Miss those iconic Krispy Kreme donuts? These air fryer chocolate glazed donuts bring that melt-in-your-mouth magic right to your kitchen! With a crispy exterior, pillowy-soft center, and decadent chocolate glaze, they’re a near-perfect copycat of the beloved classic. While they take about 2 hours to prepare, the heavenly aroma and first warm, glazed bite make it worth every minute. Plus, using your air fryer means less mess and oil than traditional deep frying.
Ingredients
- Milk: 1 cup, warmed to 100°F (perfect proofing temperature)
- Active Dry Yeast: 2½ teaspoons, crucial for proper dough rise
- Sugar: ⅓ cup, helps activate the yeast
- Egg: 1 large, at room temperature for better mixing
- Butter: ½ stick, melted and slightly cooled
- Flour: 2 cups, all-purpose works best
- Chocolate Frosting: 1½ cups, ready for glazing
Instructions
- Yeast Activation: Combine warm milk, yeast, and 1 tablespoon sugar. Let rest for 10 minutes until foamy.
- Wet Mixture: Add egg, melted butter, and remaining sugar. Mix until well combined.
- Dough Formation: Using electric mixer with dough hook, gradually add flour on low speed. Increase to medium and knead until dough forms a ball.
- Shaping: Roll dough to ½ inch thickness on floured surface. Cut 10-12 circles using mason jar or cutter, then create center holes.
- Second Rise: Place donuts on rack, cover with plastic wrap. Let rise 20 minutes.
- Air Frying: Cook 2-3 donuts at 350°F for 4 minutes each side. Remember to spray with oil first.
- Glazing: Dip each warm donut halfway into chocolate frosting. Place on rack to set.
Working with Yeast
Getting your yeast mixture just right is the secret to fluffy donuts! The milk should feel warm – like a nice bath temperature (100°F is perfect). When the yeast mixture gets foamy after 10 minutes, that’s how you know it’s active and ready. If it doesn’t foam up, your yeast might be old or your milk too hot – start fresh to make sure your donuts turn out amazing!
Air Fryer Tips
Your air fryer is about to become your new best friend for making donuts! Keep the temperature steady at 350°F and don’t skip the quick oil spray – it helps create that perfect golden-brown outside. Space your donuts about 2 inches apart in the basket so they have room to puff up beautifully. The 4-minute flip trick gives you that lovely even color on both sides.
Storage Tips
Fresh donuts are the best donuts! They’ll stay yummy at room temperature for 1-2 days in an airtight container. Pop them in the microwave for 10-15 seconds to bring back that fresh-made warmth. If you have extras, freeze them without the glaze – they’ll keep for up to 3 months. Just thaw them out and add fresh glaze when you’re ready to enjoy!
Donut Glazing Magic
Let your donuts cool for about 5 minutes before glazing – this helps the chocolate stick better! Dip each donut at a slight angle and let the extra glaze drip off. Put them back on the rack right away – this creates those pretty chocolate drips that make them look like they’re from a fancy donut shop. Give the glaze about 15 minutes to set before stacking or wrapping them up.
Air Fryer Chocolate Glazed Donuts (Krispy Kreme Copycat)
Equipment
- Air Fryer
- Electric Mixer
- Mixing Bowl
- Circle Cutter
Ingredients
For the Donuts
- 1 cup Milk warmed to 100F
- 2 1/2 tsp Active Dry Yeast
- 1/3 cup Sugar
- 1 Egg
- 1/2 stick Butter melted
- 2 cups Flour
- 1 1/2 cups Chocolate Frosting
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl, gently stir warm milk, yeast and 1 tbsp of sugar together. Wait 10 minutes for it to start to foam.
- Add egg, melted butter and remaining sugar. Stir until completely combined.
- Using a dough hook in an electric mixer, add the flour slowly allowing it to mix on low. Once mixed, increase speed to medium and knead it until dough forms into a ball.
- Once dough has risen, remove and roll dough out to ½ inch thick on a floured surface.
- Using a circle cutter or a wide mouth mason jar, cut 10-12 donuts out. Using a smaller hole cutter, punch out a hole in each donut.
- Place donuts on a rack that has been placed on a baking sheet, and cover with plastic wrap. Allow the donuts to rise for 20 minutes.
- Place two or three donuts in air fryer basket leaving them room to expand. Spray the donuts with oil and cook on 350F/176C for 4 minutes on each side.
- Remove donuts and using fork, dip the donuts halfway into the frosting. Place back on the rack to let sit.
