Friends at the door and nothing to serve? These air fryer donuts are on the table in 20 minutes flat

There is a particular kind of mild panic that comes with an unexpected knock at the door – friends dropping in, the kettle not yet on, and absolutely nothing in the house that looks like morning tea. The air fryer is about to solve that problem entirely. These donuts require no yeast, no proving time, no deep frying, and no special equipment beyond a mixing bowl and a machine you already own. Start to finish, they take around 20 minutes. By the time the tea has brewed, the donuts are warm, golden and rolled in cinnamon sugar on the plate. Here are three versions to suit whatever is in your pantry.

The magic of the two-ingredient dough

All three recipes below start from the same simple base: self-raising flour and Greek yoghurt. The yoghurt acts as the leavening agent – no yeast, no eggs, no butter required. The result is a soft, cakey donut with a lightly crisp exterior that takes beautifully to glazing or rolling in sugar. The dough is sticky; that is normal and correct. Resist the urge to add too much extra flour, or the donuts will turn out dense and bready.

Line your air fryer basket with baking paper before cooking – it prevents sticking and makes clean-up a one-second job.

Classic cinnamon sugar donuts
Ready in 20 minutes | Makes 8

Ingredients – dough:

1 cup (140g) self-raising flour, plus extra for dusting
¾ cup (200g) plain or vanilla Greek yoghurt

For coating:

2 tablespoons melted butter
¼ cup caster sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Method:

Preheat air fryer to 180°C.
In a large bowl, mix flour and yoghurt together with a spatula until a rough dough forms. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead briefly until smooth.
Divide into 8 pieces. Roll each piece into a rope about 18cm long, then join the ends and pinch together to form a ring.
Line air fryer basket with baking paper. Place 3–4 donuts in the basket, leaving space between each.
Air fry for 7–8 minutes until firm on the outside and just cooked through. They will look pale – that is fine.
While warm, brush each donut with melted butter, then roll in the cinnamon sugar mixture until well coated.
Serve immediately.

Vanilla glaze donuts
Ready in 20 minutes | Makes 8

For when you want something that looks a little more polished for the plate.

Ingredients — dough:

1 cup (140g) self-raising flour, plus extra for dusting
¾ cup (200g) vanilla Greek yoghurt

For the glaze:

1 cup icing sugar, sifted
2–3 tablespoons milk
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Optional: sprinkles, crushed pistachios or shredded coconut for topping

Method:

Preheat air fryer to 180°C.
Mix flour and yoghurt together, knead briefly, divide and shape into rings as per Recipe 1.
Air fry for 7–8 minutes until just cooked.
While donuts cool for 5 minutes, whisk together icing sugar, milk and vanilla until smooth and pourable. Add milk gradually — you want a thick glaze that coats the back of a spoon.
Dip the top of each donut into the glaze, let the excess drip off, then place on a wire rack.
Top with sprinkles, coconut or crushed pistachios if using. Allow glaze to set for 5 minutes before serving.

Donut holes with chocolate dipping sauce
Ready in 15 minutes | Makes 12–14

The quickest version – no shaping required, and children and grandchildren will love them.

Ingredients — dough:

1 cup (140g) self-raising flour
¾ cup (200g) plain Greek yoghurt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Oil spray

For the chocolate sauce:

½ cup dark chocolate chips
3 tablespoons thickened cream

Method:

Preheat air fryer to 180°C. Line basket with baking paper and spray lightly with oil.
Mix flour, yoghurt and vanilla together to form a sticky dough.
With lightly oiled hands, roll tablespoon-sized portions of dough into balls. Place in the air fryer basket with space between each.
Air fry for 6-8 minutes until golden and just firm to touch.
While the donut holes cook, place chocolate chips and cream in a small microwave-safe bowl. Microwave in 30-second bursts, stirring between each, until smooth and glossy.
Serve donut holes warm with the chocolate sauce alongside for dipping.

Tips for success

Keep the dough sticky. A sticky dough makes a soft, fluffy donut. Too much flour makes bread.

Don’t overbake. Pale is fine – if they look golden, they are likely overcooked. Check at 6 minutes.

Glaze while warm. The coating sticks much better to a warm donut. Have your cinnamon sugar or glaze ready before the donuts come out.

Eat them fresh. These are best eaten within an hour of cooking. They do not keep well — but in our experience, they rarely get the chance to.