Sourdough Donuts
Fermented overnight for the softest, fluffiest texture, these irresistible sourdough donuts are fried in coconut oil until perfectly crispy and dipped in a sweet, vanilla glaze.
Servings: 16 donuts
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cups milk 305 grams
- 1/2 cup sugar 96 grams
- 1/4 cup butter 57 grams
- 4 cups flour 560 grams
- 1 cup active starter 200 grams
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon salt 5 grams
- Oil for frying such as coconut, avocado, or lard
Glaze
- 1/4 cup butter 57 grams
- 2-3 tablespoons milk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 10 grams
- 2 cups powdered sugar 240 grams
Instructions
- Feed your sourdough starter 4-12 hours before starting the dough. Warm the milk, sugar, and butter in a saucepan over low heat, whisking to dissolve the sugar.
- Add the melted butter mixture to a stand mixer with a dough hook attachment. Add two cups of flour to the mixer bowl and combine on low. I like to do this to make sure the milk mixture has cooled down enough before adding my starter.
- Add starter, eggs, the remaining 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 the dough with plastic wrap or beeswax wrap and leave it in a warm place to rise for 5-6 hours. After rising, place the dough in the fridge overnight.
- The next day, roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface to 1/4-inch to 1/2-inch thickness. Only use as much flour as necessary. Too much flour can cause the donuts to become dense and bready.
- Cut the donuts out. I usually use a cup or a large biscuit cutter and a smaller bottle-type cap to cut the center, since we don’t have a donut cutter.
- Place donuts on a baking sheet and cover with a damp tea towel or plastic wrap. Let them rise for 1½ to 2 hours at room temperature. A warmer or cooler location will determine how long the rise takes.
- 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 each donut for 2 to 3 minutes, then flip them and fry another 2 to 3 minutes on the other side until puffy and golden. Be careful not to overcrowd the pan. Place the donuts on a wire rack over parchment paper to cool for a bit before glazing.
- Add butter, milk, vanilla, and powdered sugar to a saucepan over low heat. Stir occasionally until fully melted and combined. Dip each donut in the glaze and return to the cooling rack to set. Serve fresh!
Notes
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.
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.
When deep frying, test one in the hot oil before frying the whole batch. The temperature may need adjustment.
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.
For this recipe, I dunked the donuts in a homemade glaze, but you could also top them with powdered sugar or a cinnamon sugar topping.
Want to add some fun flavors to the glaze? Add a spoonful of your favorite jam to give it a fruity flavor.
Fry up the donut holes, as well!
Nutrition
Serving: 1donut | Calories: 340kcal | Carbohydrates: 49g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 38mg | Sodium: 208mg | Potassium: 75mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 22g | Vitamin A: 241IU | Calcium: 36mg | Iron: 2mg