Air-Fried Chinese Donuts: Quick, Crispy, And Delicious!

Chinese donuts, or youtiao, are a delicious, traditional treat. They are crispy, airy, and fluffy, with a subtle sweetness. While traditionally deep-fried, they can also be made in an air fryer for a healthier alternative. Making Chinese donuts in an air fryer is a quick and easy process, requiring only a few simple ingredients and steps. The end result is a delicious, sugary treat that your friends and family will love!

Choosing the right ingredients

Flour

Using all-purpose flour is an excellent choice for creating the donut dough. It has the right balance of protein and starch, contributing to the desired texture and taste.

Sugar

Sugar is essential for the sweet taste we associate with donuts. You can opt for powdered sugar, which blends seamlessly into the dough, or cane sugar, which lends a hint of caramel flavouring. Regular granulated sugar is also an option, and you'll need some for the sugar coating.

Yeast

Instant dry yeast or active dry yeast are the two types you can use. Instant yeast simplifies the process as it can be mixed directly with the dry ingredients. Active dry yeast, on the other hand, needs to be activated first by mixing it with warm milk and sugar before use.

Milk

Warm milk is a key ingredient in activating the yeast and creating the dough. Ensure it's not too hot, as that can harm the yeast. You can use whole milk or low-fat milk, depending on your preference.

Eggs

Your Chinese donuts will also need an egg or two, depending on the batch size. Room temperature eggs are ideal, as this factor aids in achieving the right dough consistency.

Butter

Melted butter is a must-have for Chinese donuts. It's used in the dough and as a coating for the cooked donuts, allowing the cinnamon-sugar mixture to adhere beautifully.

Cinnamon

Cinnamon is the classic spice for donuts. Mix it with sugar to create a delightful coating that gives your treats a cosy, inviting aroma and a touch of warmth.

Oil

When preparing the dough, a small amount of oil spray or coconut oil is beneficial. It helps to grease the bowl and prevent the dough from sticking. Additionally, you'll need a larger quantity of vegetable oil for deep-frying the donuts.

Salt

A pinch of salt enhances the flavour of your Chinese donuts. It balances the sweetness and brings out the other ingredients' tastes.

Baking Soda and Baking Powder

These ingredients are essential for preparing the dough, especially if you're aiming for that airy, fluffy texture inside the donuts.

Remember to check the freshness of your ingredients, especially the yeast and baking powder/soda. With the right combination of these ingredients, you'll be well on your way to creating scrumptious Chinese donuts in your air fryer!

Preparing the dough

Ingredients:

First, gather your ingredients. For the dough, you will need:

• All-purpose flour
• Powdered sugar
• Cane sugar or granulated sugar
• Instant dry yeast or active dry yeast
• Salt
• Warm milk (not hot, as this can harm the yeast)
• Egg, at room temperature
• Melted butter, cooled but not solid

Mixing the Dough:

In a large bowl, combine the dry ingredients: flour, yeast, sugar, powdered sugar, and salt. Whisk them together to ensure they are well mixed. Then, add the wet ingredients: milk, egg, and melted butter.

Kneading the Dough:

Use an electric mixer with spiral dough hooks or your hands to knead the dough. Mix and knead until you have a soft and slightly sticky dough, which should take about 5 minutes. If the dough feels too sticky, add a small amount of flour. Conversely, if it feels too dry, add a little more warm milk.

Letting the Dough Rise:

Cover the bowl with a lid or plastic wrap and let the dough rise in a warm, draft-free place for about an hour. An alternative is to transfer the dough to a bread maker or multicooker and use the bread rise mode for 30-40 minutes. The dough should roughly double in size. To test if it's ready, make a small indentation with your finger; if the indentation remains, the dough has proofed enough.

Shaping the Donuts:

On a lightly floured surface, gently roll out the dough to about 1/2 inch to 1 inch thick. Use a round cutter, drinking glass, or wide-mouth canning ring to cut out circles from the dough. You can use a smaller round cutter, shot glass, or the back of a pastry tip to make holes in the center of each circle, creating the classic donut shape. Place the cut-out donuts and donut holes on a floured surface and cover them with a dishtowel or plastic wrap. Let the dough rise for an additional 20-30 minutes.

Your dough is now ready to be cooked in your air fryer! Follow the remaining steps in your chosen recipe to fry the donuts, coat them in sugar or glaze, and enjoy!

Shaping the donuts

Start with a well-prepared dough: Ensure your dough has risen and rested according to your chosen recipe. The dough should be soft, elastic, and slightly sticky. If using a yeast-based dough, it is important that the milk is warm, not hot, as this can affect the yeast.

Roll out the dough: On a lightly floured surface, roll out your dough to an even thickness. The ideal thickness can vary, but a good range is between 1/2 inch to 1 inch. Use a rolling pin to achieve an even thickness throughout the sheet of dough.

Cut out the donut shapes: Use circular cookie cutters or the top of a drinking glass to cut out circles from the rolled-out dough. The size of the circles can vary depending on your preference, but a common size is around 3 to 4 inches in diameter. You can also use a smaller circular cutter or the cap of a bottle to cut out the holes in the center of each donut.

Create donut holes: Don't discard the dough you cut out from the centers! These can be fried separately to create delicious donut holes, which are a tasty treat on their own.

Cover and let rise again: Once you have cut out your donut shapes, cover them with a dish towel or plastic wrap. Let the shaped donuts rise again for an additional 20 to 30 minutes. This step is important to ensure your donuts have a light and airy texture.

Preheat your air fryer: While the donuts are rising, preheat your air fryer to the desired temperature, typically around 350°F to 375°F. It is important to note that air fryer temperatures can vary, so adjust accordingly based on your model.

Place donuts in the air fryer: Lightly grease the air fryer basket with oil or cooking spray. Carefully place two to three donuts in the basket, ensuring they do not overlap. Depending on the size of your air fryer, you may need to cook them in batches.

Air fry the donuts: Follow your recipe's cooking instructions for the ideal timing. Typically, Chinese donuts will take around 5 to 7 minutes at the desired temperature to achieve a golden brown color and a cooked-through texture.

Flip and cook the other side: After the initial cooking time, use tongs or a spatula to carefully flip the donuts and cook the other side. This ensures even cooking and browning on both sides.

Now you know the steps to shape and cook your Chinese donuts to perfection in an air fryer! Enjoy the delicious results and feel free to experiment with different glazes, toppings, or fillings to create your own unique variations.

Air-frying the donuts

Step 1: Prepare the Donuts

Take your can of biscuits and remove the biscuits from the package. If you want smaller bites, you can cut each biscuit into four pieces. This will give you those cute little donut bites that are perfect for popping into your mouth!

Step 2: Coat the Donuts

Get two separate bowls. In one bowl, pour some melted butter. In the other bowl, add some sugar. You can use granulated sugar or even mix in a bit of cinnamon with the sugar for a delightful cinnamon-sugar coating. Now, take each biscuit and dip it into the melted butter. Make sure to coat it well. After that, dip the buttered biscuit into the sugar bowl and press to ensure it's nicely coated.

Step 3: Air Fry

Preheat your air fryer to between 320-375°F. Place the coated biscuits into the air fryer basket in a single layer, making sure they don't overlap. You may need to cook them in batches depending on the size of your air fryer. Air fry the donuts for 5-7 minutes at 320°F or until they are golden brown and puffed, turning them once halfway through.

Step 4: Enjoy!

Once the donuts are done, you can brush them with additional melted butter and toss them in more cinnamon-sugar if you like. Or, you can simply enjoy them as they are! These Chinese donuts are best enjoyed fresh, so dig in while they're still warm and crispy!

Tips:

• If you want to add a glaze instead of the cinnamon-sugar coating, you can drizzle on a classic confectioner's sugar glaze, a rich chocolate glaze, or even a maple glaze.
• You can decorate the donuts with fun sprinkles, shaved almonds, or mini chocolate chips.
• For a crumb topping, make your own crumb topping with an Entenmann’s-like recipe.
• If you don't have a donut cutter, you can use a wide drinking glass or a wide-mouth canning ring, and a shot glass to cut out the centers.
• To store, place the donuts in an airtight container and keep them at room temperature for up to two days. They are best enjoyed fresh, as they may dry out a bit faster than traditional donuts.

Now you're ready to make some delicious Chinese donuts in your air fryer! Enjoy the sweet, crispy treats!

Coating the donuts

Now that your Chinese donuts are cooked, it's time to coat them! There are a few different ways you can do this.

One popular method is to brush the donuts with melted butter and then toss them in a cinnamon-sugar mixture. This will give your donuts a delicious, sweet coating that's sure to be a crowd-pleaser. Simply combine cinnamon and sugar in a shallow dish, and melt some butter in a separate bowl. Then, brush the cooked donuts with the melted butter and toss them in the cinnamon-sugar mixture.

If you're looking for a simpler option, you can just coat your donuts in granulated sugar. This method is used for the copycat Chinese buffet donuts, which are made by coating canned biscuits in sugar. Simply place some sugar in a shallow bowl, then toss the cooked donuts in the sugar, pressing to coat.

For a more complex flavor, you can also make a donut glaze. One simple glaze recipe combines unsalted butter, powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and hot water. Dip your hot donuts into the glaze, then let them sit until the glaze hardens.

There are also a variety of other toppings and glazes you can experiment with. For example, you could try a chocolate glaze, a maple glaze, or a cinnamon sugar coating with oil spray. You could even decorate your donuts with sprinkles, shaved almonds, or mini chocolate chips. Get creative and have fun!

Frequently asked questions