Oh, these donuts! There’s just something magical about waking up on a Saturday morning, the smell of warm vanilla and fried dough filling the kitchen. For a long time, I thought homemade donuts were totally out of my league, but then I discovered the secret weapon: sourdough discard. This Sourdough Discard Donut Recipe transformed my weekends and now it’s one of my absolute favorites to share. They’re so much better than anything you’ll buy at a shop!
Why You’ll Love This Sourdough Discard Donut Recipe
- They’re incredibly soft and fluffy, with that perfect melt-in-your-mouth texture.
- The sourdough discard adds a subtle depth of flavor without being overly sour.
- Making them at home means warm, fresh donuts whenever you crave them!
- It’s a fantastic way to use up that sourdough discard that usually just gets, well, discarded!
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Bread Flour: This flour has a higher protein content, which is key for developing strong gluten in the dough. Strong gluten gives your donuts that wonderful chewiness and structure. Don’t swap for all-purpose flour if you can help it!
- Instant Yeast: This is our leavening agent, working alongside the sourdough discard to give the donuts their rise. Make sure your yeast is fresh!
- Sourdough Discard: This is the star! Use unfed sourdough starter, straight from the fridge. It adds a lovely tang and helps with the dough’s texture.
- Unsalted Butter: Room temperature butter incorporates more easily into the dough, making it smooth and elastic.
- Vanilla Paste or Extract: Either works beautifully for the glaze. Paste will give you those lovely little vanilla bean flecks!
How to Make Sourdough Discard Donut Recipe Step by Step
First things first, we’re going to make a Tangzhong. This is a little flour and milk paste that makes our donuts incredibly soft and keeps them fresh longer. Just whisk the milk and flour in a small saucepan over medium heat until it thickens into a paste. It happens pretty quickly, so keep whisking! Once it’s thick, take it off the heat and let it cool completely. A quick trick is to spread it on a plate and pop it in the fridge for 5-10 minutes.
Now for the dough! In your stand mixer, combine the cooled Tangzhong with all the other dough ingredients except the butter. Mix on low/stir for about 2 minutes until everything comes together and you have a stiff, thick dough. Don’t worry if it looks a little shaggy at first! Then, with the mixer still running on low, add the room temperature butter one tab at a time, making sure each piece is fully incorporated before adding the next. This step is where the magic happens, transforming your dough into something truly special.
Once all the butter is in, crank the speed up to medium and knead for 10-15 minutes. You’re looking for a smooth, elastic dough that passes the “windowpane test” – meaning you can stretch a small piece thin enough to see light through it without it tearing. This means your gluten is perfectly developed! Place your beautiful dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover it, and let it rise until it doubles in size. This usually takes about 45 minutes at 70°F. Then, roll out your dough, cut out your donuts, and let them rise again until they’re super light and puffy, almost marshmallow-like. This second rise is crucial for light, airy donuts!
My Top Tips for Success
- I always make sure my Tangzhong is completely cool before adding it to the dough. Warm Tangzhong can mess with the yeast.
- In my experience, don’t rush the kneading or the rises. Good things take time, especially with yeasted doughs. The windowpane test is your best friend!
- Trust me on this one: maintain your oil temperature while frying. A frying thermometer is a game-changer for perfectly golden, evenly cooked donuts.
- When cutting donuts, try to get as many as you can from the first roll-out. The re-kneaded scraps tend to make slightly tougher donuts.
- Don’t overcrowd the pot when frying. Fry just 2-3 donuts at a time to keep the oil temperature stable.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Not cooling the Tangzhong: Adding warm Tangzhong to your dough can kill your yeast, preventing the donuts from rising properly. Always ensure it’s cool to the touch.
- Under-kneading the dough: If your dough isn’t kneaded enough, it won’t develop enough gluten, leading to dense, bread-like donuts. Knead until it’s smooth, elastic, and passes the windowpane test.
- Under-proofing the donuts: Rushing the second rise results in heavy, dense donuts. Let them rise until they are visibly puffy, light, and jiggle when gently shaken.
- Incorrect oil temperature: Oil that’s too cold will result in greasy donuts, while oil that’s too hot will burn the outside before the inside cooks. Use a thermometer and maintain 360°F.
How to Store Sourdough Discard Donut Recipe
- Countertop: Store glazed donuts in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.
- Freezer: Un-glazed donuts can be frozen in an airtight container for up to 1 month. Thaw at room temperature and glaze before serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use active sourdough starter instead of discard?
No, this recipe specifically calls for sourdough discard, which is unfed starter. Active starter will behave differently and may affect the texture and rise of your donuts. Stick to discard for best results.
What if my dough isn’t passing the windowpane test?
Keep kneading! Different flours and environmental factors can affect kneading time. Continue mixing until the dough is smooth, elastic, and you can stretch a small piece thin enough to see light through it.
Can I bake these instead of frying?
This recipe is designed for fried donuts, which gives them their classic soft, airy texture. Baking them would result in a different texture, more like a rich bun than a true donut.
My donuts are too greasy, what went wrong?
This usually happens if your frying oil wasn’t hot enough. Make sure to maintain the oil temperature at 360°F (180°C) using a thermometer. Cold oil causes the donuts to absorb too much fat.
How long does it take for the Tangzhong to cool?
If you spread it thinly on a plate and cover it with plastic wrap, then place it in the fridge, it should cool down within 5-10 minutes. Otherwise, allow it to cool completely at room temperature, which can take longer.
I genuinely hope you give this Sourdough Discard Donut Recipe a try! There’s nothing quite like the satisfaction of making these soft, fluffy treats from scratch. If you do, please let me know how they turn out in the comments below!
PrintSourdough Discard Donut Recipe
Soft, fluffy, and perfectly sweet, these homemade donuts use sourdough discard for a subtle tang and incredible texture.
- Prep Time: 30
- Cook Time: 15
- Total Time: 180
- Yield: 8-9 donuts
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- Tangzhong:
- 160 grams milk (1/2 cup + 3 Tablespoons)
- 35 grams bread flour (1/4 cup)
- Dough:
- 300 grams bread flour (2 cups + 1 Tablespoon)
- 66 grams sugar (1/3 cup)
- 10 grams instant yeast (2 1/2 teaspoons)
- 6 grams salt (1 teaspoon)
- 1 egg, room temperature
- 200 grams sourdough discard (2/3 cup)
- All of the tangzhong
- 70 grams unsalted butter, room temperature (5 Tablespoons)
- Vanilla Glaze:
- 430 grams powdered sugar (3 cups + 1/3 cup)
- 95 grams hot water (1/3 cup + 1 Tablespoon)
- 6 grams vanilla paste or extract (1 1/2 teaspoons)
- pinch of salt
Instructions
- Prepare the Tangzhong:
- Add the milk and 35 grams bread flour to a small saucepan or skillet.
- Whisk until the flour is fully incorporated.
- Bring to medium heat.
- Whisk continuously until a thick paste forms.
- Remove the saucepan from heat.
- Allow the Tangzhong to cool completely.
- To cool quickly, spread the paste on a large plate, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 5-10 minutes.
- Prepare the Donut Dough:
- Add the cooled Tangzhong and the remaining dough ingredients (except butter) to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook.
- Mix on low/stir speed for about 2 minutes.
- Continue mixing until all ingredients are incorporated and a stiff, thick dough forms.
- While still mixing on low speed, add the unsalted butter one tab at a time.
- Let each tab of butter fully incorporate before adding the next.
- Once all butter is added, increase mixer speed to medium (speed 2).
- Knead the dough for 10-15 minutes.
- Knead until the dough is no longer sticky, smooth, elastic, tacky to the touch, and passes the windowpane test.
- Lightly grease a straight-edge bowl.
- Place the dough in the greased bowl.
- Cover the bowl.
- Leave the dough to double in size (about 45 minutes at 70 degrees F).
- Lightly flour a work surface.
- Pour the dough onto the floured surface.
- Dust the top of the dough with more flour.
- Roll the dough out to ½-¾ inch thick using a floured rolling pin.
- Using a donut cutter, cut out about 8-9 donuts.
- Gather the dough scraps.
- Knead the scraps gently.
- Wait about 30 minutes before re-rolling and cutting out more donuts from the scraps.
- Place each donut and donut hole on its own square of parchment paper.
- Place the parchment squares with donuts onto a rimmed baking sheet.
- Cover the baking sheet.
- Leave the donuts to rise until doubled in size and puffy (about 45-65 minutes at 70 degrees F, or until light and jiggly).
- Alternatively, cover and place donuts in the fridge overnight for a slower second rise (2-3 hours at 70 degrees F the next morning).
- While donuts rise, preheat 2 inches of oil to 360 degrees F in a heavy-bottom pot or 12-inch cast iron skillet.
- Once donuts have completed their second rise, carefully place 2-3 donuts (with parchment paper) into the hot oil at a time.
- Use kitchen tongs to remove the parchment paper after about 10 seconds.
- Fry each donut for 2 ½ minutes total.
- Flip the donut halfway through frying.
- Using a slotted spoon, carefully remove golden brown donuts.
- Place fried donuts on a wire rack to drain.
- Continue to fry the remaining donuts, ensuring oil temperature returns to 360 degrees F before each new batch.
- Prepare the Vanilla Glaze:
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, hot water, vanilla paste or extract, and a pinch of salt until smooth.
- Dip each side of a donut into the glaze.
- Allow any excess glaze to drip off.
- Place glazed donuts back on the wire rack to dry.
- Wait about an hour until the donuts are fully set before serving.
Notes
Ensure your Tangzhong is completely cool before adding it to the dough to avoid killing the yeast.
Don’t rush the kneading process; proper gluten development is key for light, airy donuts.
Use a cooking thermometer to maintain the oil temperature at 360°F for perfect frying results.
Let the donuts complete their second rise fully; under-proofed dough leads to dense donuts.
