Easy Vegan Air Fryer Donuts

This is my lazy-girl, feel-good version of vegan donuts made in the air fryer — pillowy, lightly crisp, and dangerously easy to dunk in glaze. They’re not perfect bakery replicas, but they’ve got that warm, slightly chewy center and a fast crisp outside that makes mornings feel indulgent without the stovetop oil mess.

My little family loses their minds over these. My kid calls them “the circle cookies” and will negotiate extra screen time for a second donut, and my husband waltzes in from the garage like it’s a donut alarm. Once I made a double batch on a Saturday and hid half in the freezer; he found them three days later and announced it was the best surprise since Christmas. We’ve turned these into weekend tradition food: Saturday chores, Sunday donuts.

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I’ve tried frying, baking, and air-frying these, and the air fryer wins for cleanup and consistency. Heads-up: the first time I tried piping the dough I was overconfident, and my donuts looked like abstract art. I learned to chill the dough a bit, roll gently, and use a small cookie cutter for the hole. Once I accidentally used tahini instead of oil (long story) and the flavor was oddly brilliant — try it if you’re brave. Also, don’t crowd the basket; the air needs to move or you’ll get sad floppy donuts.

Shopping Tips

– Baking Basics: Grab all-purpose flour that’s fresh — older flour can make baked goods flat and meh. If you’re using whole wheat, expect denser donuts.
– Fats & Oils: Neutral oil like canola or light olive oil keeps flavors honest; coconut oil adds sweetness and a hint of coconut if you’re into that.
– Sweeteners: Use granulated sugar for the dough and powdered sugar for smooth glazes. Coconut sugar works, but it darkens the dough and changes flavor.
– Flavor Boosts: Pure vanilla extract is worth the splurge here — it punches up the sweetness more than extra sugar does.
– Nuts & Seeds: If you’re topping with crushed nuts, pick roasted unsalted varieties for crunch without extra salt.

Prep Ahead Ideas

– Mix the dry ingredients and store them in an airtight bag; add wet ingredients and knead when you’re ready to bake.
– Make the glaze a day ahead and keep it refrigerated in a jar — give it a good whisk before glazing.
– You can shape the donuts and freeze them on a tray, then transfer to a freezer bag. Air-fry straight from frozen, adding a couple extra minutes.
– Use shallow airtight containers for storage so the glaze doesn’t smoosh the tops while chilling.

✔Time-Saving Tricks

– Use a stand mixer or hand mixer to combine dough faster and with less arm power.
– If you’re in a real rush, use vegan canned biscuit dough as a shortcut — slightly different texture, but still delicious.
– Preheat the air fryer while you shape the donuts so they start crisping immediately.
– Make a simple powdered sugar glaze (powdered sugar + non-dairy milk + splash of vanilla) instead of complicated icings.

✔Common Mistakes

– Overcrowding the basket — I did this once and ended up with steamed, saggy donuts. Fix: do smaller batches.
– Glaze too runny — add more powdered sugar a tablespoon at a time until it coats the back of a spoon.
– Donuts brown too fast — lower the temp by 10–20°F and give them a minute or two longer.
– Dough too sticky to work with — chill it for 15–30 minutes and flour your hands lightly.

What to Serve It With

– Strong coffee or a cinnamon latte for serious dunking action.
– A simple fruit salad or berries to cut the sweetness.
– Maple yogurt (dairy-free) for dipping if you want something tangy.
– Toasted nuts on the side for texture contrast.

✔Tips & Mistakes

– Don’t skip preheating the air fryer — it gives that first puff and crisp.
– If glaze shreds when you dunk, it’s too thin; add powdered sugar.
– Use parchment rounds under the donuts for easier transfer out of the basket.
– One time I forgot the vanilla — the family noticed. Don’t forget the vanilla.

✔Storage Tips

Store cooled donuts in an airtight container at room temp for 1–2 days; they’ll soften a bit. For longer life, freeze in a single layer and pop frozen donuts in the air fryer (3–4 minutes) to re-crisp. Cold donuts are okay for a midnight snack, but reheating brings back that bakery feeling — no shame in 8am donut reheats.

✔Variations and Substitutions

– Use whole wheat or spelt for nuttier flavor — expect denser texture and add a splash more non-dairy milk.
– Swap oil for applesauce for lower fat, but the outside won’t crisp as much.
– Maple or agave work great instead of sugar in the glaze; use less liquid if switching liquid sweeteners.
– For chocolate donuts, replace part of the flour with cocoa powder and add chocolate glaze or chips.
– If you’re out of flour, try a 50/50 mix with oat flour, but handle gently — oat flour can be crumbly.

Frequently Asked Questions

Easy Vegan Air Fryer Donuts

Fluffy, cake-style vegan donuts made fast in the air fryer. Mix, cut, and coat with cinnamon sugar or glaze.

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Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 12 minutes minutes

Total Time: 32 minutes minutes

Servings: 8

Ingredients

 

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Donut Dough

• ▢ 2 cup all-purpose flour
• ▢ 0.33 cup granulated sugar
• ▢ 2 tsp baking powder
• ▢ 0.5 tsp fine sea salt
• ▢ 0.25 tsp ground nutmeg optional but classic
• ▢ 0.67 cup unsweetened almond milk or oat milk
• ▢ 3 tbsp melted coconut oil or neutral oil
• ▢ 1.5 tsp vanilla extract
• ▢ 1 tsp apple cider vinegar

For Cooking

• ▢ 1 tsp neutral oil for misting basket and tops

Toppings (choose one)

• ▢ 0.5 cup granulated sugar for cinnamon sugar
• ▢ 1 tsp ground cinnamon for cinnamon sugar
• ▢ 2 tbsp vegan butter, melted for brushing before cinnamon sugar
• ▢ 0.75 cup powdered sugar for vanilla glaze
• ▢ 1.5 tbsp unsweetened almond milk for glaze; add more to thin
• ▢ 0.5 tsp vanilla extract for glaze

Instructions

Preparation Steps

• Preheat air fryer to 350°F. Lightly mist the basket with neutral oil.
• Whisk flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg in a mixing bowl.
• Stir almond milk, melted coconut oil, vanilla, and vinegar in a cup.
• Pour wet into dry. Fold just until a soft dough forms; avoid overmixing.
• Turn onto a lightly floured surface. Gently knead 3–4 times to smooth.
• Roll or pat dough to about 1/2 inch thick. Cut 8 donut rings; re-roll scraps.
• Arrange donuts in the basket with space. Mist tops lightly with oil.
• Air fry 4 minutes. Flip and cook 3–4 minutes more, until golden and set.
• Repeat with remaining donuts. Air fry holes for 3–4 minutes, if using.
• For cinnamon sugar: mix sugar and cinnamon. Brush donuts with melted vegan butter; toss to coat.
• For glaze: whisk powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla until smooth. Dip warm donuts; let set.

Notes

Variation: Add 1/2 tsp lemon zest to the dough for a bright twist, or top glazed donuts with sprinkles. Storage: Best day-of. Keep covered at room temperature up to 1 day; re-crisp in the air fryer at 320°F for 2 minutes.

This recipe is an original creation inspired by classic Easy Vegan Air Fryer Donuts flavors. All ingredient ratios and instructions are independently developed.