Air Fryer donut balls

Air Fryer Doughnut Holes with Chocolate Sauce are a quick and easy breakfast recipe with a delicious coating of cinnamon-sugar on the outside that will have the whole family coming back for more.

If you are a regular here than you know that I’m all about the treats. No matter the time of day – I’m always up for something as deliciously sinful as these little donut holes – coated in a cinnamon and sugar mixture – especially when I can dip them in a creamy warm chocolate ganache.

How do I properly measure the flour?

The official way is to spoon the flour into the measuring cup & level off. This makes sure the flour isn’t packed tightly into your measuring cup, adding more than you need, as that will make your dough too dry.

However – if you fluff your flour with a spoon, then gently scoop the flour into the measuring cup, taking care to not pack the flour – that should work for this recipe.

air fryer donut holes with 2-ingredient dough

Ingredients for the Chocolate Sauce

• chocolate chopped
• heavy cream

HOW DO YOU MAKE the donut coating – with the oil method directly out of the air fryer?

1. While the dough is cooking, combine the sugar and cinnamon in a paper lunch sack. You can use a plastic zip-top bag if you don’t have one. Shake to combine the cinnamon and sugar.
2. Once the donut holes are done cooking, give them another light spritz of oil and then immediately transfer them to the bag with the cinnamon mixture.
3. Fold over the bag & give it a good shake to coat the donuts in the mixture.
4. Remove from the bag and serve immediately. Do not store them in the bag as they will become soggy.

HOW DO YOU MAKE the donut coating – with the butter method?

1. Combine the sugar and cinnamon in a large bowl. If you like a thin coating of cinnamon sugar, roll the hot doughnuts in the cinnamon sugar immediately when they come out of the air fryer.
2. If you like a thick coating of cinnamon sugar, roll the doughnut holes in melted butter before adding them to the cinnamon sugar.

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Air Fryer donut balls

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Air Fryer Doughnut Holes with Chocolate Sauce are a quick and easy breakfast recipe with a delicious coating of cinnamon-sugar on the outside that will have the whole family coming back for more.

• Author: Julia
• Prep Time: 15 mins
• Cook Time: 20 mins
• Total Time: 35 minutes
• Yield: 20 1x
• Category: Breakfast

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

Doughnuts

• ½ cup milk- warmed to 100-110F
• 2 tbsp granulated sugar
• 1 packet active dry yeast (2¼ tsp)
• 3 tbsp butter melted
• 1 large egg
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• oil for spraying

Donut Holes – with canned biscuits

• 1 can flaky buttermilk biscuits
• oil for spraying

Donut Holes – using a 2-ingredient dough

• 1 cup nonfat Greek yogurt
• 1 cup self-rising flour + more for dusting
• oil for spraying

Coating

• ½ cup granulated sugar
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 4 tbsp butter melted (optional, see notes)

Chocolate Sauce

• 2 ounces chocolate chopped
• 3 ounces heavy cream 6 tbsp

Instructions

Doughnut Holes – From Scratch

• Combine the milk, sugar, and yeast in a large bowl. Allow the mixture to sit for 5 minutes, or until the yeast becomes foamy on top. If your yeast doesn’t foam, it’s likely dead. Toss it and try again with a fresh packet.
• Add the melted butter, egg, and vanilla. Whisk to combine.
• Add the flour and cinnamon and stir until a shaggy dough forms.
• Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and knead gently until a smooth dough forms– about 2-3 minutes.
• Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl and set it in a warm spot to rise until doubled in size– about 2 hours.
• Once the dough has risen, place it on a lightly floured surface (don’t punch it down) and cut it into 20 small pieces. Shape the dough into balls and place them on a baking sheet to rise for another 45 minutes.
• Once the dough has risen slightly, place a few doughnut holes in the air fryer, give them a light mist/spray of oil and cook at 375F for 6-8 minutes, or until they’re golden brown on the outside.
• Repeat with the remaining doughnut holes.
• **See below for coating

Donut Holes with biscuit dough

• Preheat the air fryer to 350 degrees.
• Separate the biscuits and cut them into 4 pieces each.
• Lightly roll between your hands to reshape them into holes instead of triangles.
• Place them in the preheated air fryer basket and spray lightly with oil.
• Cook 4-5 minutes or until browned and cooked through.
• While the dough is cooking, combine the sugar and cinnamon in a paper lunch sack. You can use a plastic zip-top bag if you don’t have one. Shake to combine the cinnamon and sugar.
• Once the donut holes are done cooking, give them another light spritz of oil and then immediately transfer them to the bag with the cinnamon mixture.
• Fold over the bag & give it a good shake to coat the donuts in the mixture.
• Remove from the bag and serve immediately. Do not store them in the bag as they will become soggy.

Donut Holes – using a 2-ingredient dough

• Combine the yogurt and self-rising flour in a large bowl and work it together until it forms a ball.
• Turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 1-2 minutes to get the gluten forming so they are extra springy.
• Cut off 1″ pieces and roll into balls.
• Place them in the preheated air fryer basket and spray lightly with oil.
• Cook 4-5 minutes or until browned and cooked through.
• While the dough is cooking, combine the sugar and cinnamon in a paper lunch sack. You can use a plastic zip-top bag if you don’t have one. Shake to combine the cinnamon and sugar.
• Once the donut holes are done cooking, give them another light spritz of oil and then immediately transfer them to the bag with the cinnamon mixture.
• Fold over the bag & give it a good shake to coat the donuts in the mixture.
• Remove from the bag and serve immediately. Do not store them in the bag as they will become soggy.

Coating – with oil method directly out of the air fryer

• While the dough is cooking, combine the sugar and cinnamon in a paper lunch sack. You can use a plastic zip-top bag if you don’t have one. Shake to combine the cinnamon and sugar.
• Once the donut holes are done cooking, give them another light spritz of oil and then immediately transfer them to the bag with the cinnamon mixture.
• Fold over the bag & give it a good shake to coat the donuts in the mixture.
• Remove from the bag and serve immediately. Do not store them in the bag as they will become soggy.

Coating – with butter method

• Combine the sugar and cinnamon in a large bowl. If you like a thin coating of cinnamon sugar, roll the hot doughnuts in the cinnamon sugar immediately when they come out of the air fryer.
• If you like a thick coating of cinnamon sugar, roll the doughnut holes in melted butter before adding them to the cinnamon sugar.

Chocolate Sauce

• To make the chocolate sauce, heat the heavy cream in a small saucepan (or the microwave) until it starts to steam.
• Add it to a small bowl with the chopped chocolate.
• Whisk until the sauce is smooth and well combined.
• Serve with warm doughnuts.

Notes

*Create a donut glaze dipping sauce by mixing ¼ cup confectioner’s sugar with a splash of milk. Whisk to combine.

*Or thin out ¼ cup of jam with a splash of water and then heat in the microwave for 15 seconds to make a fruity sauce to dip these in.

**If using instant rise yeast, there’s no need to let it rest for 5 minutes before mixing in the remaining wet ingredients.

***Rolling the doughnuts in melted butter is optional but will help give a thick, delicious coating of cinnamon-sugar on the outside. I highly recommend it!

****You can keep any leftover ganache in the fridge for up to 1 week and use it to dip strawberries or top ice cream sundaes!