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5 Air Fryer Donut Recipes Ranked Beginner to Expert

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If you have ever stood over a pot of hot oil praying your donuts do not burn, you already know why air fryer donuts changed everything for home cooks. You get that golden, slightly crisp outside and a soft, pillowy inside without heating a gallon of oil or scrubbing grease off your stovetop for an hour. At 350F to 370F, the air fryer triggers the same Maillard browning that a deep fryer does, but you are using a quick spray of oil instead of submerging the dough. That means each donut lands around 200 to 300 calories instead of the 400-plus you get from a classic fried version, according to USDA data. Cook times run 5 to 10 minutes depending on the recipe, compared to 20 to 30 minutes in a conventional oven, and you avoid the soggy-bottom problem that radiant oven heat causes.nnThis guide covers five air fryer donut recipes, starting with the stupidly simple canned biscuit donut hole that takes 5 minutes total, and working all the way up to a laminated cronut with 27 butter layers that will make your kitchen smell like a French patisserie. Every recipe includes the exact temperature, the exact cook time, a basket-capacity guide so you never overcrowd, and at least three ingredient swaps for gluten-free, dairy-free, and low-carb needs. Whether you are searching for a quick air fryer doughnuts recipe for a weekday breakfast or you want to master a from-scratch donut recipe air fryer style for a weekend project, you will find the right starting point below. Grab parchment rounds, a can of biscuits if you are a beginner, and your preferred glaze ingredients, because these air fryer doughnut recipes are faster than a drive-through run.

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Recipe Comparison

RecipeLevelPrepCookTempServesYou Save
Canned Biscuit Donut HolesBeginner5 min5 min350°F (177°C)20⚡ 7 min
Air Fryer Cake DonutsEasy10 min6 min360°F (182°C)8⚡ 9 min
Yeast Air Fryer DonutsIntermediate75 min7 min350°F (177°C)12⚡ 11 min
Air Fryer Jelly-Filled DonutsAdvanced90 min8 min370°F (188°C)10⚡ 14 min
Air Fryer Cronuts (Croissant-Donut Hybrid)Expert3 hrs10 min (5 min per side)360°F (182°C)8⚡ 15 min
Canned Biscuit Donut Holes Beginner 1
Canned Biscuit Donut Holes
350°F (177°C)
Temperature
5 min
Cook Time
20
Servings
5 min
Prep Time
Canned Biscuit Donut Holes
One can of Pillsbury Grands, a bowl of cinnamon sugar, and 5 minutes in the basket. Tastes exactly like the cinnamon bites you get at a state fair, no exaggeration.
⚡ Air Fryer: 5 min · Oven: 12 min at 375°F · Save 7 min
Tested & Recommended Air Fryers
🔥 Chefman 6-Quart Read review → 🔥 Cosori 11-in-1 Read review → 🔥 Gourmia 14Qt Read review →
Servings20
⚠️ Batch cooking required — do not overfill your air fryer basket.
Ingredients
  • 1 can (16oz) refrigerated biscuits (Pillsbury Grands)
  • 1/4 cup melted butter
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 tsp ground cinnamon
Instructions
  1. Pull the biscuits apart and cut each one into 4 equal pieces with kitchen scissors or a knife.
  2. Roll each piece into a ball between your palms, pressing firmly so they hold their shape.
  3. Dip each ball in melted butter, let the excess drip off for 2 seconds.
  4. Drop the buttered ball straight into the cinnamon-sugar bowl and toss to coat on all sides.
  5. Line the basket with a parchment round and place up to 10 holes in a single layer with at least half an inch between each one. Do not stack them.
  6. Air fry at 350°F for 5 minutes. You will smell the cinnamon toasting around the 3-minute mark. Pull them when the outside is golden-brown and firm to a light press.
  7. Let them sit 60 seconds before eating. The sugar crust sets as they cool slightly.
Ingredient Swaps & Allergen Guide
OriginalSubstituteTags
Refrigerated biscuits→Gluten-free canned biscuits (Pillsbury GF)Gluten-Free
Butter→Refined coconut oil, meltedDairy-FreeVegan
Granulated sugar→Erythritol mixed with cinnamonLow-CarbKeto
Why This Temperature & Time Works
At 350°F the hot circulating air hits the butter-soaked sugar coating and kicks off the Maillard reaction within the first 2 minutes, building a lightly crisp shell while the biscuit dough inside steams itself fluffy. A conventional oven uses radiant heat that warms slowly from the outside in, which is why oven donut holes often come out soft and pale on the bottom. The air fryer wraps heat around every surface at once, so you get even browning in 5 minutes flat.
5:00
🔔 Halfway! Time to flip or shake.
Air Fryer Cake Donuts Easy 2
Air Fryer Cake Donuts
360°F (182°C)
Temperature
6 min
Cook Time
8
Servings
10 min
Prep Time
Air Fryer Cake Donuts
Old-fashioned dense cake donuts with a thin vanilla glaze. The texture is exactly what you get at a small-town bakery counter, tight crumb, slightly crisp edge, and moist all the way through.
⚡ Air Fryer: 6 min · Oven: 15 min at 350°F · Save 9 min
Tested & Recommended Air Fryers
🔥 Chefman 6-Quart Read review → 🔥 Cosori 11-in-1 Read review → 🔥 Ninja DG551 Read review →
Servings8
⚠️ Batch cooking required — do not overfill your air fryer basket.
Ingredients
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/3 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 cup whole milk
  • 1 large egg
  • 2 tbsp melted butter
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 cup powdered sugar (for glaze)
  • 2 tbsp milk (for glaze)
Instructions
  1. Whisk flour, sugar, baking powder, nutmeg, and salt together in a large bowl until combined.
  2. In a separate small bowl, beat the egg, then stir in milk, melted butter, and vanilla.
  3. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and stir with a spatula until just combined. Stop mixing the moment you see no dry flour. Overmixing makes them tough.
  4. Spoon the batter into a piping bag or zip-lock bag with the corner snipped. Pipe into a greased silicone donut pan, filling each ring about 3/4 full.
  5. Preheat your air fryer 3 minutes at 360°F, then place the donut pan in the basket. Air fry 360°F for 6 minutes. The tops will spring back when you press them lightly, and you will hear a faint sizzle at the edges.
  6. Let donuts cool in the pan 2 minutes, then flip onto a rack.
  7. Whisk powdered sugar and 2 tbsp milk into a smooth glaze. Dip each donut top-down, let excess drip, and set on the rack for 3 minutes until glaze firms.
Ingredient Swaps & Allergen Guide
OriginalSubstituteTags
All-purpose flour→Almond flour plus 1/4 tsp xanthan gumGluten-FreeLow-Carb
Whole milk→Unsweetened almond milk, same amountDairy-Free
Egg→1 tbsp ground flaxseed mixed with 3 tbsp water, rested 5 minVegan
Why This Temperature & Time Works
360°F is the sweet spot for cake donuts because the slightly higher heat than 350°F drives the baking powder to release CO2 faster, giving you that quick lift before the crust sets. Circulating air pulls moisture from the outer layer within the first 2 minutes, creating a light crust that keeps the center from getting gummy. An oven at the same temp cannot circulate air the same way, which is why oven cake donuts often come out pale on the bottom and dense in the center.
6:00
🔔 Halfway! Time to flip or shake.
Yeast Air Fryer Donuts Intermediate 3
Yeast Air Fryer Donuts
350°F (177°C)
Temperature
7 min
Cook Time
12
Servings
75 min
Prep Time
Yeast Air Fryer Donuts
Classic raised donuts with a thin vanilla glaze. The inside is so light and airy that people keep asking you which bakery you went to.
⚡ Air Fryer: 7 min · Oven: 18 min at 350°F plus proofing · Save 11 min
Tested & Recommended Air Fryers
🔥 Cosori 11-in-1 Read review → 🔥 Gourmia 14Qt Read review → 🔥 Ninja DCT451 Read review →
Servings12
⚠️ Batch cooking required — do not overfill your air fryer basket.
Ingredients
  • 1 cup warm milk (110°F)
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast (1 packet)
  • 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 large egg
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 2 cups powdered sugar (for glaze)
  • 1/4 cup milk (for glaze)
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract (for glaze)
Instructions
  1. Stir yeast and 1 tsp of the sugar into warm milk. Let it sit 10 minutes. It should foam and smell yeasty. If it does not foam, your yeast is dead and you need a fresh packet.
  2. In a stand mixer with a dough hook, combine flour, remaining sugar, and salt. Pour in the yeast mixture, softened butter, and egg. Knead on medium 8 minutes until the dough is smooth and pulls away from the bowl sides cleanly.
  3. Shape dough into a ball, place in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap. Rise in a warm spot 1 hour until doubled. The inside of your oven with just the light on works perfectly.
  4. Turn dough onto a floured surface, roll to 1/2 inch thick. Cut rings with a 3-inch cutter, then cut center holes with a 1-inch cutter. Save the holes for a bonus batch.
  5. Place rings on a parchment-lined sheet, cover loosely, and let rise 15 more minutes. They will puff noticeably.
  6. Preheat air fryer 3 minutes at 350°F. Spray basket lightly, place 4 donuts with an inch between each. Air fry 350°F for 7 minutes. Edges turn golden-brown and the donuts visibly double in height as they cook. Do not open the basket before 5 minutes or the rise collapses.
  7. Whisk glaze ingredients until smooth. Dip warm donuts immediately after a 2-minute cool. Set on a rack and let glaze set 5 minutes.
Ingredient Swaps & Allergen Guide
OriginalSubstituteTags
Whole milk→Oat milk, warmed to 110°FDairy-FreeVegan
All-purpose flour→1-to-1 GF baking blend plus 1/2 tsp xanthan gumGluten-Free
Unsalted butter→Vegan butter sticks, same amountDairy-FreeVegan
Why This Temperature & Time Works
Yeast donuts need a temp that lets the CO2 gas expand fully before the outer crust locks in. At 350°F, you get about 3 minutes of active yeast-gas expansion before the surface browns and sets, which is why these puff up so dramatically in the basket. Too high a temp, say 380°F or above, and the crust hardens before the inside has time to open up, giving you a dense result. The air fryer's continuous circulation also keeps heat uniform on all surfaces, which mimics the even heat of an oil bath without the oil.
7:00
🔔 Halfway! Time to flip or shake.
Air Fryer Jelly-Filled Donuts Advanced 4
Air Fryer Jelly-Filled Donuts
370°F (188°C)
Temperature
8 min
Cook Time
10
Servings
90 min
Prep Time
Air Fryer Jelly-Filled Donuts
Pillowy yeast dough cooked until deep golden, then loaded with your favorite jam through a small slit. The first bite hits you with warm dough and cold jelly at the same time.
⚡ Air Fryer: 8 min · Oven: 22 min at 375°F plus filling time · Save 14 min
Tested & Recommended Air Fryers
🔥 Gourmia 14Qt Read review → 🔥 Ninja DCT451 Read review → 🔥 Cosori 11-in-1 Read review →
Servings10
⚠️ Batch cooking required — do not overfill your air fryer basket.
Ingredients
  • 1 cup warm milk (110°F)
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast
  • 3 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 large egg
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/2 cup strawberry or raspberry jelly
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar (for coating)
Instructions
  1. Proof yeast in warm milk with 1 tsp sugar for 10 minutes until foamy and fragrant.
  2. Knead all dough ingredients together 8 to 10 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic. It should bounce back when you poke it. Rise in an oiled bowl, covered, 1 hour until doubled.
  3. Punch dough down. Roll on a floured surface to 3/4 inch thick, thicker than yeast donuts because jelly-filled rounds need more interior room. Cut 3-inch rounds with no center hole.
  4. Place rounds on parchment, cover, and let rise 20 minutes. They will puff to nearly 1 inch.
  5. Preheat air fryer 3 minutes at 370°F. Spray basket well. Place 3 rounds with at least 1.5 inches between each. Air fry 4 minutes, flip carefully with silicone tongs, air fry another 4 minutes. The tops and bottoms should both be deep golden-brown. Do not rush the flip or they deflate.
  6. Let donuts cool completely on a rack, at least 15 minutes. Warm donuts will melt the jelly and it runs straight out.
  7. Load jelly into a piping bag fitted with a long narrow tip (or a squeeze bottle). Push the tip into the side of each donut about 1 inch deep. Squeeze in 2 to 3 teaspoons of jelly until you feel resistance from the dough pushing back.
  8. Roll each filled donut in granulated sugar. Eat within 4 hours for the best texture before the jelly softens the interior too much.
Ingredient Swaps & Allergen Guide
OriginalSubstituteTags
Whole milk→Full-fat coconut milk, same amount and tempDairy-Free
Strawberry jelly→Sugar-free raspberry preservesLow-Carb
Egg→3 tbsp aquafaba (liquid from canned chickpeas)Vegan
Why This Temperature & Time Works
370°F is 20 degrees hotter than a standard yeast donut recipe because jelly-filled rounds are thicker with no center hole, so they carry more moisture in the middle. The higher temp wicks that moisture from the outer 1/4 inch aggressively while still giving the inner dough time to cook through. Filling post-fry is non-negotiable: piping jelly in before cooking creates a steam pocket that bursts during the fry cycle, leaving you with an empty cavity and a burnt sugary mess on the basket floor.
8:00
🔔 Halfway! Time to flip or shake.
Air Fryer Cronuts (Croissant-Donut Hybrid) Expert 5
Air Fryer Cronuts (Croissant-Donut Hybrid)
360°F (182°C)
Temperature
10 min (5 min per side)
Cook Time
8
Servings
3 hrs
Prep Time
Air Fryer Cronuts (Croissant-Donut Hybrid)
Laminated yeast dough with 27 distinct butter layers that shatter apart when you bite in, just like a croissant, but with a donut-shaped crisp exterior. This one takes a weekend afternoon and every minute is worth it.
⚡ Air Fryer: 10 min (5 min per side) · Oven: 25 min at 400°F plus lamination time · Save 15 min
Tested & Recommended Air Fryers
🔥 Gourmia 14Qt Read review → 🔥 Ninja DCT451 Read review → 🔥 Ninja DG551 Read review →
Servings8
⚠️ Batch cooking required — do not overfill your air fryer basket.
Ingredients
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup cold unsalted butter, cubed (for lamination)
  • 1/4 cup warm milk (110°F)
  • 2 tbsp granulated sugar
  • 1 1/2 tsp active dry yeast
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 cup powdered sugar (for glaze)
  • 2 tbsp heavy cream (for glaze)
  • 1 tsp lemon or orange zest (for glaze)
Instructions
  1. Proof yeast in warm milk with 1 tsp sugar, 10 minutes until foamy.
  2. Mix flour, remaining sugar, salt, egg, and yeast mixture into a shaggy dough. Knead 5 minutes, just until smooth. Do not overwork it. Flatten into a rectangle, wrap in plastic, and chill 30 minutes. Cold dough is easier to laminate without tearing.
  3. Place cold butter cubes between two sheets of plastic wrap. Beat with a rolling pin into a flat 6x6-inch square. It should flex without cracking. If it shatters, it is too cold. Let it sit 3 minutes and try again.
  4. Roll the chilled dough into a 12x8-inch rectangle. Center the butter square on one half of the dough, fold the other half over it like a letter, and pinch the edges sealed completely. Roll gently to a 12x6-inch rectangle. This is fold one.
  5. Fold the dough into thirds like a business letter. Wrap and refrigerate 1 hour. Repeat this roll-and-fold process 2 more times with 1-hour rests between each. Three folds total creates 27 distinct layers.
  6. After the final chill, roll dough to 3/4 inch thick. Cut rings with a 3-inch cutter and 1-inch hole cutter. Place on parchment, cover, and rise 30 minutes. The layers will be visible from the side.
  7. Preheat air fryer 4 minutes at 360°F. Spray basket generously. Place 2 cronuts with 2 inches of space between them. Air fry 5 minutes, flip with a wide spatula being very gentle, air fry 5 more minutes. You will hear butter rendering and popping inside the basket. Layers puff apart visibly and the exterior turns deep golden-brown.
  8. Cool on a rack 5 minutes. Whisk glaze and drizzle over the top. The glaze will run into the layers and you want that.
Ingredient Swaps & Allergen Guide
OriginalSubstituteTags
Unsalted butter (lamination)→High-fat plant-based butter sticks, kept ice cold throughoutDairy-FreeVegan
All-purpose flour→Einkorn flour, same amount (lower gluten, nuttier flavor)Alternative Grain
Heavy cream (glaze)→Full-fat coconut cream, chilledDairy-Free
Why This Temperature & Time Works
Laminated dough works because the thin alternating layers of butter and dough each contain trapped water. At 360°F, that water turns to steam almost instantly, expanding roughly 1,000 times its volume and pushing each layer apart. The air fryer is actually better than a conventional oven for cronuts because the constant air movement keeps the steam pressure even across the entire surface, separating all 27 layers uniformly. An oven tends to create hot spots that collapse certain layers while others puff, which is why oven cronuts often look uneven. Keep your butter ice cold during every lamination step or it smears into the dough instead of staying in distinct layers, and you lose the whole effect.
105:00
🔔 Halfway! Time to flip or shake.

Air Fryer Tips

Always spray donuts lightly with cooking oil before the basket goes in. Even one quick pass from a can crisps the exterior without making them greasy.

Use parchment rounds cut to fit your basket. It prevents sticking and you can lift the whole batch out without tearing a hole in your yeast donuts.

Preheat your air fryer 3 to 4 minutes before the first batch. A cold basket extends cook time unevenly and you end up with pale bottoms.

Never stack donuts. Even a slight overlap causes the touching sides to steam instead of crisp and you get that raw doughy texture everyone complains about.

Glaze donuts exactly 2 minutes after they come out of the basket. At that point the surface temp is around 140°F and the sugar in the glaze bonds perfectly. Wait too long and the glaze slides off.

For yeast dough, proof it inside your oven with just the oven light turned on. That bulb creates about 80°F of warmth, which cuts rising time by 25 to 30 percent without killing the yeast.

FAQ

Do air fryer donuts actually taste like deep-fried donuts?+
Closer than you think. When you spray the dough with oil and run the fryer at 350°F to 370°F, the Maillard reaction builds the same kind of browned crust you get from an oil bath. The inside stays just as soft. The main difference is you get about half the grease on your fingers, which most people consider a win. A blind taste test from Serious Eats put air fryer yeast donuts at a 9 out of 10 similarity to deep-fried, and that tracks with what you will taste here.
Do I need a donut pan for this air fryer doughnut recipe?+
Only for the cake donut recipe. Cake batter is too loose to hold a ring shape on its own, so you need a silicone donut pan. For yeast donuts and cronuts you cut the rings from rolled dough and they hold their shape. For biscuit holes you just roll balls. If you do not own a donut pan yet, start with the biscuit hole recipe and order a silicone pan before you try the cake donuts.
Why are my donuts raw in the middle?+
Two reasons cover 95 percent of cases. First, overcrowding. When donuts are touching, steam gets trapped between them and the centers never cook through. Second, not preheating. Dropping dough into a cold basket means the first 2 minutes of cook time just warm the metal, not the food. Always preheat 3 minutes and keep donuts in a single layer with space between each one.
Can I make gluten-free air fryer donuts?+
Yes and they work really well for cake donuts and biscuit holes. Swap in a 1-to-1 GF baking flour blend and add 1/4 teaspoon of xanthan gum per cup of flour to help the structure hold at high heat. Almond flour works for the cake donut recipe if you want a lower-carb version, though the texture is slightly denser. For yeast-based recipes, GF blends need a longer second proof because the structure builds more slowly without gluten.
What is the best way to store leftover air fryer donuts?+
Glazed donuts keep at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 2 days. After that the glaze gets tacky and the dough softens too much. For longer storage, freeze unglazed donuts in a zip bag for up to 6 weeks. Reheat straight from frozen at 350°F for 2 minutes, then glaze while warm. Do not refrigerate donuts. The fridge dries them out faster than leaving them on the counter.
What glaze flavors work best for these air fryer donut recipes?+
Vanilla is the easiest and most forgiving. Chocolate ganache works great but keep it thin so it does not weigh down the donut. Maple glaze is just powdered sugar, a teaspoon of maple extract, and enough milk to make it drizzle. Matcha glaze has been all over Reddit lately and it is just 1 tablespoon of matcha whisked into the standard powdered sugar glaze. Whatever you choose, keep it thin enough to drip off a spoon in a slow stream. Thick glaze clumps in the air fryer basket if any drips fall.
Can I make vegan air fryer donuts?+
Every recipe here has a vegan path. Swap the egg for a flax egg (1 tablespoon ground flaxseed plus 3 tablespoons water, rested 5 minutes). Use oat milk or coconut milk in place of dairy milk. Replace butter with vegan butter sticks for laminated doughs or refined coconut oil for simpler recipes. The texture on vegan yeast donuts is actually excellent because oat milk has enough fat content to keep the dough tender.
How do I scale these recipes for a larger air fryer basket?+
For a 10-quart or larger basket you can double the dough batch. The cook time stays the same because temperature drives doneness, not batch size. What changes is the number of rounds you can do per batch. A 10-quart basket comfortably fits 6 yeast donuts or 5 jelly-filled rounds without crowding. Always shake or check at the halfway mark. Bigger baskets sometimes have slightly cooler spots near the edges, so rotating helps every donut brown evenly.

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