These old fashioned sour cream donuts are cakey, tender, and made with no yeast! Fried to perfection and dipped in a simple vanilla glaze, these donuts are easy to make and are a classic favorite.
Once you’ve tried a fresh, warm, homemade sour cream donut you’ll never be able to enjoy one from a bakery the same way again! Like my popular donut hole recipe, these are great to make with no yeast or rising required! Recipe also includes a step-by-step video.
Some mornings you just need a donut for breakfast.
Maybe it’s not as ideal as, say, a homemade granola bar, but the weather today is at least 30 degrees cooler than it was last Monday, it’s grey outside, the wind is howling, and the baby pool in our backyard (Leia’s) that was empty on Friday is about to overflow with rain. The weather forecast says that things aren’t expected to look any brighter this week as hurricane Florence heads for the East Coast (stay safe, everyone).
This gloomy morning I could go for a donut, a freshly fried sour cream donut. With vanilla glaze. I bet you could go for one, too?
Honestly, I wish I’d waited for this cooler weather to come before I started experimenting with this recipe. I spent a few hot summer days standing over a Dutch Oven full of oil working on perfecting these sour cream donuts, but ultimately it was worth it.
These donuts are tender, cakey, and packed with flavor. My recipe uses a combination of both white sugar and brown sugar, egg yolks only (no whites), and a full tablespoon of cornstarch for the best sour cream donut recipe out there (in my humble opinion, of course 😉).
Also see my yeast-raised homemade donut recipe
Tips for Making Sour Cream Donuts
- I do not recommend baking these donuts, they are meant to be fried for best results. If you’re looking for a good baked donut recipe please check out my baked Snickerdoodle Donuts, my baked Pumpkin Donuts, or my baked Chocolate Donuts. I do not own an air fryer so I’m not sure how they would work in one of those (but if you try it out please let me know!).
- Don’t skip the chilling. Chilling the dough for an hour is mandatory, otherwise it will be too sticky to roll out. It’s also important that your donuts be chilled before frying, they will need to be cold in order for them to hold their shape when you transfer them to the oil.
- If your glaze begins to solidify while your donuts are frying, just pop it in the microwave for a few more seconds and give it a good stir.
- If you’re feeling too lazy to make the glaze (been there) you can just dip these donuts in sugar or a cinnamon/sugar mixture instead. It’s quicker, easier, and my taste-testing siblings enjoyed the sugared donuts just as much as the glazed ones.
Enjoy!
More Recipes to Try:
My video for these Sour Cream Donuts is at the bottom of the recipe! If you enjoy watching my cooking videos, I’d love it if you would consider subscribing to my YouTube channel <3
Sour Cream Donuts
Ingredients
- Vegetable or canola oil, for frying
- 3 Tablespoons unsalted butter, softened (42g)
- ¼ cup sugar (50g)
- ¼ cup brown sugar (50g)
- 2 large egg yolks
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ⅔ cup sour cream (160g)
- 2 cups + 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour (267g)
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 Tablespoon cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg optional
Glaze**
- 1 ½ cups powdered sugar (185g)
- ¼ cup salted butter melted (57g)
- ½ teaspoon vanilla
- 1 ½-2 Tablespoons hot water
Instructions
- Combine butter and sugars in a large bowl and use an electric mixer to beat until creamed together.
- Add egg yolks and beat until ingredients are well combined.
- Add vanilla extract and sour cream and stir well (be sure to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl if using a stand mixer).
- In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, cornstarch, salt, and nutmeg (if using).
- Add dry ingredients to wet and use a spatula and stir by hand until ingredients are combined (I don't recommend using your electric mixer at this point, you don't want to over-work the ingredients or it can make your donuts tough).
- Cover your bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least one hour.
- Once dough has chilled, remove from refrigerator and turn out onto a clean, lightly floured surface. Use a rolling pin to roll to about ½" thickness and use a donut cutter to cut out donuts (save the holes, I always fry the donut holes as well!).
- Re-group any scraps and work them together, re-roll out, and repeat to cut out as many donuts as possible from your dough.
- Transfer cut out donut shapes to a wax paper lined cookie sheet and return to the refrigerator for at least 15 minutes while you heat your oil.
- While dough is chilling, fill a Dutch oven at least 2-3" deep with canola or vegetable oil. Fix a candy thermometer to the edge (make sure it is in the oil but not touching the bottom of the pan) and set your heat to medium-low. Oil will need to reach 350-360F (175-185C) before you can continue. Meanwhile, prepare your glaze.
- To prepare the glaze, combine melted butter, sugar, vanilla, and hot water in a small bowl and whisk or stir until smooth. Set aside.
- Once oil has reached 350-360F (175-185C), remove donuts from the refrigerator and use tongs to carefully transfer donuts or donut holes in the oil, just 3 or 4 at a time. Adding donuts will cause your oil temperature to drop, so make sure you allow it to come back to the correct temperature between batches.
- Allow to cook for about 1-1 ½ minutes and then use tongs to flip. Cook another 1-1 ½ minutes and then use tongs to remove them from the oil and transfer to a paper towel lined plate. Allow to cool 1-5 minutes.
- Dip donuts in prepared glaze and then transfer to a cooling rack to allow the glaze to set.
- Enjoy warm. Donuts will keep for several days in an airtight container at room temperature, but they really taste best warm and freshly fried.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered an estimate only. Actual nutritional content will vary based upon brands used, measuring methods, cooking method, portion sizes, and more.
Celine
First time ever making donuts (or deep frying anything on my stove) and these turned out fantastic! Had fun experimenting with glazes afterwards too.
Sugar Spun Run
I am so glad that they turned out perfectly, Celine, and that you enjoyed them! Thanks for trying my recipe. I can’t wait to see what you try next! 🙂
Nolan
Hi I want to make some of these but I don’t have a Dutch oven. Is there anything else I could use? Like a normal pot?
Sam
Hi Nolan! As long as your pot is deep enough and big enough to hold the oil and flip the donuts over while frying. 🙂
Nolan
Ok thank you!
Helena Dietz
Hi Sam
I made these tonight and they are THE BESTEST!!!
They are sooo light.
My husband is not a fan of sour cream glazed doughnuts, but he can’t stop eating these, he LOVES THEM.
Thank you so very much for sharing.
Big Hugs 💞 and God Bless
Sugar Spun Run
I am so glad that you loved them and they were husband approved, Helena! Thanks for trying my recipe and for commenting. Enjoy! 🙂
Michelle
These look so delicious and surprisingly easy. Looking forward to matching a batch today. Is there a way to make a chocolate version of these? Is it just add coco powder? If so how much do you think?
Love all your recipes!
Sugar Spun Run
I am excited for you to try this recipe, Michelle. Unfortunately, I have not tested this recipe using chocolate or cocoa powder so I can not advise. If you do, I’d love to know how it turns out! I do have a baked chocolate donut recipe you may enjoy. 🙂
Erica Kavanagh
Thank you so much for sharing this recipe! The recipe is not intimidating and my family loved them!
Sam
I am so glad you enjoyed the donuts, Erica! 😊
Shireen
Hi Sam im from South Africa. I tried this recipe today and it was simply delicious. Thank you for your amazing recipes i have tried most of them already
Sam
I am so glad you enjoyed the donuts, Shireen! 🙂
Adrienne
Can you use plain Greek yogurt instead of sour cream?
Sam
Hi Adrienne! I think that will work just fine here. 🙂
Carolyn
Amazing donuts!
Sugar Spun Run
I am so glad that you enjoyed them, Carolyn! Thanks for trying my recipe and for commenting. 🙂
Jacquelyn
This recipe us definitely legit! So delicious! Not difficult to make. I made the dough yesterday and refrigerated overnight. Made a quadruple batch to share with friends and neighbors that have made our stay at home orders more bearable.
Sugar Spun Run
What a sweet gesture, Jacquelyn! Thank you for trying my recipe, I am so glad that you enjoyed the donuts and I hope that your neighbors do too. Thanks for commenting. 🙂
Marquita Goldman
This recipe is fantastic!! Can’t wait to make again. The donuts are even better the next day! Thank you
Sugar Spun Run
I am so glad that you enjoyed them, Marquita! Thanks for trying my recipe and for commenting. 🙂
Sayma
This recipe is a keeper! Thanks for sharing it. 🙂
Sugar Spun Run
I am so glad that you enjoyed the donuts, Sayma! Thank you for trying my recipe and for commenting. 🙂
Kiera
Hi! These are delicious! Is there a way to make these the same exact way except with chocolate instead?
Thank you for fantastic recipes!
Sugar Spun Run
I am so glad that you enjoyed the donuts, Kiera! Unfortunately, I have not tested this recipe using chocolate or cocoa powder so I can not advise. If you do, I’d love to know how it turns out! I do have a baked chocolate donut recipe you may enjoy. Thanks for commenting. 🙂
John
Do you think it’d be okay to refrigerate the batter overnight, instead of for an hour?
Sugar Spun Run
Hi, John! That should be fine. 🙂
Sue
Yes. I used to work at Donut shop, this batter seems to be the same as our “old fashion” donuts. When we left the dough in fridge over night, they came out better! Thanks for sharing this recipe!
Sugar Spun Run
I am so glad that this recipe reminds me of your days working at the donut shop. Thank you for commenting and being a fan of this recipe, Sue! 🙂
Scott
I just tried a new cake doughnut recipe and had a hunch they weren’t going to turn out as highly rated as they were. Baking and cooking for many years is helpful. Well, I made them anyway and am trashing them as you read this lol. Should’ve went with your recipe from the get go. I’m making them now. 😀
Sam
Haha, so glad you came back to my recipe, Scott! 🙂 Thank you for commenting.
Janine
These were so easy to make and delicious. I browned my butter for the glaze to give them a little extra flavour.
Sugar Spun Run
I am so glad that you enjoyed the sour cream donuts, Janine! Thanks for commenting. 🙂