Air‑fryer glazed doughnuts
Light, yeasted doughnuts finished in the air fryer — crisp outside, pillowy inside, with a glossy vanilla glaze.
These air‑fryer doughnuts give you everything you love about a classic yeasted doughnut with half the fat and far less faff. They’re pillowy inside, lightly crisp outside and glazed while warm for proper indulgence.
Perfect for a weekend bake or an afternoon treat — make the dough in the morning and fry fresh by tea time. The air fryer keeps things tidy and quick, but watch the proofing and thickness for best results.
Ingredients
- 350 g strong white bread flour
- 100 g caster sugar — Use 50 g in the dough and keep the remaining 50 g for a cinnamon‑sugar coating if you like
- 5 g fast-action dried yeast — one standard sachet
- 5 g fine sea salt
- 200 ml whole milk — warmed to about 38°C
- 30 g unsalted butter — softened
- 1 large egg
- 15 ml vegetable oil — plus extra for brushing the doughnuts before air‑frying
- 150 g icing sugar — for the glaze
- 5 ml vanilla extract
- 5 ml ground cinnamon — optional for cinnamon‑sugar coating
Equipment
- air fryer
- rolling pin
- 6cm round cutter and 2cm cutter (or piping nozzle)
- dough scraper
- wire rack
Instructions
Warm the whole milk until it feels slightly warm to the wrist (about 38°C). Stir in the unsalted butter until melted and leave to cool for 2 minutes.
In a large bowl, whisk together the strong white bread flour, caster sugar, fast-action dried yeast and fine sea salt so the yeast and salt are evenly distributed.
Make a well in the dry mix, add the warmed milk and butter mixture plus the large egg. Stir with a wooden spoon until a rough dough forms.
Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 8–10 minutes until smooth and slightly tacky but not sticky — the dough should pass a light windowpane test.
Oil a clean bowl with a little vegetable oil, place the dough inside, turn to coat and cover with cling film or a clean tea towel. Leave in a warm place to rise until doubled in size — about 60 minutes.
Tip the risen dough onto a floured surface, knock back gently and roll out to roughly 1 cm thick. Use a 6 cm round cutter to stamp out doughnuts; use a 2 cm cutter or piping nozzle for the holes. Re-roll trimmings and repeat.
Place the cut doughnuts on a lightly oiled baking tray, leaving room between each. Cover loosely and set aside to proof for about 30 minutes until puffy.
Preheat your air fryer to 180°C (air‑fryer setting) for 3 minutes so the chamber is hot before you start cooking.
Brush both sides of each doughnut lightly with vegetable oil and place in a single layer in the air fryer basket (work in batches). Air‑fry at 180°C for 5 minutes, turning halfway through to colour evenly.
While the doughnuts cook, make the glaze: sift the icing sugar into a bowl, stir in the vanilla extract and add 1–2 tbsp cold water to make a smooth, pourable glaze. Adjust with more icing sugar or water to reach a coating consistency.
Dip each warm doughnut into the glaze and place on a wire rack to set. If you prefer cinnamon sugar, mix the remaining caster sugar with the ground cinnamon and toss warm doughnuts in that instead.
Allow the glaze to set for 5–10 minutes, then serve. Store any leftovers in an airtight container for up to 2 days — refresh in a warm oven for a few minutes before serving.
Tips
- Measure flour by weight — too much and the dough will be heavy; 350 g is calibrated for a soft but workable dough.
- If you don’t have a 2 cm cutter for the hole, use a piping nozzle or the end of a piping bag tip.
- Don’t skip preheating the air fryer — a hot chamber gives the best colour without overcooking the centre.
- For extra flavour, replace 1 tsp vanilla in the glaze with orange zest for a citrus twist.
- Make ahead: freeze cooked, unglazed doughnuts individually on a tray, then defrost and glaze when needed.
Substitutions
strong white bread flour → plain flour, same weight (350 g)
Noticeably differentunsalted butter → vegetable shortening or neutral oil, same weight (30 g)
Noticeably differenticing sugar → ready-made shop bought glaze, equivalent amount
Stays closewhole milk → semi‑skimmed milk, same volume (200 ml)
Stays close
Nutrition
Per serving · estimated
- 330
- Calories
- 6 g
- Protein
- 48 g
- Carbs
- 13 g
- Fat
- 2 g
- Fibre
- 20 g
- Sugar
- 180 mg
- Sodium
FAQ
Can I use instant yeast straight into the flour?
Yes — fast‑action dried yeast (instant) is added dry in this recipe. If using active dry yeast, dissolve it in the warm milk first and let it foam for 5–10 minutes.
Why are my doughnuts dense?
Common causes are underkneading, not proofing long enough, or rolling the dough too thick. Make sure the dough passes a light windowpane test and doubles on the first rise.
Can I freeze these doughnuts?
Freeze unglazed, cooked doughnuts on a tray then transfer to a freezer bag for up to 1 month. Defrost at room temperature and refresh in a warm oven or air fryer before glazing.
Do I need to flip them in the air fryer?
Yes — flipping halfway through ensures even colouring and prevents one side browning much more than the other.
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