Air Fryer Donuts are soft, fluffy, and incredibly easy to make at home. They have a deliciously tender centre with a lightly golden outside and can be finished with powdered sugar, cinnamon sugar, glaze, or chocolate. Best of all, the air fryer makes these homemade donuts without the need for deep frying in a large pot of oil.
Easy Air Fryer Donuts
If you’ve ever wanted to make homemade donuts but didn’t want the mess of deep frying, this Air Fryer Donuts recipe is a great place to start.
The air fryer uses circulating hot air to cook the donuts, giving them a lightly golden exterior while keeping the inside soft and tender. They’re especially delicious when served warm and finished with your favourite topping.
This recipe is also versatile. You can make traditional ring-shaped donuts, small donut holes, or experiment with different glazes and toppings.
For a quick breakfast, weekend brunch, afternoon snack, or homemade dessert, these donuts are always a treat.
Ingredients Needed
You only need a few basic ingredients to make these easy homemade Air Fryer Donuts.
All-Purpose Flour: Flour provides the structure for the donuts. Use regular all-purpose flour for a soft and tender texture.
Granulated Sugar: Sugar adds sweetness and helps the donuts develop a lightly golden exterior.
Baking Powder: Baking powder helps the donuts rise and become light and fluffy.
Salt: A small amount of salt balances the sweetness and enhances the other flavours.
Milk: Milk adds moisture and helps create a soft dough. Whole milk works particularly well, but other varieties can be used.
Egg: An egg helps bind the ingredients together and contributes to the texture of the finished donuts.
Butter: Melted butter adds richness and flavour. It also helps keep the donuts tender.
Vanilla Extract: Vanilla gives the donuts a warm, classic flavour.
Cooking Spray: A light coating of cooking spray helps prevent sticking and encourages the donuts to brown.
You can also add cinnamon, nutmeg, or other spices to the dough if you want a warmer, bakery-style flavour.
How To Make Donuts In An Air Fryer
Making homemade donuts in the air fryer is easier than you might expect.
Prepare the Dough
Start by combining the dry ingredients in a large bowl.
Add the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Whisk everything together until evenly combined.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the milk, egg, melted butter, and vanilla extract.
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients.
Stir gently until a soft dough forms. Be careful not to overmix because too much mixing can make the donuts dense.
If the dough feels too sticky, add a small amount of flour. If it seems too dry, add a tiny splash of milk.
Roll Out the Dough
Lightly flour your work surface.
Transfer the dough onto the surface and gently roll it out to approximately ½-inch thick.
Don’t press or knead the dough excessively. The less you work it, the more tender your donuts will be.
Cut the Donuts
Use a donut cutter to cut out the donut shapes.
If you don’t have a donut cutter, use a large round cookie cutter or drinking glass for the outside and a small round cutter for the centre.
Gather the leftover dough, gently press it together, and cut additional donuts.
Try not to repeatedly knead the scraps because this can make the donuts tougher.
Preheat the Air Fryer
Preheat your air fryer to approximately 350°F (175°C).
Depending on your air fryer model, preheating may take only a few minutes.
Lightly spray the air fryer basket with cooking spray.
Air Fry the Donuts
Place the donuts in the basket in a single layer.
Make sure they aren’t touching too closely because they need room for the hot air to circulate.
Lightly spray the tops with cooking spray.
Air fry for approximately 5–7 minutes, or until the donuts are lightly golden and cooked through.
Cooking times can vary depending on the thickness of your donuts and the specific air fryer.
If needed, turn them halfway through cooking for more even browning.
Avoid overcooking them. Homemade donuts can become dry if they stay in the air fryer too long.
Cool Before Decorating
Carefully remove the donuts from the air fryer and allow them to cool for several minutes.
You can serve them warm, but allowing them to cool slightly makes glazing and decorating much easier.
Dip them into your favourite glaze, toss them in cinnamon sugar, or simply dust them with powdered sugar.
How To Make Air Fryer Donut Holes
Don’t throw away the centres you cut from the donuts!
Those little pieces of dough can become delicious Air Fryer Donut Holes.
Gather the dough from the centre pieces and any remaining scraps.
Gently roll them into small balls. Avoid compressing the dough too much.
Preheat the air fryer to around 350°F (175°C) if it isn’t already hot.
Lightly spray the basket and arrange the donut holes in a single layer.
Air fry for approximately 3–5 minutes, depending on their size.
Check them early because small donut holes cook much faster than full-sized donuts.
Once they are lightly golden and cooked through, remove them from the air fryer.
While still warm, toss them in cinnamon sugar or powdered sugar.
You can also dip them in chocolate glaze, vanilla glaze, caramel, or melted butter mixed with cinnamon sugar.
Donut holes are especially fun for serving at brunches and parties because they’re small enough to enjoy in just a couple of bites.
Optional Topping
There are countless ways to finish Air Fryer Donuts.
Cinnamon Sugar
Melt a small amount of butter and lightly brush the warm donuts.
Immediately toss them in a mixture of granulated sugar and cinnamon.
This creates a simple topping that tastes similar to classic sugar donuts.
Powdered Sugar
The easiest option is to dust the cooled donuts generously with powdered sugar.
Use a fine-mesh sieve for an even coating.
Vanilla Glaze
Mix powdered sugar with a small amount of milk and vanilla extract until smooth.
Dip the tops of the donuts into the glaze and allow the excess to drip off.
Maple Glaze
Combine powdered sugar with maple syrup and a small splash of milk.
This makes a delicious autumn-inspired topping.
Strawberry Glaze
Mix powdered sugar with a little strawberry puree or strawberry flavouring.
Add a few colourful sprinkles for a fun finish.
Caramel
Drizzle warm caramel sauce over the donuts.
For an extra special dessert, add chopped pecans and a small pinch of sea salt.
Sprinkles
Add sprinkles immediately after glazing while the topping is still wet.
Use different colours for birthdays, holidays, or other celebrations.
Chocolate Glaze Recipe
A simple chocolate glaze is one of the best toppings for homemade Air Fryer Donuts.
Ingredients
Powdered Sugar: This forms the base of the glaze and provides sweetness.
Unsweetened Cocoa Powder: Cocoa gives the glaze its rich chocolate flavour.
Milk: Milk creates the right consistency.
Vanilla Extract: Vanilla enhances the chocolate flavour.
Melted Butter: A small amount of melted butter adds richness and gives the glaze a smoother texture.
How to Make the Chocolate Glaze
Add powdered sugar and cocoa powder to a small bowl.
Whisk until there are no large lumps.
Add the milk, vanilla extract, and melted butter.
Stir until the mixture becomes smooth and glossy.
If the glaze is too thick, add a few drops of milk at a time.
If it’s too thin, add a little more powdered sugar.
Dip the top of each cooled donut into the chocolate glaze.
Lift it out and allow the excess glaze to drip back into the bowl.
Place the glazed donuts on a wire rack or parchment paper.
Add sprinkles, chopped nuts, mini chocolate chips, or other decorations while the glaze is still wet.
Allow the glaze to set for several minutes before serving.
For an extra chocolatey treat, you can also dip the donuts into melted chocolate instead of using a powdered-sugar glaze.
Tips
Don’t overmix the dough. Mix only until the ingredients come together. Overworking the dough can make the donuts tough.
Don’t roll the dough too thin. Donuts need enough thickness to develop a soft, fluffy centre.
Use a little flour when necessary. If the dough is sticky, lightly flour your work surface and cutter. Avoid adding excessive flour.
Avoid overcrowding the air fryer. Arrange the donuts in a single layer with enough space for air to circulate.
Use cooking spray. A light coating can help the donuts brown and prevent sticking.
Watch the cooking time. Air fryers vary, and donuts can go from perfectly cooked to dry fairly quickly.
Don’t overcook. Remove the donuts as soon as they’re lightly golden and cooked through.
Cook donut holes separately if needed. Because they’re smaller, donut holes can finish much sooner than full-size donuts.
Glaze cooled donuts. If the donuts are extremely hot, the glaze may melt and slide off.
Add toppings immediately. Sprinkles and other decorations stick best while the glaze is still wet.
Serve them fresh. Air Fryer Donuts are at their best shortly after cooking when they’re still soft and tender.
Experiment with flavours. Add cinnamon, nutmeg, pumpkin spice, lemon zest, or orange zest to the dough for a different flavour.
Don’t throw away the scraps. Turn the centre pieces and leftover dough into donut holes instead of wasting them.
Air Fryer Donuts are a fun and simple way to enjoy homemade donuts without deep frying. They’re soft, lightly golden, and incredibly versatile, whether you prefer cinnamon sugar, powdered sugar, vanilla glaze, or rich chocolate.
The best part is that you can make both full-size donuts and donut holes from the same batch of dough. Add your favourite toppings, serve them warm, and you’ve got an easy homemade treat that’s perfect for breakfast, brunch, dessert, or a weekend family baking project.
PrintAir Fryer Donuts
My air fryer donuts are made with Grands biscuits making them super easy, yet sweet and full of flavor thanks to the easy glaze too!
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 8 1x
Ingredients
- 1 package Pillsbury Grand Rolls, flaky or homestyle
For the Glaze
- 2 cups confectioner’s sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2–3 tablespoons milk
Instructions
- Preheat the air fryer to 350 degrees.
- Using a small circular cookie cutter about 1-2 inches in diameter, cut a hole into the middle of the doughnut.
- Place the doughnuts and donut holes into the air fryer in one single layer and cook them for 4-5 minutes until golden brown and cooked thoroughly.
- Meanwhile, put the easy glaze together by whisking the confectioner’s sugar, vanilla extract, and 2 tablespoons milk together. Add the extra tablespoon of milk if needed for better consistency.
- Carefully remove the donuts from the air fryer and immediately dip them into the glaze.
- Place on a wire rack to cool for at least 2 minutes, then enjoy!
