These Air Fryer Pumpkin Donuts with Pumpkin Custard are soft, spiced, and perfectly golden, with a creamy pumpkin custard filling in every bite. Quick to make in the air fryer, they’re a festive treat for breakfast, dessert, or a cozy fall snack.
These Air Fryer Pumpkin Donuts with Pumpkin Custard are a cozy fall treat that’s soft, spiced, and irresistibly creamy.
Made quickly in the air fryer, they deliver golden, fluffy donuts filled with rich pumpkin custard, perfect for breakfast, dessert, or a seasonal snack any time of day.
Why You Will Love This Recipe!
- Quick and Easy: Made in the air fryer, these pumpkin donuts come together fast with minimal cleanup.
- Perfect Fall Flavor: Warm spices and pumpkin make every bite cozy and seasonal.
- Creamy Custard Filling: Each donut is filled with rich, smooth pumpkin custard for extra indulgence.
- Soft and Fluffy: Air frying gives a golden exterior while keeping the inside tender and airy.
- Great for Any Occasion: Perfect for breakfast, dessert, or a festive fall snack to share.
Some of my favorite Air Fryer Homemade Donut Recipes are AIR FRYER BAKED VANILLA DONUTS, AIR FRYER NUTELLA DONUTS, AIR FRYER APPLE FRITTERS, and AIR FRYER MAPLE FROSTED DONUTS.
Ingredients Needed
- Milk: Warm milk adds moisture and helps activate the yeast.
- Active Dry Yeast: Yeast helps the dough rise, creating fluffy donuts.
- Granulated Sugar: Sweetens the dough and balances the pumpkin spice.
- Egg: Binds ingredients together and adds structure to donuts.
- Butter: Adds richness, flavor, and tenderness to the donut dough.
- All-Purpose Flour: Forms the base of the dough, giving structure.
- Pure Vanilla Extract: Enhances sweetness and adds aromatic flavor notes.
- Ground Cinnamon: Adds warm, sweet spice to complement pumpkin flavor.
- Jello-O Pudding Mix: Creates smooth, creamy pumpkin custard filling for donuts.
- Half and Half: Makes custard rich and creamy without being too heavy.
- Pumpkin Puree: Provides moisture, flavor, and seasonal pumpkin goodness to dough.
- Ground Nutmeg: Adds a warm, nutty flavor to pumpkin custard and donuts.
- Cloves: Provides deep, aromatic spice enhancing the pumpkin custard flavor.
- Ground Ginger: Adds a subtle, warm, slightly spicy kick to donuts.
How To Make Air Fryer Pumpkin Donuts With Pumpkin Custard
Step One: Start by making the pumpkin custard, combining the pudding mix, half and half, and warm spices in a medium bowl. Stir until smooth, then chill in the refrigerator until set.
Step Two: In a medium bowl, combine milk, yeast, and one teaspoon of sugar, then whisk until smooth. Cover with a dishcloth and let sit for 3–5 minutes until foamy.
Step Three: In a large bowl or stand mixer, combine the remaining sugar, flour, and ground cinnamon. Add the yeast mixture, melted butter, egg, and vanilla, then whisk until smooth and fully incorporated with no lumps of flour.
Step Four: Turn the donut dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead by hand for about five minutes. Cover with plastic wrap and let it rise for 30 minutes.
Step Five: Once the dough has risen, roll it into a ¼–½ inch thick sheet and cut 4-inch circles using a cup or biscuit cutter. Cover the circles with plastic wrap and let them rise for an additional 30 minutes.
Step Six: Preheat your air fryer to 350 F, for 3-5 minutes, and then place three donuts in your air fryer basket.
Step Seven: Air fry the donuts at 350°F for 3 minutes. Let them cool completely before filling with pumpkin custard using icing or a Ziploc bag, then serve and enjoy!
Air Fryer Pumpkin Donuts With Pumpkin Custard Recipe Tips
- Bloom Your Yeast Properly: Make sure the milk is warm (not hot) to activate the yeast without killing it.
- Don’t Overmix the Dough: Overmixing can make the donuts tough instead of light and fluffy.
- Even Thickness Matters: Roll the dough to an even ¼–½ inch thickness so the donuts cook uniformly.
- Preheat the Air Fryer: Preheating ensures your donuts cook quickly and evenly with a golden exterior.
- Cool Before Filling: Let the donuts cool completely before adding custard to prevent melting or leaking.
- Use a Piping Bag for Custard: A Ziploc or piping bag makes filling donuts easier and cleaner.
- Spice to Taste: Adjust cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and ginger to suit your preferred pumpkin spice level.
Storing, Freezing and Reheating Instructions
- Storing: Store cooled donuts in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days to maintain freshness. Keep them away from direct sunlight or heat to prevent the custard from leaking.
- Freezing: Wrap donuts individually in plastic wrap or place them in a freezer-safe container, then freeze for up to 1 month. Thaw at room temperature before eating for best texture and flavor.
- Reheating: Warm donuts in the air fryer at 320°F (160°C) for 2–3 minutes or in the microwave for 15–20 seconds. This restores the soft, fluffy texture and warms the pumpkin custard filling.
Air Fryer Pumpkin Donuts With Pumpkin Custard Recipe Faqs
Can I make these donuts without an air fryer? Yes, you can bake them in a preheated oven at 350°F (175°C) for 8–10 minutes, though the texture may differ slightly.
How long do the donuts stay fresh? Store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, or freeze for up to 1 month.
Can I use homemade pumpkin custard instead of pudding mix? Absolutely! A homemade custard made with pumpkin puree, sugar, eggs, and cream works beautifully as a filling.
Do I need to let the dough rise twice? Yes, allowing the dough to rise twice ensures soft, fluffy donuts with the right texture.
Can I adjust the spices? Definitely! Adjust cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and ginger to suit your personal pumpkin spice preference.
How do I fill the donuts with custard neatly? Use a piping bag or a Ziploc bag with a small corner cut off for precise filling without making a mess.
Can I make these donuts ahead of time? You can prepare the dough and custard ahead of time, then air fry and fill the donuts when ready to serve.
More Air Fryer Donut Recipes
- AIR FRYER BAKED VANILLA DONUTS
- AIR FRYER APPLE FRITTERS
- EASY AIR FRYER BANANA DONUTS
- AIR FRYER CINNAMON ROLL BITES
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Air Fryer Pumpkin Donuts With Pumpkin Custard
Description
Ingredients
Donut Dough Ingredients:
- 1 cup whole milk, warm
- 2 teaspoons active dry yeast
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon white sugar
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 2/3 cup butter, melted
- 3 cups white flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/2 tablespoon ground cinnamon
Pumpkin Custard:
- 3/4 package Jell-O pudding mix, vanilla or pumpkin
- 2 cups half and half
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
Instructions
- Begin by assembling your pumpkin custard by mixing the spices, half and half, and pudding mix in a medium bowl until the ingredients are well combined. Place the bowl in the fridge until the mixture is set.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together your milk, yeast, and one teaspoon of white sugar. Cover the bowl with a dishcloth and let sit until the mixture is foamy. This will take 3-5 minutes.
- In a large bowl or stand mixer, whisk together the remaining sugar, white flour, and ground cinnamon. Pour in the yeast mixture and add your melted butter, egg, and vanilla. Whisk the mixture until the ingredients are homogenous and no pockets of flour remain.
- Dump the donut dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead by hand for about five minutes. Cover the dough with plastic wrap and allow it to rise for 30 minutes.
- After the dough has risen, roll it out into a sheet about ¼ – ½ inch thick and use a cup or biscuit cutter to cut out 4-inch circles. Cover these circles with plastic wrap again and allow them to rise for another 30 minutes.
- Preheat your air fryer to 350 Fahrenheit for five minutes, and then place three donuts in your air fryer basket.
- Cook the donuts for 3 minutes at 350 Fahrenheit. Allow the donuts to cool before using an icing or Ziploc bag to fill them with the pumpkin custard.
Equipment
- Cooking Spray
Nutrition
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