Sourdough Donuts with Cinnamon Sugar
These are true homemade Sourdough Donuts, made without any commercial yeast. A slow fermentation gives these donuts a spectacular flavor and texture. They’re like no donuts you’ve ever tasted.
Table of contents
What makes Sourdough Donuts taste so good?
Making donuts with the natural yeast of a sourdough starter takes them into another stratosphere.
Seriously, these donuts are GOOD. The starter gives the donuts a special chewy texture airy crumb, and deep flavor.
If you don’t have one, check out my post to learn How to Make a Sourdough Starter. Then check out my system to Feed and Maintain Sourdough Starter.
The recipe is a 2 day process. Don’t worry though, the vast majority of time is hands-off.
I can’t wait to make these treats again. They’re totally worth the time and effort–and calories. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to jump on the elliptical…
Ingredients
Ingredient Notes
- Sourdough Starter – Your starter should be well-fed and at peak activity when you make the dough. The recipe was developed using a 100% hydration starter.
- All Purpose Flour – Medium protein ap flour makes a dough that is strong enough to rise high in the fryer, but soft enough to make a tender donut.
- Sugar – Just a hint of sugar tenderizes and sweetens the dough.
- Milk – Scalding then cooling the milk alters the protein in the milk which can interfere with gluten development. Don’t skip the scalding step.
- Spices– A hint of cardamom is lovely along with the cinnamon. You can skip the cardamon if you prefer.
Process Photos
See the recipe card for detailed measurements and instructions.
- Combine the milk, butter, egg and active sourdough starter in a mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer. Mix using the paddle attachment.
- Add the sugar spices and some of the flour. Switch to the dough hook.
- Add the remaining flour and knead until the dough clings to the hook and clears the sides of the bowl.
- Set the dough aside at room temperature for 3-5 hours for fermentation. Every hour fold the dough. Refrigerate the dough overnight.
- In the morning, take the dough out of the fridge. Turn the cold dough out onto a lightly floured surface and roll to 1/2″ thick.
- Use a 3-4″ round biscuit cutter or cookie cutter to cut donuts. You can also use a donut cutter which has a center ring for cutting the holes. Reroll the scraps and continue cutting until all the dough is used.
- Use a smaller cutter to cut the donuts holes. You can re-roll the donut holes with the scraps or save them and fry them.
- Set the donuts into a baking tray lined with lightly oiled parchment paper. Cover and set aside until the donuts rise to almost double.
Did you know?
Sugar and cinnamon can slow down fermentation. Be patient with the dough and keep it in a warm spot to keep the dough active.
- While the dough is rising heat the oil until it registers 350F on a candy or probe thermometer. The dough is ready when the dimple slowly fills in when you press it. If it bounces right back it’s not ready.
- Fry the donuts a few at a time, flipping half way through to brown both sides.
- Lift the donut out of the oil and allow the excess oil to drip back into the pan.
- Immediately toss the hot donut in the spiced sugar.
Baking Schedule
- Feed your starter early in the morning of the day you will make the dough.
- Mix the dough in the afternoon. Allow it to ferment at room temperature until evening. The time will vary based on the temperature of the dough and the ambient temperature.
- Refrigerate the dough in the evening before going to bed.
- Take the dough out first thing in the morning and cut the donuts. Leave them at room temperature to rise for 1 1/2- 2 hours.
- Fry the donuts and serve while they’re still warm.
Variations
Glazed Doughnuts
Skip the cinnamon sugar and make a glaze. Combine 2 cups of powdered sugar with about 1/4 cup of milk. The glaze should be the texture of heavy cream. Allow the donuts to cool on a wire rack for about 5 minutes. While they’re still fairly warm dunk them in the glaze.
Baked Donuts
While the doughnuts are rising, preheat the oven to 400F. Bake until the donuts are light and golden brown, about 10-15 minutes. Toss them with spiced sugar or dunk in glaze while they’re still warm.
Filled Donuts
Do not cut a hole in the center of the dough rounds. Fry the donuts then allow them to cool. Fill a pastry bag fitted with a small, plain tip with jelly or custard. Poke the pastry tip into one end of the donut and pipe in the filling.
Storage
The donuts are best still warm from the fryer. They will keep at room temperature for 1 day. Leftovers can be frozen. To revive previously frozen donuts, warm them in a low oven.
I know you hate to throw away that sourdough discard. Check out these recipes that use sourdough discard.
If you love this recipe as much as I do, I’d really appreciate a star rating and a quick comment. Ratings and comments help my recipes show in search results. Thanks!
Sourdough Donut Recipe
Ingredients
- 8 oz whole milk (1 cup, warmed to about 110°F)
- 1 large egg (room temp)
- 2 oz unsalted butter (melted)
- 8 oz active sourdough starter (1 cup)
- 17 ½ oz unbleached all-purpose flour (3 ½ cups, see note)
- 4 oz granulated sugar (½ cup)
- 1 teaspoon cardamom
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon table salt
- Cinnamon Sugar for coating
Instructions
Make the dough (day 1)
- Combine 8 oz whole milk, 1 large egg and 2 oz unsalted butter with 8 oz active sourdough starter in a mixer bowl. With the mixer running, add 4 oz granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon cardamom, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1 teaspoon table salt and 2.5 cups of the flour. Mix until it forms a thick batter.
- Switch to the dough hook and add the remaining flour. The dough will start out quite sticky. Knead on medium low speed for 15 minutes (speed 2 on my stand mixer) until the dough clings to the hook and clears the sides of the bowl.
- Scrape the dough into a lightly floured surface and knead into a smooth ball. Place the dough into a lightly oiled bowl, turning once to coat the dough. Cover and set the dough aside at room temperature for fermentation.
- After 1 hour uncover the bowl, lift one edge of the dough over into the middle of the dough. Repeat with the other three sides of the dough then flip the dough over. Cover the bowl and set aside.
- Every hour for another 2-3 hours repeat the folding as described above. After 3-4 hours of fermentation the dough should be lively, elastic and airy. If the dough is still sluggish give it another hour or two at room temperature. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
Make the Donuts (day 2)
- Remove the dough from the refrigerator. While the dough is still cold, without kneading, roll to 1/2" thick on a lightly floured surface.
- Use a 4" round cutter to cut donuts. Use a 1.5" cutter to cut center hole. Line the donuts on a lightly-oiled, parchment or silpat lined baking sheet, leaving space between the donuts for the dough to rise (I used 2 baking sheets). Reroll the scraps of dough and continue cutting donuts until all the dough is used up. Brush the tops of the donuts lightly with oil.
- Cover the sheet pans with plastic wrap and set aside to rise. The donuts are ready when you poke the dough and the dent slowly fills in. If the dough bounces right back it’s not quite ready. This rise should take about 1 1/2 hours. The time will vary based on the temperature of the room.
- Meanwhile, heat 2 quarts of oil to °350 °F in a large heavy pot. Fry the donuts a couple at a time, about 2-3 minutes per side, until golden brown and puffy.
- As you take each donut out of the oil, immediately roll in the cinnamon sugar to coat the entire donut. Set on a cooling rack while you fry the rest of the donuts.
- Best eaten warm or within a couple of hours of frying.
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After you had the last cup of flour and mix with the dough hook….do you allow it come to window pane?
Honestly, I’m not that fussy. I knead until the dough comes together and let the fermentation do the rest.
@Eileen Gray, thanks! I tried these and they were absolutely delicious. My husband wants to bring some to work. I wonder if I baked them the night before if they would still taste good the next morning.
Sadly, donuts wait for no man. I like them best still slightly warm from the oil, or at least within a few hours of being fried. Are you baking the donuts? Even if they’re baked, they’d need a warm up in the oven to get the texture back. These donuts are more like bread than cake, and like bread they don’t keep that well.
Oh I meant fry! Not bake! I may be a good wife and time them out so I fry them up before he goes to work.
You are a good wife! Plus, you want your donuts to be at their best, right?
Can´t wait to make these! Can they be used with regular donut glaze?
Sure. Glaze them while there still a little warm for the best crackly finish.
This is the best cinnamon doughnut that I have made and I have been a quest to find the best! I hadn’t had much luck using the starter to make doughnuts, until this recipe. Beautiful inner texture; This doughnut rose so nicely while frying I could hardly believe it, it tripled in thickness. I followed the instructions and perfect. I found myself thinking about these doughnut, even though I bake many deserts and artisan breads, pastas, pizzas; always wanting to use my starters.
Thank you so much,
TAsha
Hi, I followed the instruction for day 1 and made the dough. But did not have time to make the donuts on day 2. is it okay to keep the dough in the fridge and make them on day 3? would the dough be over proof ?
Yes, you can keep the dough refrigerated for another day. If it looks like the dough is over-rising just take it out, knead out the air and return it to the fridge.
Omg, these came out perfect! The texture is so pillowy. I even baked it in an air fryer. This recipe is a keeper! Will be making this often. Thanks so much for the wonderful recipe.
Good to know it works in the air fryer.
@Sing, what were the times and temp in the air fryer if you don’t mind me asking?
Would it work to keep them in the fridge for 24 hours before rolling out?