When I often think about what my last meal would be, the one thing I know for sure, is that donuts would be involved. These easy vegan air fryer donuts are a little more on the guilt-free end. Not that I ever feel guilty about eating a donut anyway. These super simple yeast donuts do not require any deep frying and I just love that about them. Don’t get me wrong, I love a fried donut, but deep frying is such a chore and makes such a mess. This recipe will make about a dozen donuts, plus the donut holes. Then you can dip them in a vanilla glaze or into the glaze and then cinnamon sugar. Or honestly any icing you want!
What You Need For These Fluffy Vegan Yeast Donuts:
- Non-dairy Milk: I like to use oat milk, you just need to warm it up.
- Active Dry Yeast: Of course this is to create those fluffy donuts we all love.
- Organic Cane Sugar and Salt: To flavor the dough.
- Cornstarch and All Purpose Flour: I’m using the cornstarch in this recipe as an egg replacer. It helps to thicken the dough.
- Coconut Oil: Melted and added to the dough.
- Powdered Sugar and Cinnamon: To create the glaze or coating.
I know some people are savory breakfast people. I, however, love a sweet breakfast. Don’t get me wrong, sometimes I just really want a savory breakfast sandwich. The times that I really want something sweet, these easy vegan air fryer donuts come to the rescue. Very few ingredients, super easy and fun to make. Plus, no heating oil or trying to fry anything and making a big mess! They are so magical. If you told someone they were deep fried, I’m pretty sure they would believe you.
How To Make These Easy Donuts:
- Bloom the yeast: sprinkle the yeast into warm plant milk. Sprinkle the sugar over the yeast, then let is bubble and get frothy.
- Add the Salt and Coconut Oil: once the yeast has bloomed, you want to pour the salt and melted coconut oil into the bowl.
- Pour in the Cornstarch and the Flour: add the cornstarch and start the dough hook, then add the flour a little at a time until everything is fully combined and creates a smooth non-sticky dough ball.
- First Rise: let the dough rise for about an hour or until doubled in size.
- Roll out and Cut Donuts: Roll the dough out on a floured surface to about 1/2 inch thick. Cut out donuts and donut holes.
- Second Rise: let the cut out donuts rise for about 30 minutes.
- Air Fry: air fry for only 3 to 4 minutes or until golden brown.
- Glaze: make the glaze and then dip your fresh hot donuts in the glaze.
- Eat: eat them hot fresh donuts, they are incredible!
Easy Vegan Air Fryer Donuts
Ingredients
- 1 Cup Warm Non-dairy milk, I used oat milk(about 110 degrees F)
- 2 1/4 teaspoon Active dry yeast
- 1/4 Cup Organic cane sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon Salt
- 1/4 Cup Coconut oil, melted
- 2 Tablespoons Cornstarch
- 2 1/2 Cups All purpose flour
Glaze
- 1 1/2 Cups Powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla
- 2-3 Tablespoons Non-dairy milk to thin out
Cinnamon Sugar
- 1/3 Cup Organic cane sugar
- 1 Tablespoon Cinnamon
Instructions
- Pour the warm milk into the bowl of a stand mixer.
- Sprinkle the yeast and then the sugar into the milk. Gently stir.
- Let the yeast bloom for about 5 minutes. It should get very bubbly and frothy looking.
- Then pour in the salt and coconut oil. Put the dough hook attachment onto the stand mixer and begin mixing.
- Add the cornstarch and then begin adding the flour about 1/2 cup at a time, letting the dough hook mix until the dough comes together and forms a ball.
- Then let the dough hook knead the dough for 1 to 2 minutes or until the dough is smooth and no longer sticky.
- Remove the dough ball from the bowl and then spray the bowl with non-stick spray. Put the dough back in the bowl. Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel and then let the dough rise in a warm place for 45 to 60 minutes or until the dough has doubled in size.
- Punch the dough down and then turn it out onto a floured surface. Roll the dough out until it is about 1/2 an inch thick.
- Cut the dough into circles with a biscuit cutter or cup. Then cut small circles out of the center to form the donuts. Save the donut holes, you can air fry them too.
- You should get 12 to 14 donuts and donut holes. Leave them on the counter where you rolled them out. Cover them all with a kitchen towel. Let them rise for 25 to 30 minutes.
- Spray the basket of an air fryer with non-stick spray. Then place a few donuts and donut holes into the air fryer at a time. Spray the tops of the donuts with more non-stick spray.
- Air fry the donuts at 390 degrees(F), for 3 to 4 minutes or until they are golden brown. Repeat with all the donuts.
- Make the glaze, whisk together the powdered sugar, vanilla and milk until smooth. Dip the donuts into the glaze and leave as is, or…
- Stir together the cinnamon and sugar and glaze the donuts and then coat in the cinnamon a sugar. Then eat!
Video
Nutrition
These look delicious! Unfortunately, i can’t use coconut oil. Can I substitute another oil?
Totally, any vegetable oil will work, or melted vegan butter!
Hi Lauren,
These look delish!
I don’t have a stand mixer so can I still make these?
Is cornstarch the same as cornflour (Australia)?
Thanks, Natalie
Hi! Yes, you would just need to add everything to a mixing bowl and then stir everything together with a spatula or spoon. Then once the dough starts to come together, you can knead it by hand! I hope that makes sense. And yes, cornstarch is the same as cornflour. It is fine corn powder used for thickening. I believe that you call it cornflour and we call it cornstach!
These were so good and really easy. I made some with just the vanilla glaze and some cinnamon sugar!
Nice recipe
They were super good but nothing like the picture. I can’t ever seem to do yeasted dessert justice. At least they tasted good!