Easy Vegan Air Fryer Donuts Recipe
Vegan Air Fryer Donuts | These vegan yeast donuts are made with 5 simple ingredients, and take only 5 minutes in the air fryer! They turn out soft on the inside with a crispy exterior. Serve with a quick 3 ingredients glaze!
I am a sucker for donuts! And not just any donuts, they have to be fresh, tender, and flavourful yeast donuts. These homemade vegan yeast donuts are made in the air fryer and they’re better than any coffee shop donuts!
These vegan donuts are so soft and tender, and incredibly easy to make. The donuts are made with only 5 ingredients, and take just 5 minutes in the air fryer. There is no going back once you make donuts in the air fryer!
The great thing about these vegan donuts is that they are so versatile and customizable. You can eat them plain, or roll them in cinnamon sugar. Or coat them in a glaze or a chocolate glaze. Or make jelly donuts with the donut holes.
The possibilities are endless with these vegan air fryer donuts! The dough is easy to whip up in the stand mixer, and then it has to rise for an hour. Then shape the donuts and let them rise again. Air frying them is a very quick and easy process!
Why make donuts in the air fryer?
Why not just fry or bake the donuts you ask? Well, they’re so quick to make in the air fryer. About 5 minutes for the donuts, and 3 minutes for the donut holes. The air fryer also makes the donuts incredibly soft on the inside, while providing a crispy exterior.
Using the air fryer also cuts back on the fat from deep frying, and offers a lighter donut while still having that balance of soft tenderness and satisfying crispiness. Deep frying can also be a hassle. It takes time, you have to be careful, and oil is expensive and messy.
Are you convinced yet?
How to shape donuts
Although donuts have the same shape as bagels, donut dough is rolled out and cut with cookie cutters or donut cutters. I used a 3 inch cookie cutter for the donut, and a 1 inch cookie cutter to cut the donut hole.
You can use a sturdy jar and a shot glass for the center if you don’t have either.
How to make chocolate glaze
I made an easy dark chocolate glaze by making a 1/2 batch of the regular glaze, and mixing in about 20 grams of melted dark chocolate. Feel free to experiment with different kinds of glazes, like maple glaze
You could also poke a hole into the donut holes, pipe a bit of strawberry jam inside, and sprinkle them with powdered sugar. Jelly donuts are my all time favourite donut!
Ingredients
More about the ingredients in this recipe. The exact measurements are below.
Substitutions
Instructions
In the bowl of your stand mixer fit with the dough attachment, add the warm oat milk, white sugar, and active dry yeast. Stir with a fork and let it sit for 10 minutes, until frothy.
Add the melted vegan butter, flour, and salt. Mix on medium low until a tacky dough forms. It’s ready when you can make an indent in the dough, and it bounces back. This takes 3-5 minutes.
Remove the dough attachment, and drizzle the dough in oil. Move the dough around so it’s fully coated. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and a kitchen towel. Let the dough rise for 1 hour, until almost doubled in size. Line two baking sheet with parchment paper.
Punch the dough down and place it on your counter top. Roll the dough out to 1/2 inch thickness.
Using a 3 inch cookie cutter, cut circles out of the dough. Then using a 1 inch cookie cutter, cut a hole in the center to form the donut.
Transfer the donuts and donut holes to the prepared baking sheets and cover with greased plastic wrap and a kitchen towel. Let the donuts rise for 30 minutes. Preheat the air fryer to 350°F/180°C and line the trays with aluminum foil.
Transfer the donuts to your air fryer trays, spacing them apart. You should be able to bake 3 at a time. Bake for 4 minutes, then flip them and bake for another 2 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
Bake the donut holes for 2 minutes, and then flip and bake for another minute. Once the donuts are cooled, mix the powdered sugar, oat milk and vanilla extract. Coat the donuts in the glaze and let them dry on a wire rack ontop of a baking sheet.
I made another 1/2 batch of the glaze and mixed it with about 20 grams of melted dark chocolate to make a chocolate glaze.
Tips for making air fryer donuts
What to serve with vegan donuts
Donuts make for an excellent sweet snack or dessert.
Serve the donuts with fresh fruit and vegan yogurt for a refreshing contrast.
Balance the sweetness by serving coffee or tea with the donuts. Try my Vegan Cold Coffee!
Storage
Store the donuts at room temperature, covered with plastic wrap, for up to 3 days. They’re best eaten fresh though!
FAQ’s
Air frying donuts certainly reduces the amount of fat used to make them. As with any sweet treats, enjoy them in moderation as part of a balanced diet.
Yes, you can make donut dough ahead of time. Prepare it and store it in the fridge for up to 24 hours. WHen you’re ready to use it, let it rise at room temperature until it’s doubled in size.
Vegan Air Fryer Donuts
Equipment
- air fyer I use Instant Pot Vortex 10 Quart Air Fryer
- stand mixer
- 1 Rolling Pin
- 1 3 inch cookie cutter
- 1 1 inch cookie cutter
- 2 baking sheets
- 1 wire cooling rack
Ingredients
For the donuts
- 2 ½ teaspoons active dry yeast
- 2 tablespoons white sugar
- 1 ¼ cup oat milk warm, about 100°F
- 8 tablespoons vegan butter melted, divided
- 3 ¾ cups all purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
For the glaze
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 6 tablespoons oat milk
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- In the bowl of your stand mixer fit with the dough attachment, add the warm oat milk, sugar and yeast. Stir and let it sit for 10 minutes until frothy.
- Stir the yeast mixture and add 6 tablespoons melted vegan butter, the flour and the salt. Mix on medium low until a tacky dough forms, about 3 minutes. When you lightly press into the dough, it should bounce back.
- Remove the dough attachment, drizzle the dough with oil and turn it to fully coat. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and a kitchen towel, and let the dough rest for 1 hour until almost doubled in size.
- Punch the dough down and place it on your countertop. Roll it out to 1/2 inch thick. Use a 3 inch cookie cutter to cut circles, and then use a 1 inch cookie cutter to cut the donut holes.
- Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Transfer the donuts and donut holes to the baking sheets and cover with greased plastic wrap and kitchen towels. Let the donuts rise for 30 minutes.
- Preheat the air fryer to 350°F/180°C and line the trays with aluminum foil.
- Place 2-4 donuts on the air fryer trays, spacing them apart. Lightly brush the tops with melted vegan butter and bake for 4 minutes, then flip and bake for another 2 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
- Bake the donut holes for 2 minutes, then flip and bake for 1 more minute.
- Whisk the glaze ingredients together and dip the donuts. Let the excess glaze drip off and transfer them to a wire rack on top of a baking sheet to dry.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
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Erika Piper
Hey there, I’m Erika. I’ve been meat-free for over a decade.
I’m here to provide delicious and affordable plant-based recipes for anyone interested.
Whether you’re a seasoned plant-based eater or just curious about trying it out, I’m here to support you with my easy and accessible recipes.
