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Overhead view of glazed air fryer donuts in a single layer with some donut holes.
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Air Fryer Donuts

You won't believe how easy it is to make donuts from scratch in an air fryer! This Air Fryer Donuts recipe tastes just like the real deal without having to deep fry your dough!
Course Breakfast, Dessert
Cuisine American
Prep Time 2 hours
Cook Time 8 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 8 minutes
Servings 12 donuts
Calories 340kcal
Author John Kanell

Equipment

  • Stand mixer (optional)
  • Mixing Bowls
  • Donut cutter or cookie cutters
  • Air fryer
  • Baking Sheet
  • Wire cooling rack

Ingredients

For the Donuts:

  • 1 cup warm whole milk (105 to 110F)(240mL)
  • 1 (0.25-ounce/7g) packet active dry yeast (2 1/4 teaspoons)
  • ¼ cup plus 1 teaspoon granulated sugar divided (62g)
  • 6 tablespoons melted unsalted butter (85g)
  • 1 large egg at room temperature
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour plus additional for dusting (360g)
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • coconut or olive oil cooking spray

For the Glaze:

  • 3 cups confectioners’ sugar (120g)
  • ½ cup whole milk (120mL)
  • 2 tablespoons melted unsalted butter
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

Prepare the Donuts:

  • In a small bowl, whisk together the warm milk, yeast, and 1 teaspoon sugar. Let the mixture stand until very bubbly, 5 to 10 minutes.
  • In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, whisk together the melted butter, eggs, and remaining ¼ cup sugar until smooth. Stir in yeast mixture until combined. Add the flour and salt. Mix on low speed until a shaggy dough forms. Increase speed to medium-low, and knead until the dough is smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes. (The dough will be slightly sticky.)
  • Transfer the dough to a large, lightly oiled bowl. Cover and let rise in a warm, draft-free place until doubled in size, about 1 hour 15 minutes.
  • Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and lightly dust with flour.
  • Punch down the risen dough. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into a ½-inch-thick rectangle. Using a donut cutter, cut out 12 donuts and 12 donut holes, re-rolling scraps as necessary. You can also use a 3-inch and 1-inch round cookie cutter to cut out the donuts. Place donuts and holes on the prepared baking sheet. Loosely cover and let rise in a warm, draft-free place, until doubled in size, about 15 to 20 minutes.
  • Preheat the air fryer to 350°F for 10 minutes. Spray the air fryer basket with cooking spray.
  • Working in batches, carefully place donuts in an even layer in the air fryer basket, about 1-inch apart. Lightly spray the tops with oil.
  • Cook for 6 minutes for donut holes and 8 minutes for big donuts or until golden brown. (I recommend frying the big donuts and donut holes separately since the cook times are slightly different.)

For the Glaze:

  • In a medium bowl, whisk together the confectioners’ sugar, milk, melted butter, and vanilla until smooth. Dip the warm donuts and donut holes into the glaze. Place on a wire rack and let the glaze set for about 5 minutes before serving. Store any leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Video

Notes

  • Avoid the temptation to add more flour during the kneading process. The dough should be a little tacky.
  • Make sure to measure your flour correctly. The best way to measure flour is by using a scale. If you don’t have a scale, fluff your flour with a spoon, sprinkle it into your measuring cup, and use a knife to level it off to avoid overpacking the measuring cup.
  • If you don’t have a stand mixer, you can mix the dough by hand. Combine the dough as directed, stirring together with a wooden spoon until shaggy. Turn out the dough onto a floured surface, and knead the dough by hand until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes.
  • Don’t wait too long to glaze your donuts. You want the donuts to still be warm to get the classic crackly glaze look. However, if they’re too hot, the glaze will slide off.
  • If you don’t have a 1-inch cookie cutter to cut out the donut hole, use the base of a large pastry tip.
  • The time it takes for your donut dough to rise depends on the temperature of your kitchen, as it’ll take longer to rise if you have a cold kitchen. The ideal temperature for the dough to rise is between 75 to 78F. If your kitchen is on the colder side, you can place your bagel dough in an OFF oven with the light on.
  • Do not skip the double-rise and be careful not to overmix the dough. The second rise and mixing until just combined will result in light and airy delicious donuts.
  • Careful not to roll out the dough too thin, or the donuts will be flat once they come out of the air fryer.

Nutrition

Calories: 340kcal | Carbohydrates: 60g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 39mg | Sodium: 117mg | Potassium: 94mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 35g | Vitamin A: 305IU | Vitamin C: 0.002mg | Calcium: 47mg | Iron: 2mg