Whenever I get doughnuts on the weekend, one of my personal favorites is a buttermilk old-fashioned bar. These rectangular, craggy on the outside, fluffy and light on the inside doughnuts are just so addictive, just because there is so much textural contrast in one bite! I wanted to try making an air-fried version of those same doughnuts, but chocolate flavored. Why chocolate? Because why not? Chocolate makes 75% of desserts better, in my opinion. The 25%, I’ll reserve for the more delicately-flavored fruit-based desserts, where at least white chocolate could have a place, but milk, semi-sweet, and dark chocolate might overwhelm said fruit. That tangent aside, these doughnut bars come together pretty quickly! I actually made a batch, from the dough to the cooking time to even the glazing, in about 30 minutes give or take! So if you want a quick, easy to eat treat(and you appreciate a good air-fried dessert), then let these chocolate buttermilk bars be on your next to-make list!

Makes 6 doughnuts:
For the doughnut dough:
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup black cacao powder
1 tsp baking powder
a pinch of salt
2oz buttermilk
2oz sour cream
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract

In a bowl, sift in the flour, cacao powder, baking powder, and salt. In another bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, sour cream, egg, and vanilla. Fold the wet ingredients into your dry to form your dough. Allow the dough to rest in the refrigerator for 10 minutes. Then on a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to 1/2-inch thickness. Cut the dough into 3 inch by 1 1/2 inch rectangles.

Line an air fryer with cooking spray. Bake the doughnuts at 375 degrees F for 3 minutes. Then flip the doughnuts and repeat for another 3 minutes.

For the glaze:
1/4 cup heavy cream
a pinch of salt
1 tbsp unsalted butter
1 cup dark chocolate chips

In a pot, heat up the cream, salt, and butter until the butter dissolves into the cream. Take the cream off heat and stir into that the chocolate until everything is fully melted together. Allow the glaze to partially cool before dipping the doughnuts into it.

For garnish:
Cacao nibs
Flaky salt