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Air Fryer Doughnuts – Low Fat Recipe

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Air Fryer Doughnuts are a fun, easy, healthier to enjoy everyone’s favorite treat! These Air fryer Doughnuts only take about 5 minutes to cook in the air fryer.

Pink frosted air fryer doughnut with red sugar
Air Fryer Doughnuts

Want to make your Valentine something special for Valentine’s Day, that will not ruin all the work in January, trying to lose that extra holiday baggage? Here I am at the rescue! These Air Fryer Doughnuts are “The Bomb!”

When my kids were little, their favorite thing to do at the grocery store was pick out their favorite looking doughnut for that trip! Of course, most of time, it was the frosted ones with the pretty sprinkles.

So for this Valentine’s Day, I thought I would treat my guys to these tasty, healthier doughnuts in the air fryer! I made a few batches, some with the frosting and sprinkles, to commemorate the day!

Of course, I had to do a chocolate batch for them too. They are both choc-o-holics!

close up chocolate glazed doughnut on wire rack and yellow board

I have been wanting to try a baked good in the air fryer. This Air Fryer Doughnut recipe did not disappoint!

The Doughnuts turn out a bit less sweet and a lot less greasy than Dunkin’ Donuts’ versions of doughnuts, but super tasty, nonetheless!

2 chocolate doughnuts on blue pewter plate

I did several batches of these delicious Air Fryer Doughnuts! They turned out delicious!

Believe it, or not, the general concensus was that everyone who has tried them prefers the plain to the chocolate. Luckily I did the chocolate first, so they had nothing to compare them to.

pink frosted doughnut on antique, flowered china plate

The recipe is identical, just add cocoa powder, if you would like chocolate doughnuts!

Are Air Fried Foods Healthier For Your Family?

The inspiration and recipe for these lighter for you doughnuts comes from Cooking Light, one of my favorite magazines! I love learning about different cooking techniques that can improve my family’s overall health!

pink frosted doughnut with cup of tea in tea cup

These doughnuts only contain 4 grams of fat! They still have the carbs, but you have splurge a bit for the holidays, right?

How to Make Air Fryer Doughnuts

air fryer doughnut step by step instructions photos 1

  1. Measure water. Heat to between 105-115°F. Add yeast and sugar.
  2. Add butter to milk.
  3. Microwave for 30 seconds, or so to melt butter.
  4. Whisk eggs in bowl.
  5. Measure dry ingredients.

    6. air fryer doughnut step by step instructions photos 2

  6. After resting 5 minutes, you will notice the yeast “blooming”, bubbling.
  7. Add yeast, milk (make sure temperature is 105-115°F), and eggs to dry ingredients.
  8. Run in mixer, with bread hook, or mix by hand and knead for a few minutes, until dough is smooth. Place in greased bowl. Cover with kitchen towel, and set in warm place. Let rise 1 hour until doubled.
  9. Roll out to 1/4″ thick, on lightly greased board. Cut out with 3″ cutter. Then cut hole out of center with 1″ cookie cutter.
  10. Cover. Let rise until doubled, 30 minutes, or so.

chocolate donuts on air fryer rack before cooking

Place in air fryer basket. Doughnuts shouldn’t touch. Air fry for 4 to 5 minutes, at 350°F. Internal temperature of doughnut should be 200°F.

Cool on rack. Dip in powdered sugar glaze, or frost with buttercream frosting.

close up white frosted air fryer doughnut on marble board

So whether your Valentine is a chocolate lover, or not, (honestly, who is not a chocolate lover? 🙂 ) make them these delicious doughnuts!

Thanks for stopping by to check out this Air Fryer Doughnut recipe! Happy Valentine’s Day, one and all!

Don’t forget to sign up to my newsletter, so that you don’t miss any new recipes! Only 1 email per week, on Fridays! Sign up form is below!

Enjoy! And have fun cooking!

Xoxo,

Binky’s Signature

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Recipe

5 from 11 votes
close up of white and pink doughnuts on marble board
Print
Air Fryer Doughnuts
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
4 mins
Rising time
1 hr 30 mins
Total Time
14 mins
 

Air Fryer Doughnuts are a fun, easy, healthier to enjoy everyone’s favorite treat! These Air fryer Doughnuts only take about 5 minutes to cook in the air fryer.

Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: air fried doughnuts,, air fryer doughnuts,, air fryer recipes,
Servings: 8 doughnuts
Calories: 240 kcal
Author: Binky
Ingredients
  • 1/4 cup warm water (between 100-115°F)
  • 1 tsp dry yeast
  • 1/4 cup sugar, plus 1/2 tsp for yeast blooming
  • 2 cups flour
  • 2 Tbsp cocoa powder (optional for chocolate doughnuts)
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/4 cup warm milk
  • 2 Tbsp butter
  • 1 large egg, beaten
For glaze
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 3-4 tsp water
For buttercream frosting
  • 1/3 cup butter
  • 4.5 cups powdered sugar
  • 1/4 cup milk
  • 1.5 tsp vanilla
Instructions

  1. Bloom yeast. Heat water to 100-115°F. Add 1/2 teaspoon sugar and yeast. Let rest 5 minutes.

  2. Meanwhile, measure dry ingredients into mixer bowl. 

  3. Melt butter in milk, in the microwave for 30 seconds. Stir and continue 10 second bursts in microwave, until melted. ***Be sure to let it cool to between 100-115°F, before using.

  4. Whisk egg.

  5. When yeast is frothy, add all of the rest of the ingredients to the mixer bowl and mix, using dough hook. Mix until dough is smooth. (you can mix by hand and knead on lightly floured surface for a couple minutes, as well.)

  6. Cover and let rise for about an hour until doubled.

  7. Lightly flour board. Gently roll out dough to 1/4" thickness. Cut out doughnuts with 3" cookie cutter. Cut out doughnut hole with 1" cookie cutter.

  8. Cover doughnuts with plastic wrap and then kitchen towel. Let rest on board 30 minutes, until about doubled.

  9. Place 4 doughnuts and 4 doughnut holes in the basket of air fryer. (Or however many fit in your air fryer, without touching.)

  10. Air fry at 300°F for about 5 minutes. Internal temperature should read 200°F. Let cool on cooling rack.

For glaze

  1. Mix sugar and water well, until no lumps of sugar remain. Dunk cooled doughnuts in glaze.

For buttercream frosting

  1. Beat butter until fluffy. Gradually add 2 cups of powdered sugar, beating well between additions.

  2. Add milk and vanilla. Slowly incorporate the rest of the powdered sugar. Thin with a few drops of milk, if needed. Frost doughnuts. Freeze any unused portions for another use. 

Recipe Video

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Reader Interactions

Comments


  1. These are so fun! I just got an air fryer for Christmas and have been researching recipes! I can’t wait to try these! I have all of the ingredients!

    Reply


  11. I’ve not yet been tempted into getting an air fryer (not enough space for another gadget!) but these look great and love that they are healthier. Cute decoration too!

    Reply

    • That is the difficult part. My Air fryer is quite large, so I had to rearrange my counters! I just love it, though! Thanks for checking them out, Caroline!

      Reply


  12. These donuts look so pretty and easy to make Beth, I haven’t got a air fryer yet but still want to try, balancing between plain or chocolate first, well I’ll decide in the spurr of the moment!

    Reply

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