Learn how to make irresistible sourdough donuts with the most amazingly soft, fluffy, texture – that are then dipped in a vanilla glaze. These donuts are soaked overnight and fried in coconut oil, giving them a delicious flavor.
I’ve already confessed my love for fermented foods. We make Kefir and Sauerkraut on a regular basis, but there is usually one more ferment that hangs out on my countertop, happily collecting the yeasts of the air.
And that beloved ferment is called sourdough.
If you have been around here awhile, you may know that basically all bread products we make are sourdough. From cinnamon rolls, to flatbread, to English muffins and more.
We love this traditional way of fermenting grains to make them healthier and easier to digest. Plus, it just adds a depth a flavor that can’t be beaten.
It also makes breakfast simple since some of the prep work is done the night before.
Sourdough donuts are the perfect way to start a weekend morning, or really any morning. My kids absolutely devour them and I love that they contain freshly milled whole wheat and healthy fats.
You really can’t go wrong starting off the day with this tasty treat.
This post contains affiliate links, which means I make a small commission at no extra cost to you. See my full disclosure here.
What is sourdough?
Sourdough is a way to ferment grains so that the nutrients are more readily available for digestion. The ‘souring’ process helps to break down the anti-nutrient, called phytic acid, that is found in the bran of the whole grain.
The natural bacteria in sourdough helps to predigest the starches in the grains, and the resulting product usually has a lower glycemic index. Just like other fermented foods, sourdough is a gut-healing food, because it provides the body with beneficial bacteria.
Basically, if you’re going to eat grains, it is best if they are first soaked or fermented.
I learned how to make a sourdough starter on a website called GNOWFGLINS about 11 years ago, and my starter has been thriving ever since – it even becomes better with age. We use it to make pancakes, English muffins, bread, cake, brownies, and even doughnuts!
Sourdough is the way Ma Ingalls made bread. Those handy little packets of yeast that you find in the store today weren’t available back then.
She relied on the yeasts of the air to rise her baked goods. And if it’s good enough for Ma, it’s good enough for me.
UPDATE: You can make your own starter, if you’ve got that DIY spirit, using the directions from a post I wrote on how to make your own sourdough starter. You can also order it from a good company called Cultures For Health.
Tips for making sourdough donuts:
- If you are sensitive to wheat, try fermenting the dough for up to 24 hours. This can really help make those grains easier to digest.
- For this recipe, I dunked the donuts in a homemade glaze, but you could also top them with a cinnamon sugar topping.
- You don’t need fancy equipment to cut out the donuts. I usually just find whatever objects we have on hand. A wide-mouth mason jar and a bottle cap for the holes will work perfectly fine.
- Want to add some fun flavors to the glaze? Add a spoonful of your favorite jam to give it a fruity flavor.
- Placing the dough in the refrigerator overnight is essential. This helps develop the flavors while slowing down the fermentation process so it doesn’t over ferment.
This post contains affiliate links, which means I make a small commission at no extra cost to you. See my full disclosure here.
Sourdough Donuts Ingredients
Dough
Milk – Preferably whole. The milk fat always lends itself to better texture.
Sugar – Organic unrefined.
Butter
Flour – I like to use all-purpose flour for this recipe. You could also use freshly milled whole grain. The texture will be a little different and not as fluffy.
Eggs
Sourdough starter – This should be fed and active sourdough starter that is nice and bubbly.
Salt
Oil For Frying – There are a few oils I would suggest using for frying donuts: tallow, lard, avocado oil, and coconut oil. These are healthy, unrefined oils with higher smoke points.
Glaze:
Butter
Powdered sugar
Vanilla
Milk – Preferably whole milk.
Tools you may need:
Measuring cups and spoons
Wire rack
Large bowl
Saucepan
How To Make Sourdough Donuts:
Feed your sourdough starter 4-12 hours before starting the dough.
Warm the milk, sugar, and butter in saucepan over low to dissolve sugar.
Add mixture to a mixer with a dough hook.
Add 2 cups of flour to the mixer bowl. I like to do this to make sure the milk mixture has cooled down enough before adding my starter.
Add starter, eggs, the rest of the flour, and salt.
Knead on low until smooth and elastic. This took about 10 minutes for my dough to finally come together and pull away from the sides.
Cover with plastic wrap or beeswax wrap and leave in a warm place to rise for 5-6 hours.
Place dough in the fridge overnight.
The next morning, roll out on a lightly floured surface to 1/2″ thickness. Only use as much flour as needed, because if you add too much these tend to get dense and bready.
Cut the donuts out. I usually use a cup or large biscuit cutter and a smaller bottle-type cap to cut the center, since we don’t have a doughnut cutter.
Place donuts on a sheet; cover with a damp tea towel or plastic wrap for 1.5-2 hours depending on how warm the house is to rise.
Add about 1/2 inch of coconut oil to a cast iron skillet. Heat the frying oil over medium heat until it sizzles when something is added.
Fry 2-3 minutes, flip, and fry another 2-3 minutes on the other side until puffy. Be careful not to overcrowd the pan.
Place on a wire rack over parchment paper to cool a little before glazing.
Create The Glaze
In a sauce pan – I like to use a slightly larger one to make dipping easier – add butter, milk, vanilla, and powdered sugar over low heat.
Heat, stirring occasionally until everything has melted and come together.
Turn off heat and set aside until ready to dip.
If the glaze starts to crystallize or get too thick for dipping, you can place it back over low heat until it thins out a bit.
Dip the donuts in the glaze and set on wire rack to dry.
FAQ
Why long-fermented donuts?
The longer the grains are fermented with the active sourdough starter, the more easily digestible they become and the more the phytic acid is broken down. Some people that are more sensitive to wheat or gluten can tolerate sourdough products where the grain has been fermented for 24 hours. These donuts can be fermented for 8-24 hours.
How do you store sourdough donuts?
If somehow you have a few leftover, you can store them in an airtight container (or bag), or wrap them in a napkin and place in a paper bag – fold over the top. I like to add a napkin to help absorb any extra oil and keep them fresh longer.
How do you eat leftover donuts?
I like to pop them in the oven for a few minutes just to warm them up without drying them out.
Check out my other sourdough recipes and posts
- Sourdough English Muffins
- Sourdough Pizza Crust
- Our Favorite Sourdough Pancake Recipe
- Healthy One-Pot Meal- Sourdough Skillet
- Sourdough Tortillas
If you make this recipe and love it, I would love if you gave it 5 stars! Tag me on Instagram @farmhouseonboone with your delicious creation.
Sourdough Donuts
Enjoy delicious and healthy whole grain sourdough donuts for breakfast or for dessert!
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cups milk
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup butter
- 4 cups flour
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup sourdough starter
- 1 teaspoon salt
- Oil for frying like coconut, avocado, or lard.
Glaze
- 1/4 cup butter
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 2 to 3 tablespoons milk
Instructions
- In a saucepan, warm milk, sugar and butter over low to dissolve the sugar and butter.
- Add mixture to a mixer with a dough hook, and 2 cups of flour. I like to do this to make sure the milk mixture has cooled down enough before adding my starter.
- Add starter, eggs, the rest of the flour, and salt. Knead on low until smooth and elastic. This took about 10 minutes for my dough to finally come together and pull away from the sides.
- Cover with a plastic wrap or beeswax wrap and leave in a warm place to rise for 5-6 hours.
- Place dough in the fridge overnight.
- The next morning, roll out on a lightly floured surface to 1/2″ thickness.
- Cut the donuts out.
- Place donuts on a sheet; cover with a damp tea towel or plastic wrap for 1.5-2 hours, depending on how warm the house is, to rise.
- Add about 1/2 inch of oil to a cast iron skillet.
- Heat the frying oil over medium heat until it sizzles when something is added.
- Fry 2-3 minutes, flip, and fry another 2-3 minutes on the other side until puffy. Be careful not to overcrowd the pan.
- Place on a wire rack over parchment paper to cool a little before glazing.
Make The Glaze
- In a sauce pan - I like to use a slightly larger one to make dipping easier - add butter, milk, vanilla, and powdered sugar over low heat.
- Heat, stirring occasionally until everything has melted and come together.
- Turn off heat and set aside until ready to dip.
- Dip the donuts in the glaze and set on wire rack to dry.
Notes
Placing the dough in the refrigerator is a must. This helps slow down the fermentation so the dough still develops that delicious tangy sourdough flavor without over fermenting.
For this recipe, I dunked the donuts in a homemade glaze, but you could also top them with a cinnamon sugar topping.
You don’t need fancy equipment to cut out the donuts. I usually just find whatever objects we have on hand. A wide-mouth mason jar and a bottle cap for the holes will work perfectly fine.
Want to add some fun flavors to the glaze? Add a spoonful of your favorite jam to give it a fruity flavor.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 16 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 291Total Fat: 7gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 40mgSodium: 198mgCarbohydrates: 51gFiber: 1gSugar: 21gProtein: 6g
Gail says
Looks yummy…can you use Amish friendship bread starter?
farmhouseonboone says
I have heard of the amish friendship bread starter but I don’t know a whole lot about it. Doesn’t it use milk? People do pass it around and keep it going for years, right?
Terry Dewhurst says
Which Berkey water filtration system do you have. How often do you have to change the filters with your size of family. How many gallons of water to you probably go through a day. How long have you had yours . Do you think there worth the money.
Thank you so much I’m interested in your input .
Sincerely
Terry Dewhurst
Lisa says
I have this one: http://amzn.to/2CIgcS7 We have a family of seven. I have no idea how many gallons per day, but we all drink exclusively from it. The filters last a really long time, if you don’t break them. We have had ours seven years, and replaced them twice. Both times only because a kid knocked it over and broke one. Even if there is a hairline crack they won’t filter properly. You can test them to see if they are still working. You put food coloring in the top basin and put each filter over a clear glass. They should filter out all the color. We love our Berkey!
Eliza says
Good morning! I am making these donuts this morning and while they rise I wanted to ask if you have any advice for cutting them out. Is there a strategy? I used a circle cutter and a small cup for the middle but lifting it up made a mess despite the floured work surface. I eventually switched to donut sticks, and then small squares rolled into donut holes using my bench scraper. ? Thanks in advance! I love your posts!
Lisa says
Make sure what you are using to cut them is sharp/thin enough to cut. The donut sticks sound great though! 🙂
Eliza says
Is your dough on the sticky side? It stretched a lot when I tried to pick them up and transfer them to the pan. Square donut hole sized bites ended up working best for getting into the pan, flipped and back out of the pan. 😉
Bethany says
How does the water taste?
Jennifer Tingey says
Lisa,
I recently discovered your blog and have enjoyed reading your posts, especially regarding your sourdough recipes. My family has several members who have been diagnosed as living with food allergies, one of which is wheat (not gluten, but the grain itself.) Our doctor pointed out that the fermentation of sourdough often “processes” the wheat in a way that makes it digestible for many with wheat intolerance. There is sourdough developing in my kitchen as I write this. I like your recipes because they ferment over night giving the bacteria time to break down the wheat. Do you make loaf bread with a long fermentation too? If so, will you be sharing that recipe soon? Thank you, Jen
Sunshine Frans says
How do I start the sourdough starter from scratch?
Lisa says
I have a post all about it here: https://www.farmhouseonboone.com/farmhouse-on-boone/make-sourdough-starter-scratch/
Trista says
Hey there! I have been thoroughly enjoying your sourdough recipes!! I use a Nutrimill for my grains as well. I recently heard that the heat created in the milling process may damage the grain or have negative health benefits. Have you heard anything about this? Just curious as I haven’t had a moment to research it for myself!
Tanya Schroeder says
These were amazing, they were so soft and perfect!
Julie says
I am looking into the purchase of the NutriMill Classic 760200 High Speed Grain Mill. Which wheat berries do you use? Hard white, soft white, or hard red spring wheat berries?
Also, I just found a local farm here in Texas that sells raw milk. I am hooked! Delicious!
Thanks ever so much Lisa!
God bless,
Julie
Rachel >> Strangers on a Plain says
I’m always amazing at the things you do with sourdough and every time it’s something I have never thought of.
Ashley @ Wishes & Dishes says
Sourdough has a special place in my heart!
wilhelmina says
This was my first attempt at sourdough donuts and I am totally hooked! So good!
Lindsay Cotter says
Made these for my husband. He loved them!
Lisa says
Great!! Glad they are husband approved 😉
Toni says
They were so good! My kids can’t stop eating these!
Lisa says
Awesome! My kids love them too. 🙂
Kristen says
Lisa,
Have you tried these with Einkorn flour? If so, how did you alter the recipe?
Thank you,
Kristen
Lisa says
I haven’t tried this recipe specifically with einkorn, but I would just sub 1 for 1 and add a little flour if it is too sticky.
Rachel says
I love all of your sourdough recipes! We are trying this one for the first time today!!
Any suggestions or tips on rising? My sourdough stuff (or any yeast based breads that I make) never seems to rise like I think it should. It always tastes good but I am always worried about it during the rise time.
Thank you!!
Laura Krizan says
I’m attempting my first sourdough starter. I combined 1 C Bob Mill’s Artisan Bread flour and 1 C water. As I add some flour and water each day, can I add a different flour, such as a whole wheat, or should I stick with the same? Thank you.
Chasity says
Any suggestions?? Everything I make is heavy and doesn’t rise much.
Samantha says
Are you making sure your sourdough starter is active and fed when you put it in a recipe? Lisa has a couple podcast episodes specifically on sourdough and it has helped me a lot. I had a lot of fails before I listened to them and understood a lot more about sourdough.
Sherri says
I love your site and look at it frequently. All the sourdough recipes have become favorites in our home. Just tried the donuts and have a couple questions. The written directions mention 1/2 c of coconut oil, but the video doesn’t mention putting it in. So I didn’t put oil in mine.My dough ended up very soft and I had to add quite a bit of flour. Any ideas? typically I don’t have any problems with your recipes coming out perfect!
Naomi says
She said in the video to add the oil the night before. I’m curious about the difference.
Rachel says
Hi Lisa, I love your recipes, but your print out sourdough donut recipe is quite different from your video instructions on the same post. I followed the directions on the printable version and not the video version. This did not work, the dough was way too wet. In the video you mention adding the oil the night before. You also mention adding brown sugar (not regular sugar) the next day. The printed recipe version does not mention these details as such. Just wanted to let you know. Thanks for sharing all your recipes! Rachel
Nicola says
I made the sourdough donuts today and although they tasted quite yummy, I found mine to be very oily inside after frying them in the coconut oil. Is this how they are supposed to turn out or did I do something wrong?
Ashlee Gadsby says
Hi, Could I bake these in the oven or do they need to be fried?
HannaDawn says
In your video, it says to add water, starter, flour, and coconut oil to sit overnight. But in the directions it doesn’t say to add the coconut oil.
I added the coconut oil, and let sit. This morning it’s a hard lump of dough… I’m still going to try but which are we supposed to do?
Lindsey says
In the recipe it says on to only add the sourdough starter, water and flour the night before but in your video you said to do sourdough starter, water, flour and coconut oil. I did it the way of the recipe and the next morning after adding the remaining ingredients it’s more like cookie dough. I assume the video is correct. May want to update the recipe version.
Linn says
I’m anxious to try this recipe, but my starter isn’t quite mature yet. I do have lots of discard though. Could the recipe be tweeked in order to use the discard?
Also since the suggested oils are more costly, do you ever reuse them for other cooking?
Briana says
I have a few questions about the recipe:
I don’t see the video that the other comments are alluding to, and, I noticed that some people mentioned coconut oil in the dough. However, I do not see any oil called for in the recipe, with the exception of that which is for frying.
Are the comments for and outdated recipe that has been revised? Also, the directions do not instruct when to add the eggs?
Lisa says
Yes, I have updated the recipe. The eggs are supposed to be added with the starter, before kneading. I accidentally left that out. Just fixed this error! I have removed the video, since it was outdated. I will be adding an updated video next week!
Kathryn says
When do you add the eggs? I’m guessing when you add the starter to the mixer, does it matter?
Lisa says
Whoops! Just fixed this error. They are supposed to be added with the starter, before kneading.
Anna says
Why is this recipe different from the one in the ebook I was emailed? Is one better than the other?
Halee says
Can you do this without a stand mixer??
Samantha says
Can these be baked instead of fried?
Rachel says
Hello! I was wondering if it is possible to make these without butter? I saw a lot of older comments mentioned making these with coconut oil, would it be possible to use coconut oil in place of the butter? Thanks!!
Anonymous says
How many donuts does this recipe make? Most of your recipes don’t show the amounts they yield. It would be very helpful to know. Thanks!
Holli Peterson says
I’m crying these are so delicious. My daughters have recently realized they are gluten sensitive and they’ve been devastated realizing they get tummy aches eating their favorite treats. Not anymore! These were perfection and tummy ache free. Thank you so much!!
Lisa says
So glad you all were able to enjoy them!
Cheryl says
These were surprisingly easy to make. I didn’t glaze mine just sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar mixture.
Question: How well do they freeze?
Thanks.
Cheryl says
Adding to my previous comment.
They are delicious!
My husband and I LOVE them!
Kylie says
I’m fairly new to sourdough and absolutely love all your videos! I’ve tried a bunch of your recipes so far and the reoccurring problem I always have is the dough is way too wet and sticky and never comes todgether fully. I’ve tried kneading longer and adding flour, I am currently on about 30 mins of the kitchen aid running trying to get the dough to come together at all, and I’ve added at this point about an extra full cup of flour. I feel like I have to experiment with the recipes so much to make the dough come together I ruin them! Any advice is appreciated!
Lisa says
Sometimes it really does feel like that. I’m sorry you are having issues with some recipes. Depending on the humidity of where you live, the hydration of your starter, and the flour you use all can be determining factors. Sometimes you may need to add a little more flour, especially if you have been kneading for 30 minutes and it’s not working.