Air-Fried Donuts: A Tasty, Guilt-Free Treat?

Air fryers have become one of the most popular new kitchen appliances in recent years, and for good reason. They can be used for everything from roasting vegetables to grilling meats and fish, and even for making desserts. But can you make donuts in an air fryer? The short answer is yes, you can. However, the results may vary depending on the type of donut dough you use.

Traditional yeast-raised donuts will come out of the air fryer light, spongy, and slightly chewy, with a very light tan colour. They won't have the same deep-fried flavour and aroma as donuts cooked in hot oil, but they are still a tasty treat. Cake-style donuts, on the other hand, don't seem to fare as well in the air fryer, resulting in a dry, cookie-like texture.

If you're looking for a classic, nostalgic fried donut experience, then the air fryer may not be the best option. But if you want a healthier, lighter, and less messy alternative to deep-frying, then air-fried yeast-raised donuts could be the perfect choice.

Yeast activation

Ingredients:

• Yeast: You can use active dry yeast or instant yeast. Instant yeast will give you a slightly shorter rise time.
• Liquid: Warm liquid is essential to activating the yeast. Use lukewarm water or milk, warmed to about 100°F to 110°F (43°C). Make sure the liquid is not too hot, as it can kill the yeast.
• Sugar: A small amount of sugar is added to the liquid to feed the yeast and help with activation.

Mixing and Proofing:

• Combine the yeast, lukewarm liquid, and sugar in a bowl. Gently stir them together, making sure everything is well combined.
• Let the mixture sit for about 5 to 10 minutes. You should see the yeast start to foam and become frothy. This indicates that the yeast is active and ready to use. If nothing happens after 15 minutes, your yeast may be too old, or the liquid was too hot or too cold.
• Once the yeast is activated, you can add the remaining dough ingredients and mix until a soft dough forms.

Kneading:

• After mixing, turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead it for a few minutes. This helps develop the gluten and gives the dough a smooth and elastic texture.
• If the dough is too sticky, you can add a small amount of flour, a little at a time, until it becomes more manageable. However, be careful not to add too much flour, as you want the dough to remain soft and pillowy.

First Rise:

• Place the kneaded dough in a lightly oiled bowl and cover it with plastic wrap or a clean towel.
• Let the dough rise in a warm, draft-free spot until it has doubled in size. This usually takes around 1 to 2 hours, depending on the temperature of your kitchen and the freshness of your yeast.

By following these steps, you'll ensure that your yeast is properly activated and your doughnuts will have a light and airy texture. Remember to be patient during the proofing process, as it's crucial for achieving the best results.

Dough preparation

Ingredients

You will need the following ingredients to make the dough:

• Milk
• Yeast
• Sugar
• Butter
• Flour
• Egg
• Salt

Method

First, activate the yeast by sprinkling it over lukewarm milk and adding a little bit of sugar. Gently stir the mixture with a fork and let it sit for about 10 minutes. You will know the yeast is active when you see little particles popping and the mixture becomes frothy.

Next, add the remaining dough ingredients and knead the dough in a stand mixer until it is elastic, smooth, and pulls away from the sides of the bowl. This should take about 5 minutes. If you don't have a stand mixer, you can also knead the dough by hand on a floured surface for about 5 minutes.

Proofing

Once the dough is ready, transfer it to a greased bowl and cover it with plastic wrap. Let the dough rise in a warm, draft-free spot until it has doubled in size. To test if the dough has proofed enough, make a indentation with your finger; if the indentation remains, it is ready.

Shaping

After proofing, turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and gently roll it out to about 1/2 inch thickness. Use a donut cutter or biscuit cutters to cut out the donuts and donut holes. You can also use a 3-inch and 1-inch round cookie cutter if you don't have a donut cutter.

Place the cut-out donuts and donut holes on a large rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper and lightly dusted with flour. Cover them loosely and let them rise again in a warm, draft-free place until they have doubled in size.

Air Frying

Preheat your air fryer to 350°F. Spray the air fryer basket with cooking spray and carefully place the donuts in a single layer, about 1 inch apart. Lightly spray the tops of the donuts with oil before air frying.

Air fry the donuts for about 4-8 minutes, depending on their size, until they are golden brown. You may need to cook the donut holes for a shorter amount of time, about 3-6 minutes.

Glazing

While the donuts are air frying, you can make a simple glaze by whisking together powdered sugar, milk, melted butter, and vanilla extract. Dip the warm donuts and donut holes into the glaze and place them on a wire rack to let the glaze set for about 5-10 minutes before serving.

Enjoy your freshly made air fryer donuts!

Dough cutting

Firstly, ensure you have the right tools for the job. You can purchase a donut cutter, which typically consists of two concentric circles used to cut the doughnut shape and the hole in the centre. These can be made from stainless steel or plastic and range in size from 2.5 inches to 3.5 inches in diameter. If you don't have a donut cutter, you can use a wide drinking glass or wide-mouth canning ring and a smaller circle cutter or shot glass for the centre.

When cutting the dough, it is important to ensure the dough is the correct thickness. For most recipes, you should roll out the dough to about 1/2 inch thickness on a lightly floured surface before using your cutter. This will ensure your donuts are light and fluffy, not dense. Cut out the donuts and place them on a floured surface or lined baking sheet. You can gather and reroll the scraps to cut more donuts.

If you are making filled donuts, you will need a cutter without a hole in the centre. Cut the dough into circles of about 3 inches in diameter and follow the rest of the recipe as usual. After frying or air frying, fill the donuts with your desired filling.

Finally, allow the cut donuts to rest and rise before cooking. This will ensure they have the perfect texture. Cover them loosely with greased plastic wrap and let them rise in a warm, draft-free spot for about 30 minutes to an hour, depending on the recipe.

Air fryer settings

The ideal temperature to cook donuts in an air fryer is 350°F (180°C). Depending on the size of your donuts, they should be cooked for 4-8 minutes. If you are cooking donut holes, these will take less time, around 3-6 minutes.

It is important to note that every model and brand of air fryer is different, so baking times can vary. If your air fryer is stronger than the one in the recipe, the donuts may overcook. To determine if the baking time for your air fryer needs to be adjusted, you can try baking a test donut.

If you are cooking in batches, you may need to adjust the temperature slightly as the air fryer will be hotter after the first batch.

Some recipes suggest preheating the air fryer for 10 minutes before cooking.

When cooking, the donuts should be placed in a single layer in the air fryer basket, about 1 inch apart.

The air fryer basket should be sprayed with cooking spray to prevent sticking. It is important to avoid non-stick sprays such as PAM, which can damage the lining of the air fryer basket. Instead, use coconut oil or olive oil cooking spray.

If you are cooking donut holes, you can cook these at the same time as the donuts, or separately, depending on how much space you have in your air fryer.

Glaze

Ingredients:

• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 5-7 tbsp milk (add more or less depending on how thin you like your glaze)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions:

• Combine the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract in a large bowl.
• Whisk until smooth.
• Dip the warm donuts into the glaze and let them set on a cooling rack.

You can also add corn syrup to your glaze to keep it smooth and syrupy, which will help it adhere better to the warm donuts. Simply add it to the glaze mixture and whisk to combine.

If you're feeling adventurous, you can experiment with different glaze flavours like maple or chocolate. For a maple glaze, stir together 1/2 cup of powdered sugar and 5 tablespoons of maple syrup. Or, for a chocolate glaze, simply make your basic glaze and add cocoa powder to taste.

Don't be afraid to get creative with your toppings, too. You can top your glazed donuts with sprinkles, crushed breakfast cereal, cinnamon sugar, caramel, or even chopped crispy bacon.

Remember, the key to a shiny glaze is to dip your donuts while they are still warm. Enjoy your freshly glazed air-fried donuts!

Frequently asked questions