Air-Fried Doughnuts: Quick, Easy, And Delicious!

Making doughnuts in an air fryer is a quick and easy way to satisfy your sweet tooth. Air-fried doughnuts are healthier than deep-fried ones, but they still have the same delicious texture and flavour. They are also less time-consuming and messy to make than traditional doughnuts. You can make these doughnuts in a few simple steps using a few basic ingredients, such as flour, sugar, butter, eggs, yeast and milk. The doughnuts can be glazed or coated in cinnamon sugar.

How to make the dough

Ingredients

You will need the following ingredients to make the dough:

• Flour
• Sugar
• Butter
• Egg
• Yeast
• Milk
• Salt
• Vanilla extract
• Cinnamon (optional)

Method

First, heat the milk in a saucepan over low heat until it is lukewarm. Remove from the heat and pour it into a large bowl. Add the yeast and a small amount of sugar. Whisk until well combined and set aside for about 10 minutes, or until frothy.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour and salt. In another bowl, combine the remaining sugar, butter, egg, and vanilla. Pour the yeast mixture into this bowl and mix to combine. Then, add in the dry ingredients and stir until a shaggy dough forms.

Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and knead until it is elastic and only slightly tacky. This should take about 5 minutes. You can do this by hand or using a dough hook attachment on a stand mixer. If the dough is too sticky, add flour a teaspoon at a time until you reach the desired consistency.

Form the dough into a ball and place it in an oiled bowl. Cover it with a clean dish towel or plastic wrap and let it rise in a warm spot until it has doubled in size. This should take about an hour.

Once the dough has risen, punch it down and transfer it to a lightly floured surface. Roll it out into a rectangle that is about 0.5-1.5 cm thick. Use a doughnut cutter or two circular biscuit cutters (one that is about 7-7.5 cm in diameter and another that is about 2.5-3.5 cm in diameter for the middle) to cut out your doughnuts.

Place the doughnuts on a lined baking sheet and cover them with a dish towel. Let them rise again for about 40 minutes to 1 hour.

How to cut the doughnuts

To cut the doughnuts, you'll need to use either a doughnut cutter or two circular cutters, one larger than the other.

First, roll out your dough to the desired thickness on a lightly floured surface. For a classic doughnut shape, use a 3" cutter for the outside and a 1" cutter for the inside. If you don't have a doughnut cutter, you can use two round biscuit cutters or the top of a small bottle or glass to cut the circles. Cut out as many doughnuts as you can, then reshape the scraps and cut out more.

If you're using a premade biscuit dough, separate the biscuits and cut out the centres with a 1-inch cutter. Save the centres to cook as doughnut holes.

Once you've cut out your doughnuts, place them on a lined baking sheet or tray and cover them with a clean tea towel or kitchen cloth. Leave them to rise for about 40 minutes or even overnight in the fridge, which will help them hold their shape better.

How to cook the doughnuts

Now that you've made your dough, it's time to cook your doughnuts!

First, preheat your air fryer to 345-375°F. You'll want to grease your air fryer basket with cooking spray or a teeny, tiny amount of olive oil spray. This will help your doughnuts cook evenly and prevent them from sticking to the basket.

Next, place your doughnuts in the basket in batches, making sure they don't touch. Depending on the size of your air fryer, you'll likely be able to cook 2-3 doughnuts at a time. Cook for 4-6 minutes, or until they are golden brown and cooked through.

If you're cooking doughnut holes, place them in the basket in batches and cook for 3-4 minutes until golden brown. Remember, the doughnuts will expand as they cook, so it's important not to overcrowd the basket.

Once your doughnuts are cooked, you can either glaze them or coat them in cinnamon sugar. For a classic glaze, combine powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla in a bowl, whisking until smooth. You can also add corn syrup to this mixture to keep the glaze thick and syrupy. Dip your warm doughnuts into the glaze and place them on a cooling rack to set.

If you prefer the cinnamon sugar route, mix together cinnamon and sugar in a shallow dish. Brush your cooked doughnuts with melted butter, then toss them in the cinnamon-sugar mixture.

And that's it! You now have delicious, fluffy, and crispy air-fried doughnuts. Enjoy!

How to make a glaze

A glaze is essential to any home-baked doughnut, and with just a few simple ingredients, you can make a delicious one!

For a basic glaze, you will need confectioner's sugar, milk, and vanilla extract. You can adjust the amounts of each ingredient to your taste, but a good starting point is around 2 cups of confectioner's sugar, 1/4 cup of milk, and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract. If you want a thicker glaze, you can add more confectioner's sugar, or if you prefer a thinner glaze, you can add a little more milk.

Start by adding the confectioner's sugar to a bowl. If your sugar is lumpy, you can sift it into the bowl to remove any lumps. Next, add the milk and vanilla extract. Mix the ingredients until you have a smooth and fluid glaze. You can also make the glaze ahead of time and store it in the fridge until you are ready to use it.

If you want to get creative, you can experiment with different flavors by replacing the milk with your favorite fruit juice or swapping the vanilla extract with other extracts or citrus zest. For example, you could make a chocolate glaze by adding unsweetened cocoa powder, or a maple glaze by replacing the milk with maple syrup.

Once your doughnuts are cooked and slightly cooled, simply dip the top of each one into the glaze. You can then leave them on a wire rack to let the glaze set, which should take around 20 minutes.

And that's it! You now have delicious, glazed doughnuts to enjoy.

How to store the doughnuts

To store air-fryer doughnuts, place them in an airtight container and keep them at room temperature for up to two days. They are best eaten on the day they are made, as they will get tougher as time goes on.

If you want to store them for longer, you can freeze them. Place them in an airtight container and store them in the freezer for up to three months. To thaw, put them in the fridge overnight, then reheat in the air fryer or microwave until warmed through.

It is not recommended to refrigerate doughnuts, as this can make them dry and stale.

If your doughnuts are already stale, you can revive them by putting them in the microwave for 15-second intervals until they soften.

Frequently asked questions