Cody Casey
Air fryers have become one of the most popular kitchen appliances in recent years, and for good reason—they can cook food that usually requires a pot of hot oil with minimal mess and less fat. One of the most popular foods to make in an air fryer is doughnuts. They're fluffy, doughy, and perfectly glazed, and they can be made in just a few minutes. You can make them from scratch, using biscuit dough, or even with gluten-free self-rising flour. They're best enjoyed fresh, but you can store them in an airtight container for a day or two.
Characteristics and Values Table for Cooking Donuts in an Air Fryer
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Dough | Yeast dough, biscuit dough, Greek yogurt dough, cake batter, gluten-free self-rising flour |
| Temperature | 180 °C (350 °F) or 200 °C/400 °F |
| Time | 3-8 minutes |
| Glaze | Powdered sugar, butter, milk, vanilla extract, chocolate, cinnamon-sugar |
| Toppings | Sprinkles, shaved almonds, mini chocolate chips, crumb topping |
| Storage | Airtight container, room temperature, 1-3 days |
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What You'll Learn
Air fryer donut ingredients
There are several ways to make air-fried donuts, depending on your preference and the ingredients you have available. Here is a list of ingredients you can use to make air-fried donuts:
Yeast Dough Donuts:
- Yeast: Activate the yeast by sprinkling it over lukewarm milk, adding a little sugar, and gently stirring. Let the mixture sit for about ten minutes.
- Milk: Use lukewarm milk to activate the yeast and create a dough.
- Sugar: Add a small amount of sugar to the milk and yeast mixture. You will also need additional sugar for the glaze or cinnamon-sugar coating.
- Flour: Combine with yeast, milk, and sugar to form a dough.
- Butter: Melted butter is brushed onto the cooked donuts so that the cinnamon-sugar coating adheres better.
- Eggs: Whisk together with melted butter, milk, and sugar.
- Salt: Combine with flour, sugar, and milk.
- Oil: You will need a few spritzes of oil spray to help the air fryer "fry" the donuts. Use coconut or olive oil cooking spray.
Gluten-Free Donuts:
- Gluten-free self-rising flour: Use this instead of regular flour to make gluten-free donuts.
- Chocolate chips: Melt and fold into the glaze mixture for a chocolate glaze.
- Butter: Use melted unsalted butter in the glaze mixture.
Greek Yogurt Dough Donuts:
- Greek yogurt: Mix with flour to create a dough.
- Powdered sugar: Sift and add water or milk to create a glaze.
Premade Biscuit Dough Donuts:
- Premade biscuit dough: Cut out the biscuit centers using a 1-inch cutter. Place the doughnuts in a single layer on a greased tray in the air fryer basket and cook until golden brown.
- Butter: Melted butter is brushed onto the cooked donuts so that the cinnamon-sugar coating adheres better.
- Cinnamon: Mix with sugar to create a cozy cinnamon-sugar coating.
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Air fryer donut cooking time and temperature
The cooking time and temperature for air fryer donuts will depend on the type of donut you are making. Cake-style donuts, for example, start with a higher-hydration dough than yeast donuts, meaning they take longer to cook.
If you are using a pre-made biscuit dough, you can expect your donuts to cook in around 5 minutes. If you are making your donuts from scratch, the cooking time will be longer, between 6 and 8 minutes.
It is important to note that air fryer cooking times can vary dramatically, even among the best air fryer brands. Therefore, it is recommended to keep an eye on your donuts and check them regularly to ensure they do not overcook.
In terms of temperature, most sources recommend cooking your donuts at 350°F (180°C). However, one source suggests reducing the temperature to around 275°F to compensate for the small size of the cooking chamber and the powerful fan, which can distribute heat quickly.
Additionally, the ideal temperature for the dough to rise before cooking is between 75 to 78°F. If your kitchen is on the colder side, you can place the dough in an off oven with the light on to achieve this temperature.
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Air fryer donut glaze
Air fryer donuts are a healthier alternative to deep-fried donuts, but they still have the same delicious texture and flavour. The glaze is the key to getting that perfect balance of sweetness and ensuring the donuts stay soft.
There are many different types of glaze you can make for your air fryer donuts. A simple glaze can be made by mixing together melted butter, warm milk, sugar, and vanilla extract. You can also add corn syrup to this mixture to help keep the glaze thick and syrupy. If you want to make a chocolate glaze, simply melt some chocolate chips and fold them into the glaze mixture, along with a tablespoon or two of melted butter.
For a more delicate glaze, you can mix powdered sugar with water or milk to create a thick and smooth glaze. You can also add sprinkles, shaved almonds, or mini chocolate chips on top of the glaze for extra decoration.
If you want to keep things simple, you can brush the donuts with melted butter and coat them in cinnamon-sugar instead of glazing them. This will give them a delicious sweet and spicy flavour.
Once you have made your glaze, dip the donuts while they are still warm and place them on a wire rack to set. This will give the glaze a shiny appearance. Let the donuts dry for about 10 minutes before serving. Donuts are best enjoyed fresh, but if you have any leftovers, you can store them in an airtight container at room temperature for 1-2 days.
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Air fryer donut toppings
Air fryer donuts are a great treat, and the toppings and glazes are what make them so delicious. The toppings can be as creative as you like, but there are some classic combinations that are always popular.
A simple glaze can be made with powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract. You can add butter to this mixture for a richer glaze. For a chocolate glaze, simply add melted chocolate chips and a little butter to the basic glaze. For a maple glaze, use maple syrup instead of milk and add crispy bacon bits for a savoury twist.
If you prefer a cinnamon sugar coating, mix granulated sugar with cinnamon and dip the donuts in after spraying them with oil. You can also brush the donuts with melted butter to help the cinnamon-sugar stick.
For a fun and colourful twist, add sprinkles to your donuts, either on their own or after dipping in a glaze. Shaved almonds and mini chocolate chips are also tasty additions.
Don't forget, if you want to add a crumb topping, you can make your own streusel-style topping, or go the extra step and make an Entenmann’s-style crumb topping.
Finally, remember that donuts are best served fresh, but if you have leftovers, store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two days. You can also freeze unglazed donuts and then reheat and glaze them.
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Air fryer donut storage
Air fryer donuts are best consumed fresh. However, if you have leftovers, you can store them in an airtight container at room temperature for 1-2 days. You can also put them in the fridge, covered, for up to five days, but they will get tougher over time. To freshen them up, you can reheat them in the air fryer or microwave for a few seconds.
If you want to store them for longer, allow the donuts to cool to room temperature, then wrap them in plastic wrap and transfer them to a freezer-safe bag. You can freeze them for up to three months. When you're ready to enjoy them, thaw them overnight in the fridge and reheat them in the air fryer or microwave.
It's important to note that glazed donuts should not be stored in the fridge, as the glaze will melt and absorb into the donut, resulting in a sticky mess. Instead, freeze them unglazed and glaze them immediately after reheating them in the air fryer.
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Frequently asked questions
It takes between 3 to 8 minutes to cook donuts in an air fryer. The time varies depending on the size of the donuts and the recipe followed.
The air fryer should be preheated to 350 °F or 180 °C.
The dough can be made from scratch using a combination of flour, milk, butter, eggs, sugar, and yeast. The dough should be kneaded and allowed to rise for at least 45 minutes before cooking.
Yes, you can use premade biscuit dough as a shortcut. Simply cut out the biscuit centers and follow the cooking instructions for your air fryer donuts.
The glaze can be made by mixing together melted butter, milk, sugar, and vanilla extract. You can also make a chocolate glaze by melting chocolate chips and mixing them with butter.
