Air-Fried Raised Donuts: The Quick, Easy Way

Making raised donuts in an air fryer is a fun and tasty way to make a delicious treat with minimal cleanup. The air fryer method is healthier than deep-frying, as the donuts absorb less oil, but still result in a crispy exterior and moist interior. The process is simple: make a dough, shape it, let it rise, then cook in the air fryer and glaze.

Choosing the right ingredients

Flour:

Use all-purpose flour as the base for your donut dough. It will provide the necessary structure and texture for your treats. Make sure to measure your flour accurately using a scale if possible. If you don't have a scale, fluff your flour with a spoon before sprinkling it into your measuring cup.

Sugar:

Sugar is essential for sweetness and flavour enhancement. You'll need both granulated sugar and powdered sugar (also known as confectioners' sugar or icing sugar). The granulated sugar can be white or cane sugar, adding a hint of caramel flavour. The powdered sugar is crucial for creating a sweet and smooth glaze.

Milk:

Choose whole milk or low-fat milk, ensuring it's warmed to between 105–1100°F (41–43°C). This temperature range is important to activate the yeast without killing it. Milk contains natural sugars that help activate the yeast, contributing to the dough's rise.

Yeast:

Active dry yeast or instant yeast is essential for the leavening process, allowing your donuts to rise and become fluffy. Always check the expiration date on your yeast before starting. If using active dry yeast, remember to activate it by sprinkling it over lukewarm milk with a bit of sugar and gently stirring.

Butter:

Unsalted butter is recommended since the dough already contains salt. Melted butter is used in the dough and for coating the cooked donuts. When brushing the cooked donuts with butter, ensure it's melted but not overly hot.

Eggs:

Use eggs at room temperature to incorporate into the dough. They provide structure, moisture, and richness to the donut batter.

Salt:

Salt enhances the flavour of your donuts and balances the sweetness.

Cinnamon:

Ground cinnamon is optional but highly recommended for a classic donut flavour. Mix it with sugar for a delicious cinnamon-sugar coating.

Oil Spray:

A few spritzes of coconut or olive oil cooking spray will help the air fryer "fry" the donuts without adding excessive oil. Avoid non-stick sprays, as they can damage the air fryer basket's lining.

Vanilla:

Vanilla extract or essence adds a sweet, floral note to your donuts. It's especially delicious when brushed onto the cooked donuts along with melted butter.

Remember to check the ingredient quantities specified in your chosen recipe and adjust your shopping list accordingly. Happy baking!

Preparing the dough

Firstly, gather your ingredients. The exact quantities may vary depending on your recipe, but you will typically need all-purpose flour, sugar, yeast, milk, butter, and possibly eggs and salt.

Next, activate the yeast by sprinkling it over lukewarm milk (around 100-110°F). Add a little sugar and gently stir with a fork. Let this mixture sit for about ten minutes. You will know the yeast is active when you see little particles popping, and it should be frothy and smell yeasty. If nothing happens after 15 minutes, your yeast is probably inactive due to old age or the milk being too hot.

Now, it's time to mix your dry ingredients. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, yeast, sugar, and salt. You can also add powdered sugar at this stage if your recipe calls for it.

Add the wet ingredients to the dry mixture. Pour in the milk and egg, and then add melted butter. You may want to set aside a small amount of melted butter to use later. Mix until you have a soft and slightly sticky dough. This can be done with a spiral dough hook or by hand, and the process should take around five minutes.

If your dough feels too sticky, add a little more flour. Conversely, if it feels too dry, add a small amount of warm milk.

Cover your bowl with a lid or plastic wrap and let the dough rise. It should be left in a warm, draft-free place for about an hour. Alternatively, you can transfer the dough to a bread maker or multicooker and use the bread rise mode for 30-40 minutes.

After the dough has risen, it's time to roll it out. Lightly flour a surface and turn out the dough. Roll it into a rectangle or circle, aiming for a thickness of around half an inch.

Now, you can cut out your donut shapes. Use a donut cutter or biscuit cutters to cut out the donuts and holes. You can re-roll the scraps as needed. If you don't have a donut cutter, you can use a wide drinking glass or a shot glass for the holes and a wide-mouth canning ring or a large cookie cutter for the donuts.

Place your donuts and holes on a large, rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper and lightly dusted with flour. Cover them loosely and let them rise again in a warm, draft-free place until they have doubled in size. This should take around 15-30 minutes.

Your dough is now ready to be cooked in your air fryer! Preheat your air fryer to around 350-375°F, and then carefully place your donuts inside, making sure they are not overcrowded. Spray or brush the basket with oil or cooking spray before adding the donuts, and lightly spray the tops of the donuts with oil before air frying.

Cook your donuts for around 4-8 minutes, or until they are golden brown. The exact cooking time will depend on your air fryer, so keep an eye on them to ensure they don't overcook.

Congratulations! You have now prepared and cooked your donut dough. The final step is to add your chosen glaze or topping. Enjoy your homemade treats!

Shaping the donuts

Start by preparing your workspace. Lightly flour a clean surface, such as a countertop or a large cutting board. You will also need a rolling pin to roll out the dough.

Once your dough has risen, it's time to punch it down. This step is important to remove any air bubbles that may have formed during the rising process. Use your hands to gently press and flatten the dough.

Next, use a rolling pin to roll out the dough to the desired thickness. Most recipes recommend rolling the dough to about 1/2-inch thickness. You can also aim for 1-inch thickness if you prefer a thicker donut.

Now it's time to cut out the donut shapes. You can use a donut cutter, which includes both the large circle and the small circle for the center hole. Alternatively, you can use biscuit cutters or round cookie cutters in two different sizes. One should be about 3 or 4 inches in diameter for the donut, and the other should be about 1 inch in diameter for the center hole. Cut out as many donuts as possible, and don't forget to collect the donut holes, as these can be fried and coated separately!

If you don't have any cutters, you can get creative! For the larger circle, you can use a wide drinking glass or a wide-mouth canning ring. For the smaller circle, a shot glass will usually do the trick.

Place the cut-out donuts on a large rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper and lightly dusted with flour. It's important to give them some space, so they don't stick together.

Cover the donuts loosely with greased plastic wrap or a dish towel. Let them rise again in a warm, draft-free place until they have doubled in size. This step is crucial, as it will give your donuts that light and airy texture.

Once they have risen, your donuts are ready to be cooked in the air fryer! Preheat your air fryer, and then carefully place the donuts into the basket, making sure they are not overcrowded.

And that's how you shape your donuts! The rising and cutting process may take some time, but it's well worth the effort for delicious, homemade air fryer donuts.

Air frying the donuts

Air-frying the donuts is a quick and easy process, but there are a few important steps to follow to ensure perfect results. Firstly, it is crucial to preheat your air fryer to the desired temperature, which can range from 350°F to 400°F depending on the recipe. While the air fryer is preheating, you can prepare the donut dough by rolling it out to the specified thickness, usually around 1/2 inch to 1 inch. Use a donut cutter or biscuit cutters to cut out the donut shapes, and remember to collect the donut holes to fry as well! Place the cut-out donuts on a large rimmed baking sheet or tray lined with parchment paper, ensuring they are not overcrowded.

Once the air fryer has preheated, it's time to cook the donuts. Lightly spray the air fryer basket with cooking spray or oil, and carefully transfer the donuts into the basket in a single layer, leaving some space between each donut. Depending on the size of your air fryer, you may need to cook the donuts in batches. Lightly spray the tops of the donuts with oil before air frying.

The cooking time for the donuts will vary depending on the size and model of your air fryer, but on average, they should take around 4 to 8 minutes for large donuts and 3 to 4 minutes for donut holes. Flip the donuts halfway through the cooking process to ensure even cooking. The donuts are done when they are golden brown and puffed.

While the donuts are cooking, you can prepare the glaze by whisking together ingredients such as powdered sugar, milk, melted butter, and vanilla extract. You can also make a cinnamon-sugar coating by mixing cinnamon and sugar in a shallow dish.

Once the donuts are done, remove them from the air fryer and dip them into the glaze or brush them with melted butter before tossing them in the cinnamon-sugar mixture. Place the glazed or coated donuts on a wire rack to allow any excess glaze to drip off and let the glaze set, which usually takes about 5 to 10 minutes.

And that's it! You now have delicious, airy donuts made right in your air fryer. Enjoy them fresh, or store them in an airtight container at room temperature for a day or two. You can also freeze the donuts for longer storage.

Adding the glaze

The glaze is what gives the donuts that perfect balance of sweetness. You can make a simple glaze by mixing together melted butter, warm milk, sugar, and vanilla extract. You can also add a bit of cinnamon to the glaze for an extra kick of flavor. If you want to get creative, you can even make a chocolate glaze by melting some chocolate chips and folding them into the glaze mixture along with a bit of melted butter.

Once you've made your glaze, dip each donut into it while they are still warm. This will give you that classic crackly glaze look. Be careful not to wait too long, though, or the glaze will slide off. If you want to get fancy, you can even top the glazed donuts with some sprinkles.

Place the glazed donuts on a wire rack and let the glaze set for about 5-10 minutes before serving. This will give the glaze a chance to dry and harden a bit, so you don't end up with a sticky mess.

If you don't want to glaze your donuts, you can simply brush them with melted butter and toss them in a cinnamon-sugar mixture, or even just dust them with some powdered sugar.

Frequently asked questions