Grab a bowl and whisk together your flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. This takes about 2 minutes and you'll hear the whisk hitting the sides. I accidentally doubled the baking powder once and the donuts were even fluffier, so there's that.

In another bowl, crack your egg and beat it lightly, then add the milk, melted butter, and vanilla powder. Stir until it's pretty smooth — don't overthink this part. You want a light, creamy mixture that's totally combined.

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir until just combined. Don't overmix here or your donuts get tough and dense instead of tender. A few small lumps are totally fine and actually better for texture.

Transfer your batter to a piping bag or zip-top bag with the corner snipped off. If you don't have a piping bag, a gallon-sized bag works perfect and costs basically nothing. Make sure your air fryer is preheated to 350°F while you're doing this.

Pipe your batter into a donut mold that fits your air fryer basket — you'll make about 6 donuts per batch. Don't fill the mold completely full or they'll puff up and touch the heating element. Mine always sticks a little to the mold and that's fine.

Air fry at 350°F for about 8-10 minutes until the tops are golden and spring back when you poke them. Keep an eye on it after minute 8 because ovens vary. The kitchen smells absolutely amazing at this point, and you're basically done.

Let them cool for 2-3 minutes, then brush the tops with melted butter mixed with honey and cinnamon. This air fryer donuts recipe is best enjoyed fresh while they're still warm and the topping gets all sticky and delicious.