Perfectly Mini Doughnuts (Air Fryer Recipe)
These mini doughnuts are light, fluffy, and perfectly golden, made with less oil than traditional fried doughnuts. With a simple dough and a delicious cinnamon-sugar or glaze topping, they are an easy and fun treat for any occasion!
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Resting Time: 1 hour (for dough to rise)
Cook Time: 6-8 minutes per batch
Total Time: ~1 hour 30 minutes
Servings: ~20 mini doughnuts
Ingredients
For the Doughnuts:
1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
2 tbsp sugar
½ tsp vanilla extract
½ cup warm milk (110°F / 43°C)
1 ¼ tsp active dry yeast (or 1 tsp instant yeast)
2 tbsp melted butter (or neutral oil)
1 egg yolk
For the Cinnamon-Sugar Coating:
¼ cup sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tbsp melted butter (for brushing)
For the Simple Glaze: (Optional)
½ cup powdered sugar
1 tbsp milk
½ tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
Activate the Yeast
In a small bowl, whisk together warm milk, sugar, and yeast. Let sit for 5-10 minutes until foamy.
Make the Dough
In a mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt.
Add the yeast mixture, melted butter, vanilla, and egg yolk.
Mix until a soft dough forms. If too sticky, add 1 tbsp flour at a time.
Knead & Rise
Knead the dough for 5 minutes on a floured surface until smooth.
Place in a greased bowl, cover with a towel, and let rise for 1 hour (until doubled).
Shape the Doughnuts
Roll out the dough to ½-inch thickness.
Use a small round cutter (or bottle cap) to cut out mini doughnuts.
Use a smaller cutter to create the center hole.
Air Fry the Doughnuts
Preheat air fryer to 350°F (175°C) for 3 minutes.
Lightly grease the air fryer basket and place doughnuts inside (leave space between them).
Air fry for 6-8 minutes, flipping halfway, until golden brown.
Coat the Doughnuts
For Cinnamon-Sugar:
Brush warm doughnuts with melted butter and roll in a mix of sugar & cinnamon.
For Glaze:
Whisk together powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla, then dip doughnuts in the glaze.
Tips & Variations
No Yeast? Replace yeast with ½ tsp baking soda + ½ tsp baking powder (skip rising time).
Chocolate Glaze: Melt ½ cup chocolate chips with 1 tbsp butter and dip the doughnuts.
Filled Doughnuts: Instead of cutting a hole, keep them whole and fill with jam, Nutella, or cream.
Extra Crispy? Air fry for 1 extra minute at 375°F (190°C).
Nutrition (Per Mini Doughnut)
Calories: ~85
Protein: 2g
Carbs: 12g
Fat: 3g
Sugar: 4g