Love at First Bite: Air Fryer Donuts Recipe for Valentine's Day

February 9, 2024

Bread Machine and Air Fryer Donuts aka Paczki

4 Servings

This Valentine's Day, delight your loved ones with a delectable treat by preparing Air Fryer Donuts, a guilt-free and irresistible dessert that's perfect for celebrating love and togetherness. These homemade donuts are not only delicious but also quick and easy to make, making them an ideal choice for a romantic Valentine's Day celebration. PREP: 10 minutes OVEN-STYLE AIR FRYER: 5-7 minutes TOTAL: 15-17 minutes STORAGE: Refrigerate for up to 3 days

EQUIPMENT

1½ or 2 lb (680 or 900 g) bread machine Measuring cups and spoons Dough cutter Oven-style air fryer or 8-quart (7.57 L) electric pressure cooker–air fryer combo Trivet and the bottom of a springform pan if using a combo-style air fryer Cooling rack Pastry brush Medium freezer bag Icing piper with long nozzle with wide opening

INGREDIENTS

²⁄3 cup (160 mL) milk ¼ cup (60 mL) sugar 3 tablespoons (45 mL) vegetable oil 2 egg yolks ½ teaspoon (2.5 mL) vanilla extract 1¾ cups (415 mL) all-purpose flour (plus four for rolling) ¼ teaspoon (1.25 mL) salt 2 teaspoons (10 mL) instant yeast 1 tablespoon (15 mL) melted unsalted butter 1/3 cup (80 mL) icing sugar, in the freezer bag 1 cup (250 mL) strawberry jam (or your jam, custard, or filling of choice) Tip: If you don’t have icing bags, you can cut a slit into the side of each doughnut and fill it using a small spoon. Note that if you let the doughnuts sit for any amount of time or freeze them, the icing sugar will form a glaze and they will no longer be powdered doughnuts.

RECIPE

Add the milk, sugar, oil, egg yolks, and vanilla extract to the bread machine.
Add the flour and salt on top of the wet ingredients.
Make a dent in the flour and add the yeast in the dent.
Program the bread machine for the Dough cycle. Press Start.
Let it do its thing, including leaving it for the entire rise time.
Once the dough is ready, on a floured surface, gently roll the dough into a log about 7.5 cm (3 inches) in diameter. Be careful not to overly deflate the dough.
Cut the log into 12 pieces of equal size.

If using an oven-style air fryer:

Using the Bake setting, set to 375°F (190°C) for 5 minutes. Let the oven preheat.
Place 6 doughnuts per tray.
When the Add Food indicator goes off, place one tray with doughnuts on the bottom rung of the oven.
Cook for 3–5 minutes, until golden brown.
Remove the cooked doughnuts and place them on a cooling rack.
Repeat steps 1–5.

If using an electric pressure cooker–air fryer combo:

Put the bottom of a springform pan on a trivet in the bottom of the inner pot. Place 6 doughnuts on the pan.
Place the air frying lid.
Using the Bake setting, air fry at 375°F (190°C) for 10–12 minutes, until golden brown.
Remove the cooked doughnuts and place them on a cooling rack.
Repeat steps 1–4.

To powder and finish the doughnuts:

Brush the doughnuts with the melted butter.
In the freezer bag containing the icing sugar, roll each buttered doughnut to cover it with sugar. Place each powdered doughnut on the cooling rack.
Prepare the icing bag by affixing the nozzle. Place the jam (or filling of choice) in the icing bag.
Push the nozzle into the side of a doughnut. Squeeze the jam into the doughnut. The jam will start seeping out of the doughnut when it’s filled. Repeat until all the doughnuts are filled.