Name: Air Fryer Donuts Recipe
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 4 min
Total time: 34 min
Yield: 12
Cuisine: Caribbean
Ingredients: 1 tablespoon Flaxseeds; 3 tablespoons Water; 1 cup Coconut Milk, lukewarm; 1/4 cup + 1 teaspoon Granulated Sugar; 2 1/2 teaspoons Active Dry Yeast; 1/2 teaspoon Fine Sea Salt; 1/4 cup Unsalted Vegan Butter, melted; 1 teaspoon Grapefruit Zest; 1 teaspoon Lemon Zest; 3 cups Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour; Non-Stick Cooking Spray

A crispy exterior and a fluffy interior are what you can expect when you bite into these donuts. Furthermore, you will also be hit with a citrusy flavor as the dough contains grapefruit and lemon zest.

These Air Fryer Donuts are the perfect snack, breakfast, brunch, and even dessert food since they are served with fresh mint and strawberries, strawberry sauce, and chocolate shavings to make the dish even more irresistible.

Besides being delicious, these donuts are gluten-free and vegan too!

Plus, if you're looking for more air fryer meal ideas, check out our comprehensive guide to air fryer meal prep.

Can I make donuts in air fryer?

Of course, you can make donuts in the air fryer. Just be sure to preheat your air fryer to 350 °F and brush the donuts with olive oil, so the donuts can develop a crispy texture.

Are Air Fryer Doughnuts any good?

Air fryer donuts are amazing. They are soft and light on the outside, crisp on the outside, and very addictive.

Why are my donuts not fluffy?

Under proofed doughnuts or doughnuts that did not rise long enough can lead to tough, dry doughnuts that will not increase much when fried. The dough may also be too cold when it hits the oil, resulting in donuts that do not rise much.

In addition, your donuts could also crack because the round cutter or knife used to cut them was not sharp enough.

What's the best flour for donuts?

It depends on the type of donut you are making.

For example, cake donuts do not need as much gluten development. In addition, cake donuts can also develop a tough, dense texture if made with bread flour. Therefore, all-purpose flour is best for cake donuts.

In contrast, bread flour is best for yeast donuts as it creates elasticity and allows more pockets of air to form in the dough, making donuts with the lightest texture.

Author: Sarah Leadon

Prep Time

30 mins

Cook Time

4 mins

Total Time

34 mins

Serves

Ingredients

For the donuts

1 tablespoon Flaxseeds
3 tablespoons Water
1 cup Coconut Milk, lukewarm
1/4 cup + 1 teaspoon Granulated Sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons Active Dry Yeast
1/2 teaspoon Fine Sea Salt
1/4 cup Unsalted Vegan Butter, melted
1 teaspoon Grapefruit Zest
1 teaspoon Lemon Zest
3 cups Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour
Non-Stick Cooking Spray

For serving

2 tablespoons Vegan Gluten-Free Strawberry Sauce (optional)
8 ounces Strawberries, halved (optional)
1/2 bunch Fresh Mint (optional)
Shaved Chocolate (optional)

Instructions

Whisk the flaxseeds and water in a bowl and set it aside for 5 minutes until it thickens.

Add the coconut milk, 1 teaspoon sugar, and yeast to a stand mixers bowl, and let it sit for 10 minutes until it is foamy.

Add the remaining sugar, salt, flaxseed mixture, melted vegan butter, grapefruit zest, lemon zest, and 2 cups of gluten-free all-purpose flour.

Fasten the dough hook to the stand mixer and mix it on low until combined.

With the electric mixer still running, slowly add the remaining cup of gluten-free all-purpose flour and continue mixing it until the dough does not stick to the bowl.

Increase the mixer's speed to medium and beat the doughnut dough for 5 minutes until it is smooth and elastic.

Place the donut dough into a bowl greased with non-stick cooking spray, cover it with plastic wrap and let it rest for a few hours until it is doubled in size.

Punch the donut dough down, place it onto a floured surface, and roll until it is 1/2 inch thick.

Use a 3-inch circle cutter to cut 10-12 donuts out of the dough, then press a 1-inch cookie cutter into the center of each donut. Finally, remove the center of the doughnut.

Re-roll the donut scraps if necessary.

Place the donuts onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and dusted with flour. Cover the donuts loosely with a clean kitchen towel and let them rest for 30 minutes until they double in size.

Preheat your air fryer to 350 °F.

Coat your air fryer basket with non-stick cooking spray. Carefully add a few donuts to the air fryer in a single layer. Spray the donuts lightly with non-stick cooking spray.

Cook it for 2 minutes, then turn the donuts over. Cook the donuts for 2 more minutes until they are golden brown.

Put the donuts on a wire rack and let them cool. Then, continue cooking the donuts until all of them have been air-fried.

To serve, place the donuts onto a serving tray. Drizzle the donuts with strawberry sauce, then add the strawberries, mint, and chocolate shavings.