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.
Print Pin Rate 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!
Latest posts by Dina (see all)
- Smoked Salmon Salad - May 31, 2023
- Garlic Aioli - May 30, 2023
- Strawberry Feta Spinach Salad - May 27, 2023
Gabrielle says
Does not work no matter after 2 tries. Yes, my yeast worked. Yes, followed the recipe exactly like how it was. Used with my Kitchenaid Pro stand mixer. The dough is just so sticky no matter how much I kneaded, folded, let it rested. Tried a different air fryer doughnut recipe and worked like a charm.
Dina says
I’m sorry to hear that Gabrielle. Did you try adding more flour? Sometimes the type of flour you use or even the size of your eggs can alter the results.
Help me please says
Mine will not stop being sticky. I have added three tablespoons but it is still so sticky. What do I do? I don’t want them to be dry
Dina says
Hi 🙂 Keep adding a tablespoon at a time until the dough is tacky but workable. If you add too much flour the donuts won’t be as fluffy. I have noticed that different brands of flour have slightly different results. Hope that helps and I hope your donuts work out!
Aliyah says
Thank you! They were delicious! My whole family loved them. This recipe is awesome!
Dina says
That is so awesome to hear Aliyah! Always happy to hear people love my recipes 🙂 Glad that your whole family was able to enjoy these air fryer donuts! Thank you for your kind words 🙂
Jessie says
Do you need to flip them while cooking?
Dina says
Hi Jessie 🙂 No, you don’t need to flip these donuts. I hope you love this recipe 🙂
Charlene says
OMG – I had tried a different recipe last week and was unsuccessful – this is the 2nd Recipe I have tried and there is no need to search any further. I didn’t glaze however but tossed in sugar & cinnamon. I did add one minute – as not all air fryers are created equal. Thank you so much for this one – Delicious!!
Dina says
You are very welcome Charlene! So happy that you found my air fryer donuts recipe and gave it a try! Very pleased to hear you loved these donuts and I love the addition of the sugar and cinnamon 🙂 Thank you so much for taking the time to leave your feedback! I hope you find many more delicious recipes on my blog 🙂
Katie says
Are you able to make these without a fancy stand mixer?
Dina says
Hi Katie, you can easily make this by kneading the dough by a hand. I hope you love it 🙂
Garry clemens says
Good site good recipes
Dina says
Thank you, Garry 🙂 I hope you find many recipes to enjoy here! 🙂
Bob says
The recipe seems off. With only 2.5 C of flour, it wasn’t even dough – it was very goopy. I had to add almost another cup of flour to get it to a dough-like consistency.
Dina says
Hi Bob, I think it really depends on the type of flour you used and how you measured it. I hope that the end result was great 🙂
Heidi Lario says
Thanks for the recipe! These are tasty and fun to make. Mine turned out kinda of dense and tasted more like a savory biscuit. Would you recommend more sugar? Also, are they a denser donut or did I mess up? Thank you!
Dina says
Hi Heidi 🙂 Yes, you can add more sugar if you prefer them a little sweeter. You can also make the glaze a little sweeter or even double up on the glaze 🙂 If the donuts turned out a little dense it may be from too much flour or from over baking them. Properly spooning the flour into a measuring cup and leveling it off is the best way. Also, I have noticed that different brands of flour have different results. Sometimes you need more flour to get the same consistency but more flour can make it denser. I hope that helps 🙂 Thank you for taking the time to leave your feedback!
Veneta L Britt says
Have made these several times. Very popular and because we are only a family of three most traditional oil fried doughnut recipes make at least 2-3 dozen this is the right size recipe for us. Got an airfreight/convection oven for mothers day. Making them no for Christmas morning.
Dina says
That is so awesome to hear Veneta! Very happy that you have made this air fryer donuts recipe multiple times and loved it! Thank you so much for taking the time to leave your feedback and I hope you find many more delicious recipes on my blog 🙂
Betty Davenport says
I don’t have a stand mixer, will beaters do the job thanks
Dina says
Hi Betty 🙂 No, a hand mixer won’t work for this recipe. You can mix the dough by hand. I hope you love this recipe 🙂
Vanessa says
Hi there
Can you leave the donuts whole and fill them with cream as opposed to cutting holes in them
Dina says
Yes, you can definitely do that Vanessa. Just make sure to add a minute or 2 extra to the cooking time.
Mel says
I made them and they were sooooooo good. I didn’t have active dry yeast so I used instant dry yeast. I read the comments before making them and so I put the instant dry yeast into the flour mixture. They turned out great! Thank you for another outstanding recipe!
simplyhomecooked says
Hi Mel 🙂 Awesome to hear you love these air fryer donuts so much! Happy that you got that answer about the yeast 🙂 You are very welcome for this recipe and thank you so much for taking your time to leave such a kind review, I really appreciate it 🙂 I hope you find many more delicious recipes on my blog!
Mel says
Is 281kcal for 1 donut or for all of them?
simplyhomecooked says
Hi Mel 🙂 That is the estimated calorie count for 1 donut/serving.
Adrian says
Can I use instant yeast instead active dry yeast?
I love donuts, but I have only instant yeast.
Thank you in advance.
simplyhomecooked says
Hi Adrian 🙂 Yes, you can use dry active yeast for these donuts 🙂 You don’t have to make the frothy yeast mixture. Just add the yeast into the dry ingredients. I hope you love these donuts 🙂
Absolutely delicious says
My sister and i made these and the were absolutely delicious! Crispy outside moist and chewy on the inside. No greasy taste! The kids loved them too!
simplyhomecooked says
Very happy to hear that your whole family loved these air fryer donuts! Thank you so much for taking the time to leave your awesome feedback! I hopoe you find many more delicious recipes on my blog 🙂
Gerard Hebert says
made these for my family on saturday…
these were superb… light, fluffy, sweet and warm… yummmm
simplyhomecooked says
Happy to hear you loved these air fryer donuts! Thank you for taking the time to leave your feedback, Gerard! I really appreciate your support 🙂
erik t. says
Dina, thank you for the metric conversions. Also, if you scald the milk in the microwave (heat to 180 degrees F) then let it cool to 105 degrees F) before adding it to your reciepe it will make fluffier donuts.
simplyhomecooked says
Thank you for the recipe tip, Erik!
Mish says
Hi Dina! These smelled really great. Not sure if I did something wrong though, but at the second proof, my doughnuts were sooo soft that I couldn’t lift them up like yours in the video. I left them for about 20 minutes and they had risen, but they couldn’t be transferred easily to the airfryer because they were too soft and hence couldn’t hold their shape as they were transfere! Did I miss a step?
simplyhomecooked says
Hi 🙂 If your proof time was 20 minutes then it shouldn’t be from over proofing (which was one thought). Did you add the same amount of yeast or more? 20 minutes is actually pretty quick for them to proof. Let me know 🙂
Michelle says
Hi. I was just wondering approximately how much longer would you add to the cooking time if you were making a filled donut instead of a ring donut. Thank you. Can’t wait to try them out
simplyhomecooked says
Hi Michelle, it would take about 1-3 minutes longer. I would just place 1 or 2 donuts as a “test” for the first batch to get a better idea of how much time they will need. I hope this helps 🙂
Michelle says
Oh.. maybe because I usually use the proof setting on my oven.. so it might have over proofed. So in this case, maybe it should be left out on the bench to proof?
simplyhomecooked says
It sounds like that is what might have happened. Try leaving it out at room temperature next time.
Iatg2001 says
Stop reading and just make them. They lasted about 15 min for a family of 5.
simplyhomecooked says
Glad to hear your family loved these air fryer donuts so much!! Thank you so much for taking the time to leave your feedback and I hope you find many more delicious recipes on my blog 🙂