Homemade Air Fryer Donuts

Air Fryer Donuts are a delightful treat that perfectly marries convenience with classic homemade goodness. These donuts boast a lightly crisp, golden-brown exterior, giving way to a wonderfully tender and fluffy interior. Crafted from scratch using everyday pantry staples, they offer an unparalleled taste experience that’s both comforting and incredibly satisfying.

If you’ve yet to experience the sheer joy of biting into a freshly made Air Fryer Donut, prepare for a revelation! This recipe has quickly become a family favorite, standing proudly alongside its delicious counterpart, Air Fryer Chocolate Donuts. Beyond their incredible taste and texture, these golden rings of perfection are covered in a sweet, simple 5-ingredient homemade glaze, making every bite an indulgence.

Imagine starting your day with a couple of these warm, glazed beauties, perhaps paired with your favorite cup of coffee or tea. It’s more than just a breakfast; it’s an experience. The moment the yeast activates, a comforting aroma fills your home, promising a treat that delights not just the palate but also the senses. The scent of homemade baking creates a cozy atmosphere, making these donuts a joy from start to finish.

For those times when you’re craving an air-fried donut but are short on time, consider saving this yeast donut recipe for a more leisurely day. Instead, try our Air Fryer Biscuit Donuts, which are incredibly easy to make with canned biscuits and ready in just about 20 minutes! They offer a quick fix without sacrificing the air-fried deliciousness.

Why You’ll Love This Air Fryer Donut Recipe

This recipe isn’t just about making donuts; it’s about making them effortlessly, deliciously, and versatilely. Here’s why these homemade air fryer donuts are an absolute must-try:

• Endless Topping Possibilities: While the homemade glaze is phenomenal, this recipe is a blank canvas for your creativity. Easily swap the glaze for a classic cinnamon sugar coating, a dusting of powdered sugar, or even a rich chocolate glaze. We’ll share recipes for these fantastic variations further down!
• Deep-Frying Option: No air fryer? No problem! This versatile dough can also be deep-fried on the stovetop, ensuring everyone can enjoy these incredible homemade donuts. The instructions for traditional frying are included below.
• Convenient Make-Ahead Dough: Streamline your morning by preparing the dough the night before. A slow proof in the refrigerator overnight allows the flavors to develop beautifully, leaving you just one step away from warm, mouthwatering donuts when you wake up. It’s perfect for busy mornings or weekend brunches.
• Perfect for Any Occasion: Fresh, warm air fryer donuts aren’t confined to just breakfast. They make an excellent sweet treat after dinner, a delightful addition to brunch spreads, or a special snack any time of day. Their universal appeal makes them suitable for any gathering.
• Donut Hole Delight: Don’t let those cut-out dough centers go to waste! Fry them up to create everyone’s favorite bite-sized treats – homemade donut holes. Kids especially love these mini delights, and they’re perfect for sampling while the main donuts cook.

Air Fryer Donut Ingredients: What You’ll Need

One of the best aspects of this air fryer donut recipe is that it relies almost entirely on common pantry staples. You likely have most of these ingredients on hand already!

To begin making the light and airy donut dough, you’ll start with active dry yeast, which is combined with warm water to activate it, allowing it to bubble and bloom. This is the foundation for a perfectly risen donut.

The remaining dough ingredients are then mixed in. This includes evaporated milk for richness and a tender crumb, fragrant vanilla extract, a hint of cinnamon for warmth, granulated sugar for sweetness, salt to balance the flavors, eggs (one whole egg and one yolk for extra tenderness), melted butter for moisture, vegetable shortening for a delicate texture, and cake flour. Cake flour is key here, contributing to the donuts’ signature soft and fluffy texture, making them irresistibly light.

While your donuts are air frying to golden perfection, you can easily prepare the homemade glaze. This luscious, sweet coating requires only powdered sugar, whole milk, light corn syrup (for shine and smoothness), evaporated milk (adding another layer of rich creaminess), and a touch more vanilla extract. These ingredients are gently heated on the stovetop to create a smooth, pourable glaze that adheres beautifully to the warm donuts.

How To Make Air Fryer Donuts From Scratch

Making homemade donuts might seem daunting, but with an air fryer, it becomes an enjoyable and relatively quick process. Follow these simple steps for perfectly air-fried glazed donuts. (Note: I use a Cosori Air Fryer; cooking times may vary slightly with different models.)

1. Activate the Yeast: In the bowl of your stand mixer or a large mixing bowl, combine the warm water and yeast. Let this mixture sit for about 10 minutes until it becomes foamy and bubbly, indicating the yeast is active.
2. Prepare the Dough: Once the yeast is activated, add the warm evaporated milk, vanilla extract, cinnamon, granulated sugar, salt, the large egg, egg yolk, melted butter, vegetable shortening, and cake flour to the bowl. Mix on low speed until all ingredients are just combined and the dough is smooth. Be careful not to overmix, as this can make the donuts tough.
3. First Rise: Cover the bowl with a clean kitchen towel and place it in a warm spot in your kitchen. Allow the dough to rise for approximately 1 hour, or until it has roughly doubled in size.
4. Roll and Cut: Lightly flour a clean work surface, such as a wooden cutting board or countertop. Gently transfer the risen dough to the floured surface and roll it out evenly to about 1 inch thick. Use a donut cutter, or a 4-inch cookie or biscuit cutter (and a 1-inch cutter for the centers) to cut out your donut shapes. Place the cut donuts onto a baking sheet as you go. Gather any dough scraps, gently re-roll them, and cut out more donuts or small donut holes.
5. Second Rise & Preheat: Cover the baking sheet with a towel and allow the cut donuts to rise again for another 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat your air fryer to 350°F (175°C) for 5 minutes.
6. Air Fry the Donuts: Line your air fryer basket with aluminum foil to prevent sticking and simplify cleanup. Lightly spray the foil with coconut oil cooking spray. Carefully arrange the donuts in a single layer in the air fryer basket, ensuring there’s at least 1 inch of space between each. Cook for 6 minutes.
7. Flip & Cool: Halfway through the cooking time (at the 3-minute mark), carefully flip the donuts to ensure even cooking and browning on both sides. Once cooked, transfer the golden-brown donuts to a wire rack set over a baking sheet to cool slightly while you prepare the glaze. You will likely need to cook the donuts in multiple batches, depending on the size of your air fryer.
8. Prepare the Glaze: While the donuts are cooling, combine all the glaze ingredients (powdered sugar, whole milk, light corn syrup, evaporated milk, and vanilla extract) in a mixing bowl and whisk until smooth. Transfer this mixture to a small saucepan and heat over medium heat for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it’s warmed through and slightly thinned. Pour the warm glaze back into your mixing bowl for easy dipping.
9. Glaze and Serve: Dip each cooled donut into the warm glaze, ensuring it’s fully coated. Place the glazed donuts back onto the wire rack, allowing any excess glaze to drip off and the glaze to set slightly. Serve these delectable homemade air fryer donuts warm and enjoy!

Air Fryer Donuts: Frequently Asked Questions & Troubleshooting

How can I tell if the yeast activated, and why might it not activate?

When yeast activates correctly, the mixture of yeast and warm water will begin to bubble up and form a foamy layer on top of the liquid. This tells you the yeast is alive and ready to work. If you don’t see any bubbles or foam after 10 minutes, unfortunately, your yeast did not activate.

There are a couple of common reasons for inactive yeast: First, always double-check the expiration date on your yeast packet. Expired yeast often won’t activate. Second, water temperature is critical. For yeast to activate properly, the warm water must be between 105°F (40°C) and 110°F (43°C). If the water is too hot, it will kill the yeast; if it’s too cold, the yeast won’t activate. Using a kitchen thermometer is the easiest and most reliable way to ensure the water is at the perfect temperature.

What other cooking spray can I use besides coconut oil in the air fryer?

You can effectively use olive oil cooking spray or avocado oil cooking spray to line your air fryer basket. Both work well to prevent sticking and are safe for air fryer use. It’s crucial, however, to avoid using aerosol cooking sprays like Pam. These sprays can contain ingredients that build up and damage the non-stick coating of your air fryer basket over time, making it sticky and difficult to clean.

What kind of cutter can I use to cut the donuts out with?

For perfectly shaped donuts, a dedicated donut cutter is ideal. If you don’t have one, you can easily use a 4-inch cookie or biscuit cutter for the main donut shape, and then a 1-inch cutter for the center hole. Biscuit cutters are commonly found in the baking aisle alongside cookie cutters.

Is there a good substitute for evaporated milk in the donut dough and glaze?

Yes, you can substitute evaporated milk with half-and-half or heavy cream. Keep in mind that both half-and-half and heavy cream have a higher fat content than evaporated milk. This might result in a slightly richer donut, which some people prefer! To achieve a slightly lower fat content if using heavy cream, you can mix it with a bit of regular milk.

How do I store these glazed donuts once they’re made?

Once your glazed air fryer donuts have cooled completely, place them in an airtight container. They can be stored at room temperature for up to 2 days, maintaining their delicious freshness and tender texture. For optimal enjoyment, it’s always best to consume them within the first day, but they will certainly remain tasty for a second day.

Topping Variations for Your Air Fryer Donuts

While the classic homemade glaze is always a winner, these air fryer donuts are incredibly versatile and taste fantastic with other coatings. Here are a couple of popular options:

Cinnamon Sugar Topping Option

1. Mix the Coating: In a shallow bowl, combine 1 cup of granulated sugar with 1 tablespoon of ground cinnamon. Whisk them together until well blended.
2. Coat the Donuts: Immediately after the donuts come out of the air fryer and are still warm (but not too hot to handle), gently roll each donut in the cinnamon sugar mixture, ensuring it’s evenly coated.
3. Set Aside: Transfer the cinnamon sugar-coated donuts back to a wire rack to set.

Decadent Chocolate Glaze Topping Option

1. Combine Dry Ingredients: In a small mixing bowl, whisk together 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons of powdered sugar with 2 tablespoons of unsweetened cocoa powder.
2. Add Wet Ingredients: Pour in 1/4 cup of heavy cream and continue to whisk until the icing is smooth, glossy, and free of lumps. Add a tiny bit more cream if needed to reach desired consistency.
3. Dip and Drip: Dip each freshly made donut into the chocolate glaze, allowing excess to drip off. Place them on a wire rack to fully set.

Traditional Deep-Frying Method (Alternative)

If you prefer the classic deep-fried texture or don’t have an air fryer, this donut dough works beautifully for traditional frying:

1. Heat the Oil: In a deep skillet or Dutch oven, pour about 4 inches of vegetable oil. Heat the oil over medium-high heat until it reaches a temperature of 365°F (185°C) to 375°F (190°C). Use a kitchen thermometer to monitor the temperature for best results.
2. Fry in Batches: Carefully place a few donuts into the hot oil at a time, being careful not to overcrowd the pan. Fry the donuts for approximately 1 to 1 1/2 minutes per side, or until they are golden brown and puffed up.
3. Drain Excess Oil: Using a metal slotted spoon or tongs, remove the fried doughnuts from the oil and transfer them to a baking sheet lined with paper towels to drain any excess oil.
4. Glaze: Once slightly cooled, glaze the donuts according to the recipe instructions or with your chosen topping variation.

More Delicious Donut Recipes to Explore

This Air Fryer Glazed Donut Recipe is too good not to share with friends and family! And if you’re a true donut enthusiast, you’ll love exploring these other delectable donut recipes from our collection:

• Easy Donut Holes – Quick and tasty deep-fried donut holes made from canned biscuit dough in just 30 minutes, perfect for a fast treat!
• Brioche Donuts with Vanilla Cream – Elevate your donut game with this elegant from-scratch recipe, featuring rich brioche dough and a luscious vanilla cream filling.
• Uncrustables Donuts – A viral TikTok trend worth trying, these clever donuts turn pre-made sandwiches into a fun and surprising treat.
• Coffee Donuts – Indulge in an easy-baked donut infused with coffee flavor and finished with an incredible, sweet coffee glaze.
• Baked Blueberry Donuts – Enjoy tender homemade donuts studded with juicy, sweet blueberries and topped with a vibrant blueberry icing.

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