Glazed doughnuts?! Yes, please! Who doesn’t love doughnuts as a delicious treat be they glazed or covered in cinnamon sugar? Takes me back to my childhood when my Nanna would let me choose a doughnut from the local bakery, I always chose cinnamon for that sugary goodness. We prepared the best air fryer doughnuts recipe in this article so check it out further below!
Air Fryer Doughnuts Recipe
This air fryer doughnut recipe is sure to get you making beautiful baked doughnuts in your own home. Included below is the crispy doughnut recipe with options for original glaze, cinnamon sugar and chocolate glazed.
Traditionally doughnuts are deep fried in hot oil meaning they have a higher in fat content and are not that healthy for us. Also, the cooking process is messy and can leave your house smelling like a deep fryer for days. Air fryers are changing how we cook food at home and now doughnuts are back on the menu.
This recipe is easy ingredient and effort wise though it does take a little time while you wait patiently for your dough to rise. You will need to rest the dough twice, the 1st time the dough will need to rise for an hour and then once the doughnuts are formed you will need to let them rise for an hour again. Plan some time ahead to accommodate for this.
Important! Clean your fryer trays or basket before you start. This is essential or your doughnuts will stick and taste like last night’s chicken or chips! Always follow the manufacturers cleaning recommendations or just use warm soapy water to clean away any left-over food residue. You will need to oil the basket before you place your doughnuts inside to cook.
Alright enough talk. It’s time to make the doughnuts!
Makes 6-8 Doughnuts
Ingredients
- ¼ cup milk (warmed)
- 3 TBS sugar
- 1 Pkt Dry Yeast
- 2 ¾ cups All-purpose flour
- ½ cup water
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 1 ½ TBS Butter
- Oil
Glaze
- 1 cup powder sugar
- 1-2 TBS milk
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
Method
- Warm your milk in a small jug or bowl, make sure it is warm not hot. Stir in the sugar and the yeast. Set aside for 15 minutes for the yeast to activate and bubble.
- Place the sifted flour and salt into a large mixing bowl. Form a well in the center then pour in the milk and yeast mixture. Start to mix gently then add water gradually to form a dough. The dough mix may look crumbly at first, turn onto a floured bench top and knead, it will come to form a smooth dough.
- Place the butter on top of your dough, fold the dough to conceal the butter and keep folding and kneading your dough. It will burst through the dough and feel greasy, as you continue to knead, the dough will become silky and smooth. Knead for 10 minutes until your dough is smooth and stretchy. Form into a ball.
- Lightly grease a large bowl with oil. Place your doughnut dough in the bowl and cover with plastic wrap or a clean tea towel for 1 hour to rise. It should double in size. Try to find a warm place without a draft to place your bowl.
- Lightly flour your workspace. Remove dough from bowl and begin to roll out until ½ inch thickness. Your dough should be springy and pull back when working with it.
- Using pastry cutters or a mason jar lid cut 6-8 round shapes. For the center hole use a bottle cap to remove dough, these can be rolled back into reaming dough or cooked as doughnut holes. Place the cut doughnut shapes onto baking paper on a tray and cover with a clean tea towel. Let rest for a further hour to double in size.
- Once your doughnuts have puffed up, they are ready to cook. Preheat your clean air fryer tray or basket to 180c. Lightly oil your basket and the top of your doughnut. Gently place 2-3 doughnuts into the basket (not touching) and cook for 8 minutes or until golden, turning halfway. The doughnut holes will cook fast being smaller so remove when done.
- Once cooked place onto wire racks to cool slightly. Repeat process for remaining doughnuts.
- To make the glaze slowly add the milk to the powdered sugar, mix until smooth and add in vanilla. If to thick add gradually add extra milk. Place into a shallow dish and dip the cooled doughnuts into the glaze. Place glazed doughnuts back on a cooling rack to set.
Note
- If you forget to add the sugar (like I have done in the past), they make great bagel style treats or you can turn dough into a mini bread loaf. Just add a little oil, salt, and herbs on top for a savory flavor. No need to waste a beautiful dough.
- An egg may be added but you will need to add a little more flour to the original dough mix.
- The puffed doughnuts will be very soft, they may deflate if you handle them too much. Gently lift off baking sheet into the fryer basket.
- Doughnuts are always better fresh; they will keep for 1-2 days.
Cinnamon Sugar Doughnuts
For Cinnamon sugar donuts make a mix of ½ cup granulated sugar and 2 TBS cinnamon. Mix in a shallow bowl. Brush the doughnuts with melted butter and press or toss in the sugar mixture. You can do this while the doughnuts are still warm.
Chocolate Glazed Doughnuts
Feel like chocolate glazed doughnuts with sprinkles? Just add ¼ cup coco to your glaze mix and stir well, you will need extra milk to create the mix. You don’t want the chocolate glaze as runny as the original glaze though, this one sets better if a little thicker and it can hold onto your sprinkles.
Summing Up
Making dough for any baked good but especially doughnuts just feels so satisfying. I find taking the time to really knead your dough is quite therapeutic, a moving meditation if you like. Cooking is more than just filling our bellies; it is a time to breathe and time to connect. It is amazing what recipes you can create in your air fryer at home. I hope you enjoy making, sharing, and eating these doughnuts as much as I did.
