Air Fryer Donuts -- TWO WAYS! Perfectly tender, buttery Air Fryer Donuts made from scratch. Choose between a delicious vanilla glaze or an irresistible cinnamon-sugar coating. Makes 14-16 donuts.
Prep Time20 minutesmins
Cook Time16 minutesmins
Total Time36 minutesmins
Course: Breakfast, Brunch
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Air Fryer Donuts
Servings: 8
Calories: 394kcal
Author: Kelly Anthony
Ingredients
FOR THE DONUTS
2 ¼cup all-purpose flour
1tablespoongranulated sugar
2teaspoonsbaking powder
½teaspoonbaking soda
1teaspoonfine sea salt
¾cupvery cold, unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
¾cupbuttermilk
FOR VANILLA GLAZED DONUTS
1 ½cup powdered sugar
3tablespoonsmilk
1teaspoonvanilla extract
FOR CINNAMON SUGAR DONUTS
6tablespoonsunsalted butter, melted
1cup granulated sugar
1 ½teaspoonground cinnamon
Generous pinch of salt
Instructions
Preheat your air fryer to 375°F.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
Add the cubed butter and stir. Using a pastry blender, cut the butter into the flour mixture until it resembles small broken-up peas. Add the buttermilk and stir until evenly distributed throughout the batter. Very gently, knead the dough, just until it comes together in a ball.
Transfer to a lightly floured work surface and pat into a rectangle. Fold the sides of the dough over and onto itself, just as if you were folding a piece of paper to place in an envelope. Dust with flour if needed and roll out until the dough is about a ¼" thick.
Use a 2 ½-3" round cookie or biscuit cutter, cut out as many circles as you can, and set aside. Bring the dough scraps back together once more and repeat. For donut holes, use a ¾-1" round cutter to cut holes from the center of the dough rounds. Roll the holes into little balls and set aside.
Place the donuts in the air fryer in a single in your air fryer and cook for 4-5 minutes. You will likely need to cook the donuts in 4 separate batches. Add the donut holes to the air fryer and cook for 3-4 minutes, shaking the basket about halfway through the cook time.
TO MAKE VANILLA GLAZED DONUTS
Set a rack on top of a work surface lined with wax or parchment paper.
Combine the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla in a shallow bowl and stir until smooth.
Dip both sides of the donut in the glaze and transfer to the rack and allow to set, about 10-15 minutes.
TO MAKE CINNAMON-SUGAR DONUTS
Add the melted butter to one shallow bowl and in another, combine the granulated sugar, cinnamon, and salt.
Submerge the donut in the butter, allowing any excess to drip off, then coat thoroughly in the cinnamon-sugar mixture.
Notes
Do NOT substitute salted butter for the unsalted butter called for in this recipe.