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    Home » Simple Vegan Recipes » Air Fryer Recipes

    Easy Churro-Style Air Fryer Donut Holes (Chonut Holes!)

    Last Modified: Sep 13, 2022 by Becky Striepe

    Disclosure: This post may contain Amazon affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. See my Privacy Policy for more details.

    Recipe Video Print
    image collage showing an air fryer donut hole with a bite taken out and a stack of them on a plate. Text overlay.
    image collage showing the dough in the mixing bowl, the cinnamon and sugar in a small bowl, rolling the dough balls in cinnamon sugar, and the finished doughnut holes on a plate

    Churro-inspired, vegan air fryer donut holes are sweet and cakey with a crunchy cinnamon-sugar coating. A perfect treat with coffee or tea!

    plate of vegan air fryer donut holes with cinnamon sticks on the table next to them

    Just like those air fryer falafel balls, these air fryer donut holes are another reader request.

    I was kind of waffling about what kind of donut holes to make, then I watched the episode of Broad City where Abbi waits all day for a Churron. I'm not a big macaron person, but that episode got churros on my brain.

    Clearly, I needed to make chonut holes a reality!

    Jump To:
    • Recipe notes
    • Storage directions
    • Air Fryer Donut Holes Recipe
    • Frequently asked questions

    Churros are also total nostalgia food for me. That crunchy, cinnamon-sugar coating transports me back to the ice skating rink where my friends and I liked to hang out in middle school. That's where I had my first churro.

    Recipe notes

    The base for these air fryer donut holes is a cake donut with just a little touch of cinnamon. Then, you roll them in plenty of cinnamon sugar just before air frying.

    They're very simple to make! Just mix up the dough, roll into balls, coat in that cinnamon-sugar goodness, and air fry to perfection.

    Before you arrange the donut holes in the basket, though, make sure that you line it with parchment paper. I must have made these half a dozen times, trying to keep them from sticking, and parchment paper is the answer. Don't skip it.

    image collage showing the dough in the mixing bowl, the cinnamon and sugar in a small bowl, rolling the dough balls in cinnamon sugar, and the finished doughnut holes on a plate

    It's also critical that you do NOT shake these. The dough is not runny, but it is soft. If you shake during cooking, your donut holes will lose their cute, round shape.

    The not-shaking is part of the reason that you need the parchment paper. It's all that's preventing these vegan donut holes from sticking to the air fryer basket.

    Storage directions

    Leftovers will keep for three to five days in an airtight container on the countertop.

    hand holding an air fryer donut hole with a bite taken out, so you can see the inside of it

    Make sure that these are completely cool before you seal them into the container. If you close the lid while they're warm, it will cause condensation to form, which can lead to spoilage.

    plate of vegan air fryer donut holes with cinnamon sticks on the table next to them

    Air Fryer Donut Holes Recipe

    Churro-inspired, vegan air fryer donut holes are sweet and cakey with a crunchy cinnamon-sugar coating. A perfect treat with coffee or tea!
    Prevent your screen from going dark
    5 from 3 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Dessert
    Cuisine: Air Fryer, Vegan
    Keyword: air fryer donut holes
    Prep Time: 15 minutes
    Cook Time: 6 minutes
    Chilling time: 1 hour
    Total Time: 1 hour 21 minutes
    Servings: 6
    Calories: 158kcal
    Author: Becky Striepe

    Ingredients

    • 1 cup white all purpose flour
    • ¼ cup organic sugar
    • 1 teaspoon baking powder
    • ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • 2 tablespoons aquafaba - I have used white bean and chickpea to make these, and both worked great!
    • 1 tablespoon melted coconut oil
    • ¼ cup soy or almond milk
    • 2 teaspoons cinnamon
    • 2 tablespoons sugar

    Instructions

    • In a large bowl, combine the flour, ¼ cup of sugar, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. Mix well.
    • Add the aquafaba, coconut oil, and soy milk. Mix well. I had the best results when I mixed with a fork, then got in with clean hands to knead the dough together for a few seconds when it got too stiff to beat with a fork. When you’re done, you should have a ball of slightly sticky dough.
    • Stick the bowl of dough into the refrigerator for at least an hour. You can even make the dough the night before. If you do this, store in an airtight container.
    • In a shallow bowl, mix together the cinnamon and remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar. Set this aside.
    • Cut a piece of parchment paper so it covers some of the bottom of your air fryer but doesn’t cover it completely. Leave about ½" around the edges to let air flow.
    • Remove the dough from the fridge, and give it a quick knead. Divide into 12 pieces, forming the pieces into balls. Dredge each ball in cinnamon sugar, and arrange into a single layer on the parchment paper, leaving at least 1" of room around each ball. I air fried mine in 2 batches of 6 donut holes each.
    • Air fry at 370° F for 6 minutes. DO NOT SHAKE. Shaking these is a disaster. Trust me.
    • Let them cool for 5-10 minutes before removing from the basket. You want these cooled completely, and the total cooling time depends on how many you fried at once and the size of your basket.

    Equipment

    • Air Fryer

    Video

    Notes

    Do not skip lining the basket with parchment paper. These will stick if you don't line the basket.
    Seriously, do not shake these. Shaking them is a disaster, and you’ll end up with misshappen donut. Also, don’t try overcrowd your basket with chonut holes to save time. They will plump as they cook, and they’ll end up stuck together or to the bottom of the fryer. Better to do this in batches than to end up with stuck-together donut holes. Learn from my mistakes!

    Nutrition

    Nutrition Facts
    Air Fryer Donut Holes Recipe
    Amount per Serving
    Calories
    158
    % Daily Value*
    Fat
     
    3
    g
    5
    %
    Saturated Fat
     
    2
    g
    10
    %
    Trans Fat
     
    0.02
    g
    Polyunsaturated Fat
     
    0.2
    g
    Monounsaturated Fat
     
    0.2
    g
    Sodium
     
    283
    mg
    12
    %
    Potassium
     
    37
    mg
    1
    %
    Carbohydrates
     
    31
    g
    10
    %
    Fiber
     
    1
    g
    4
    %
    Sugar
     
    14
    g
    16
    %
    Protein
     
    3
    g
    6
    %
    Vitamin A
     
    39
    IU
    1
    %
    Vitamin C
     
    1
    mg
    1
    %
    Calcium
     
    56
    mg
    6
    %
    Iron
     
    1
    mg
    6
    %
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
    Tried this recipe? Share your photo!Mention @GlueAndGlitter on Instagram or Twitter!

    Frequently asked questions

    Why make donut holes in the air fryer?

    The air fryer gives these the crunchy-on-the-outside, cakey-on-the-inside texture of a cake donut hole, but without deep frying. And it takes half the time it would take the bake these in the oven!

    Does an air fryer work for donuts?

    I haven't successfully made full-sized donuts in the air fryer. Because of the size of the basket, you'd need to do tons of batches. You're better off making full-sized donuts in the oven.

    Are air fried donuts healthy?

    No! These are basically little balls of cake coated in sugar. They're healthier than deep fried donut holes, but these are not broccoli.

    Can you use PAM in the air fryer?

    Do not use aerosol spray oil in your air fryer. Spray oil and nonstick are a bad combination that can damage your basket. If you need to oil your basket, use a spritz oil sprayer instead or grease it with a paper towel.

    In this recipe, greasing the basket won't work anyway. I tried, trust me! Line the basket with parchment paper instead.

    Can I make these in the oven?

    You can! Bake at 375° F for 10-14 minutes, until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

    What is an air fryer?

    Think of an air fryer as a super hot, miniature oven that cooks food quickly. If you want to learn more about air fryers, I highly recommend checking out my how to use an air fryer guide!

    More Air Fryer Recipes

    • How to make perfect air fryer tater tots from frozen
    • Crunchy Panko Tofu (baked or air fryer)
    • 20-Minute Air Fryer Apple Fritters
    • Butternut Squash with Mushrooms and Cranberries (air fryer or oven!)

    About Becky Striepe

    Headshot of Becky Striepe in front of a teal wall

    Hi there! I'm Becky Striepe (rhymes with sleepy), and I love using gadgets and shortcuts to create easy vegan comfort food recipes for busy people. Whether you love your Instant Pot, your air fryer, or just love delicious plant-based meals, stick around. You'll like it here.

    Learn more about me >>>

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Lauren Wright

      June 27, 2021 at 3:48 am

      These were so delicious! So easy and fast to make. Everyone loved them, including all my non vegan family!!

      Reply
      • Becky Striepe

        June 28, 2021 at 11:15 am

        Oh I love to hear that, Lauren! Thank you for coming back to leave a comment!

        Reply
    2. Ming

      February 22, 2021 at 7:33 pm

      Thanks for the recipe. Quick question. My batter wouldn’t stay roundish. Any tips?

      Reply
      • Becky Striepe

        February 23, 2021 at 8:16 am

        I'd add more flour by the teaspoon until you get a cohesive dough.

        Reply
    3. Sylvia

      August 23, 2020 at 12:33 pm

      5 stars
      I really love Churros but I don’t have Aquafaba doe I use one egg.

      Reply
      • Melody

        September 11, 2020 at 7:57 pm

        5 stars
        These are amazing! I used flax seed in place of aquafaba and it worked fine! Thanks for sharing this delicious recipe!

        Reply
        • Becky Striepe

          September 14, 2020 at 8:22 am

          Awesome! Thank you for coming back to share your experience. I definitely get asked about whether you can use other egg subs in place of aquafaba.

          Reply
    4. ANNA CASEY

      September 26, 2019 at 6:49 am

      Hello - please tell me what brand/model of air fryer you use. I want to buy one but afraid it won't work as well as most people say!
      Thank you.

      Reply
      • Becky Striepe

        September 26, 2019 at 11:39 am

        Of course! I use the ZenChef Pro XXL. Here's an affiliate link to this one on Amazon: https://amzn.to/2mToD6P

        Reply
    5. Lisa

      January 27, 2018 at 2:27 am

      5 stars
      I made the dough tonight. It was so easy, and dodn't even have to shop. Making a test batch before making it for a potluck.

      Thank you!

      Reply
    6. Robin

      June 24, 2017 at 9:19 am

      Hi:

      I was on the fence about buying an air fryer and your recipes have inspired me to get one ASAP!!

      This will be one of my first recipes to try. I would like to make these gluten free. Is it possible? If so, any tips?

      As a newbie, I appreciate any insights and really look forward to trying all your recipes.

      Thank you,
      Robin

      Reply
      • Becky Striepe

        June 24, 2017 at 9:25 am

        Hi! Congratulations on the new air fryer. I have not tested this recipe with gf flours, so I can't say whether it will work out. I'm sorry about that! I have lots of other air fryer recipes that are naturally gf, so you may want to peruse my air fryer archives and see what appeals. :)

        Reply
      • Renee

        August 28, 2019 at 7:49 pm

        Did anyone use gluten free flour yet? My air fryer is scheduled to be delivered Friday. Super excited.

        Reply
    7. Sophia | Veggies Don't Bite

      September 27, 2016 at 7:47 pm

      I'd gladly shove these delicious things in my mouth as fast as possible.

      Reply
      • Becky Striepe

        September 27, 2016 at 7:49 pm

        Lol yessss!

        Reply
    8. Nicole Dawson

      September 26, 2016 at 11:38 pm

      Those look awesome! I use to love churros but I love this healthier option.

      Reply
      • Becky Striepe

        September 27, 2016 at 7:48 pm

        I did, too! They'll forever remind me of the ice skating rink, where we'd dip them in cocoa when we got too cold.

        Reply
    9. Aimee | Wallflower Kitchen

      September 26, 2016 at 5:56 pm

      I LOVE these "Chonuts"! I mean, how could I not?

      Reply
      • Becky Striepe

        September 26, 2016 at 6:08 pm

        Haha thank you, Aimee!

        Reply
    10. Dianne

      September 26, 2016 at 10:15 am

      These look like the perfect little snack!

      Reply
      • Becky Striepe

        September 26, 2016 at 10:37 am

        Thank you, Dianne!

        Reply

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    About Me

    Glue and Glitter
    Hi! My name is Becky Striepe (rhymes with “sleepy”). I love using gadgets and shortcuts to create easy vegan comfort food recipes for busy people. Whether you love your Instant Pot, your air fryer, or just love delicious plant-based meals, stick around. You'll like it here. → READ MORE

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