These Glazed Air Fryer Donuts are moist, fluffy, and covered with a delicious vanilla glaze. You’ll love how easy it is to make these delectable treats from scratch with an air fryer.
If you’re looking for more amazing donut recipes, then you should try our old fashioned sour cream donuts and jelly-filled brioche donuts.
Table Of Contents
Recipe Details
I love making Air Fryer Donuts because they are healthier than deep-fried donuts, but have the same texture and delicious flavor. They’re also easy to make and such a treat with a morning coffee.
- TASTE: These donuts are sweet and yeasty, with a warm vanilla flavor.
- TEXTURE: These Glazed Donuts are so perfect. Light and fluffy inside with a fried crisp outside, then covered in a glaze that melts in your mouth
- TIME: This recipe takes 1 hour and 20 minutes.
- EASE: Follow the photos and instructions in this recipe and you’ll have no trouble making this simple glazed donut recipe every time.
What You’ll Need
Ingredient Notes
- Yeast- We use dry active yeast in this recipe to give the air fryer donuts lots of light, airy texture. They will go through a double rise, but this ingredient is important for both flavor and texture.
- Warm Water and Milk- Yeast won’t activate unless it’s warm and has sugar. These two must be warm when combined with the yeast and sugar so the yeast froths before adding it to the dough.
- Powdered sugar, Milk, and Vanilla extract- These are the basic ingredients for the glaze. Powdered sugar is preferred as it combined smoothly because it is so fine.
- Corn Syrup- We use this ingredient in the glaze to help it stay smooth and syrupy. This way, it will hold better to the warm donuts.
Add-ins and Substitutions
- Skip the corn syrup- If you prefer to not use the corn syrup, you can make the glaze with just milk, powdered sugar, and vanilla. Just add a little more sugar to thicken it and whisk well.
- Substitute gluten-free flour- Make these without gluten by substituting the flour for all-purpose gluten-free flour, 1:1.
- Make these with fillings- You can make these donuts without a hole in them and pipe in your favorite fillings, such as chocolate, bavarian cream, or Simple Cherry Pie Filling.
- Use other toppings- Top your donuts with sprinkles, Chocolate Ganache, crushed breakfast cereal, cinnamon sugar, caramel, chopped crispy bacon, or anything you like.
How to Make Glazed Air Fryer Donuts
- Froth the yeast. Mix the warm water and milk with the dry active yeast and a tablespoon of granulated sugar in a large measuring cup. Allow it to froth up and rise for about 5 minutes.
Pro Tip: Make sure the water and milk are warm or the yeast won’t activate and froth.
- Add everything into the mixer. In the bowl of a stand mixer, add the rest of the sugar, melted butter, egg, egg yolk, vanilla, flour, and salt. Then pour the yeast mixture in and put on the hook attachment.
- Mix. Start by mixing on low until the flour has been incorporated. Then speed it up to high and beat for 5 minutes. Scrape the sides of the bowl to get all the dough together. It should be slightly sticky, but not too much. If it is, add a tablespoon of flour to dry it a little, mix, and scrape again. Just be careful not to make it too dry.
- Let the dough rise. Now place the dough in a large greased bowl and cover it with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel. Let it rise for about an hour, or until it doubles in size. Then punch it down and transfer it to a floured surface.
- Roll and cut the dough. Using a rolling pin, roll out the dough to about 1/2 inch in thickness. Then cut out the shapes with a donut cutter or 2 different-sized biscuit cutters. When you’ve cut as many as you can, roll out the scraps and cut out more, continuing until all the dough is used up.
- Let it rise again. Place the cut-out donuts on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and cover lightly. Then, let them rise again for about 20-30 minutes.
- Preheat the air fryer. Preheat the air fryer to 345 degrees Fahrenheit and spray the air fryer basket with cooking spray.
- Air-fry the donuts. Now place the donuts in the basket and spray them with the cooking spray. Do not allow them to touch. Then air-fry them for about 4 minutes, continuing in batches until all the donuts and donut holes are cooked. Place them on a plate lined with paper towels to absorb any excess oil.
Make the donut glaze
- Make the glaze. In a large bowl, combine the powdered sugar, milk, corn syrup, and vanilla.
- Dip the donuts. While the air fryer donuts are still warm, dip them into the glaze and put them on a cooling rack to set. (The warmth of the donuts gives the glaze that shiny appearance.) Now serve and enjoy!
Recipe Tips
- Use fresh yeast- If you find that your yeast is not frothing up after 5 minutes, then discard it and start over again with new yeast. It may be too old (or cold) to work.
- Double rise the dough- This takes some time, but it’s well worth it. Allowing the donut dough to rise twice will increase the air inside, resulting in light, airy, and delicious donuts.
- Absorb excess oil- Even though there isn’t much oil used in this air fryer recipe, unlike deep-frying, there is still some oil that can absorb into the donuts, making them soggy. So use a paper towel to absorb any unwanted oil after cooking.
- Glaze the air fryer donuts while warm- Doing this while they are still warm will give the glaze a lovely shiny appearance. Afterward, let them set before serving.
FAQs
What happens when you put a donut in an air fryer?
Air fryers use hot air that is rapidly circulated to fry donuts. Deep frying, on the other hand, submerges the donuts in hot oil, allowing them to absorb it and take on a lot of grease and fat. Air fryer donuts are lighter and healthier, but still crisp and moist.
What is the glaze of donuts made of?
Donut glaze is usually made of powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla whisked together until smooth. This Glazed Air Fryer Donuts recipe also uses corn syrup to keep the glaze syrupy and thick. The donuts are then dipped into the glaze and allowed to set before serving.
Serving Suggestions
These Air Fryer Donuts are so versatile and have the perfect taste and texture. There are so many delicious ways to serve them for breakfast or as a snack.
- Meats: Make a sweet and savory combination with these donuts and Crispy Air Fryer Bacon, Buttermilk Biscuits with Sausage Gravy, or Savory Crepes with Chicken and Mushroom Filling.
- Eggs: Serve these air fryer donuts with Shakshuka, Eggs Benedict, Bacon and Hash Brown Quiche, or Easy Poached Eggs with Caramelized Onions.
- Fruit: These donuts can be served alongside Yogurt Parfait, Mini Fruit Tarts, Fruit Pizza, and Muesli Yogurt Parfait with Berries (VIDEO).
- Drinks: Enjoy this sweet treat with a cup of coffee, cold milk, or a specialty drink, like this Iced Caramel Macchiato or Caramel Frappuccino Recipe (Starbucks Copycat).
Make This Recipe in Advance
Make ahead: Because refrigeration slows down rising dough without stopping it entirely, you can start this recipe and then finish it up to 2 days later. Just follow the recipe for these air fryer donuts, Then once you finish cutting out the shapes, place them on a baking sheet in the fridge. They can stay overnight or for a couple of days. Just allow them to rest at room temperature for an hour before air frying
Storing: To store any leftovers of these air fryer donuts, place them in an airtight container at room temperature (out of direct sunlight) or in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
Freeze: They can also be frozen for up to 3 months in a ziplock freezer bag. Thaw in the fridge and reheat in the air fryer or oven.
More Scrumptious Donuts!
Watch how easy it is to make them!
Full Recipe Instructions
Air Fryer Donuts (from scratch)
These Glazed Air Fryer Donuts (from scratch) are the perfect thing for your sweet tooth. Moist, fluffy, and light, they will melt in your mouth.
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Servings: 12 Donuts
Calories: 281kcal
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup warm water
- 1/4 cup warm milk
- 2¼ teaspoons dry active yeast
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar + 1 tablespoon
- ¼ cup unsalted butter melted
- 1 egg
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (add more as needed)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- Cooking spray
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- ¼ cup milk
- 1 tablespoon light corn syrup
- 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
Instructions
Froth up the yeast
- In a large measuring cup, add 1/2 cup warm water, 1/4 cup warm milk (108 degrees Fahrenheit), 2 1/4 teaspoons dry active yeast, and 1 tablespoon of granulated sugar.
- Let the yeast mixture froth up and rise for about 5 minutes. If it doesn’t froth up, discard it and start again with new yeast.
Add everything into the mixer
- Now in a stand mixer, add 1/3 cup granulated sugar, 1/4 cup unsalted melted butter, 1 egg, 1 egg yolk, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled off), and ½ teaspoon salt. Then pour in the yeast mixture and pace the hook attachment on.
- Begin mixing on low speed until the flour is incorporated into liquids. Then take the speed up to high and beat for 5 minutes. Then scrape down the sides of the beater bowl.
- If the dough looks too sticky, add 1 tablespoon of flour at a time. Make sure to mix well and scrape down the sides of the bowl between each addition of flour. You don’t want to add too much flour or the donuts will be too dry. They should have a slightly sticky texture to them.
Let the dough rise
- Now place the dough in a large greased bowl and cover with a kitchen towel or plastic wrap. Let the dough rise for about one hour or until it doubles in size.
- When the dough is ready, punch it down to release air bubbles. Then transfer it to a floured surface
Roll the dough and cut out donuts
- Using a rolling pin, roll the dough out to about 1/2 inch in thickness. Use a donut cutter or 2 different sized biscuit cutters to cut out as many donuts as you can. Then reshape the scraps and cut out some more donuts. Continue doing this until you have no more scraps left. My larger biscuit cutter was 4 inches in diameter and the smaller one was 1 1/4 inches in diamter.
Rise 1 more time, then air-fry
- Now place the cut out donuts on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper then cover them lightly and let them rise again for about 20-30 minutes.
- Preheat your air fryer to 345 degrees Fahrenheit. Then spray the air fryer basket with cooking spray.
- Now place a few donuts into the air fryer basket and spray them with some more cooking spray. Make sure that the donuts are not touching.
- Air fry the donuts for about 4 minutes. Repeat this process with the remaining donuts and donut holes. Then transfer the donuts onto a plate lined with paper towels.
Make the glaze and dip while the donuts are warm
- To make the glaze, in a large bowl combine 2 cups powdered sugar, 1/4 cup milk, 1 tablespoon light corn syrup, and 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract.
- While the donuts are warm dip them in the glaze and let them set on a cooling rack. The glaze sets shinier when the donuts are hot, so you don’t want to let them cool down first.
Notes
Best way to store air fryer donuts
To store any leftovers of these donuts, place them in an airtight container at room temperature (out of direct sunlight) or in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. They can also be frozen for up to 3 months in a ziplock freezer bag.
Try these other Scrumptious Donut recipes!
Nutrition
Calories: 281kcal | Carbohydrates: 53g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 42mg | Sodium: 114mg | Potassium: 80mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 27g | Vitamin A: 184IU | Calcium: 27mg | Iron: 2mg
Did you make this recipe? Snap a photo of it and tag me on Instagram @simplyhomecooked or use the hashtag #simplyhomecooked so I can see it and feature it!
Hi, I’m Dina, so glad you stopped by! I believe life is too short for bad coffee and boring meals. With my easy to follow step-by-step recipes, you’ll be surprised at how quickly a wholesome and delicious meal can come together. I hope you find something you enjoy!
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Ted says
I am going to reserve rating these. I have tried twice to make these and I get the same results. The yeast frothed up fine, but the dough did not rise much at all.
I have tried with two brand new containers of yeast from the grocery store so I doubt my yeast was dead. I don’t keep this normally so I had to buy it specifically for this.
I left one overnight in the fridge and nothing. The second try has been on the counter for an hour and nothing. Any ideas before I give up?
Thanks,
Ted
simplyhomecooked says
Thank you for reaching out for help, Ted. I can only imagine how frustrating this must be! I am so sorry to hear that the dough is not rising. So if the yeast mixture puffed up, thats really good! I think your house might be a bit too cold. I would turn the oven on to 200 degrees Fahrenheit and let it heat up for about 2 minutes. Then turn the oven off and place the dough inside. This should be the perfect amount of warmth for your yeast to grow at a faster pace. Let me know if this helps! I really want your donuts to turn out!
Deborah D Bouch says
Just made these today, they are so light and airy. Will be making again.
simplyhomecooked says
That’s so awesome to hear Deborah! Glad to hear you loved these air fryer donuts 🙂 Thank you so much for your feedback 🙂
Darshan says
Hi, is it possible to substitute the eggs for something else in order to make the doughnuts vegan?
Many thanks
simplyhomecooked says
Hi Darshan, you can use a flax egg instead 🙂
Lillian Arndt says
These are REALLY pillowy!! So simple yet soooo delicious! First time ever making donuts and my family were so happy with them!!! Dina’s direction was so clear and easy to follow. Thank you for making life happier and sweeter! So exited to try your other recipes!!!
simplyhomecooked says
WOW Lillian! That’s amazing! I am so thrilled to hear that! Thank you so much for taking the time to write such a kind review 🙂
Julie K Cusano says
Just made your air fried donuts recipe with caputo fiorglut gluten free flour. Came out really good!! My son has celiac so these are amazing!!
simplyhomecooked says
That is so awesome to hear Julie! So happy that your son was able to enjoy these donuts with the gluten free flour 🙂 Thank you so much for your feedback and I hope you find many more delicious recipes on my blog 🙂
Alexis says
These were so good, they were light, fluffy, and chewy light a donut should be. The glaze was so flavorful and really finished it off. Incredible recipe.
simplyhomecooked says
Yay! So happy to hear you loved these air fryer donuts so much Alexis!! 🙂 The glaze really is a nice finish 🙂 Thank you for your feedback and I hope you find many more delicious recipes on my blog 🙂
Strawberry says
Hi
I saw that the extra donuts can be frozen. Do you freeze them cooked or uncooked? Thank you
simplyhomecooked says
Hi, you could freeze them after baked but before the glaze. Hope that helps and I hope you love these air fryer donuts 🙂
Wendy L Hensley says
I froze the portioned uncooked dough after the 1st rise. I thawed one in the fridge over night and cut and air fried them this morning. The rise in the oven took twice as long as when I initially made them, 60 minutes. But they came out great. I would say they were a 8.5 out of the freezer compared to the 10 of cooking the refrigerated dough. Hope that helps.
simplyhomecooked says
Thank you for the feedback Wendy! I really appreciate you taking the time to let me know 🙂
Wendy Hensley says
I tried to post this yesterday when I first made these but it didn’t post. These donuts were amazing enough for me to try posting again! I made these the day before with instant yeast tossed in with the flour. I had zero problems with the rise. (If your dough didn’t rise I seriously doubt that the yeast was alive.) I substituted in unsweetened almond milk and used 390g of flour to achieve a workable dough (weighing in baking is life). I divided the dough in 6 portions and froze 4 of them. The other 2 I refrigerated and made the next morning (4 donuts with holes). I cut and shaped them out of the fridge and let them rise in the oven with only the oven light on. They doubled in size and , once cooked in the air fryer, were light and airy. Better than dunkin but just shy of krispy kreme. This recipe is a winner!
simplyhomecooked says
I absolutely love your dedication and spirit Wendy! I love having such awesome supporters 🙂 Thank you for following up and making sure your feedback was visible for others 🙂
Wendy Hensley says
I have been searching for a “decent” air fried donut all year. These FAR EXCEEDED my expectations: Simple to prepare, light, and delicious. I used instant yeast and didn’t proof it. I added it directly to the flour. I also used unsweetened almond milk. My dough was overly sticky so I ended up adding flour. The final flour weight was 390g (weighing in baking is life). I separated my dough into 6 portions and froze 4 of them. The rest went in the fridge overnight. This morning I patted it out and had 4 donuts with their holes. The result was simply perfection! My husband said they were officially his favorite donut. They’re between Dunkin and Krispy Kreme. These things rose like a champ. For those whose dough didn’t rise, I’m almost certain your yeast was dead.
Wendy Hensley says
One more thing: I let it rise in the oven with the oven light on for 30 minutes after i cut them out of the fridge. They doubled in size during that time.
simplyhomecooked says
That is a great way to let them rise! Thanks Wendy 🙂
simplyhomecooked says
Yay! So happy to hear that these air fryer donuts exceeded your expectations so much! That just made my day 🙂 Love the idea to store and make fresh ones! Glad to hear these donuts compare to the biggest names in donuts lol 🙂 Yes, this dough can be a little sticky so I mention adding a tablespoon of flour at a time. I have noticed that different brands of flour got slightly different results. Having dead yeast is not fun especially when you are expecting these donuts lol. Thank you so much for your awesome review and I hope you find many more delicious recipes on my blog 🙂
Jessica says
I can’t wait to try this recipe this weekend! Is the nutrition information per donut or for the dozen.
simplyhomecooked says
Hi Jessica, I hope you love these air fryer donuts! The nutrition information is an estimate and it is for one donut and the donut hole that was cut out. Hope that helps clarify 🙂
Donna says
Thank you for the recipe. I am wondering what changes I should make if I don’t have a mixer. Thank you
simplyhomecooked says
You are very welcome Donna! You can still make these air fryer donuts without a mixer. You will just have to make the dough by hand. It will just take a little longer. I hope you love these donuts 🙂
Athena says
The glaze was beautiful but my donuts came out more like bread than donuts. I am not sure what went wrong? I allowed them to rise according to the times given though based on your video my dough did not rise as much as yours appeared to.
simplyhomecooked says
Thank you for the honest feedback Athena. Did you keep the dough in a warm place? Maybe that could have helped it rise more.
Beenish Ismail says
I made these today and it was my first time msking donuts, plus that too in an air fryer. Happy with the turn out. Just so that I made mini size donuts, they came out a little dryer. I used extra flour to tighten the dough as it was super sticky. Maybe that’s why? Otherwise they were great. My toddler loved them
simplyhomecooked says
Hi, happy to hear that you and your toddler enjoyed these air fryer donuts! Regarding the dryness, making the donuts smaller would play a role in this. Since your bake/fry time would be different you could overbake and dry them out. Also, adding more flour will definitely dry them out more and make them less fluffy. The dough is a little stickier but should still be workable. If not add a tablespoon at a time until you can work with it. I hope that helps clarify and I hope you get a chance to try these donuts again 🙂
Ethalfrida says
Awesome recipe. I just got my airfryer so working out the temperature and timing was a little daunting. I overcooked four but they still tasted great and the soft parts were perfect.
simplyhomecooked says
I am so happy that you enjoyed this air fryer donut recipe! Thank you for the feedback 🙂
Jenny says
These are so delicious! Very easy to make and the donuts are so fluffy and airy! Highly recommend!!!
simplyhomecooked says
Thank you so much for the kind feedback Jenny! I am happy to hear that you enjoyed these glazed air fryer donuts.
Phil says
Made these today with my kids and they absolutely loved them. We made them too large though so will unfortunately have to make another batch with a smaller cutter – what a shame!!
Only query I’ve got – for some weird reason we had a couple that didn’t get eaten the same day ( I know – couldn’t understand that either). I put them in a sealed container for the next day, but they went firm and were not nearly as nice.
How can I keep them staying fresh? You know, if I was to make a big batch??
simplyhomecooked says
Hi Phil, I am happy to hear that you enjoyed the donuts so much! As for any homemade baked dessert, it will lose a little of its softness the following day. The airtight container should definitely help preserve the soft texture though. If you plan to eat the donuts a few days later, I recommend freezing them in a zip lock bag. Freezing is the best way to preserve baked goods. I hope this helps!
Raymond says
Can they be made in a regular oven?
simplyhomecooked says
Hi, I believe it should work in the oven 🙂 I wish I could tell you the exact time and temperature. But I have personally never baked them before.
Carole says
I don’t have a stand mixer. I just have a hand held mixer that is at least 30 years old. Will that do?
simplyhomecooked says
No, a hand mixer won’t work when mixing dough. If you don’t have a stand mixer you can always mix the dough by hand. It will just take a little longer. Let me know how it goes 🙂
Andrea says
Hi!
The recipe calls for 1/2 cup of warm water and 1/4 cup of warm milk but the instructions have the measurements reversed. Would you mind advising which is correct?
simplyhomecooked says
Hi Andrea, thank you for pointing that out to me. I just corrected the instructions. It should be 1/2 cup water and 1/4 cup milk. I hope you enjoy these yummy air fryer donuts! 🙂
N says
Can I substitute the light corn syrup for another ingredient?
simplyhomecooked says
Yes, you can use agave nectar or honey instead 🙂
Verna says
I have an air fryer but it is not the basket one, mine has shelves. Will this work with my air fryer?
simplyhomecooked says
Hi, yes these air fryer donuts can be made in any air fryer, including the one with shelves 🙂 The bake time might be a little different though so just an eye on it. I hope you love these air fryer donuts 🙂
Marina says
Made these today and they turned SO delicious! So fluffy and seriously melt in your mouth. The recipe was super easy to follow. I used a 3.5” cutter and I was able to get 15 big ones and about 24 minis from the dough. Will definitely be making these again soon! Thank you so much for sharing all your amazing recipes with us!
simplyhomecooked says
WOW, Marina, that is so awesome to hear! Thank you so much for taking the time to write your lovely recipe review. It means a lot to me 🙂 I am so happy that you enjoyed these air fryer donuts!