Sourdough Donuts with Vanilla and Chocolate Glaze

Sourdough donuts, one with bit taken out of it

5 from 2 votes

Sourdough Donuts with Vanilla and Chocolate Glaze

Learn how to make fluffy homemade sourdough donuts. A simple roux added to the dough creates a soft and pillowy texture. Then, they are fried to golden brown perfection and dipped in vanilla or chocolate glaze.

Prep Time20

Cook Time20

Additional Time23

Total Time20

Course: Sourdough

Cuisine: American

Servings: -15 Donuts

Calories: 339kcal

Author: Rebecca Warfield

Ingredients

TANGZHONG (MILK ROUX)

1/3 cup bread flour 38g
3/4 cup whole milk 180g

DOUGH

Tangzhong cooled
1 cup sourdough starter, active and bubbly 200g
3 large eggs
3 tablespoon granulated sugar 38g
3.5 cups bread flour 465g
1/2 teaspoon salt 12g
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 stick of butter softened and cubed

FRYING

Neutral oil enough to fill a wide pot or dutch oven with 2" of oil

VANILLA GLAZE

2 tablespoon butter, melted (but not hot) 28g
1 cup powdered sugar 120g
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1-3 tablespoon milk milk

CHOCOLATE GLAZE

1 cup powdered sugar 120g
1 tablespoon cocoa powder 10g
3-4 cup milk room temp
1/2 tablespoon butter, melted (but not hot) 7g
A dash of vanilla
A pinch of salt

Instructions

Make the Tangzhong

In a small saucepan, whisk together the milk and flour. Warm over medium heat, whisking or stirring constantly until the texture is similar to mashed potatoes.
Spoon onto a plate and smooth with a rubber spatula (this helps it cool faster). Then, set aside, and allow to cool to room temperature.

Make the Dough

In the bowl of your stand mixer, add all of the dough ingredients, including the cooled tangzhong. Mix on low speed until the dough becomes shaggy. Be sure to scrape the sides of the bowl.
Bump up the speed to medium and knead until the dough becomes elastic and smooth, about 10 minutes or so. This took about 12 minutes in my stand mixer. You want the dough to pass the windowpane test.
Drizzle a little bit of avocado or olive oil in a bowl. Use the oil in the bowl to lightly coat all sides of the dough. This will help prevent it from drying out during the first rise or bulk fermentation.
Cover the bowl with a lid, plastic wrap, or a damp towel. Allow the dough to bulk ferment at room temperature for 8-12 hours. It is ready for cold proofing (the next step) when it has doubled and is domed on top.
Keep the dough covered with plastic wrap or a lid, and pop it in the fridge overnight. Don't skip this step! This is where the sourdough flavor magic happens.

The Next Day

Roll the
cold
dough out about 1/2 inch thick. Using a donut cutter (or other creative tools shaped like a donut), cut the donuts out. If you need to re-roll the dough to cut more, just make sure it is chilled. Otherwise, it's next to impossible to roll and cut. Stick it back in the fridge if you need to.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and dust with flour. Place the donuts on the floured, parchment-lined baking sheet. Proof for a second rise until the donuts are puffy, about 2-3 hours.
After the second rise, preheat the oil in a cast iron Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot. Use a fry thermometer to ensure the temp gets to about 370° F.
Using a slotted spoon, carefully place one donut at a time into the oil. To do this, gently place the spoon into the oil and slide the donut off. Work in batches of 3 or 4, depending on how big your fryer is.
Fry until golden brown, about 2 minutes (use tongs to peek under and check the color). Using tongs, carefully turn the donuts over to the second side. Fry, again, until golden brown, about 2 minutes. Do not fry below 350° F or above 370° F.
Use the slotted spoon to remove the donuts from the hot oil. Place on a wire rack to cool (I like to put parchment paper under the wire rack to catch any oil that drips).
Repeat until all donuts are fried to golden brown perfection!

Glaze

VANILLA GLAZE: Add all ingredients into a bowl or stand mixer. Mix until thoroughly combined. I like to start with one tablespoon of milk, then add one tablespoon at a time until it reaches my desired consistency. The white glaze in the pictures is this recipe with 1 tablespoon of milk. The “clear” glaze is this recipe with more milk added.
CHOCOLATE GLAZE: Add all of the ingredients into a bowl or stand mixer. Mix until thoroughly combined. For the chocolate, I like to start with 2 or 3 tablespoon of milk and add one tablespoon at a time until it reaches my desired consistency.
Dip the donuts in the glaze, and place them on a wire rack to dry. Use parchment paper under the rack to catch any drips.

Notes

It's okay if the dough is a little sticky. But it should not be wet or make a mess of your hands when you touch it. If it is too wet, knead in one tablespoon of bread flour at a time until it becomes manageable.
For the best glaze results, use a stand mixer or hand mixer. However, I have mixed them by hand, and it also worked fine.
Always be careful when frying. Never drop food into hot oil. See the recipe instructions for how to use a slotted spoon and tongs for safe frying.
If using cups, keep in mind it is slightly less precise than grams. You may need to make slight adjustments (a pinch more sugar, a little more flour, etc.).

Nutrition