Air Fryer Doughnut Recipe

Air fryers really came to fruition in the UK around 2008 and have increased in popularity since then. You need to choose an air fryer that suits you, is multi-purpose and can cook most dishes that normally need to be deep fried. Why? Air frying is healthier is the paramount reason, as they need less oil to cook with, making any fat content lower and nutritional value much more beneficial. Air fryers do exactly what they say – they use hot air as opposed to oil or fat in deep fryers. In essence, they are like a ‘mini oven’, but easy to clean and simple just to plug in and use.

Everyone knows you can cook chips in an air fryer with great success, but there are so many more things to produce with great results – doughnuts are one of them.

For this purpose, we have used the Philips XL Airfryer, Digital Interface. It’s efficient, relatively low cost and produces great doughnuts for the family. It is not only a fryer – it can bake, grill and roast, making it one of the best multi-purpose and economical air fryers on the market.

So, let’s talk about a doughnut recipe! With this recipe and using the Philips XL, you can cut down on up to 75% of the fat ratio. What’s not to love about it?

Air Fryer Doughnuts with Chocolate Icing

We have chosen chocolate icing, as it always seems to be the most popular. But you can use vanilla, strawberry, raspberry, sugar glaze or any other topping that you enjoy. Don’t forget the sprinkles for the final touch!

You don’t need to worry about whether the doughnuts will resemble fried ones – as long as you knead the dough properly before placing in the air fryer, you shouldn’t have a problem. Take your time with the kneading, it makes a difference to the rise.

Serves:                      8 doughnuts

Prep Time:               25 minutes plus proofing time 30-45 minutes

Cook Time:              Approx. 7-8 minutes

Ingredients:

250g strong white bread flour (you can use plain flour, but bread flour gives a better rise)

1tbsp sugar

7g dried yeast (these usually come in pre-portioned sachets)

Pinch of salt

1tbsp melted butter

1 large free-range egg, firmly beaten

90ml full fat milk, gently warmed through

 

Optional:

Extra Melted butter to brush or glaze the doughnuts, if you are not using icing

For the icing:

140g icing sugar

2tbsp milk

4tbsp cocoa powder (unsweetened is best)

4 ‘dashes’ vanilla (approx. 2tsp)

Method:

1. Take a bowl and mix the dry ingredients together (flour, yeast, sugar and salt. Make a well in the centre of the mix and add in the beaten egg, milk and melted butter. Combine thoroughly then turn out onto a floured surface.
2. Knead the dough for around 15 minutes, until it is smooth and springs back when you are kneading. Don’t try and cut corners, otherwise the dough will not be ready, keep kneading!
3. Take another bowl and lightly oil the inside, pop the dough in, cover with cling film or a damp tea towel. Leave to rest for a minimum of 30 minutes, preferably an hour, in a warm place. Make sure that the dough has doubled in size before removing from the bowl.
4. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and gently knead the dough again for a couple of minutes. Roll out the dough to around 1cm thick.
5. Using an 8cm cutter (must have a flat edge, not a crinkled one) cut out your dough circles. Take another cutter or something like a bottle top and cut the smaller holes inside the doughnut ring. The cutter for this should not be more than approx. 2–2½cm. The larger the hole, the smaller the doughnut!
6. Push down gently with your hand to flatten them a little, then place on a parchment paper-lined tray. Cover again and leave for 30 minutes.
7. Set the timer on your Phillips XL Fryer to 225°C for 5 minutes. Pop the doughnuts into the fryer pan and cook for 5 minutes.
8. Turn each doughnut over and cook for a further 2 minutes.

Remove from the fryer, leave to cool before you use any icing.

To make the icing

1. Mix together the cocoa powder and sugar thoroughly. Add the milk and vanilla very slowly and mix between each addition until smooth and no lumps.
2. Pour the icing over the doughnuts when they are cool. Add some sprinkles if you want! All you need to do now, is eat and enjoy.