Fried or Air Fryer Lemon Filled Donuts

Lemon filled donuts air fryer style or deep fried lemon curd donuts are amazing. Form our homemade dough into rings or smaller donut holes for breakfast or dessert on the weekends. Powdered sugar donut holes are fun for kids and adults too.

Filled Donut Holes

This is not just one of our favorite easy air fryer recipes for the beginning of the day, but after dinner as well. The homemade dough can be shaped any way you like, and filled with all sorts of things! The easiest and most common would be jelly filled doughnuts using a jar right out of the fridge but there’s so much more.

Think sundae toppings like ganache, fudge, even thick caramel sauce would be delicious. In this go around we used a lemon curd we made, you can find that jarred as well. The biggest thing is that you get a grasp of how to make the dough. A bit more time than biscuit donuts but from scratch is always worth the effort!

Air Fryer Filled Donuts

You will use the same filling as we used inside our lemon curd cake. It is good for all sorts of things whether you incorporate it into the dough like that one, or in the middle like this early morning treat. We will talk about other popular fillings along the way here too though….. You are going to need;

• All purpose flour
• Milk
• 2 tsp active dry yeast
• Granulated sugar
• 1 egg
• Salt
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• Vanilla bean paste
• 2 tbsp powdered sugar optional for topping

And then you would need a pastry bag with a tip ideally to push a hole into the middle and fill. Like with our peanut butter and jelly donuts I use a star tip. If you don’t have that you can use a small knife to make a slit. Then fill a thick freezer bag and cut the tip off that way. It doesn’t push as far into the middle though that way.

Lemon Curd Donuts

Mix sugar (1 tbsp), salt and dry yeast in a bowl. Pour in half of the warm milk 100 degrees and add 2 tbsp of all purpose flour, beat with a whisk. Cover the bowl with cling film and leave for 15 minutes.

• Mix the remaining dry ingredients together in a bowl (remaining flour, sugar).
• Add to the bowl after 15 minutes or when foam appears on top of yeast. Add vanilla bean paste and egg after that.
• Knead soft and slightly sticky dough. Don’t add too much flour as the donuts will be dense and heavy. Cover the bowl with cling film and leave for 40-60 minutes in a warm place.
• After an hour, the dough should have doubled in size.
• On a non stick cutting surface or lightly floured cutting board, roll out the dough to 1 inch thick and cut out round portions about 2 inches in diameter with a cookie cutter or top of a glass. You will get about 8-10 donuts in total depending on the size. Cover them with plastic wrap and leave for 20 minutes.
• Preheat the air fryer basket to 380 F. Spray the basket with olive oil and place the donuts in the basket. Air fry for 4 minutes on one side. After 4 minutes, flip the donuts to the other side and fry for another 3-4 minutes or until golden brown and no longer sticky inside.
• Transfer the homemade lemon curd to a piping bag fitted with a round or open star tip. Let the donut cool completely, or at least a while, then make a hole in the side and fill it with lemon curd. Sprinkle them with powdered sugar coating and serve.

** If frying in vegetable oil, heat to 180 C or 350 degrees F before slowly adding dough balls until browned on each side. Just a few minutes on each side is all you really need for these or our Fried Apple Fritters. Then set on paper towels when done to absorb oil left on the outsides so it stays crispy and doesn’t soak it up.

Donut Filling Ideas

Fill donuts with your favorite fruit jams or jellies, that is the most obvious choice. Raspberry, strawberry, blueberry, or apricot jams are classic choices. Use a piping bag or squeeze bottle to inject the filling into the donuts.

How to Fill Donut Holes

You’re going to use a pastry bag with a hard tip so it can push inside to the middle and squeeze in the filling.

1. A smooth and creamy custard filling, Bavarian cream is a popular choice for fried donuts. It has a delightful vanilla flavor and a luxurious texture. Inject or pipe the Bavarian cream into the donuts.
2. Filled doughnuts are great with rich and decadent chocolate ganache. It is made by heating cream and pouring it over chopped chocolate until it melts and becomes smooth. Allow to cool and thicken slightly before using it as a filling.
3. Nutella, a creamy chocolate hazelnut spread, makes for a delectable donut filling. Warm the Nutella slightly to make it more spreadable, and use a piping bag or a spoon to fill the donuts.
4. Lemon filled doughnuts can use curd or other fruits, such as raspberry or passionfruit curd, add a tangy and refreshing burst of flavor.
5. Cream cheese fillings provide a tangy and creamy element to donuts. Combine with powdered sugar and vanilla extract, and beat until smooth. Pipe or spoon the cream cheese filling into the donuts.
6. A rich and indulgent filling, salted caramel adds a sweet and slightly salty flavor. Use a spoon or a piping bag to fill the donuts with the caramel sauce and dusted with cinnamon and sugar.
7. Fill with creamy peanut butter for a nutty and satisfying filling. Warm the peanut butter slightly to make it more spreadable, and pipe or spoon it into the donuts.

These are just a few ideas to get you started, but feel free to mix and match flavors or get creative with your own favorite fillings. Whether you prefer fruity, creamy, or chocolatey fillings, there’s a delightful option for everyone’s taste buds.