Air Fryer Donuts
Craving homemade donuts without the mess? These air fryer donuts are soft, fluffy, and glazed. Perfect for when you want a treat without deep frying!
I absolutely adore these Classic Vegan Donuts, but not every day is a day for deep frying donuts. Enter these air fryer donuts! They’re fluffy and tender, they’re glazed to perfection, and you get all this fabulous donutty goodness in record time. They bake in the air fryer in just 5 minutes! Honestly, they’re almost too good to be true, but once you take a bite, you’ll know they are indeed very real—and VERY delicious.
Why These Air Fryer Donuts Are a Game-Changer
If you want the classic fried donut flavour and texture without the frying, this recipe is IT. Here’s why I love it so much.
- No deep frying needed. I’m not afraid to deep fry when needed, but it’s not an everyday thing for me—it can be a hassle to heat the oil and to clean up afterwards. This is where the air fryer comes in. It gives you that perfect golden exterior without the mess and cups and cups of oil!
- Faster cooking time. These donuts cook up in 5 minutes or less, compared to oven-baked donuts, which take at least twice as long.
- Easy to make your own. The best part about making your own air fryer donuts is that you can customise them to your liking with different toppings, glazes, and fillings.
Notes on Ingredients
The ingredient list for these air fryer donuts is short and sweet! Scroll down to the recipe card to find the ingredient quantities and recipe instructions.
Doughnuts:
- All-purpose flour
- Granulated sugar – This helps activate the yeast.
- Instant yeast – Learn more: Is Yeast Vegan?
- Salt
- Warm almond milk – Or another plant milk you like to use for baking; it should be unflavoured and unsweetened.
- Vegan butter – You can use my homemade Vegan Butter or store-bought.
- Vanilla extract – Almond extract (or half vanilla, half almond) also works for a slightly different flavour.
Glaze:
- Powdered sugar – Here’s Homemade Powdered Sugar.
- Almond milk
- Vanilla extract
Toppings:
- Vegan sprinkles – I love these colourful Homemade Sprinkles.
- Cinnamon sugar
- Crushed nuts
How to Make Air Fryer Donuts
This visual overview will show you step-by-step what it looks like to make donuts in the air fryer, but the full instructions are in the recipe card below.
- Prepare the dough. Whisk flour, sugar, yeast, and salt in a large bowl, then stir in the almond milk, melted vegan butter, and vanilla extract until it comes together as a soft dough. Knead for 5 minutes, then place in a greased bowl and cover; let the dough rise until it doubles in size, which should take about an hour.
- Form the donuts. Gently punch down the dough and roll it out on a lightly floured work surface. Once it’s 1/2-inch thick, cut the donuts and place them on a parchment lined baking sheet. Cover and let rise for 20 to 30 minutes.
- Air fry. Spray or brush the donuts with oil. Place them in an air fryer preheated to 350ºF and cook for 5 to 6 minutes, until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack.
- Make the glaze. Whisk the powdered sugar, almond milk, and vanilla extract in a bowl until smooth.
- Glaze the donuts. Dip the donuts in the glaze. Let the excess drip off and return the donuts to the rack. (I like to place the parchment that was on the baking sheet under the wire rack to catch any glaze that drips off.) Add any toppings you’re using and let the glaze set before serving.
Tips for Success
- Make sure the milk is warm. It shouldn’t be cold (which can slow the growth of the yeast) or hot (which can kill the yeast). When you dip your finger in the milk, it should feel comfortably warm.
- Weigh the ingredients. Baking requires precision, especially when there’s yeast involved. Although I offer volume measurements in the recipe card, it’s best to go with the weights in grams for the best accuracy.
- Don’t toss the scraps. You can piece them together and create more donuts, then when you don’t have enough scraps to make whole donuts, you can form small donut holes with the rest.
- Avoid overcrowding the air fryer. Air frying the donuts in small batches helps them bake evenly and get that nice golden, slightly crisp exterior.
Variations
There are so many ways to make this recipe for air fryer donuts your own! Here are some of my favourite ideas.
- Add a different glaze. Try chocolate, add lemon or orange juice, almond or maple extract, and so on.
- Try different toppings. You can go really wild here! Try crushed breakfast cereal, freeze-dried fruit, chocolate shavings, etc.
- Fill them with cream or jam. Form round donuts and don’t cut a hole in the middle, then use a pastry bag to add your filling of choice.
How to Store
- Room temperature: Air fryer donuts are best enjoyed fresh the day they are made. If you have leftovers, store them in an airtight container at room temperature for 1-2 days.
- Freezer: To freeze doughnuts, wrap each one individually in plastic wrap and place them in an airtight container or freezer bag. They can be stored in the freezer for up to 2 months. When you’re ready to eat them, thaw at room temperature for a few hours.
Enjoy friends! If you make this air fryer donut recipe, please snap a photo and tag #jessicainthekitchen on Instagram! We’d also love it if you would leave a comment below, and give the recipe a rating! Thanks so much!
More Vegan Air Fryer Recipes
Air Fryer Donuts
Ingredients
Doughnuts:
- 2 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, 270g
- ¼ cup granulated sugar, 50g
- 2 teaspoons instant yeast, 7g
- ½ teaspoon salt, 3g
- ¾ cup warm almond milk, or any plant-based milk – 180ml
- 4 tablespoons vegan butter, melted – 56g
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 5g
Glaze:
- 1 cup powdered sugar, 120g
- 2 tbsp almond milk, or any plant-based milk – 30ml
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract, 2g
- Topping of your choice, optional, like Vegan sprinkles, cinnamon sugar, or crushed nuts
Instructions
Prepare the Dough
- In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, yeast, and salt.
- Add warm almond milk, melted vegan butter, and vanilla extract. Mix until a soft dough forms.
- Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface for about 5 minutes until smooth and elastic.
- Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover with a kitchen towel, and let rise in a warm place for about 1 hour, or until doubled in size.
Shape the Dough
- Once risen, punch down the dough and roll it out on a floured surface to about ½-inch thickness.
- Use a donut cutter or a round cookie cutter (and a smaller cutter for the center) to cut out doughnuts.
- Place donuts and donut holes on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Cover and let rise for another 20-30 minutes.
Air Fry the Donuts
- Preheat your air fryer to 350°F (175°C).
- Lightly spray or brush the donuts with oil. (I used avocado oil, but any cooking oil will work)
- Depending on the size of your air fryer, cook 3–5 donuts at a time, leaving space between them, for 5-6 minutes until golden brown.
- Remove and let cool slightly on a wire rack.
Glaze the Donuts
- In a bowl, whisk powdered sugar, almond milk, and vanilla extract until smooth.
- Dip each donut into the glaze, allowing excess to drip off.
- Place on a rack, sprinkle with toppings if desired, and let the glaze set for about 10–15 minutes.
Notes
- Room temperature: Air fryer donuts are best enjoyed fresh the day they are made. If you have leftovers, store them in an airtight container at room temperature for 1-2 days.
- Freezer: To freeze doughnuts, wrap each one individually in plastic wrap and place them in an airtight container or freezer bag. They can be stored in the freezer for up to 2 months. When you’re ready to eat them, thaw at room temperature for a few hours.
Disclaimer: Although jessicainthekitchen.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, kindly note that these are only estimates. Nutritional information may be affected based on the product type, the brand that was purchased, and in other unforeseeable ways. Jessicainthekitchen.com will not be held liable for any loss or damage resulting for your reliance on nutritional information. If you need to follow a specific caloric regimen, please consult your doctor first.
