Baked sourdough donuts are a fun and easy way to enjoy a classic treat with a sourdough twist. Whether you’re using sourdough discard or opting for a long fermentation process, you’ll end up with a batch of light, fluffy, and absolutely delicious donuts.
With just the right amount of sweetness and a soft, cake-like texture, they’re sure to be a hit with your family or guests.
If you’re a fan of donuts but want a lighter, healthier alternative to the deep-fried version, then these baked sourdough donuts are the perfect treat. With a cake-like texture and a dusting of powdered sugar, they’re just as indulgent as their fried counterparts—but without the guilt!
They come together quickly, or you can opt for a longer fermentation process for added sourdough benefits.
Why You’ll Love These Sourdough Donuts
- Light and Fluffy Texture: These donuts are baked, not fried, giving them a light, cake-like crumb that melts in your mouth.
- Healthier Option: Using sourdough discard adds a touch of tang, and choosing the long fermentation time improves the digestibility and nutritional value.
- Quick and Easy: With just a few ingredients and minimal prep, you can have fresh, warm donuts in about 30 minutes. (Or refrigerate the dough overnight for a longer ferment.)
- Versatile: You can adjust the recipe based on what you have at home—whether you’re using regular sourdough discard or letting the dough ferment longer for extra flavor. Toss them in powdered sugar, or top them with whatever you’d like. Cinnamon sugar or a vanilla glaze is also delicious!
Sourdough Donut Ingredients
For these simple baked sourdough donuts, you’ll need the following:
All-Purpose Flour: This is the base that gives your donuts structure. Be sure to measure your flour using the “spoon and level” method—scoop the flour into your measuring cup with a spoon, then level it off with a knife. This helps prevent overpacking, which can lead to dense donuts.
Sugar: Granulated sugar adds sweetness and helps the donuts brown slightly as they bake. It’s the perfect balance to the tangy flavor of the sourdough.
Salt: A pinch of salt enhances the sweetness and brings out all the other flavors in the donuts, helping to create a well-rounded taste.
Baking Powder: This leavening agent helps the donuts rise and gives them a light, cake-like texture.
Unsalted Butter: Unsalted butter helps to control the amount of salt in the recipe. If you only have salted butter on hand, simply reduce the added salt to a pinch.
Vanilla Extract: This adds a warm, aromatic flavor that pairs perfectly with the sourdough tang. It enhances the overall sweetness of the donuts.
Sourdough Discard: Using sourdough discard adds a touch of tang to the donuts, balancing the sweetness and creating a more complex flavor. If you don’t have discard, you can use a freshly fed sourdough starter instead.
Milk: Milk helps to bind the ingredients together and gives the donuts a moist, tender crumb. You can use whole milk for the richest texture, or a plant-based milk if preferred.
Egg: The egg helps bind the dough together and adds structure, ensuring the donuts hold their shape during baking. Be sure to use a room-temperature egg for the best results.
Toppings for Sourdough Donuts
Your donuts can be served as is, and they’re the perfect not-too-sweet side for coffee.
I’ve tossed them in powdered sugar to make them a special treat for my little ones. If you really want to fancy them up, you can make a homemade glaze with milk and powdered sugar, then add sprinkles if you like, giving them a donut shop feel.
Here’s how to make those two topping options:
Coat in Powdered Sugar: Once the donuts are cool, place the powdered sugar in a shallow bowl. Gently toss each donut in the powdered sugar until evenly coated. You can add more sugar for a heavier coating if desired.
Vanilla Glaze: If you prefer a glaze instead of coating the donuts in powdered sugar, whisk together 1 cup powdered sugar, 1 tsp vanilla extract, and 2-3 tablespoons milk or cream (adjust for desired consistency). Dip the top of each donut in the glaze and allow any excess to drip off before setting them on a wire rack to set.
How to Make Baked Sourdough Donuts
Start by preheating your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease your donut pan with a little butter or non-stick spray to ensure the donuts release easily after baking.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder. This will form the base of your donut batter.
In a separate medium bowl, combine the melted butter, egg, sourdough discard, and milk. Stir the wet ingredients together until well combined and smooth.
Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and stir gently. Be careful not to overmix—just stir until the ingredients are combined. Overmixing can lead to dense donuts, so a few lumps are perfectly fine.
For easy filling, transfer the batter into a piping bag or a zip-lock bag with the corner cut off. Squeeze the batter into each donut well, filling them about ¾ full.
Be sure not to overfill, as this can cause the donuts to bake unevenly.
Place your donut pan in the preheated oven and bake for 15-17 minutes, or until the donuts are golden on the bottom and spring back when lightly pressed.
The tops may not get as golden as you expect, so don’t worry if they look a little pale.
Once the donuts are baked, carefully pop them out of the pan and transfer them to a wire rack to cool. Don’t skip this step—cooling the donuts on a rack helps them firm up and prevents them from becoming soggy.
While the donuts are cooling, whisk together the powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and milk or cream in a medium bowl until smooth. The glaze should be slightly runny but thick enough to coat the donuts.
Once the donuts have cooled slightly, dip the tops into the glaze and place them back on the cooling rack, glaze-side up. The glaze will set as it cools, leaving you with a sweet, shiny finish.
Sourdough Discard vrs. Sourdough Leavened
This recipe is written as a sourdough discard recipe, which just uses a bit of sourdough discard to improve flavor, texture and nutrition on classic cake donuts. The discard does provide a bit of lift, but most of the leavening comes from the baking powder.
If you’d like to do long fermented sourdough donuts, simply place the bowl of batter in the fridge for 8 to 12 hours before filling the donut pan. When you’re ready to bake, put the dough into a bag and cut off the corner to pipe it into a donut pan.
Allow the donuts batter to warm to room temperature and rise in the pan for about 30 minutes to an hour before baking.
Baked Sourdough Donuts
Baked sourdough donuts are a fun and easy way to enjoy a classic treat with a sourdough twist. Whether you’re using sourdough discard or opting for a long fermentation process, you’ll end up with a batch of light, fluffy, and absolutely delicious donuts.
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup sugar
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 Tbsp baking powder
- ¼ cup butter, melted
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup sourdough discard (or freshly fed sourdough starter)
- 1 cup milk
- 1 large egg
- For coating: ½ cup powdered sugar (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease your donut pan with butter or non-stick spray to ensure easy release after baking.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder. Set aside.
- In a separate bowl, combine the melted butter, egg, sourdough discard, and milk. Stir until smooth and well combined.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Stir until just combined. Be careful not to overmix, as this can make the donuts dense. It’s okay if the batter is a bit lumpy. (If making long fermented sourdough donuts, you can place the batter in the fridge for 8 to 12 hours, but that's optional. For a quicker sourdough discard recipe, simply continue with the recipe without the refrigerator rest.)
- Transfer the batter to a piping bag or a zip-lock bag with the corner cut off. Fill each donut well about ¾ full—don't overfill to prevent spilling during baking.
- Place the donut pan in the preheated oven and bake for 15-17 minutes. The tops of the donuts may not get as golden as you might expect, but the bottoms should be golden brown, and the donuts should spring back when lightly pressed. Be careful not to overbake!
- Let the donuts cool in the pan for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. Finish the donuts by either tossing them in powdered sugar or adding a vanilla glaze.
Coat in Powdered Sugar: Once the donuts are cool, place the powdered sugar in a shallow bowl. Gently toss each donut in the powdered sugar until evenly coated. You can add more sugar for a heavier coating if desired.
Vanilla Glaze: If you prefer a glaze instead of coating the donuts in powdered sugar, whisk together 1 cup powdered sugar, 1 tsp vanilla extract, and 2-3 tablespoons milk or cream (adjust for desired consistency). Dip the top of each donut in the glaze and allow any excess to drip off before setting them on a wire rack to set.
Notes
Discard or Fresh Sourdough Starter: You can use freshly fed sourdough starter. However, keep in mind that fresh starter is more active than discard, so it may result in a slightly different flavor and texture.
Long Fermented Sourdough Donuts: This doesn’t have to be a sourdough discard recipe. It can be a long fermented sourdough recipe just as easily, provided you’re willing to wait. You can ferment the dough for several hours or overnight in the fridge for extra health benefits and flavor. Just allow the dough to come to room temperature before baking for the best results.
Measuring the Flour: For the best results, use the “spoon and level” method when measuring flour. Scoop the flour into your measuring cup with a spoon and level it off with a knife to avoid packing too much flour into the cup, which can lead to dense donuts.
Don’t Overmix the Batter: Mix the wet and dry ingredients only until just combined. Overmixing can make the donuts tough, so don’t worry if there are a few lumps.
Don’t Overfill the Pan: This recipe makes exactly 12 donuts. Fill each donut well about ¾ full. Overfilling can cause the donuts to spill over the sides and lose their shape.
Check for Doneness: The tops of baked donuts may not appear very golden, but they’re done when the bottoms are golden brown and the donuts spring back when pressed. Be careful not to overbake them, as they can dry out.
Baked Donuts Without a Donut Pan: No problem! You can use a muffin tin, and they’ll make cute little pucks that are just as tasty. If you want them to look more like donuts, you can add a small ball of aluminum foil in the center to create the donut hole.
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