Irresistible Air Fryer Apple Cider Donut Holes: Your Ultimate Fall Treat!
Transform your kitchen into an autumnal haven with these delightful Air Fryer Apple Cider Donut Holes! Forget the mess of deep-frying; your air fryer makes baking these seasonal treats unbelievably easy, healthier, and just as delicious. Imagine tender, apple cider-infused donut holes, perfectly puffed and golden, then glazed with an extra layer of sweet, tangy apple cider goodness. It’s the quintessential fall dessert or breakfast treat, perfect for cozy mornings or sharing with loved ones.
If you’ve primarily used your air fryer for savory delights like crispy French fries or succulent chicken wings, prepare to unlock its sweet potential. These donut holes are a testament to the air fryer’s versatility, delivering a perfectly baked texture that rivals traditional donuts, without the excess oil. They embody the warm, comforting flavors of fall in every bite, making them an instant family favorite.
The star of this recipe, apple cider, shines through in every tender morsel, infusing the dough with its distinctively sweet and slightly tart flavor. And because we believe in maximizing that cozy apple essence, these donut holes are finished with a vibrant apple cider glaze, intensifying their rich taste. Get ready to impress with these simple yet sophisticated homemade treats!
Why These Apple Cider Donut Holes Will Become Your New Fall Obsession
Fall evokes images of crisp air, colorful leaves, and, of course, the irresistible aroma of apple cider. While I love sipping on a warm mug of cider or enjoying a refreshing cold glass, its true magic extends to baked goods. These Air Fryer Apple Cider Donut Holes are a prime example of how apple cider can elevate a simple treat into an extraordinary autumnal delight.
What makes this recipe stand out? Firstly, the air fryer itself. It offers a revolutionary way to enjoy “fried” treats without the guilt or the mess. Instead of submerging donuts in hot oil, the air fryer circulates hot air, baking them to golden perfection with a delightful crisp exterior and a wonderfully soft, moist interior. This method is not only healthier but also incredibly convenient, making homemade donuts accessible to everyone.
Secondly, the flavor profile is simply unparalleled. The dough is thoughtfully crafted with a blend of essential fall ingredients: fragrant apple cider, moist applesauce, a warm medley of pie spice, and a touch of apple cider vinegar for that perfect tang and lift. This combination ensures every bite delivers a harmonious symphony of sweet and spicy notes, reminiscent of apple orchards and cozy evenings. It’s a truly comforting and satisfying taste experience that captures the essence of the season.
Moreover, these donut holes are quick and easy to prepare. You don’t need to be an expert baker to achieve fantastic results. The process is straightforward, from mixing the batter to air frying and glazing. This makes them ideal for last-minute gatherings, weekend breakfasts, or simply when a craving for something sweet and autumnal strikes. You’ll love how effortlessly these come together, leaving you more time to savor their incredible flavor.
Essential Ingredients for Perfect Apple Cider Donut Holes
Crafting these delectable donut holes requires a thoughtful selection of ingredients, each playing a crucial role in developing their signature fall flavor and tender texture. Here’s what you’ll need, along with a bit about why each component is so important:
Dry Ingredients:
- All-Purpose Flour: The foundation of our donut holes, providing structure and a tender crumb. Ensure it’s measured correctly for the best texture.
- Granulated Sugar: Adds sweetness to the dough, balancing the tartness of the apple cider and enhancing the overall flavor.
- Baking Powder: Our leavening agent, crucial for those wonderfully puffed-up, light, and airy donut holes.
- Pie Spice: This is where the magic of fall truly comes alive! A blend typically including cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves, it infuses the donuts with warm, comforting aromas. You can also use just ground cinnamon for a simpler flavor.
- Salt: A pinch of salt is essential to enhance all the other flavors, making the sweetness brighter and the spices more pronounced.
Wet Ingredients:
- Apple Cider: The star! Fresh, unfiltered apple cider provides an unparalleled depth of apple flavor that apple juice simply can’t replicate. It contributes moisture and a natural sweetness that makes these donut holes so special.
- Unsweetened Applesauce: Adds extra apple flavor and moisture, helping to keep the donut holes tender and preventing them from drying out. Using cinnamon-flavored applesauce can further boost the spice notes.
- Unsalted Butter (Melted and Cooled): Contributes richness and a buttery tenderness to the dough. Melting it ensures it distributes evenly throughout the batter.
- Large Egg: Acts as a binder, adding structure, moisture, and richness to the donut holes.
- Apple Cider Vinegar: Don’t skip this! While it might seem unusual, a small amount of apple cider vinegar reacts with the baking powder, providing an extra lift and lightness to the donut holes. It also subtly enhances the apple flavor without making the donuts taste vinegary.
For the Glaze:
- Powdered Sugar: The base for our smooth, sweet glaze. It dissolves easily to create a velvety consistency.
- Pie Spice: A little extra pie spice in the glaze amplifies the warm, autumnal flavors, making each bite even more satisfying.
- Apple Cider: Instead of milk or water, we use apple cider in the glaze to double down on the apple flavor, creating a cohesive and intensely delicious experience.
For exact measurements and step-by-step instructions, please scroll down to the full recipe card below!
Essential Equipment for Air Fryer Donut Hole Perfection
While the ingredients are key, having the right tools makes the process of creating these Air Fryer Apple Cider Donut Holes smooth and enjoyable. Here’s a breakdown of the essential equipment you’ll need:
The Air Fryer
Of course, the star appliance is your air fryer! For this recipe, an oven-style air fryer is highly recommended over a smaller, basket-style model. The primary reason is size: you need an air fryer basket large enough to comfortably hold a silicone mold without crowding. This ensures even cooking and allows the donut holes to puff up beautifully.
I personally use and highly recommend the Ninja Foodi air fryer oven (affiliate link). It’s incredibly versatile and features a generously sized basket that’s perfect for baking larger batches of these donut holes, as well as all your other air fryer favorites like crispy French fries, quick taquitos, or zesty chicken wings. One of its best features is its space-saving design; it conveniently flips up and out of the way on your countertop when not in use, which is a huge bonus for smaller kitchens.
The Silicone Donut Hole Mold
This is the other indispensable piece of equipment for achieving perfectly shaped donut holes. I use a silicone mold (affiliate link) that measures approximately 11 ½” by 7″ and features 15 individual cavities. This size fits perfectly within the basket of my Ninja Foodi air fryer. Silicone molds are fantastic because they are non-stick, flexible, and make for incredibly easy release of the baked goods. They are also great for other treats like homemade candies or pecan clusters.
Tips for Choosing a Silicone Mold:
- Size: Ensure the mold fits comfortably flat in your air fryer basket without touching the sides or obstructing air circulation. Measure your air fryer basket before purchasing.
- Cavity Size: Molds with cavities designed for mini muffins or cake pops often work well for donut holes. Each cavity should ideally hold about 1 tablespoon of batter.
- Quality: Look for food-grade silicone that is heat-resistant and durable.
Other Handy Kitchen Tools:
- Large Mixing Bowls: For combining your wet and dry ingredients separately.
- Whisk: To ensure all ingredients are thoroughly mixed and lump-free.
- Rubber Spatula: Ideal for gently folding wet into dry ingredients, preventing overmixing.
- Spring-Loaded Cookie Scoop: This is a game-changer for neatly and evenly portioning the batter into the silicone mold cavities, ensuring uniform donut hole size and consistent baking.
- Wire Cooling Rack: Essential for cooling the donut holes evenly after air frying and for allowing the glaze to set properly without sticking. Place a tray or parchment paper underneath for easy cleanup.
- Tongs: Useful for carefully handling the hot silicone mold and turning the donut holes in the air fryer basket.
- Small Bowl (for glaze): For whisking together your powdered sugar and apple cider glaze.
- Two Forks (for glazing): These make dipping and coating the donut holes in glaze much easier and less messy.
With these tools at your disposal, you’re all set to create batch after batch of deliciously tender and flavorful Air Fryer Apple Cider Donut Holes!
Step-by-Step Guide: Crafting Your Apple Cider Donut Holes in the Air Fryer
Making these delightful apple cider donut holes in your air fryer is a surprisingly simple process, and the dough comes together in just minutes. Follow these easy steps to achieve perfectly baked, flavorful results:
Step 1: Prepare Your Wet and Dry Ingredients
Melt the Butter: Start by melting your unsalted butter in a small microwave-safe bowl. Once melted, set it aside to cool slightly while you prepare the other ingredients. This prevents it from scrambling the egg when combined.
Combine Dry Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, fragrant pie spice, and salt. Ensure they are well combined to distribute the leavening and spices evenly throughout the dough.
Mix Wet Ingredients: In a separate medium bowl, combine the applesauce, apple cider, apple cider vinegar, and the large egg. Once the melted butter has cooled to room temperature, add it to this wet mixture. Whisk everything together thoroughly until all the wet ingredients are well combined and smooth.
Gently folding wet ingredients into the dry mixture until just combined. Combine Wet and Dry: Pour the wet ingredient mixture into the bowl with the dry ingredients. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold the ingredients together until they are just combined. Be careful not to overmix, as this can lead to tough donut holes. A few lumps are perfectly fine!
Step 2: Air Fry the Donut Holes
Fill the Silicone Mold: Use a spring-loaded cookie scoop (about 1 tablespoon in size) to portion the dough evenly into each cavity of your silicone donut hole mold. Filling them uniformly helps ensure they bake consistently.
Precisely filled silicone mold, ready for its air fryer debut. First Air Fry Cycle: Carefully place the filled silicone mold flat into your air fryer basket. Set your air fryer to 350°F (175°C) and air fry for 8 minutes. During this time, you’ll observe the dough beautifully puffing up and beginning to set.
The donut holes proudly puffing up in the silicone mold during their initial air fry. Invert and Finish Baking: Once the initial 8 minutes are complete, carefully remove the hot silicone mold from the air fryer. Using a pair of tongs, gently invert the mold to release the partially baked donut holes directly onto the air fryer basket. You might need to lightly press on the back of each semi-circle with the tongs to help them pop out. Arrange the donut holes in a single layer, scattered across the basket, allowing air to circulate around them.
Partially baked donut holes released onto the air fryer basket for the final crisping. Second Air Fry Cycle: Return the basket to the air fryer and continue air frying for an additional 2 to 4 minutes. Cooking times can vary slightly between air fryer models, so for your first batch, it’s wise to sacrifice one donut hole by cutting into it after 2 minutes to check for doneness. They should be cooked through with edges that are just lightly golden brown and slightly crusty, providing a wonderful contrast to the tender interior.
Golden air fryer donut holes cooling on a wire rack, ready for their sweet glaze. Cooling: Transfer the finished donut holes from the air fryer basket to a wire cooling rack. Repeat the process with the remaining dough. With a 15-cavity mold, you’ll likely complete 3 batches, yielding about 45 donut holes. It’s crucial to allow the donut holes to cool completely on the rack (at least 30 minutes) before glazing. This prevents the glaze from melting and ensures a beautiful, set finish.
The Perfect Apple Cider Glaze: A Sweet and Tangy Finish
Once your air-fried apple cider donut holes are completely cool, it’s time for the final, irresistible touch: the apple cider glaze! This simple glaze adds another layer of concentrated apple flavor and a beautiful sheen that makes these treats even more appealing.
Making the Glaze:
In a small mixing bowl, combine the powdered sugar with your chosen pie spice. Whisk them together until any lumps of sugar are broken up. Then, gradually add the apple cider, whisking continuously until you achieve a smooth, pourable, yet thick consistency. You want the glaze to coat the donut holes nicely, not run off completely. If it’s too thick, add a tiny bit more apple cider; if too thin, add a small spoonful of powdered sugar.
Glazing the Donut Holes:
Prepare your glazing station by placing a wire rack over a baking sheet or a piece of parchment paper. This will catch any excess glaze and make cleanup a breeze.
Take each cooled donut hole and carefully dip it into the apple cider glaze. I find it easiest to use two forks: one to lower the donut hole into the glaze and gently roll it around to ensure all sides are coated, and the other to lift it out. Allow any excess glaze to drip off back into the bowl before placing the glazed donut hole onto the prepared wire rack.
Continue this process until all your delicious apple cider donut holes are glazed. Let them sit on the wire rack for at least 15-30 minutes, or until the glaze has completely dried and set. This creates a beautiful, slightly crispy outer shell that locks in the moisture and flavor.
Once the glaze is set, your Air Fryer Apple Cider Donut Holes are ready to be served and enjoyed! The delicate balance of tender cake and sweet, spiced glaze makes them an absolutely irresistible treat for any fall occasion.
Expert Tips and Frequently Asked Questions for Air Fryer Donut Holes
To ensure your Air Fryer Apple Cider Donut Holes turn out perfectly every time, here are some expert tips and answers to common questions:
While fresh apple cider offers the best, most authentic flavor, it is often a seasonal item and not always readily available. If you can’t find it, you have a couple of excellent alternatives. You can use regular apple juice (preferably unsweetened or low-sugar to control sweetness) for a milder apple flavor. Alternatively, sparkling apple cider can also work, adding a slight effervescence to the dough, though ensure it’s not too carbonated as it might affect the texture. The key is to get that apple essence into the batter and glaze.
Absolutely! My preferred silicone mold features cavities that hold about 1 tablespoon of batter, which creates a perfect bite-sized donut hole. If your mold has slightly larger cavities, the recipe will still work beautifully. The main adjustment will be to the cooking time. After the initial 8-minute air frying cycle, when you flip the donut holes onto the basket, be sure to closely monitor them during the final 2-4 minute stage. For your first batch, test a larger donut hole by cutting it open to ensure it’s cooked through. Larger sizes might need an extra minute or two. Conversely, if you use a smaller mold, reduce the final cooking time slightly.
These donut holes are best enjoyed fresh, but they can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2-3 days. For longer storage, you can keep them in the refrigerator for up to a week. If refrigerated, allow them to come to room temperature or gently warm them before serving for the best texture and flavor.
Yes, you can! You can prepare the dough and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours. When ready to bake, let the dough sit at room temperature for about 15-20 minutes before scooping into the mold and proceeding with the air frying instructions. The baked and cooled donut holes can also be made a day in advance and glazed just before serving.
While the silicone mold is ideal for consistent donut hole shapes, you can get creative! You could try using a mini muffin tin, filling each cavity about two-thirds full. The cooking time might need slight adjustment, likely similar to the donut holes. Alternatively, you could shape small balls of dough by hand and place them directly into the air fryer basket (ensure they don’t touch) – though the shape won’t be as uniform. Always use parchment paper if placing dough directly on the basket without a mold.
Absolutely! For a classic donut hole experience, instead of glazing, you can toss the warm (but not hot) donut holes in a mixture of granulated sugar and cinnamon. Typically, a ratio of ½ cup sugar to 1-2 teaspoons of ground cinnamon works well. Simply place the sugar-cinnamon mixture in a shallow bowl or a paper bag and gently shake the donut holes to coat them thoroughly. This provides a wonderfully aromatic and textured finish.
Beyond Donut Holes: Exploring More Air Fryer Delights & Fall Flavors
Once you’ve mastered these delightful Air Fryer Apple Cider Donut Holes, you’ll undoubtedly be inspired to explore more creative uses for your air fryer and delve deeper into comforting fall flavors. The versatility of the air fryer knows no bounds, making it a fantastic tool for everything from savory snacks to sweet treats.
If these charming donut holes have sparked a love for breakfast experiments, why not take it a step further? For another super-fun and unique variation on donuts, try making your own homemade donut cereal! It’s an adorable and delicious way to start your day, turning a classic treat into a playful breakfast experience.
And for those moments when a full-sized donut craving strikes, don’t despair! While these donut holes are perfect for a quick bite, a truly indulgent experience might call for something more substantial. Consider whipping up some rich chocolate-filled donuts to fully satisfy that sweet tooth. The contrast of a soft, fluffy donut with a luscious chocolate center is pure bliss.
But the air fryer’s capabilities extend far beyond just donuts. It’s an incredible appliance for preparing a wide array of dishes, making cooking quicker, cleaner, and often healthier. From crispy appetizers to perfectly cooked proteins and even other baked goods, your air fryer is a culinary powerhouse waiting to be explored.
More Irresistible Recipes to Elevate Your Culinary Adventures
If you’ve enjoyed the ease and deliciousness of these Air Fryer Apple Cider Donut Holes, you’ll love these other fantastic recipes that promise flavor, fun, and often, the magic of your air fryer or the cozy embrace of fall!
- Caramel Apple Cider (Vodka Cocktail)
- Air Fryer Banana Bread
- Air Fryer Coconut Shrimp
- Pineapple Carrot Cake
📖 Recipe Card: Air Fryer Apple Cider Donut Holes
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Air Fryer Apple Cider Donut Holes
Use apple cider and cinnamon flavored apple sauce to give these donut holes a burst of fall flavor, straight from your air fryer!
Ingredients
- 2 ¼ cups flour all-purpose
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 4 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons pie spice
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup applesauce cinnamon or plain
- ½ cup apple cider
- ¼ cup butter unsalted
- 1 egg large
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
Glaze
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon pie spice
- ¼ cup apple cider
Instructions
- In a small to medium bowl, melt the butter and set it aside to cool.¼ cup butter
- In a large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients: flour, sugar, baking powder, pie spice, and salt.2 ¼ cups flour, 2 tablespoons sugar, 4 teaspoons baking powder, 1 ½ teaspoons pie spice, ½ teaspoon salt
- When the melted butter has cooled some, add the applesauce, apple cider, vinegar, and egg to the bowl. Whisk until the wet ingredients are well combined.½ cup applesauce, ½ cup apple cider, 1 egg, 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- Using a spatula, add the wet ingredients to the dry and stir until just combined.
- Use a spring-loaded cookie scoop to fill the silicone mold with one tablespoon of batter in each spot. Once filled, place the silicone mold in the air fryer basket.
- Air fry the donut holes for 8 minutes at 350F. When the time is up, invert the silicone mold and turn out the donut holes onto the air fryer basket.
- Air fry an additional 2-4 minutes, until donut holes are cooked through and the edges are just slightly golden brown.
- Remove donut holes from basket to a wire rack. Repeat making donut holes with the remaining batter.
- Allow donut holes to cool completely before adding glaze (about 30 minutes).
Apple Cider Glaze
- In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar and pie spice. Add the apple cider and whisk until the glaze is smooth.2 cups powdered sugar, ½ teaspoon pie spice, ¼ cup apple cider
- Dip each cooled donut hole into the glaze, rolling to cover all sides. Set on a wire rack to allow the glaze to dry before eating.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition values are estimates only, using online calculators. Please verify using your own data.