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

Making vegan donuts in an air fryer is a fun and easy way to enjoy a delicious treat without the mess and hassle of deep frying. Air fryers simulate deep frying without the need for large amounts of oil, resulting in a healthier and safer option. The process is simple and only requires a few basic ingredients, such as flour, non-dairy milk, sugar, yeast, and oil. The dough is prepared by mixing and kneading the ingredients, followed by a rising period. After shaping and a second rise, the donuts are placed in the air fryer for a short cooking time, resulting in crispy-on-the-outside and soft-on-the-inside treats. These vegan donuts can be glazed, coated in sugar, or filled with your favourite jam for a classic melt-in-your-mouth experience.

Choosing your ingredients

Choosing the right ingredients is crucial to making delicious vegan donuts in an air fryer. Here's a detailed guide to help you select the best components for your treats:

Milk

Non-dairy milk is an essential substitute in vegan baking. Oat milk, soy milk, almond milk, and other types of plant-based milk are excellent choices. Warming the milk is a critical step as it helps activate the yeast, leading to fluffy donuts. Make sure the milk is just warm (around 110°F); if it's too hot, it can kill the yeast, resulting in flat, dense donuts.

Yeast

Active dry yeast or instant yeast is the leavening agent that will give your donuts a fluffy texture. Combine it with warm milk and a pinch of sugar to activate it. You'll know the yeast is ready when it becomes frothy. This usually takes about 5-10 minutes.

Sugar

Sugar is not only essential for sweetness but also plays a role in activating the yeast. Caster sugar or fine white sugar is ideal, as it dissolves easily and creates a smooth dough. Granulated sugar or coconut sugar can be used, but they may not dissolve as well.

Flour

All-purpose plain flour is the most commonly used flour for vegan air fryer donuts. However, some recipes call for a combination of plain flour and bread flour to achieve a soft yet chewy texture. Gluten-free flour is not recommended, as it requires significant adjustments to the recipe.

Oil

A light-tasting vegetable oil or neutral-tasting oil like sunflower oil is best for vegan donuts. Oil helps prevent the donuts from becoming too dry and adds moisture to the dough. It's an essential component, especially when making baked yeast donuts, which tend to be drier.

Butter

Vegan butter or margarine adds richness and moisture to the donuts. Melted vegan butter is also used to coat the donuts after frying, creating a delicious glaze and helping the sugar or cinnamon sugar coating stick to the donuts.

Cinnamon and Sugar Coating

A classic cinnamon and sugar coating takes your vegan donuts to the next level. Mix ground cinnamon with caster or granulated sugar. After frying the donuts, dip them in melted vegan butter and then roll them in the cinnamon-sugar mixture.

Jam Filling (Optional)

For an extra treat, fill your donuts with your favourite jam. Raspberry, strawberry, or even Biscoff or vegan Nutella can be piped into the donuts for a delicious surprise.

Aquafaba (Optional)

Some vegan bakers use aquafaba, the liquid from a can of beans, as an egg replacer. It acts as an egg white substitute and helps create a light and fluffy texture similar to non-vegan donuts.

Preparing the dough

To make the dough for vegan donuts in an air fryer, you will need the following ingredients:

• Dairy-free/non-dairy/vegan milk (soy milk, oat milk, almond milk, etc.)
• Active dry/instant yeast
• Caster/granulated/Organic cane/powdered sugar
• Flour (all-purpose/plain/self-raising/bread flour)
• Salt
• Cornstarch (optional)
• Vegan/dairy-free butter or oil (sunflower oil, vegetable oil, coconut oil, etc.)
• Aquafaba (optional)

Some recipes suggest warming the milk first and then adding the yeast and a pinch of sugar. Leave this mixture aside for 5-10 minutes until it becomes frothy.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, and salt. You can then add the wet ingredients to this mixture and combine until a shaggy dough is formed. If you are using a stand mixer, attach a dough hook and knead the dough on a low speed until it becomes smooth and elastic. This should take around 3-5 minutes. If you are kneading by hand, this will take longer. Be careful not to over-knead the dough as this can result in dense and un-fluffy donuts. The dough should feel soft and pillowy.

Once the dough is ready, place it into a greased bowl and cover with a tea towel. Let the dough rise in a warm place for 1-2 hours or until it has doubled in size. After 30 minutes, check on the dough and move it to a warmer area if it hasn't started to rise.

Once the dough has risen, turn it out onto a floured surface and roll it out until it is around 1/2 an inch thick. Use a cookie cutter or cup to cut out circles for the donuts and a smaller circle to cut out the centers, forming the classic ring shape. Save the donut holes as these can be air-fried too. Cover the cut-out donuts with a kitchen towel and let them rise for another 25-30 minutes.

Shaping the donuts

Rolling and Cutting:

• Once your dough has risen, it's time to roll it out. Lightly flour your work surface and turn out the dough. Use a rolling pin to roll the dough to an even thickness. The ideal thickness can vary from 1/2 inch to 2-3 cm (about 1 inch). This step is important as rolling the dough too thin can result in flat, disc-like donuts.
• Use a cookie cutter, biscuit cutter, or the wide end of a piping nozzle to cut out circles from the dough. The ideal size for the cutter is around 4 cm (1.5 inches) in width. You can also use a glass jar or a cup if you don't have a cutter.
• Cut small circles out of the centre of each dough circle to form the classic donut shape. You can use a smaller cookie cutter, the narrow end of a piping nozzle, or even a bottle cap for this. Save the donut holes as they can be air-fried too.
• Collect the excess dough and gently repeat the process. The second batch of donuts may be slightly tougher, but they will still be delicious.

Second Rise:

• After cutting out your donuts, place them on a lined baking sheet or tray. Cover them loosely with oiled cling film or baking parchment.
• Set the shaped donuts aside in a warm, draft-free place to rise for the second time. This step is crucial for light and fluffy donuts. The rising time can vary from 30 minutes to 2 hours, depending on the recipe.
• During the second rise, the donuts should puff up and increase in size. If you gently press the dough with your finger, it should spring back slowly, leaving a slight indentation. If it springs back quickly, it needs more time, and if the dough deflates, it has over-proofed.

Air Frying:

• Lightly grease the frying basket or plate of your air fryer with some oil. Carefully transfer the risen donuts into the basket, making sure they are spaced apart. Depending on the size of your air fryer, you may need to fry them in batches.
• Air fry the donuts at a temperature between 180°C and 390°F for 3 to 5 minutes, or until they are golden brown. Keep an eye on them to avoid overcooking.
• Remove the donuts from the air fryer and repeat the process with the remaining batch.

Glazing and Coating:

• While the donuts are still warm, it's time to glaze or coat them. You can dip them in a vanilla glaze, cinnamon sugar, or any icing of your choice.
• For a classic cinnamon sugar coating, dip each donut in melted vegan butter, turning them to coat both sides, and then roll them in a bowl of cinnamon sugar.
• If filling your donuts with jam, create a cavity by inserting a reusable straw, chopstick, or knife into one end. Spoon the jam into a piping bag and use it to fill the donuts generously.

Air frying

First, make sure you have all the necessary ingredients. You'll need non-dairy milk (oat milk or soy milk are popular choices), active dry yeast, sugar (caster, organic cane, or granulated), salt, cornstarch, all-purpose flour, and coconut oil or another oil of your choice. You can also add cinnamon and powdered sugar for a glaze or coating.

Once you have your ingredients, you can start making the dough. Bloom the yeast by sprinkling it into warm plant milk and adding a sprinkle of sugar. Let it sit until it becomes frothy. Then, add the salt and melted coconut oil to the mixture.

Next, you'll want to incorporate the dry ingredients. Start by adding the cornstarch, and then slowly add the flour until everything is fully combined and forms a smooth, non-sticky dough ball.

Now it's time for the first rise. Let the dough rise for about an hour or until it has doubled in size. After that, roll out the dough on a floured surface to about 1/2 inch thick and cut out your donuts and donut holes.

For the second rise, let the cut-out donuts rise for about 30 minutes. This step is crucial, as it ensures your donuts will be light and fluffy.

Finally, it's time to air fry! Preheat your air fryer to between 180C (350F) and 390F. Grease the air fryer basket with oil or non-stick spray, and place the donuts inside, being careful not to overcrowd them. Air fry for 3 to 6 minutes, or until they are golden brown.

And that's it! You now have delicious, fluffy vegan donuts that are healthier than their deep-fried counterparts. Enjoy them fresh, or store them in an airtight container for up to 24 hours.

Glazing

Once your glaze is ready, dip your freshly cooked donuts into the glaze while they are still warm. You can also coat them in melted vegan butter before rolling them in cinnamon sugar for an extra indulgent treat. Get creative and experiment with different flavours and coatings to find your favourite combinations.

If you're glazing the donut holes, simply follow the same process and adjust the glazing time accordingly. Remember to always serve your donuts fresh, as they tend to taste the best when they are still warm and the glaze is slightly melted. Enjoy your delicious, freshly glazed vegan donuts!

Frequently asked questions