Air Fryer Recipe: Goji-Cinnamon Doughnut Holes

 

Air Fryer Recipe: Goji-Cinnamon Doughnut Holes

These doughnut holes offer a delightful textural experience, starting with a slightly crisp exterior yielding to a soft and fluffy interior. The sweetness of the dough is present but not overpowering, allowing the subtle chewy sweetness and slight tartness of the goji berries to shine through. The cinnamon sugar coating adds a classic warm and comforting flavour that ties everything together. It's a balanced and interesting flavour profile, where the familiar comfort of a doughnut meets the subtle intrigue of the goji berry, creating a unique and satisfying bite.

Yields: Approximately 18-24 doughnut holes

Prep time: 20 minutes (plus 1 hour rise time)

Cook time: 8-10 minutes

Ingredients:

For the Doughnut Holes:

• 1 cup (120g) all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 large egg, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup milk, lukewarm
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
• 1/4 cup dried goji berries, finely chopped

For the Cinnamon Sugar Coating:

• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted¹ (for brushing)

Equipment:

• Large mixing bowl
• Small mixing bowl
• Whisk
• Rubber spatula
• Clean kitchen towel
• Rolling pin
• Small round cookie cutter or piping tip (about 1-inch diameter)
• Air fryer
• Shallow dish

Instructions:

1. Combine Dry Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar.
2. Combine Wet Ingredients: In a separate small bowl, whisk together the egg and lukewarm milk. Stir in the melted and slightly cooled butter.
3. Form the Dough: Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir with a rubber spatula until just combined. Be careful not to over-mix. Gently fold in the finely chopped goji berries. The dough will be slightly sticky.
4. First Rise: Lightly flour a clean surface. Turn the dough out onto the floured surface and gently knead it a few times until it comes together in a slightly smoother ball (it will still be a bit tacky). Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, turning to coat. Cover the bowl with a clean kitchen towel and let it rise in a warm place for about 1 hour, or until doubled in size.
5. Shape the Doughnut Holes: Gently punch down the risen dough. Lightly flour your work surface again and roll the dough out to about 1/2-inch thickness. Use a small round cookie cutter or a large piping tip to cut out doughnut holes. Re-roll any scraps and cut out more holes until all the dough is used.
6. Prepare Cinnamon Sugar: In a shallow dish, whisk together the granulated sugar and ground cinnamon. In another small bowl, melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter.
7. Preheat Air Fryer: Preheat your air fryer to 350°F (175°C) for 3 minutes.
8. Air Fry the Doughnut Holes: Carefully place the doughnut holes in a single layer in the preheated air fryer basket, ensuring they are not touching. You may need to cook them in batches.
9. Cook Until Golden: Air fry for 8-10 minutes, flipping them halfway through, until they are golden brown and puffed up.
10. Coat in Cinnamon Sugar: Immediately after removing the doughnut holes from the air fryer, brush each one lightly with the melted butter and then toss them generously in the cinnamon sugar mixture until well coated.
11. Serve Warm: These Goji-Cinnamon Doughnut Holes are best enjoyed warm.

Tips for Success:

• Don't Over-mix the Dough: Over-mixing will develop the gluten too much, resulting in tough doughnut holes. Mix until just combined.
• Ensure Lukewarm Milk: The milk should be warm to activate the yeast in traditional doughnut recipes (though this recipe is baking powder-based, lukewarm liquid still helps with dough texture). If it's too hot, it can cook the egg.
• Finely Chop the Goji Berries: Finely chopping the goji berries ensures they are evenly distributed throughout the dough and don't create large lumps.
• Don't Overcrowd the Air Fryer: Cook the doughnut holes in batches, ensuring there's space around each one for even cooking and browning.
• Brush with Butter Before Coating: The melted butter helps the cinnamon sugar adhere well to the warm doughnut holes.
• Serve Immediately: Air-fried doughnuts are best enjoyed fresh and warm. They tend to lose some of their crispness as they cool.
• Optional Glaze: For an extra touch of sweetness, you can whisk together powdered sugar with a little milk or lemon juice to make a simple glaze and drizzle it over the cinnamon-sugar coated doughnut holes.
• Adjust Sweetness: If you prefer less sweetness, you can reduce the amount of sugar in the dough or the cinnamon sugar coating.
• Experiment with Spices: Feel free to add a pinch of nutmeg or cardamom to the dough for extra flavour complexity.