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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bethel says
hi! can you make this dough by hand as i don’t have a stand mixer? x
Dina says
Hi Bethel, yes you can! It may take a little longer to knead if you do it by hand. Just something to keep in mind 🙂 I hope you love these!
Lee says
Can I bake these in a convection oven instead of an air fryer? Thanks.
Dina says
Yes you can, Lee! 🙂
Lisa McGraw says
Will this work in an oven air fryer and not a basket air fryer?
Dina says
Hi Lisa, yes it should work in an air fryer oven 🙂
Julina says
Dear Rose
I have adhd and usually recipies are hell to follow i just want to say this was the easiest recipe i had to tackle despite the long ingredients list and the processes, i felt your instruction was somehow encouraging. Thank you so much, i will subscribe and i want to check more of your recipes because you have given me a rare shot of confidence. Blessings..
Dina says
Wow Julina, I am so happy to hear that you enjoyed this recipe and it was easy to follow! Thank you for taking the time to write your kind recipe review 🙂
Brian Fitzwater says
great recipe , but the instructions do not go up when you double the recipe, ingredients list doubles but not instruction list
Dina says
Hi Brian, thank you so much for pointing that out to me! I will definitely get that fixed!
Diane R says
I was wondering if rapid rise instant yeast could be used in making these? If so, would they still need to rise twice? Yeast package says proofing is not required.
Dina says
Hi Diane, I am not too sure since I have not tested this recipe with rapid-rise yeast.
Whitney Harper says
By far THE best homemade recipe I’ve seen. They turned out sooo fluffy and not at all under or over cooked. The glaze was a bit grainy so I put it in the microwave a bit and it fixed the problem. I also substituted agave nectar for the corn syrup and they turned out not so sweet. Perfect!!
Dina says
Hi Whitney 🙂 Very happy to hear these air fryer donuts turned out perfect for you! Makes me very happy when people love my recipes! Thank you so much for your feedback and support! I hope you find more delicious recipes on my blog! 🙂
Jess says
These look fantastic! Would you recommend this exact recipe for fried donuts as well?
Dina says
Hi Jess! Yes, these can easily be fried instead. But you can also try my soft sugar donuts recipe too!
Brittany says
I’m making them right now , but my dogs when rolling and making the cuts was very sticky, is that supposed to be sticky at that point ?
Dina says
Hi Brittany, yes the dough will be pretty sticky. That sticky texture is what will make the donuts super soft. But if they are too sticky to handle, you can add a little bit of flour.
Mae says
Hello,
Would it still work if I replaced whole milk with oat milk?
Dina says
Hi Mae 🙂 I am not sure since I have not tried that substitute. However, I think that should work. Let me know how it goes! 🙂
Stella says
Hi I made these donuts and there totally amazing wow. I thought they would be like a bread but there so so delicious! Will always make them like this and only 4 mins in the air fryer. Thank for sharing.
Stella
Dina says
Hi Stella 🙂 I am very happy to hear you found these air fryer donuts amazing! The bake time sometimes needs to be adjusted due to the size of the donuts. Also, every air fryer is slightly different. Thank you for your feedback! 🙂
Sandra says
Made these today. Love the taste. Mine were a little misshapen so will need to work on that. Definitely worth doing again or just making donut holes.
Dina says
Hi Sandra 🙂 Glad to hear you enjoyed the taste of these donuts. Can you please clarify what you mean by misshapen? Did something not turn out how you would have liked? Please let me know so I can try to help you. Thanks 🙂
Rose says
Hello!
I have a few questions. If I don’t have a mixer, will it turn out just as good if I mix them manually?
And my other question is regarding the measurements. I use metric, but the cups turned into grams when I changed them. This is a bit confusing as a cup is a measurement of volume, while grams are a weight/mass. Do you have a version using litre/dl/ml for cups?
Thank you in advance,
Rose
Dina says
Hi Rose 🙂 Yes, you can mix the dough manually and it will turn out just as delicious! Regarding the measurements. The metric system uses grams when baking. This makes it much more precise. The transition from cups to grams on my blog is an estimated guess. I have an auto conversion in my recipe card. I have noticed that some measurements are slightly off when using that. If you use the metric only use grams for the dry ingredients. I hope that helps clarify. Let me know if you have any other questions. Please let me know how this goes. Thanks! 🙂
Serge Crevier says
Hello.
Where does the 1/3 cup of sugar go?
Thank you
Dina says
Hi Serge, in the instructions it says to add 1/3 cup sugar in the stand mixer along with the flour, salt, and frothy yeast mixture.
Charlotte says
Are you kidding me right now?!?!? I don’t even have the words for how these turned out! 100 🌟
Dina says
Hi Charlotte 🙂 You are too kind! I am so happy to hear you loved these air fryer donuts so much! Thank you so much for your support! 🙂
Becky says
Could you substitute the flour for almond flour?
Dina says
Hi Becky 🙂 I haven’t tried using almond flour for this recipe but I don’t think it will work very well. If you give it a try let me know how it goes. 🙂
Noor says
I can’t believe there’s a recipe here worth coming back for!! There’s this big event and I’m making this for the second time after absolutely loving how it turned out the first time ♡ my new favorite chef to be honest haha. Love you Dina you’re doing a great job 👍
I can’t wait to try more recipes from your website, which by the way looks so good.
Dina says
Thank you so much Noor! You are too kind! 🙂 Very happy that you loved this air fryer donuts recipe! So awesome that this will be a repeat recipe! I hope you find many recipes on my food blog to enjoy! Let me know how they go 🙂 Thank you so much for your support! 🙂
Noor says
Not only do they taste great, but they also look so beautiful! I Love authentic recipes!!
Dina says
Yay! Happy to hear you loved these air fryer donuts and they turned out beautifully! Thank you so much for your support and feedback! I hope you find many more recipes to enjoy from my food blog! 🙂
Randy B. says
Dina, just wondering what milk to use? We only drink 1% , so will that work, or would whole milk be better?
Thanks
Randy
Dina says
Hi Randy, 2% or whole milk would be better. But 1% will still work 🙂
Veneta says
Have made these several times. Family loves them. We do chocolate or m a ple glaze though. Makes an ideal amount for our family of three to four.
Dina says
Hi 🙂 Glad to hear you and your family loved these air fryer donuts! Love the maple glaze idea! Thank you for taking the time to leave your feedback! 🙂