We have been dreaming of classic baked sourdough donuts. You know the one – a vanilla cake donut with a chocolate glaze and sprinkles. What more could you ask for?
Donuts truly sound good every day of the year. These vanilla baked sourdough donuts with a chocolate glaze are no exception!
We always joke there are staples we have for every bakery or restaurant. It is the baseline to tell if the bakery or restaurant really knocks it out of the park.
If we go to a local donut store we will buy two donuts to measure a ‘good donut’. One apple fritter and one vanilla cake donut with chocolate (and with sprinkles, of course)!
We measure consistency of the chocolate glaze, the amount of sprinkles, and of course how moist the vanilla fluffy cake-style donut is. We award extra bonus points if the bakery has a glass of milk to wash down the donut with.
Sometimes the craving hits and we just have to make them at home. It can be a nice change to bake these donuts rather than frying them up as it saves time.
Reasons to Love Sourdough Baked Donuts
This recipe does not require planning in advance. Simply stir and bake!
If you need a classic baked sourdough donut recipe, this is it. Made with sourdough discard for a tangy flavor and vanilla extract, these donuts are perfect for any occasion.
These are great for birthdays, holiday parties and anytime you just want a sweet treat. Plus, these are baked, not fried, so clean up is easy and the house will smell divine.
As and added bonus, these baked sourdough donuts can withstand a variety of ingredient substitutions. What is even better is these donuts can be made gluten free without crazy substitutions. Simply swap in gluten free flour for all purpose flour.
And if you are looking for egg free sourdough donuts – just leave the egg out completely. You will be left with a moist and fluffy donut. These will not stay around for long (because they are just that good!).
To further customize the donuts, consider the toppings. Dip them in chocolate, glaze it on the top, add sprinkles or googly eyes. The choice is yours!
Ingredients for Baked Sourdough Donuts
To make sourdough vanilla donuts, there are a few basic ingredients.
- All purpose flour (or gluten free flour, spelt flour or oat flour)
- We use organic, unbleached flour. Kirkland has a great cheap flour and King Arthur is a popular brand around here too.
- Alternative flour options then all purpose will change the donut texture.
- Sourdough starter
- Either active sourdough starter or sourdough discard can be used within this recipe. If you have extra sourdough starter, this is a great recipe for you.
- White Sugar
- Butter
- Unsalted butter is our favorite within this recipe, though you can use salted and leave out the salt the recipe calls for. Alternatively, you could use vegan butter or a neutral tasting oil – like ghee, clarified coconut oil, olive oil or avocado oil.
- Egg (optional)
- This recipe can be made egg free – no egg replacer necessary!
- Vanilla Extract
- Baking Powder
- Sea Salt
- Chocolate Glaze
- Powdered Sugar
- Cocoa powder
- Milk (dairy free milk, whole milk, Fairlife Milk) or water
- Sprinkles
- We love these dye free sprinkles. They do not leave a film on the roof of your mouth if you enjoy a few!
Kitchen Tools
Mix these vanilla sourdough cake donuts by hand, with a stand mixer or hand mixer.
- Large mixing bowl
- Sheet Pan
- Donut Pan (These are silicone and these are non stick)
- Stackable Cooling Racks
- Baking sheet (for catching chocolate glaze)
- Reusable Plastic Bags (for storage)
How to Make Vanilla Sourdough Donuts
The first step to create baked sourdough discard donuts is to feed your starter. This recipe uses either active sourdough or sourdough discard because baking powder causes the donuts to rise.
If you have active discard, the wild yeast found in the donuts will cause them to rise during the bulk fermentation period (should you choose to let have long fermented sourdough donuts).
There are two methods to making baked sourdough donuts – stir and go or long fermentation.
Stir and Go method
The stir and go method for making these sourdough discard donuts is as easy as mixing the ingredients together, baking the donuts and allowing them to cool long enough before frosting them.
First, preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Combine butter (or oil) and sugar together. Stir in the egg, milk (or water) sourdough starter and vanilla extract.
To the wet ingredients, add in the flour mixture (all purpose flour (or flour of your choice), baking powder and salt). Mix until combined.
Next, grease the donut pan and begin to add the donut mixture to the pan, filling them 3/4 of the way full. Allow the donuts to bake for 15-20 minutes or until tops are firm to the touch. A toothpick will come out clean and when lifted, the bottom of the donut will be golden brown.
Make the chocolate glaze by combining powdered sugar, cocoa powder, vanilla extract and milk / water. Mixture will be thin and runny – like agave syrup (thinner than honey, thicker than water).
Move the baked sourdough donuts onto a cooling wire rack before glazing. Place the cooling rack on top of a cookie sheet or parchment paper to catch any chocolate glaze drippings.
Dip the donuts into the chocolate glaze. Add sprinkles on top – measuring with your heart!
Long Fermented Sourdough Donuts Instructions
This recipe can be extended to a long fermentation baking schedule. Begin by feeding your sourdough starter (or use sourdough discard).
In a large bowl, mix the sourdough starter, flour, milk or water, and butter or oil together. Wrap the donut dough with plastic wrap to ensure it does not dry out while sitting on the counter top.
Allow the sourdough donut batter to ferment for 4-12 hours, depending on the heat of your home and your desired fermentation goals. If your donuts are in a warm place, they will ferment faster.
The donut batter will not rise significantly during this time. When complete, put the bowl (with the plastic wrap still in tact), into the refrigerator to continue a bulk ferment.
The donut batter can sit in the fridge for up to 2 days. The longer the sourdough donut batter sits, the more pronounced the sour flavor will be.
When ready to bake, (i.e. the next day), preheat your oven. Remove the dough from the fridge and stir in additional ingredients. There is no second rise necessary.
If you opt for butter within the recipe, allow the sourdough donut batter to sit at room temperature until malleable before stirring in the additional ingredients.
Cook as instructed above. The recipe should make 6-8 donuts depending on how high the donut pan is filled.
How to Store Baked Sourdough Donuts
Store these baked sourdough vanilla donuts on the counter for up to three days. If the donuts last longer (because they are just that good) put them in an airtight container or ziplock baggie within the fridge for up to a week.
The donut may become dry in texture as it is exposed to air. Heat it up on the microwave for 5-10 seconds for a moist donut.
These sourdough baked donuts can freeze for up to 6 months if stored in an airtight container or freezer ziplock. If there is a glaze on the donuts, the donut may absorb it as it sits. Frosting or ganache will not absorb.
After freezing, allow to thaw on the counter or in the fridge. They thaw quicker than you would think (within 30 minutes!). As an added bonus, they taste like fresh donuts because they are not deep fried!
Frequently Asked Questions
Can these sourdough donuts be made with active sourdough or sourdough discard?
Both work within this recipe. Because the recipe utilizes an additional leaver (baking powder), the donuts do not need active discard.
What are some flavor variations for sourdough donuts?
There are endless flavor ideas for sourdough donuts. From swapping extracts (vanilla, orange, maple syrup, lemon, almond).
To changing the dip / simple glaze on top (vanilla glaze, lemon glaze, peanut butter, chocolate ganache). Roll the top in cinnamon sugar coating or powdered sugar while they are still warm for a sweet treat!
And even mix add-ins into the batter (chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, nuts, sprinkles). The options are endless to make these irresistible sourdough donuts.
Are baked donuts healthy?
We firmly believe all food is healthy in moderation. Enjoy these donuts alongside some protein for a lower impact on blood sugar.
By allowing the donut batter to have a long fermentation period, you will experience the gut healthy benefits of long fermented grains. Thank you, sourdough discard, for a the tasty treat of sourdough discard donuts!
I do not have a donut pan. What can I use instead?
No problem! Use a muffin tin with aluminum foil placed in the middle. These also bake well in mini cake pans or as donut holes. We have not tried but they would probably work in a muffin tin – turning them into sourdough vanilla muffins, too!
Baked Sourdough Donuts – Vanilla Cake with Chocolate Glaze and Sprinkles
Equipment
- 1 mixing bowl
- 1 Donut pan
- 1 Wire Rack
Ingredients
Vanilla Cake Sourdough Donut
- 1 cup all purpose flour gluten free flour, spelt flour, or oat flour
- 1/3 cup + 1 TBS sugar
- 1/8 tsp salt leave out if using salted butter
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 2 TBS melted butter salted or unsalted butter. Option to use oil
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup sourdough discard active sourdough or sourdough discard
- 1/4 cup + 2T Milk or alternate liquid (water, milk)
- 2 TBS sprinkles +/- measure with your heart
Chocolate Glaze
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar +/- based on sweetness preference
- 1-2 TBS milk or water (the more you add, the thinner it will be)
- 1/2 Tsp vanilla extract
- 1 TBS coca powder +/- based on preference of cocoa powder intensity
Instructions
Stir and Go method
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Combine the following ingredients. Mix the softened butter and sugar together. Stir in the egg, milk sourdough starter and vanilla extract.
- To the wet ingredients, add in all purpose flour (or flour of your choice), baking powder and salt. Mix until combined.
- Grease the donut pan and fill 3/4 way full with sourdough donut batter.Allow the donuts to bake for 15-20 minutes or until tops are firm to the touch. A toothpick will come out clean and when lifted, the bottom of the donut will be golden brown.
- Make the chocolate glaze by combining powdered sugar, cocoa powder, vanilla extract and milk / water. Mixture will be thin and runny – like agave syrup (thinner than honey, thicker than water).
- Cool on a wire rack before glazing. Place a baking sheet or parchment paper under the wire rack to catch any chocolate glaze drippings. Dip the donuts in the chocolate glaze. Immediately add sprinkles on top – measuring with your heart!
Long Fermented Sourdough Donuts Instructions
- In a mixing bowl combine the sourdough starter, flour, milk or water, and butter or oil together. Wrap the donut dough with plastic wrap to ensure it does not dry out while sitting on the counter top.
- Allow the sourdough donut batter to ferment for 4-12 hours, depending on the heat of your home and your desired fermentation goals. When complete, put the bowl (with the plastic wrap still in tact), into the refrigerator to continue a bulk ferment.
- The donut batter can sit in the fridge for up to 2 days. The longer the sourdough donut batter sits, the more pronounced the sour flavor will be.
- When ready to bake, preheat your oven. Remove the dough from the fridge and stir in additional ingredients. If you opt for butter within the recipe, allow the sourdough donut batter to sit at room temperature until malleable before stirring in the additional ingredients.
- Cook as instructed above. The recipe should make 6-8 donuts depending on how high the donut pan is filled.
What is your favorite item to buy at the donut store? As we mentioned, we will always leave with an apple fritter and vanilla cake donut with chocolate and sprinkles. Let us know in the comments below!
