Air Fryer Glazed Donuts Recipe
About this recipe
These air fryer donuts are yeast-raised and every bit as delicious and soft as their deep-fried relatives. This really is a no compromise donut recipe - it’s a great way to use your air fryer.
So with these donuts, you get all the flavor and none of the oil or mess of deep frying. These are truly the Best Air Fryer Donuts!
I designed the glaze for these donuts to give the perfect balance of sweetness, just like Krispy Kreme donuts!
Are air fryer donuts better than deep fried?
In my opinion, this recipe for air fried donuts comes very close to the deep fried version. I wouldn’t say they’re better or worse—both are utterly delicious!
Is it better to bake or fry donuts?
Generally speaking, I prefer fried donuts to baked cake donuts, but this is personal preference. This recipe is designed to give a a result as close as possible to deep fried donuts, but using your air fryer.
What are Krispy Kreme donuts fried in?
Krispy Kreme donuts are fried in vegetable shortening which is made using a mixture of palm oil, soybean oil, and/or cottonseed oil and canola oil. I don’t use any of those in this recipe. Instead, we simple brush the donuts with a little melted butter before air frying them.
How to make Air Fryer Glazed Donuts
Scroll down for amounts of ingredients
Step 1
In a large bowl mix the flour, nutmeg, sugar and salt together. Add the milk and add egg, melted butter and yeast. Combine the dry ingredients and the wet ingredients.
Knead the dough on a work surface for 10 minutes. If you choose to use a stand mixer knead the dough on high for 3 minutes.
Transfer the dough to a greased bowl, cover and allow the dough to rise for 2 hours.
Step 2
Roll out the dough to about 1 inch thickness (DO NOT roll the dough too thin, see the video for visuals) and cut out the donut shapes.
Place the donuts onto some parchment paper, brush them with melted butter and let them to rise again for another 45 minutes.
Step 3
After 45 minutes, preheat your air fryer to 180 °C (350 °F). Once the air fryer has preheated (on my air fryer, an alarm sounds when it’s preheated), gently place the donuts into the greased basket and cook for exactly 3 minutes.
Step 4
Make the glaze by mixing together melted butter, warm milk, sugar and vanilla extract.
Toss the donuts in the glaze and enjoy!
Alternatively, if you don't want to glaze these, once the donuts come out of the airfryer and while they're still hot brush the donuts with melted butter and quickly toss them in cinnamon sugar.
If you liked this donuts recipe, you might like these other donut recipes
1 Minute 2 Ingredient Instant Donuts
Melt in your mouth Glazed Donuts
Mini glazed donuts
Vanilla Cream Custard Donuts
Pro Tips
Donuts are best freshly made. However if you'd like to make these ahead of time, once cooled store the donuts in a ziplock bag or an air-tight container and just before serving pop them in the microwave for 30 seconds.
They'll be as delicious as when they’d just been made.
Watch the video tutorial
Ingredients
For the dough
2 cups + 3 tbsp (280g) all-purpose flour
3 tbsp (40g) white granulated sugar
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp ground nutmeg
1 egg
½ cup (120g) whole milk
3 tbsp (â…“ stick / 45g) unsalted butter, melted
2 tsp (1 packet / 7g) dried yeast (any dried yeast will work—active or instant)
For the glaze
2 cups (250g) powdered sugar
5 tbsp (â…” stick / 75g) unsalted butter
3 - 5 tbsp whole milk, the amount depends on how thin you like your glaze
1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
For the donuts
In a large bowl combine flour, nutmeg, sugar and salt together.
Add the milk and add egg, melted butter and yeast.
Combine the dry ingredients and the wet ingredients.
Knead the dough on a work surface for 10 minutes. If you choose to use a stand mixer knead the dough on high for 3 minutes.
Transfer the dough to a greased bowl, cover and allow the dough to rise for 2 hours.
Roll out the dough to about 1 inch thickness (DO NOT roll the dough too thin, see the video for visuals) and cut out the donut shapes.
Place the donuts onto some parchment paper, brush them with melted butter and let them to rise again for another 45 minutes.
After 45 minutes, preheat your air fryer to 180 °C (350 °F). Once the air fryer has preheated (on my air fryer, an alarm sounds when it’s preheated), gently place the donuts into the greased basket and cook for exactly 3 minutes.
Toss the donuts in the glaze or alternatively, if you don't want to glaze these, once the donuts come out of the airfryer and while they're still hot brush the donuts with melted butter and quickly toss them in cinnamon sugar.
Glaze The Donuts
Mix together melted butter, warm milk, sugar and vanilla extract.
Toss the donuts in the glaze and enjoy!
Alternatively, if you don't want to glaze these, once the donuts come out of the airfryer and while they're still hot brush the donuts with melted butter and quickly toss them in cinnamon sugar.
Hi! I’m Emma Fontanella. Here you’ll find trusted, tested recipes to satisfy your baking addiction and carb cravings. Learn more…
Tried one of my recipes? Please let me know on Instagram - I love seeing what you create! Mention @emmafontanella. Tag #emmafontanella
