Want some beautiful fluffy donuts and not have to even leave the comforts of your own home? These donuts are just that. Not overly sweet, dipped in a lovely light glaze, and fried to golden perfection. Coconut oil makes a great alternative for those who really want to enjoy donuts but avoid seed oils whenever possible. These sourdough donuts don’t use conventional yeast, but instead harness the natural yeasts in sourdough which adds another rich layer of flavor to these pastries.
What is a yeasted donut?
The main differences between yeast donuts and cake donuts are what they use to leaven or rise the dough. Cake donuts usually use baking powder, just like a muffin or scone. This produces a slightly crunchy exterior and a tighter crumb texture. They usually only need a few hours to chill before being rolled, cut, and fried.
Yeast Donuts use yeast, or in this case wild yeast from a sourdough starter. This gives them a different texture that is lighter and fluffier than a cake donut. The taste of the yeast is very faint but creates the most wonderful flavor and pairs so well with the glazes and fillings. Instead of cutting out a hole they are sometimes left in rounds and filled with cream, jelly, or chocolate and rolled in sugar. This recipe allows for both, though I do prefer the traditionally shaped and glazed donut.
Why Sourdough?
Why not sourdough? I haven’t made a recipe with storebought yeast in years. There isn’t anything wrong with it, I just prefer the taste that sourdough provides. It isn’t overly tart, it just adds more flavor to each baked good, and personally I find regular bread a bit boring now that I’ve been eating sourdough for so long. It does take a bit longer due to the slower process of the wild yeasts. However, it can be so cathartic to make something and come back every few hours to check on it and not have to be worried about it over proofing because it was left for a half an hour longer than planned.
I find sourdough so much easier and more forgiving than yeasted recipes. However, if the thought of sourdough stresses you out or you are just getting started, I have something for you! I wrote an e-book. It walks you through the steps of how to make a starter, feed it, teaches you recipes, answers common questions, and so much more. The best part is that it does it in a way as to make it less overwhelming. I teach you how resilient and forgiving sourdough can be and ways to enjoy the process, so it isn’t stressful. Grab a copy here or send it to a friend who is interested in the art of sourdough!
If you like this recipe, be sure to check out some of my other sourdough favorites.
Raspberry white chocolate scones
Ingredients
Buttermilk – The acid in the buttermilk adds tenderness to the dough. This provides a better, softer texture while also improving the overall flavor.
Sourdough Starter – The light tang makes for an incredible donut and is what causes the donuts to rise.
Egg – The addition of eggs binds the dough together, and adds structure and protein allowing for a better textured pastry.
Butter – Not only does butter add a richness of flavor to the dough, it keeps it moist and tender by shortening the gluten strands. This keeps it from getting an overly bread like texture. The addition of a fat in a sourdough recipe also helps to keep the “sour” from being overpowering.
Sugar – Honey can also be used instead if desired as long as an extra tablespoon or so of flour is added to the recipe. The purpose of a sweetener in this recipe allows for the doughnuts to be more enjoyable on their own as well as more easily achieve that beautiful golden color we all look for in a fried pastry.
Salt – This simple spice enhances the sweet and savory notes in the recipe. It also controls the rate of fermentation to keep the yeast from getting out of control.
Vanilla – This is totally optional, and can also be substituted with other extracts such as almond. Personally, I really enjoy the light vanilla taste and it works well with any glaze or topping combination.
Flour – Organic, unbleached, all-purpose flour is ideal. I haven’t tried with whole wheat flours of any kind but I know that the end result would be different, but not necessarily bad. It is what makes up the majority of the dough and provides natural gluten to strengthen it.
Oil – Used for deep frying. I used coconut oil and they turned out so well!
Why coconut oil
There are so many studies done on why ‘seed oils’ are bad. The few that I try to avoid the most are canola oil, vegetable oil, and safflower oil. These not only do so much damage when consumed, they also happen to be the ones used more often for deep frying.
Seed oils are not extracted by pressing, like olive oil. Instead, they use chemical solvents or processes involving high heat. Both of these options can damage or destroy the nutritional content of the oils. Due to all the processing, it can also contain some of the solvents, washes, and chemicals that it was mixed with. Even though they are filtered out there can still be trace amounts remaining.
When heating oils, especially oils like the ones mentioned above, they can become even more dangerous. When reaching temperatures above 350 degrees, some oils start to produce carcinogen acrylamide. Carcinogens are cancer causing which means the foods fried in them are as well.
This is why we try to avoid fried foods whenever possible because most places use canola oil. If I find a place that uses coconut oil or tallow to fry their fries or donuts? I will be a return customer for sure.
The reason I used coconut oil is because it is much less processed than seed oils. And no, coconut oil isn’t in the seed oil category because the oil comes from the white meat or fruit of the coconuts. It is most often derived by cold pressing which allows the oil to maintain the majority of it’s nutrients.
Refined or unrefined
Unrefined coconut oil hasn’t had any extra processing done to it and is usually in its most natural form. It does have a lower smoke point so the oil cannot be heated to as high of a temperature as a normal frier. Since friers usually are operated at 350 degrees and that is the smoke point of unrefined oil, the donuts have to be in the frier for a bit longer. If choosing to use unrefined coconut oil just use caution and if it starts to smoke immediately remove it from the heat and place a lid over the pot.
The smoke point of refined coconut oil is 400 degrees which means that it is an easier option when it comes to frying the donuts. Yes, the refining process may damage some of the nutrients, but it is still much better than canola oil or other seed oils. There is also a type of coconut oil that is processed in a way so that it stays liquid at room temperature.
Using coconut oil that is solid at room temperature is not a problem. That is the kind that I used. However, because the oil hardens, so does the bit of oil that is absorbed by the dough during the frying process. The result is a donut that can be a bit firmer when cold. This is very easily remedied by tossing it in a warm oven for a minute or two. However, if this isn’t something you want to deal with then use the coconut oil that is liquid at room temperature.
Tools used
Stand mixer – This makes it easier when making the dough, but it is a simple enough dough that it can also be done by hand.
Spider for frying – This does make it easier and keeps the donuts from being damaged when flipping and removing from the oil. I used a large fork because I don’t want to buy one, but it can be a bit more risky so please be careful.
Thermometer – This is for checking the temperature of the oil while frying. Trying to fry in oil that is too cold will allow more oil to absorb into the donut and since it takes longer to cook all the way through it usually gets darker than the golden color we want. Oil that is too hot can cause the outside to overcook while not giving enough time for the middle to cook through.
Cooling grid – Placing donuts on a cooling grid allows any excess oil to drip off so they aren’t overly greasy. Lining the grids with a paper towel also helps to absorb the oil.
Pot – You want a pot small enough that you aren’t needing to use tons of oil just to cover the bottom of the pot. But it is nice to have one large enough that two or three donuts can been cooked at the same time.
Convert kit link
Lets make sourdough donuts!
As always, when using hot oil there is a certain level of risk. It is good to have a fire extinguisher near by and know what to do in the case of a grease fire. If the oil starts smoking immediately remove it from the heat and put a cover on the pot. If it does catch fire, never add water because it will make it worse. This being said, when done correctly, deep frying at home is perfectly safe. Just use caution please!
Making the dough
I recommend using a stand mixer because it will make it much easier. However, I do love kneading doughs by hand and that is totally an option with this recipe. Just add a minute or two to the kneading time if doing it by hand.
To start, combine the buttermilk, sourdough, egg, melted butter, sugar, salt, and vanilla in the bowl of a stand mixer. Mix using the dough hook until fully combined. If doing it by hand just combine until the sourdough is incorporated.
Add in the flour and mix for about five minutes in medium speed. Or mix in the flour into the wet ingredients in the bowl you are using then turn the dough onto a floured counter to knead it for 7 minutes. Do not add more flour if the dough gets sticky.
Cover the bowl with a towel and allow it to ferment until about doubled in size. This usually takes around six hours. The heat and humidity in the room will affect the rise time.
If you want a slightly more controlled space for the dough to rise, dampen the towel just slightly and place it in the oven with just the light on. This will keep the dough warm and the moisture on the towel will help with the humidity. Just make sure to leave yourself a note as a reminder to not turn on the oven and bake your dough!
Shaping the donuts
Once the dough has risen, turn it out onto a floured surface. Roll it out to 1/2 an inch thick.
Using a sharp donut cutter is ideal but if you don’t have one (and don’t want to buy one) you can use a wide mouthed mason jar. That is what I did. If you use a jar or a glass, make sure it is about 3-3.5 inches in diameter and you will need to cut out the center to make the donut holes. You can also leave them as circles and fill them once they have been fried. I did find that the donuts with holes cooked a bit more evenly.
Cut squares of parchment that are slightly bigger than each donut and donut hole. Transfer each donut and donut hole into its own chunk of parchment. Place the donuts on a sheet tray with enough room for them to rise.
The second fermentation time can be done at room temperature or overnight in the fridge. If leaving them at room temperature, then cover with a lightly damp tea towel and allow to rise until almost doubled in size. This can be hard to determine, but they should have grown and be soft and puffy.
If fermenting in the fridge, place a lightly damp tea towel over them and leave in the fridge overnight. The next morning, remove from the fridge and give them an hour or two on the counter at room temp to finish rising. The dough tends to get cold and stiff, so they won’t be fully risen when pulling them out of the fridge.
Frying
Fill a small pot about 1/2 full of oil and heat it to 350 degrees. Using the parchment squares lower a few donuts into the pot. Don’t fry the parchment paper. It is only there to help lower them into the oil without disturbing them or burning yourself.
The thickness and size of your donut will determine the cook time but start with about 45 seconds on each side. You are looking for a beautiful light golden brown and for the center to be cooked all the way through.
Using a slotted spoon, long handled fork, or a strainer (known as a spider), remove the donuts from the oil. Place them on a cooling grid lined with paper towels. This allows them to cool more evenly, and the paper will absorb any excess oil which results in a better textured donut.
Once the donuts are cooled completely, or at least cool enough to safely handle, dip in desired glaze and toppings.
These donuts are the best on day one or two. However, they will last for up to four days in a box on the counter.
Glaze
To make the glaze simply whisk together powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla until smooth. It will be thick so that it creates a nice layer without running off. Different extracts such as orange, almond, or peppermint can be added in place of the vanilla. The addition of powdered freeze-dried strawberries or cocoa powder will also create some wonderful flavors. If adding dry ingredients, add a few drops of milk until it is thin enough to dip a donut in.
For a thin glaze that coats the whole donut just add an extra teaspoon or two of milk. Glaze when the donuts are still warm then place on a cooling grid so the excess glaze can drip off. Place a sheet tray beneath the cooling grid to catch all the excess glaze.
When the glaze is still wet you can dip the donut in toppings or sprinkle them on. Some great toppings are sprinkles, cookie crumbs, freeze dried fruits, and nuts.
If you aren’t a fan of glaze, rolling a still warm donut in granulated, powdered, or cinnamon sugar is amazing. Add 1 tablespoon of cinnamon into a cup of sugar to make cinnamon sugar!
Enjoy! If you make this recipe, I would love to hear how they turned out in the comments. And feel free to tag me over on Instagram with the pictures of your lovely creations! I so enjoy seeing them!
These donuts will soon become a family favorite. Soft, rich in flavor with a light tang from the sourdough, and topped with a glaze. OIL: I recommend using coconut oil to fry to avoid the toxins found in seed oils. Refined coconut oil has a smoke point of 400 degrees. If using unrefined, which has a smoke point of 350, the donuts will take a bit longer to cook and will absorb a bit more oil. Use caution if using unrefined oil. Because coconut oil is solid at room temperature, the donuts can get a bit firm when cold. The best option I found is using liquid coconut oil. It doesn't have the same nutritional benefits as unrefined coconut oil due to all the processing, but it will allow the donuts to be cooked at a higher temperature and remain softer for a few days after cooking. GLAZE: The recipe above is for a basic vanilla glaze. Water can be used in place of milk, but the milk gives it a very rich flavor. Other extracts can be used in place of, or in addition to the vanilla. Chocolate glaze: Add cocoa powder and additional milk to the vanilla glaze. Strawberry glaze: Add powdered freeze-dried strawberries to the vanilla glaze a few drops more milk can be added if needed. The donuts can also be dipped in toppings if desired as well such as ground freeze dried fruit, cookie crumbles, sprinkles, nuts, etc. Just dip the donut into the glaze and then into the topping of your choice, or just sprinkle on each. Have fun with it!Sourdough Donuts
Ingredients
Glaze - see notes for flavor variations
Instructions
Notes
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