Air-Fried Cinnamon Donuts: Quick, Easy, And Delicious!

Making cinnamon donuts in an air fryer is a quick and convenient option that requires minimal oil and fat. The donuts are made from a simple yeast dough or pre-made biscuit dough, air-fried until golden, and coated in a cinnamon-sugar mixture. The air fryer uses convection to circulate hot air around the food, cooking it evenly without the need for deep-frying. This method produces fluffy, yeasty, and addictive donuts in just 10-12 minutes.

Choosing the right oil for your air fryer

When making cinnamon donuts in an air fryer, you'll want to choose an oil with a high smoke point that won't burn at high temperatures.

Some oils with high smoke points include:

• Avocado oil
• Ghee (clarified butter)
• Extra light olive oil
• Soybean oil
• Sunflower oil
• Coconut oil
• Peanut oil
• Grapeseed oil
• Canola oil
• Vegetable oil

You'll also want to avoid using non-stick cooking sprays like PAM, as these can damage the non-stick coating of the air fryer basket. Instead, opt for an olive oil or coconut oil spray.

When preparing vegetables or foods that contain little to no fat, it's best to remove all traces of moisture before coating them with oil. For best results, the entire surface of the food should be covered with a thin layer of oil.

You can either spray the air fryer basket with oil or brush the oil directly onto the food. If you're using an air fryer with a non-stick surface, you usually don't need to spray the basket. However, for sticky foods like salmon with skin, you may want to spray or brush the basket with oil to prevent sticking.

Preparing the cinnamon-sugar mixture

Some recipes suggest adding brown sugar or cane sugar to the mix for extra sweetness and a hint of caramel. You could also add a little ground nutmeg for extra flavour.

Once you have mixed the cinnamon and sugar together, set the bowl aside until your donuts are cooked and ready to be coated.

Cutting the dough

To cut the dough, you'll need to use either a 1-inch round biscuit cutter or the bottom of a piping tip, or even a similarly-sized bottle cap, to cut holes out of the centre of each biscuit or dough circle. You can also use a 4-inch round cutter to cut circles from the dough and a 1-inch round cutter to make holes in the centre.

Place the doughnuts in the air fryer basket and cook. Then, fry up the donut holes. You can also make mini twists or mini donuts.

Cooking the donuts

The first step in cooking the donuts is to preheat your air fryer. Set the temperature to between 350°F and 360°F. This should take around 3-5 minutes.

While the air fryer is preheating, prepare the donut dough. For a simple recipe, you can use a can of biscuit dough, such as Pillsbury Grands! Separate the biscuits and use a 1-inch round cutter to cut holes out of the center of each, creating a donut shape. If you want to make the dough from scratch, you can find recipes online that use ingredients like flour, yeast, sugar, milk, and butter.

Once your donuts are shaped and your air fryer is preheated, it's time to cook the donuts. Lightly coat the air fryer basket with oil to prevent sticking. Place 2-4 donuts in the basket, making sure they don't overlap. Close the air fryer and cook the donuts for 4-6 minutes, flipping them halfway through, until they are golden brown.

After the donuts are cooked, it's time to add the cinnamon-sugar coating. Melt some butter and brush it onto the warm donuts. Then, dip and roll the donuts in a bowl of cinnamon-sugar mixture, coating both sides. You can also add a glaze or sprinkle with powdered sugar if you prefer.

Finally, serve and enjoy your warm, freshly made cinnamon donuts!

Adding the finishing touches

Once you've cooked your donuts, it's time to add the cinnamon sugar coating. You can either dip the donuts in a bowl of cinnamon sugar or brush them with melted butter and sprinkle the cinnamon sugar over the top. If you want to add a little extra luxury to your donuts, you can also coat them in a glaze. One option is to dip them in a chocolate glaze made from semisweet chocolate chips, butter, corn syrup, and vanilla extract. Alternatively, you could try one of the five donut glaze recipes from Bigger Bolder Baking.

If you're not going to eat your donuts straight away, you can store them in a sealed container at room temperature for up to two days. However, they are best enjoyed fresh. If your donuts go stale, you can pop them in the air fryer for a minute or two at a low temperature, or reheat them in the microwave for a few seconds.

Frequently asked questions