
Doughnuts are comforting one-hand biters with the pillowiest texture and the sweetest, bready flavor. There’s nothing like freshly made doughnuts. Still, making doughnuts is no easy feat — at least, using an air fryer can make things a bit easier.
Regular doughnuts are usually deep-fried, resulting in golden but sometimes greasy treats. By air-frying the doughnuts, you get a similar texture and flavor and nearly no grease.
The secret behind fluffy and dense doughnuts is using a rich batter based on milk instead of water. Along with all-purpose flour, butter and an egg, you’ll get a firm dough that’s easy to shape into doughnuts.
The cinnamon-sugar mixture is as easy as it sounds. Wait until the doughnuts come out of the air fryer to dip them in the delicious mix.
Cinnamon-sugar doughnuts are fantastic while still warm, but you can still enjoy them after a few days; they’ll stay soft and fluffy, and it’s because they don’t contain tons of oil!
Enjoying this sugary baking treat with coffee or chocolate milk is a promising idea, and any creamy beverage will make the doughnuts stand out, especially if you’re a dipper. For a more exciting experience, dip your doughnuts in chocolate sauce — that’s dessert right there!
Combine the warm milk, a tablespoon of sugar and yeast. Stir to combine and allow to sit for 1-2 minutes.
In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, salt and the rest of the sugar. Mix and incorporate the butter, egg and vanilla. Add the yeast mixture.
Knead and roll the dough and shape it into a ball. Transfer it into a clean mixing bowl covered with a kitchen towel. Allow it to double for around one hour.
Flour a surface and your hands and form six equal balls. Shape the doughnuts, making a hole with your thumb. Alternatively, use a donut cutter.
Spray the donuts and the air fryer basket with cooking oil.
Preheat the air fryer according to the manufacturer’s instructions to 400°F and air-fry for 5-8 minutes. Work in batches if necessary.
Prepare a plate with a mixture of brown sugar and cinnamon.
Coat the doughnuts with the sugar mixture straight out of the air fryer.
Alternatively, serve with chocolate sauce for dipping.