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 (42 g) unsalted butter, softened
- ¼ cup (50 g) sugar
- ¼ cup (50 g) brown sugar
- 2 large egg yolks
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ⅔ cup (160 g) sour cream
- 2 cups + 2 Tablespoons (267 g) all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 Tablespoon cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg optional
Glaze**
- 1 ½ cups (185 g) powdered sugar
- ¼ cup (57 g) salted butter melted
- 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.3 Tablespoons (42 g) unsalted butter, softened, ¼ cup (50 g) sugar, ¼ cup (50 g) brown sugar
- Add egg yolks and beat until ingredients are well combined.2 large egg yolks
- 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).½ teaspoon vanilla extract, ⅔ cup (160 g) sour cream
- In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, cornstarch, salt, and nutmeg (if using).2 cups + 2 Tablespoons (267 g) all-purpose flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 1 Tablespoon cornstarch, ½ teaspoon salt, ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 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.Vegetable or canola oil, for frying
- To prepare the glaze, combine melted butter, sugar, vanilla, and hot water in a small bowl and whisk or stir until smooth. Set aside.1 ½ cups (185 g) powdered sugar, ¼ cup (57 g) salted butter, ½ teaspoon vanilla, 1 ½-2 Tablespoons hot water
- 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.
Sammy
Could I make this dough the night before so that I can have hot fresh donuts for breakfast? Or is it better to limit have it fresh chilled from the fridge in a few hours?
Sam
Hi Sammy! It’s best to limit the time in the refrigerator to reduce risks of drying the dough out. You could try to keep them overnight but I haven’t tried it so I’m not sure how it would go. Keep it in an air tight container so they don’t dry out. If you do try it I would love to know how it turns out. 🙂
maryam
can i use margarine instead of butter?
Sam
I haven’t tried it myself, but I think it could work. 🙂
Marissa
This was my first attempt at making doughnuts and they turned out fantastic! The whole family was impressed. I followed the directions and made no changes. Awesome recipe!
Cathy Yoder
Hey Sam! I tested these out in the air fryer today. I’m sad to say they did not turn out well… I think it’s because, like you said, baking these won’t yield great results. Since the air fryer is pretty much a small convection oven, I think that is why. If I had oil, I would have loved to make the rest of my dough into the real recipe. 🙂 Anyway, just wanted to let you know! Love your specific and helpful directions!
Sam
O no! 🙁 I appreciate your feedback though. 🙂
Amy
Would using bread or cake flour be better?
Sam
Hi Amy! I actually recommend all-purpose flour, I haven’t tested this recipe with either bread or cake flour, unfortunately.
sadie jane
hi! love the recipe, i really want to make these! my mum won’t let me cook with oil anymore. is it still possible to bake these (i know they won’t be as good) but is it an alternative?
Sam
Honestly I’m not sure how they would turn out. 🙁
Hope
I’ve made donuts once before (a beautiful batch of sopapillas), so felt fairly confident this morning. I thought I’d try this recipe, but substituted mascarpone for the sour cream. I’m not sure if it was the substitution choice, or if I made a wrong turn with the recipe, but my donuts sort of crumbled and melted at the same time upon entry into the oil. Do you have some idea of what may have gone wrong?
Thank you and Happy Thanksgiving.
Sam
I’m so sorry that happened, Hope! Unfortunately I think your substitution is where things went wrong. 🙁
Hope
And here I thought I was being so clever. Oh well. Thanks
Laura
This was my first try at homemade doughnuts… They are amazing and so easy! Thank you for a fantastic recipe!
Sam
I am so glad you enjoyed them, Laura! 🙂
Rebecca Weidler
Help! My dough is too sticky. I have plenty of flour on my surface, but by the time I roll it out and cut it I can’t get them to hold their shape to transfer back to the fridge because the dough is too warm. Should I cut the dough and work in smaller batches?
Sam
Hi Rebecca! Is it really warm where you are? This may be causing it to get too sticky too quickly. The dough may also just need a little more flour, but yes you can cut the dough into smaller batches and work it that way as a temporary work around. 🙂
Donna Eans
These are the best I’ve ever tried! There is nothing I could think of to improve them. The taste – well, you must try for yourself. Just delicious. Thanks for sharing.
Sam
I am so glad you enjoyed them so much, Donna! 🙂
Gina
Why the corn starch? Is it to approximate cake flour?
Sugar Spun Run
Hi, Gina! Cornstarch is used to soften the harsh proteins of the flour, making a softer more tender donut.
Anna
Hi! How long do you think I could keep the dough in the refrigerator before frying them up, could I roll out and fry half of the batch but keep the other half of the dough for another day?
Sam
Hi Anna! I haven’t tried keeping them in the refrigerator but I think it could work. Just make sure to keep them covered tightly so they don’t dry out. If you try it I would love to know how it turns out. 🙂
Brittani
Are these able to be frozen and thawed for cooking? I’m camping in a few weeks and would love you bring these along and cook the first morning there.
Sam
Hi Brittani! I haven’t tried it, but I think if you froze and then thawed before cooking it should work!
kelly
hi! can i use other toppings other than glazed or sugar? like maybe chocolate sprinkles?
Sam
Definitely! The chocolate sprinkles most likely won’t stick without a glaze, but you can use whatever topping you would like 🙂
Rosaimee
Hi ! What if I don’t have a candy thermometer ? 😟
Sugar Spun Run
Hi, Rosaimee! Unfortunately, you need to be able to test the oil to ensure it reaches the set temperature before placing your donuts into the oil. Without a candy thermometer, I am afraid that the donuts will not turn out. 🙁