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Homemade Sour Cream Doughnuts

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Sour Cream Doughnuts are a classic homemade treat with a golden, crispy exterior and a soft, tender, cake-like center. Made with sour cream, butter, sugar, and a hint of nutmeg, these delicious doughnuts have a rich flavor and a wonderfully moist texture. Each doughnut is coated in a sweet vanilla glaze that adds the perfect finishing touch, making them taste just like the nostalgic treats you remember from your favorite bakery.


What makes these doughnuts truly special is their signature old-fashioned appearance, with delicate cracks and ridges that form as they fry. These little crevices help catch the sweet glaze, ensuring every bite is filled with delicious flavor. Unlike yeast-raised doughnuts, this recipe uses baking powder to give the doughnuts their lift, creating a denser, tender texture without the need for a lengthy rising process. The sour cream adds richness and a subtle tang that balances the sweetness of the glaze beautifully.


Perfect for breakfast, brunch, afternoon snacks, or a special homemade dessert, Old-Fashioned Sour Cream Doughnuts are a wonderful way to bring classic bakery flavors into your kitchen. Serve them fresh with a cup of coffee, tea, or a glass of milk for a comforting treat everyone will enjoy. Whether you’re making them for your family or sharing them with friends, these glazed doughnuts are sure to become a favorite for anyone who loves traditional homemade sweets.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe:

  • Classic bakery flavor: Enjoy the nostalgic taste of traditional old-fashioned doughnuts made right at home.

  • Crispy outside, tender inside: Each doughnut has a lightly crisp exterior and a soft, rich, cake-like center.

  • Sweet vanilla glaze: The smooth glaze adds just the right amount of sweetness and creates a beautiful finish.

  • Rich sour cream texture: Sour cream gives the doughnuts moisture, tenderness, and a subtle tangy flavor.

  • No yeast required: Baking powder helps the doughnuts rise without the need for yeast or a lengthy proofing process.

  • Perfect for any occasion: Serve them for breakfast, brunch, dessert, or a special weekend treat.

  • Made for sharing: These homemade doughnuts are a delicious way to treat family and friends to something special.

Ingredients:

For the Doughnuts:

  • 2 ¼ cups (255 grams) cake flour

  • 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder

  • 1 teaspoon fine sea salt

  • ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg

  • ½ cup (100 grams) granulated sugar

  • 2 tablespoons (28 grams) unsalted butter, at cool room temperature

  • 2 large egg yolks

  • ⅔ cup (160 grams) sour cream

  • Canola oil, for frying

For the Glaze:

  • 3 ½ cups powdered sugar, sifted

  • 1 ½ teaspoons corn syrup

  • ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt

  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

  • ⅓ cup hot water

     

Instructions:

For the Doughnuts:

1. Combine the dry ingredients. In a medium bowl, sift together the cake flour, baking powder, fine sea salt, and ground nutmeg. Set aside.

2. Mix the butter and sugar. In a large mixing bowl fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and granulated sugar on low speed until the mixture resembles damp sand.

3. Add the egg yolks. Add the egg yolks and continue mixing until the mixture becomes lighter in color and thickens. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.

4. Prepare the dough. Add the dry ingredients in three additions, alternating with the sour cream and beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Mix just until combined. The dough will be sticky, so avoid overmixing.

5. Chill the dough. Cover the dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate for about 1 hour, or until it becomes firm enough to roll and cut easily.

6. Roll and cut the doughnuts. Lightly flour your work surface and rolling pin. Roll the chilled dough to approximately ½ inch thick. Use a doughnut cutter or two round cutters of different sizes to cut out the doughnuts and their centers. Gather and gently reroll any scraps as needed.

7. Heat the oil. Pour approximately 2 inches of canola oil into a heavy-bottomed pot fitted with a deep-fry thermometer. Heat the oil to 325°F (163°C), maintaining a steady temperature for even cooking.

8. Fry the doughnuts. Carefully fry a few doughnuts at a time, avoiding overcrowding the pot. Fry until golden brown and cracked, turning as necessary to cook them evenly. Transfer the finished doughnuts to a wire rack set over paper towels to drain.

For the Glaze:

1. Make the glaze. In a large bowl, whisk together the sifted powdered sugar, corn syrup, fine sea salt, vanilla extract, and hot water until smooth. Adjust the consistency with a little additional hot water if necessary.

2. Glaze the doughnuts. While the doughnuts are still warm, dip them into the glaze, coating the surfaces evenly. Place them on a wire rack to allow the excess glaze to drip off and the coating to set.

3. Serve and enjoy. Let the glaze firm up for approximately 10–20 minutes before serving. Enjoy your Old-Fashioned Sour Cream Doughnuts fresh for the best flavor and texture.

Homemade Sour Cream Doughnuts

Make delicious Homemade Sour Cream Doughnuts with a crispy exterior, tender cake-like center, and sweet vanilla glaze. A classic homemade bakery treat!
Print Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 10 doughnuts
Ingredients Method Nutrition

Ingredients
  

For the Doughnuts

  • 2 ¼ cups (255 grams) cake flour
  • 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • ½ cup (100 grams) granulated sugar
  • 2 tablespoons (28 grams) unsalted butter, at cool room temperature
  • 2 large egg yolks⅔ cup (160 grams) sour creamCanola oil, for frying

For the Glaze

  • 3 ½ cups powdered sugar, sifted
  • 1 ½ teaspoons corn syrup
  • ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ⅓ cup hot water

Method
 

For the Doughnuts

  1. In a medium bowl, sift together the cake flour, baking powder, fine sea salt, and ground nutmeg. Set aside.
  2. In a large mixing bowl fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and granulated sugar on low speed until the mixture resembles damp sand.
  3. Add the egg yolks and continue mixing until the mixture becomes lighter in color and thickens. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
  4. Add the dry ingredients in three additions, alternating with the sour cream and beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Mix just until combined. The dough will be sticky, so avoid overmixing.
  5. Cover the dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate for about 1 hour, or until it becomes firm enough to roll and cut easily.
  6. Lightly flour your work surface and rolling pin. Roll the chilled dough to approximately ½ inch thick. Use a doughnut cutter or two round cutters of different sizes to cut out the doughnuts and their centers. Gather and gently reroll any scraps as needed.
  7. Pour approximately 2 inches of canola oil into a heavy-bottomed pot fitted with a deep-fry thermometer. Heat the oil to 325°F (163°C), maintaining a steady temperature for even cooking.
  8. Carefully fry a few doughnuts at a time, avoiding overcrowding the pot. Fry until golden brown and cracked, turning as necessary to cook them evenly. Transfer the finished doughnuts to a wire rack set over paper towels to drain.

For the Glaze

  1. In a large bowl, whisk together the sifted powdered sugar, corn syrup, fine sea salt, vanilla extract, and hot water until smooth. Adjust the consistency with a little additional hot water if necessary.
  2. While the doughnuts are still warm, dip them into the glaze, coating the surfaces evenly. Place them on a wire rack to allow the excess glaze to drip off and the coating to set.
  3. Let the glaze firm up for approximately 10–20 minutes before serving. Enjoy your Old-Fashioned Sour Cream Doughnuts fresh for the best flavor and texture.

Nutrition

Serving: 10 doughnuts

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