Air Fryer Donuts
These healthy air fryer donuts are based on an old-fashioned yeast donut recipe. The end result is a tender vegan yeast donut recipe with a crispy crust and either a vanilla or chocolate glaze with all your favorite toppings.
Everyone loves a crispy donut with a deliciously-sweet glaze on top. This recipe for vegan yeast donuts gives you three ways to make them, with a baked option, an air fryer option, and deep-frying them in a skillet. Top them with a tasty glaze, and you can even add sprinkles!
Key Ingredients
You can find the full printable recipe, including ingredient quantities, below. But first, here are some explanations of ingredients and steps to help you make this recipe perfect every time.
Here are the ingredients you’ll need for this recipe, including substitution ideas:
- Plant-based milk — I prefer soy milk because it has a higher protein content similar to cow’s milk.
- Vegan Butter — You can use store-bought, like Earth Balance or Miyokos, or make your own homemade vegan butter.
- Sugar — I use granulated sugar.
- Yeast — Either instant or active dry yeast.
- Flour — I have used both all-purpose flour and bread flour with this recipe.
- Salt — A bit of salt adds depth of flavor.
- Ground Nutmeg — This is a secret ingredient for making dough taste like store-bought donuts.
- Powdered Sugar — We’ll make a simple glaze by using powdered sugar combined with plant-based milk.
- Oil — We’ll brush a tiny bit of oil over the donuts to create a crispy crust.
What Makes This Recipe Shine?
- Simple yeast donuts are cooked in an air fryer, creating a crispy crust, but using minimal oil
- Ground flaxseed is a great egg replacer, making these donuts inclusive for so many people, including those with egg allergies, vegans, and more
- Adding ground nutmeg is my favorite secret donut trick, creating the perfect donut flavor and making each bite irresistible in the best way possible!
Alternative Cooking Options
If you don’t have an air fryer, you will be pleased to know that the recipe card below gives instructions on alternative cooking options. these include: baking donuts and oil frying donuts.
Storage Tips
These air fryer donuts and donut holes are best served warm the day they’re prepared. Store them in an airtight container at room temperature for 1 to 2 days.
Frequently-Asked Questions
Are vegan donuts good for you?
Vegan donuts are an indulgence. So, even though they’re cholesterol-free, I still wouldn’t call them healthy. But they can be incorporated into a healthy diet by enjoying them in moderation.
Is it better to bake or fry donuts?
Air fryer donuts and baked donuts are both healthier because they’re made with minimal oil as compared to fried donuts. Oil adds fat and calories and can lead to trouble with indigestion.
Do I have to have a donut cutter?
Those donut cutters are nice. But if you don’t have one, use any round cutter that’s approximately 3″ in size. I used the top of a cocktail shaker. Then use a smaller 1″ round cutter for the center hole. A large frosting tip works great!
Air Fryer Donut Holes
What should you do with all those holes cut from the center? I recommend making air fryer donut holes! I cook them separately from the donuts because they need less cooking time.
- Place the donut holes in the air fryer basket in a single layer
- Cook at 350°F/175°C for 1 minute
- Remove the basket and shake it to “stir” the donut holes
- Return the basket and cook for up to another minute until done
- Place cooked donut holes in the glaze and transfer to a wire rack for the glaze to set.
Vegan Pastry Recipes
These vegan yeast donuts are delicious, and here are more tasty vegan pastry recipes to try:
That’s it for these air fryer glazed donuts. Enjoy!
Vegan Air Fryer Donuts
Ingredients
- 1 flax egg
- ¾ cup plant-based milk (I used almond milk)
- ¼ cup vegan butter melted
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 2 ¼ teaspoons instant yeast (1 packet)
- 2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 2 teaspoons vegetable oil (see notes)
Glaze
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons plant-based creamer * See notes for chocolate glaze
Instructions
- Mix the flax egg and set aside.
- Combine the milk and butter in a microwave-safe bowl and heat for 1 minute. Set it aside for several minutes. Then add the flax egg and stir. The mixture should be between 105°F/40°C and 108°F/42°C (the same temperature as your finger if you dip it into the liquid). Stir in the yeast and sugar and set aside.
- In a large bowl, add the flour, nutmeg, and salt. Stir to combine. Pour the yeast mixture into the flour mixture and stir together until a soft dough forms.
- Knead the dough in the bowl with your hands or use a dough hook on a mixer for 5 minutes. Add 1 to 2 tablespoons of flour as needed to keep the dough from sticking to the bottom of the bowl. The dough should form into a ball, but still be slightly sticky.
- Roll the dough on a lightly floured surface until it's around 1/2-inch thick. Cut 10 to 12 donuts and donut holes using a 3" round cutter and a 1" round center. Place these on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, cover with plastic wrap (it helps to spray it with vegetable spray), and set aside until they have risen to double their size.
Baking Method
- To bake donuts, when the donuts have doubled in size and are ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350°F/175°C.
- Place baking sheet with donuts in the oven and bake for 15 to 17 minutes, until golden brown.
Air Fryer Method
- To make air fryer donuts, when the donuts have doubled in size and are ready to bake, spray the basket with vegetable spray, and preheat the air fryer to 350°F/175°C.
- Gently place donuts in the air fryer in a single row at the bottom and air fry for around 4 minutes. Then repeat with the remaining donuts.
Oil Frying
- Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Use tongs to carefully place doughnuts in the heated oil. Fry until golden brown on both sides, up to 1 minute each side. Use tongs or a slotted spoon to transfer cooked donuts from the oil to a plate lined with paper towels.
- Make the Glaze: While the donuts are baking or frying, mix your glaze by combining the powdered sugar, creamer, and vanilla in a bowl. If you prefer chocolate glaze, add a tablespoon of cocoa powder and stir.
- Once the donuts are done, let them cool enough so you can handle them. Dip each donut into the glaze. Icing the donuts while they're still warms helps coat each donut evenly and will create a crispy crust on the icing.
- You can add favorite toppings like chopped nuts, sprinkles, coconut and more while the glaze is still wet.
Recommended Equipment
(The products above contain sponsored links to products we use and recommend)
Notes
The nutrition information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator and should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
This post was originally published in 2010 and was updated to include new photos, new text, and an updated recipe in 2020.
Drooling!! Thanks Marly for this “Air Fryer Donuts” recipe. Definitely going to share this delicious recipe with my colleagues. I Love everything and cannot wait to try your every recipes out.
I don’t think you mentioned when to add the salt… It normally goes in w the yeast, but you have it listed so far down that maybe you add it in with the flour?
Great catch, Lisa! I fixed the directions to include adding salt to the flour. I haven’t made this recipe in awhile…I think it might be time to try it again!
Hi, I would like to try this recipe, but I don’t have maple syrup would agave work
Hi Gaby. Absolutely – agave nectar works just fine in this recipe.
My mom used to make homemade donuts, what a special treat for us kids. But, I like your version and I always have soy milk on hand. I’m pretty good about sharing sweets but sometimes I just want to hoard something I’ve baked or something that has been given to me, it could be something like homemade pickles. Sometimes you just don’t want to share but I think hoarding homemade donuts would probably not be a good idea!
Hi Patty – hope you like the recipe. I give you permission not to share these with anyone…unless you want to. In fact, you can even double the glaze recipe and double dip all you want! I would add sprinkles too and then eat them in front of your family and friends. By the way, this is NOT the way to win friends and influence people. And, this is not the way to stay on a diet. But it can lead to a fairly satisfied sweet tooth!
Donuts don’t taste the same to me as they did when I was a kid. Back then they were akin to heaven – I can easily resist them now. But I love this baked version of overnight donuts! Terrific for a holiday or special occasion.
Yes, it’s true! If you have family staying or a big group of kids, these would be perfect! I actually froze half our batch because, like any pastry, they’re not as good when they sit on the counter for a few days. Hope you enjoy the recipe!
I don’t know about the rest of the Canadians but I am extremely jealous. I absolutely love donuts and could eat a whole dozen myself. You would think having a Tim Hortons on every corner that we would also honour this day. I may just have to write them a nice little letter.
These look absolutely delicious Marly, you are tempting me into leaving my bridal shower baking and making some of these instead!
I had a feeling this would be the case! Hey everyone, Grace confirmed the rumor. Just so you know, these donuts are a lot easier to eat by the dozen because they’re not so heavy. Problem is, they’re not calorie free. Some willpower is required!
I’m the same way with coffee: I love going to the coffee shop and basking in the aroma, but I always drink tea. Thanks for sharing this recipe – I’ve been intimidated by donuts for the longest time because I don’t like to make fried foods. But now I can make these baked donuts!
They are a bit messy in the making, but the end product is worth it. I had one (ok, actually two) yesterday and they didn’t weigh me down. I loved it! I have to confess to liking the chocolate glaze a little more. I also wish I would have added some sprinkles. Wouldn’t that have been fun? Next time!
Happy Donut Day!! I am definitely going to celebrate this day! I LOVE how this recipe is vegan too!
Hey Marly, I love doughnuts! I’ve never had fast food ‘donuts’ though, so I don’t know about the stomach ache of which you speak (smile). And I’m pretty good about sharing sweets, hence a whole sweet of any kind doesn’t usually hit my tum. I’m going to try these soon. I like the way there is no solid fat component like margarine, etc.
Hey, you don’t drink coffee? Whoaaaa…I can’t even get up without it.
I don’t do caffeine very much at all. Sometimes I’ll have some green tea. Occasionally I’ll have a diet soda that has caffeine. I’m weird that way I guess. I think coffee smells so good. I wish I liked it, but I figure it’s one habit I don’t need to pick up. Hey, you need to show me how you do that sharing sweets thing. It’s probably good for the waistline, eh?
Ryan woke me up this morning to tell me it was Donut Day, but like you, I have never been a big fan of donuts…so instead of donuts, we made pancakes. But after seeing this recipe for vegan donuts, I’m tempted to give them a try! I love the thought of using maple syrup to sweeten the dough, and how can you go wrong that chocolate glaze? Yum!
Hi Monet
I think you’ll like these. They’re not too heavy and the chocolate glaze is my favorite! And the great news is, no stomach ache afterward!