Air Fryer Cinnamon Donuts (Print Version)

Quick, soft donut bites coated with cinnamon sugar, made effortlessly in the air fryer for a tasty snack.

# What You Need:

→ Donut Dough

01 - 1 cup all-purpose flour
02 - 1/4 cup granulated sugar
03 - 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
04 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
05 - 1/3 cup milk
06 - 1 large egg
07 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
08 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

→ Cinnamon Sugar Topping

09 - 1/4 cup granulated sugar
10 - 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
11 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted (for brushing)

# How To Make:

01 - Whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl.
02 - Whisk milk, egg, melted butter, and vanilla extract in a separate bowl until well blended.
03 - Add wet ingredients to dry and stir just until combined without overmixing.
04 - Lightly grease hands and shape dough into 16 equal balls, about 1 tablespoon each.
05 - Preheat air fryer to 350°F (175°C) for 3 minutes.
06 - Place dough balls in a single layer in the air fryer basket, spacing them slightly apart. Cook in batches if necessary.
07 - Cook for 7 to 8 minutes, shaking the basket halfway through, until golden brown and cooked through.
08 - Brush each warm donut bite with melted butter immediately after air frying.
09 - Combine cinnamon and sugar in a shallow bowl and toss donut bites until evenly coated.
10 - Serve immediately for optimal texture and flavor.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • No oil splatters, no stovetop chaos—just perfectly golden donut bites in under 10 minutes of actual cooking.
  • That warm-from-the-fryer texture is impossible to resist, especially when the cinnamon sugar is still melting into every crevice.
  • Makes 16 bites, so there's enough to share but honestly, no one will judge if you eat them all while they're warm.
02 -
  • Don't skip preheating the air fryer—those 3 minutes make the difference between fluffy interiors and dense centers.
  • Brush the bites with butter while they're hot, not after they cool; warm bites grab the butter and the cinnamon sugar sticks like it's meant to be.
  • Overmixing the batter is the silent killer of tender donuts—stir just until combined and walk away.
03 -
  • Keep your cinnamon sugar mixture in a small shallow bowl specifically for tossing—it's faster and less messy than coating them one by one.
  • If your bites stick slightly to the basket, a light spray of cooking oil on the basket before adding the dough makes cleanup instant and prevents sticking.
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