If you love classic donuts but want a lighter and less greasy version, these air fryer donuts are perfect for you! Thanks to the air fryer, you’ll get super soft donuts like clouds, golden and irresistible, just like fried ones, but with less fat.
The recipe is very easy, with simple ingredients and a dough that stays very soft. I’ll share all the tricks to cook them to perfection in the air fryer, so you achieve a golden surface and a soft bite.
And if you prefer another cooking method? No problem! In the recipe below, you’ll also find instructions for:
– Baking them with some tips on temperature and times.
– Frying them the traditional way for those who want to enjoy them in their classic form.
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- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Economical
- Rest time: 5 Hours
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Portions: 10 Pieces
- Cooking methods: Air Frying
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Carnival, Winter
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 egg
- 2 tablespoons potato starch
- 1/2 cup milk (or plant-based beverage)
- 3 tablespoons sunflower oil
- 1 1/2 teaspoons instant dry yeast (or 15 g fresh yeast)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla paste
- 1 orange (zest)
- 1 pinch salt
- to taste sugar
- to taste milk (or plant-based beverage)
Tools
- Air Fryer
Steps
First, let’s prepare the dough. In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, instant dry yeast, potato starch, a pinch of salt, an egg, vanilla paste, milk, sunflower oil, and grated orange zest. Knead by hand until you get a homogeneous mixture.
Cover with plastic wrap and let it rise until doubled in size (you can place it in the oven with the light on or in a sheltered place under blankets), it will take about 4-5 hours, depending on the room temperature and the season.
Retrieve the dough and roll it out with a rolling pin on a floured surface. Keep it about 1/2 inch thick and cut out the donuts: I used a pastry cutter about 3 inches in diameter and for the hole, a bottle cap or the tip of a pastry bag.
Place the donuts on a baking sheet with parchment paper and cover with a kitchen towel, then let them rise for another 45 minutes.
Cut squares of parchment paper and place each donut on top. Transfer them to the basket of the air fryer, I put in 4, and cook at 340°F for 8 minutes, flipping them halfway (precisely 4 minutes per side). Continue with all the donuts.
Now, how will we make the sugar stick to the donuts? Just use this trick: dip them in milk for a second, and then roll them in sugar. And just like magic, it will stick like on the fried ones.
For the oven version: place them on a baking sheet with parchment paper and bake at 355°F for 15 minutes. Finish with the same milk and sugar procedure.
For the traditional version: heat the sunflower oil to a temperature of 320°F. Dip the donuts and let them cook a few minutes on each side. Drain and roll them in sugar.
Serve warm or at room temperature. Enjoy your meal!
Advice for you
✔ Donuts can be stored in an airtight container or under a glass dome at room temperature for up to 2-3 days at most. Or they can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 4 days, or frozen in the freezer (without sugar). In this case, they should be consumed within 2-3 months.
✅ Note this trick: after 2 days, they will be less soft, but putting them in the microwave for a few seconds will make them soft as freshly baked!
✔ For this recipe, I used the air fryer COSORI TURBO BLAZE 6 liters: you can find it on Amazon by clicking here.
Don’t miss the latest recipe of 👉 chicken donuts: a version that will literally win you over! To be cooked in an air fryer, oven, or pan.
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