These churro-inspired Air Fryer Donut Holes deliver doughnutty goodness, churro flavors, and a portmanteau. Chonut Holes trule have it all!
Just like those Air Fryer Falafel Balls, this recipe is another reader request. Ask for air fryer donut holes, and ye shall receive!
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!
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.
The air fryer gives these the crunchy-on-the-outside, cakey-on-the-inside texture I remember from back in the day, but without deep frying.
How to Make Donut Holes in the Air Fryer
The base for these Chonut Holes is a cake donut with just a little touch of cinnamon. Then, they’re rolled 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.
There is a bit of technique involved in this recipe, but it’s all simple stuff. First of all, you definitely need to line your air fryer basket with parchment paper. I must have made these six different times, trying to keep them from sticking, and parchment paper is the answer. Don’t skip it.
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 Chonut 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.
You can see the recipe video here, and scroll further down for written instructions.
Easy Churro-Style Air Fryer Donut Holes (Chonut Holes!)
Ingredients
- 1 cup white all purpose flour
- 1/4 cup organic sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons aquafaba – I have used white bean and chickpea to make these, and both worked great!
- 1 tablespoon melted coconut oil
- 1/4 cup soy or almond milk
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons sugar
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine the flour, 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 my hands and kneaded 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. I use a square and cut it about 1″ smaller than the bottom, leaving plenty of room for air to circulate.
- 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 Chonut Holes each.
- Air fry at 370F 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.
ANNA CASEY
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.
Becky Striepe
Of course! I use the ZenChef Pro XXL. Here’s an affiliate link to this one on Amazon: https://amzn.to/2mToD6P
Lisa
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!
Robin
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
Becky Striepe
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. 🙂
Renee
Did anyone use gluten free flour yet? My air fryer is scheduled to be delivered Friday. Super excited.
Sophia | Veggies Don't Bite
I’d gladly shove these delicious things in my mouth as fast as possible.
Becky Striepe
Lol yessss!
Nicole Dawson
Those look awesome! I use to love churros but I love this healthier option.
Becky Striepe
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.
Aimee | Wallflower Kitchen
I LOVE these “Chonuts”! I mean, how could I not?
Becky Striepe
Haha thank you, Aimee!
Dianne
These look like the perfect little snack!
Becky Striepe
Thank you, Dianne!