3 Ingredient Air Fryer Donuts

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3 Ingredient Air Fryer Donuts are perfect for busy weekdays when you’re in the mood for something sweet! They’re crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside.

Topped with a delicious powdered sugar glaze and rainbow sprinkles, these sweet donuts are perfect for a to go breakfast or a quick snack. 

3 Ingredient Air Fryer Donut Recipe

You may have made air fryer biscuit donuts before, but this is by far one of my favorite air fryer recipes. I mean, who doesn’t love simple homemade donuts – especially when they’re fresh out of the air fryer.

The best part? You only need a handful of ingredients, and since you’re using an air fryer, it makes for an easy cleanup. 

Making delicious donuts from scratch is much easier than you think. Plus, you can use the leftover dough for three-ingredient air fryer donut holes!

If you want to switch up the toppings a little, I suggest trying a chocolate glaze or cinnamon sugar mixture; or you can leave them plain without the sprinkles and have a vanilla and powdered sugar glaze.

Looking for other quick and easy air fryer recipes? Give these Air Fryer Biscuit Donuts, Air Fryer Apple Crisp, or this Air Fryer Banana Bread a try next!

What are air fryer donuts?

Air fryer donuts are a healthier version of deep-fried donuts. The main difference between the two is the way they’re cooked.

Air fryer doughnuts are placed in the air fryer to cook while deep-fried donuts are placed in hot oil, and baked donuts are placed in the oven to cook.

Air-fried donuts are normally made with self-rising dough and are a little easier to make.

What do these 3 Ingredient Donuts taste like?

These donuts are spongy and soft, and the crunchy texture from the sprinkles makes a great match.

The sweetness comes from the glaze, so if you don’t add the glaze, you may want to add sugar to the dough mixture to make the bread sweeter.

What do I need to make air fryer donuts?

Self-rising flour: already has baking powder and salt added, which acts as a leavening agent. This means that you don’t need to use yeast for the donuts to rise.

Greek yogurt: mixes with the self-rising all-purpose flour to create the perfect donut dough texture.

I like to use Greek yogurt because it makes the donuts a little more dense. I recommend plain Greek yogurt, but if you already have vanilla yogurt, that works too!

Vanilla extract: is great for enhancing the flavor by providing a subtle, sweet, and aromatic taste.

What ingredients do I need to make the Donut Glaze?

Butter: adds a rich and creamy flavor to the icing. It also helps the glaze hold its shape and gives the icing a velvety consistency.

Powdered sugar: powdered sugar is used for both presentation and to add a sweet flavor. 

Vanilla extract: will enhance the flavor by providing a subtle, sweet, and aromatic taste.

Rainbow sprinkles: I like to top my donuts with rainbow sprinkles because they are fun and pretty! You can use chocolate sprinkles or fun holiday shaped sprinkles to change it up.

How to make air fryer donuts

1. Preheat the air fryer to 350° F.
2. Prepare the dough. Using a fine sieve, sift the flour into a medium-sized mixing bowl. Add the Greek yogurt, then the vanilla extract, and mix with a spatula until well combined.
3. Form the doughnuts. Shape the dough into a ball using your hands. Then move your dough onto a flat surface, then divide it into three equivalent parts. Using your finger or a very small cookie cutter, press the center of each of the three balls until you reach the bottom. Then, make a hole right in the middle of each ball.
4. Make the doughnut holes. Put two fingers in the middle of the dough and stretch the dough carefully to make the hole in the middle bigger. The donuts will sponge, so make sure to make the hole in the middle at least 2 inches wide.
5. Air fry the doughnuts. Line your air fryer basket with parchment paper and place the donuts in a single layer in the basket. Air fry the donuts for 15 minutes or until golden brown. Allow them to cool on a cooling rack for 10 minutes before adding the glaze.

How to glaze air fried donuts

1. Prepare the glaze. While the donuts are cooking, mix the sifted powdered sugar, melted butter, and vanilla extract in a medium bowl.
2. Glaze the doughnuts. Dip the tops of the donuts in the glaze. Then add the sprinkles on top and place the donuts back on the cooling rack for 10 minutes or until the glaze sets.

Is it better to air fry or deep fry donuts?

It depends on what kind of donut that you’re looking for. If you use an air fryer, your donuts will be lighter than deep-fried, they will also be a little more spongy.

If you are deep frying your donuts, they will become more dense and have more of that “deep fried” flavor. Air frying also keeps the outside a little smoother, whereas the deep fryer will be a little rougher. 

Recipe Tips

• Keep an eye on how long you bake them. Air fryers can all run a little differently when cooking, so on the first batch, I would take a look to make sure they’re not burning and that you’re not underbaking them. If you underbake them, they will become very dense in the middle. 
• Don’t forget to line your air fryer basket. If your air fryer is a little too hot, your donuts may stick to the bottom. I like to use parchment paper, but you can also use a little spritz of oil to prevent them from sticking.
• Don’t overlap when cooking. If you overlap your donuts while they’re in the air fryer, they will not cook evenly and stick together. Some parts may stay soft while the rest get crispy.

Air Fryer Doughnut Holes

You can use any leftover dough to make doughnut holes in the air fryer!

1. Preheat the air fryer. Preheat the air fryer to 375° F.
2. Prepare the dough. Using a fine sieve, sift the self-rising flour into a medium-sized mixing bowl. Add the Greek yogurt, then the vanilla extract, and mix with a spatula until well combined.
3. Form the doughnut holes. Shape the dough into a 1-2 inch ball using your hands. You can also make a long rope with the dough and then cut them into 1-2 inch pieces. 
4. Air fry the doughnut holes. Line your air fryer basket with parchment paper and place the donuts in a single layer in the basket. Air fry the donut holes for 6-8 minutes or until golden brown. Allow them to cool on a cooling rack for 10 minutes before adding the glaze.

How to make self-rising flour at home?

If you don’t have self-rising flour, you can easily make some at home.

Mix 1 cup of all-purpose flour with 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder and ¼ teaspoon fine salt. Together they create a leavening agent which allows the flour to rise. 

How to Store These Donuts

To store, place your donuts in an airtight container. It’s better not to stack the donuts once the glaze is on. If your donuts do not have glaze on them, you can place them in a Ziploc bag.

Can I make these donuts ahead of time?

Yes, I recommend making these donuts ahead of time and storing them in an airtight container inside the fridge for no more than two days ahead. 

How to serve these easy air fryer doughnuts

Serve them at room temperature or, if serving from the fridge, place them in the microwave at low temperature for about 10 seconds.

How many days do these air fryer glazed donuts last?

The shelf life of donuts, at room temperature in general, can vary depending on the type of donut, the ingredients used, and the conditions in which they are stored.

In general, donuts can last at room temperature for about 1-2 days in airtight containers. But the room temperature may vary depending on where you live.

These donuts were stored in an airtight container at a room temperature of 80ºF. After 24 hours, the consistency was very similar to their fresh version, and the taste was still great. 

However, it’s important to note that donuts are best consumed fresh to get the best out of the consistency and flavor. Donuts tend to dry out and become stale relatively quickly, so I recommend storing them no more than one day in an airtight container at room temperature and 2-3 days in the fridge.

More easy recipes to try

• Air Fryer Baked Brie
• Banana Chocolate Chip Air Fryer Pancakes
• Air Fryer Apple Chips
• Air Fryer Apple Crisp

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