Air fryer donut holes bring the joy of fresh-baked treats right to your kitchen in just 20 minutes! These pillowy, golden bites deliver pure comfort without the mess of deep frying.
At only 120 calories per serving, they’re a smarter choice when you want something sweet. The air fryer creates that perfectly crisp exterior while keeping the inside tender and fluffy. Best of all, these homemade delights need minimal oil, making them a lighter alternative to traditional donuts.
Ingredients Needed
- Milk: ½ cup whole milk, warmed to 100-110°F for optimal yeast activation
- Sugar: 2 tablespoons granulated sugar to feed the yeast
- Yeast: 1½ teaspoons active dry yeast
- Egg: 1 large egg, helps create tender texture
- Butter: 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- Flour: 2 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting
- Salt: ¼ teaspoon kosher salt for flavor balance
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Activate the Yeast: Combine warm milk, sugar, and yeast in stand mixer bowl. Let rest 5 minutes until foamy.
- Mix Wet Ingredients: Add melted butter and egg, whisk until well combined.
- Form the Dough: Using dough hook on low speed, gradually add flour and salt until dough forms a ball.
- Knead: Continue mixing for 5 minutes until dough becomes smooth and slightly tacky.
- First Rise: Place in oiled bowl, let rise in warm spot for 1 hour until doubled.
- Shape: Roll dough to ½” thickness, cut 3″ circles with 1″ centers.
- Second Rise: Let shaped dough rest 30 minutes until puffed up by 50%.
- Prepare Air Fryer: Preheat to 350°F for 5 minutes, spray basket with non-stick spray.
- Cook: Air fry in batches for 5 minutes until light golden brown.
- Finish: Add your favorite glaze or topping while warm and serve!
Dough Tips & Success Hints
The magic of these donut holes happens in the dough! Your milk should feel like warm bath water (100-110°F) – too hot will kill the yeast, too cool won’t wake it up. Watch for the yeast to get foamy and smell like bread – that’s how you know it’s happy and active! When mixing, add flour slowly and stop as soon as the dough pulls away from the bowl. A slightly sticky dough makes soft, fluffy donuts. Need a warm spot for rising? Turn your oven light on and let the dough rise there!
Tasty Toppings
Make these donut holes your own with fun toppings! Roll them in cinnamon sugar while still warm, dip in chocolate glaze, or dust with powdered sugar. My favorite is mixing 1/2 cup powdered sugar with 1-2 tablespoons milk for a simple sweet glaze. For maple lovers, add a tiny splash of maple syrup to your glaze. Want sprinkles? Go for it! Just add them right after glazing so they stick.
Storage & Reheating
These donut holes taste best fresh and warm! If you have leftovers, store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. To bring back that fresh-made warmth, pop them in the air fryer for 30 seconds at 350°F. Avoid storing them in the fridge – it makes them dry out faster. You can freeze unglazed donut holes for up to 1 month. Just warm them up and add toppings when ready to eat!
Air Fryer Tips
Space is your friend when air frying these donuts! Leave room between each donut hole so they can puff up nicely. A light spray of oil helps create that golden-brown outside. Keep an eye on them after 4 minutes – they can go from perfect to too dark quickly. Every air fryer heats differently, so your first batch is your test batch to find the perfect timing for yours.
Air Fryer Donut Holes
Equipment
- Stand Mixer with Dough Hook
- Air Fryer
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup whole milk warmed to 100-110 F
- 2 tbsp granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 tsp active dry yeast
- 1 egg
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter melted
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt
Instructions
- Add the warm milk, granulated sugar, and yeast to the bowl of a stand mixer and whisk to combine. Allow the mixture to sit for 5 minutes, or until the yeast is foamy and fragrant.
- Next add the melted butter, egg, and vanilla. Whisk again to combine.
- Attach the dough hook to the stand mixer and set the speed to low (Kitchenaid #2). Slowly add the flour and salt. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Continue mixing until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl and begins to form a ball. If the dough is too wet (sticking to the sides of the bowl) add more flour one tablespoon at a time until the dough begins to pull away from the sides of the bowl.
- Knead the dough (on low speed for 5 minutes if using a stand mixer) until the dough is smooth and just barely sticks to your hands. Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl and then place it in a warm spot to rise until doubled in size– about 1 hour.
- Punch the dough down slightly and then transfer it to a lightly floured surface. Use a floured rolling pin to roll the dough until it is ½” thick. Cut out large round circles (3″) and then use a smaller (1″) round cookie cutter to cut out the center of the donuts.
- Place the donuts and donut holes on a parchment lined baking sheet and allow them to rise for an additional 30 minutes, or until they have increased in size by about 50%. In the meantime, preheat your air fryer to 350ºF/176ºC for 5 minutes.
- Lightly grease your air fryer with nonstick baking spray and add a few donuts (or donut holes) to the basket. Make sure not to overcrowd the air fryer! Spray the tops of the donuts with nonstick baking spray. Cook the donuts (or donut holes) for 5 minutes, or until they are light brown and a toothpick inserted into the donut comes out clean. Continue cooking the donuts in batches. Garnish the donuts with your favorite glaze and enjoy!
