Reheating Donuts: Air Fryer Magic

Donuts are delicious, but what happens when you have leftovers? Reheating them in the microwave can leave them soggy, and eating them cold is less than ideal. Enter the air fryer: a countertop appliance that can restore your leftover donuts to their former glory. In just a few minutes, your old donuts will be warm and crispy on the outside, while remaining soft and fluffy on the inside.

Reheating glazed donuts

Glazed donuts are a delicious treat, but what happens when you have leftovers? Do you throw them away or eat them cold? Neither option is ideal, but reheating your donuts in an air fryer is a great solution. Here's how you can give your glazed donuts a new life and enjoy them as if they were freshly made.

Preheat Your Air Fryer

Preheating your air fryer is essential for ensuring even heating. Set your air fryer to 350°F (175°C) and let it heat up for 2-3 minutes. This step is crucial for achieving consistent results.

Prepare Your Donuts

Take your glazed donuts out of the fridge. It's important to note that glazed donuts are delicate, so be extra cautious with the temperature to avoid melting the glaze. If your donuts have other toppings, such as sprinkles or nuts, those can also be reheated in the air fryer. Just make sure to adjust the temperature slightly to avoid burning or melting.

Place Donuts in the Air Fryer

Place your donuts in the air fryer basket, ensuring they are not touching each other. Leave enough space around each donut to allow proper air circulation and crisping. A single layer of donuts is best.

Air Fry Your Donuts

Set your air fryer to 350°F (175°C) and air fry your donuts for 3-4 minutes. Check on your donuts halfway through the cooking time to ensure they are not burning. If you desire a crispier texture, you can cook them for an additional minute.

Enjoy Your Warm Glazed Donuts

Your glazed donuts are now ready to be enjoyed! Serve them warm with a cup of coffee, tea, or milk. Remember to let them cool for a minute or two after removing them from the air fryer to allow the heat to distribute evenly, especially if they have fillings. Now you can indulge in your freshly reheated glazed donuts as if they were straight from the bakery!

Reheating jelly or cream-filled donuts

Preheat the Air Fryer

Preheat your air fryer to 350°F (175°C) for 2-3 minutes. This initial step ensures that your donuts heat up evenly. Most air fryers take a few minutes to reach the desired temperature.

Prepare the Donuts

Take your donuts out of the fridge and place them in the air fryer basket. Ensure that the donuts are not touching each other and that there is sufficient space around them to allow proper air circulation and even crisping.

Air Fry the Donuts

Set your air fryer to 350°F (175°C) for 3-4 minutes. Check on your donuts halfway through the cooking process to ensure they are not burning. If you desire a crispier texture, you can air fry for an additional minute.

Enjoy Your Warm Donuts

Your donuts are now ready to be enjoyed! Serve them warm with a cup of coffee, tea, or milk. Remember to be cautious when consuming cream or jelly-filled donuts, as the filling can become extremely hot. Always let them rest for a couple of minutes before biting into them.

Pro Tips for Reheating Donuts

• Space them out: Avoid overcrowding the air fryer basket. Place the donuts in a single layer without them touching to ensure even heating.
• Check frequently: As donuts reheat quickly in an air fryer, keep a close eye on them to prevent overcooking. Start with a shorter time and add more if needed.
• Adjust temperature for toppings: If your donuts have delicate toppings like glaze or chocolate, reduce the temperature slightly to avoid melting or burning.
• Use parchment liners: If you're concerned about sticky toppings or glazes, use air fryer parchment paper liners for easier cleanup and to prevent sticking.
• Turn them halfway: For the most even results, especially if your air fryer doesn't circulate air perfectly, consider turning the donuts halfway through the reheating process.
• Let them rest: After removing the donuts from the air fryer, let them rest for a minute or two. This allows the heat to distribute evenly, which is crucial if your donuts have fillings.

Reheating cake donuts

Step 1: Preheat Your Air Fryer

Preheating the air fryer is crucial for ensuring even heating of your cake donuts. Set your air fryer to 350°F (175°C) for 2-5 minutes. This step will ensure that your donuts are heated evenly throughout.

Step 2: Prepare Your Donuts

Take your cake donuts out of the fridge and place them onto the air fryer basket or rack. Make sure to leave enough space between the donuts to allow for proper air circulation and crisping. Avoid overcrowding the basket, and place the donuts in a single layer without any contact between them.

Step 3: Air Fry Your Donuts

Once your air fryer has preheated, it's time to cook your cake donuts. Set the temperature to 350°F (175°C) and air fry for 3-4 minutes. Keep an eye on your donuts during the cooking process, checking them halfway through to ensure they are not burning. If you desire a crispier texture, you can air fry for an additional minute.

Step 4: Enjoy Your Warm, Crispy Donuts

Your cake donuts are now ready to be enjoyed! Serve them warm with your favourite beverage, such as coffee, milk, or tea. The reheating process will have restored the outer crispiness while maintaining a soft and fluffy interior.

Pro Tips for Optimal Results:

• Preheat the Air Fryer: Preheating ensures consistent results, similar to an oven.
• Space Them Out: Proper spacing allows for even air circulation and uniform reheating.
• Check Frequently: Donuts reheat quickly in an air fryer, so frequent checks are necessary to prevent overcooking.
• Adjust Temperature for Toppings: If your cake donuts have delicate toppings like glaze or chocolate, reduce the temperature to avoid melting or burning.
• Use Parchment Liners: To simplify cleanup and prevent sticking, consider using air fryer parchment paper liners.
• Turn Them Halfway: For even results, especially with air fryers that don't circulate air perfectly, turn the donuts halfway through the reheating process.
• Use a Light Mist of Water: If your donuts are a day old, a light mist of water before reheating can help restore moisture and prevent dryness.
• Let Them Rest: After removing the donuts from the air fryer, let them rest for a minute or two. This allows the heat to distribute evenly, especially if your cake donuts have a filling.
• Experiment and Adjust: Pay close attention to the reheating process, as different air fryer models and donut types may require adjustments to time and temperature.

Reheating chocolate-covered or frosted donuts

Step 1: Preheat Your Air Fryer

Preheating your air fryer is crucial for even heating. Set your air fryer to 350°F (175°C) and let it preheat for 2-3 minutes. This step ensures that your donuts heat up uniformly.

Step 2: Prepare Your Donuts

Take your chocolate-covered or frosted donuts out of the fridge. It's important to ensure that the donuts are not overcrowded in the air fryer basket. Place them in a single layer with sufficient space between them to allow proper crisping.

Step 3: Adjust the Temperature

As chocolate and frosting can be sensitive to high temperatures, it's recommended to reduce the temperature slightly to avoid melting or burning. Adjust your air fryer to a lower temperature, such as 300°F (150°C).

Step 4: Air Fry Your Donuts

Place the donuts in the air fryer and set the timer. For frosted or chocolate-covered donuts, 2-4 minutes at 300°F (150°C) should be sufficient. Keep a close eye on them during the cooking process, checking at least once, to prevent overcooking.

Step 5: Enjoy Your Donuts

Once the timer goes off, carefully remove your donuts from the air fryer. Let them cool down for a minute or two before indulging. Remember, the filling in cream or jelly-filled donuts can get extremely hot, so be cautious to avoid burning your mouth.

Pro Tips for Reheating Chocolate-Covered or Frosted Donuts:

• Use Parchment Liners: If you're concerned about sticky chocolate or frosting, consider using air fryer parchment paper liners. They will make cleanup easier and prevent any sticking.
• Turn Them Halfway: For even heating, especially if your air fryer's air circulation is not perfect, consider turning the donuts halfway through the reheating process.
• Experiment and Adjust: Different air fryers vary in heat distribution and efficiency. Pay close attention to the results, and adjust the time or temperature as needed for future batches.

How long to reheat donuts in an air fryer

Yes, you can reheat donuts in an air fryer to get them warm and crispy! The best temperature to reheat your donuts is by setting your air fryer to 350°F. The reheating time depends on the number of donuts you are reheating and their size. If you are reheating a single donut, it should take 2-3 minutes to reheat. If you are reheating multiple donuts, it should take around 5 minutes.

When reheating donuts in an air fryer, it is important to not overcrowd the basket. This will ensure that the donuts heat evenly. You should also check on the donuts frequently to make sure they do not burn. The perfect amount of time for the donuts to spend in the basket depends on the size of your air fryer.

You can reheat both cake and yeast donuts, as well as biscuit-based donut holes. However, be careful with sprinkles and frosting as the hot air can cause them to melt or burn. It is best to stick to plain or sugar-dusted donuts. Fillings are fine, as long as you don't heat the donuts for longer than a few minutes.

Frequently asked questions