bowl, whisk together the warm milk, yeast, and 1 teaspoon sugar. Let the mixture stand until very bubbly, 5 to 10 minutes.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, whisk together the melted butter, eggs, and remaining ¼ cup sugar until smooth. Stir in yeast mixture until combined. Add the flour and salt. Mix on low speed until a shaggy dough forms. Increase speed to medium-low, and knead until the dough is smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes. (The dough will be slightly sticky.)
- Transfer the dough to a large, lightly oiled bowl. Cover and let rise in a warm, draft-free place until doubled in size, about 1 hour 15 minutes.
- Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and lightly dust with flour.
- Punch down the risen dough. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into a ½-inch-thick rectangle. Using a donut cutter, cut out 12 donuts and 12 donut holes, re-rolling scraps as necessary. You can also use a 3-inch and 1-inch round cookie cutter to cut out the donuts. Place donuts and holes on the prepared baking sheet. Loosely cover and let rise in a warm, draft-free place, until doubled in size, about 15 to 20 minutes.
- Preheat the air fryer to 350°F for 10 minutes. Spray the air fryer basket with cooking spray.
- Working in batches, carefully place donuts in an even layer in the air fryer basket, about 1-inch apart. Lightly spray the tops with oil.
- Cook for 6 minutes for donut holes and 8 minutes for big donuts or until golden brown. (I recommend frying the big donuts and donut holes separately since the cook times are slightly different.)
For the Glaze:
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the confectioners’ sugar, milk, melted butter, and vanilla until smooth. Dip the warm donuts and donut holes into the glaze. Place on a wire rack and let the glaze set for about 5 minutes before serving. Store any leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Notes
- Measure flour by weight or fluff and level to avoid too much flour, which can dry the dough.
- The dough should feel slightly tacky; avoid adding extra flour during kneading.
- You can knead by hand if needed, aiming for a smooth and elastic dough.
- Glaze donuts when they are warm but not too hot to keep the glaze on without sliding off.
- If you lack a donut hole cutter, use a large pastry tip or a small round object.
- Rising time depends on kitchen warmth; a range around 75 to 78°F is ideal for proofing.
- Don't roll out dough too thin or donuts may come out flat after air frying.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 12donuts
Amount Per Serving
Calories 340 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 340kcal | 17% |
| Carbohydrates | 60g | 20% |
| Protein | 5g | 10% |
| Fat | 9g | 14% |
| Saturated Fat | 6g | 30% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 1g | 6% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 2g | 10% |
| Trans Fat | 0.3g | 15% |
| Cholesterol | 39mg | 13% |
| Sodium | 117mg | 5% |
| Potassium | 94mg | 2% |
| Fiber | 1g | 4% |
| Sugar | 35g | 70% |
| Vitamin A | 305IU | 6% |
| Vitamin C | 0.002mg | 0% |
| Calcium | 47mg | 5% |
| Iron | 2mg | 11% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.6
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