There’s nothing quite like freshly made sourdough donuts along side your morning cup of coffee. It’s a sweet irresistible breakfast that melts in your mouth and makes a delicious treat any time of the day. Making these donuts using a potato flake starter just takes a homemade donut to a whole new level.
I was intimidated by making my own homemade doughnuts, but it really is just as simple as following the instructions! To be honest, it will require some patience. The rise time is always difficult to wait on, but it’s well worth it!
My first question was, is it doughnuts or donuts? I’m not sure…but either way they still taste amazing!
Tools you will need:
Doughnut cutter – You can use a specific doughnut cutter to make things easier, but it’s not necessary. Use tools you might have laying around your kitchen. A round drinking glass works great for the outer circle. For the inner circle, you can use a bottle cap or anything circular that’s small. I used a pineapple cutter.
Rolling Pin – Again a nice rolling pin that has adjustable thickness rings is a nice connivence, but you can use a round glass to roll out your dough.
Whisk – any whisk will work!
Stand Mixer – You could mix by hand, but it will take a lot of work. Be prepared for a good work out!
Cooling Rack – This is super helpful in helping the excess grease drain off and after glazing the doughnuts. But you can make it work with paper towels and wax or parchment paper.
Large Pot – I used a dutch oven. This is for frying the doughnuts.
Metal tongs or a metal or wooden slotted spoon
Ingredients:
For the dough:
3/4 cup of whole milk
1/4 cup sugar
2/3 cup potato flake starter
2 large eggs lightly beaten
7 Tablespoons of salted butter
4 3/4 cups of all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon of salt
Coconut oil for frying (another oil can be used but coconut does not leave any odd flavors and is a healthier oil) I like to use coconut oil from Sam’s, but there are some great options on amazon.
For the glaze:
4 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup of butter-melted
2 teaspoons of vanilla
About 3 Tablespoons of Milk-add additional if needed until smooth glaze forms
How to make potato flake sourdough donuts:
Mixing the dough
Warm the milk in a small saucepan until about 105 degrees. Add the milk to your stand mixer bowl, add sugar, and whisk until sugar has dissolved. Next, melt your butter in your sauce pan you used for the milk. Careful to not let it get too hot. You want it just warm. Add beaten eggs and melted butter, making sure the butter isn’t hot. Whisk until combined.
Add your starter to the bowl and whisk until combined.
Add your dough hook to your mixer. Turn it on the second speed setting and begin slowly adding the flour and salt. Continue to Mix until the dough comes together. It should pull from the sides but still be stuck to the bottom.
Sourdough Donuts – First rise
Transfer your dough to a lightly greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap to prevent the dough from drying out. Let it sit out at room temperature until doubled. You can also place in an off oven with just the light on to help provide a nice warm environment for it to rise more quickly. This is what I typically do and it takes about 5 hours for it to double.
Once double, you should now refrigerate your dough for at least 2 hours, but can refrigerate overnight (8-12 hours). The main reason you need to refrigerate your dough is to make it easier to cut out your donuts. Otherwise, it will be too sticky to have beautiful uniform donuts.
Once the dough has become cold, remove from the fridge and dump out onto a clean surface. You will want to work somewhat quickly at this step, because the longer the dough sits at room temperature, the harder it will get to work with.
Shape into donuts
Roll the dough until it is about 1/2 inch thick. Using a 3 inch circle cutter (or something of similar size), cut out as many donuts as you can. Cut out a smaller hole in the middle. You can combine all of these with the excess dough to make more doughnuts, or you can fry them as donut holes. I highly recommend the doughnut holes!
As you cut out the donuts, place them on parchment paper on a sheet pan. It would be best to precut squares to place the donuts on, as this makes it so much easier when transferring to the hot oil. If you want to make it even more convenient you can buy precut parchment squares. I also love to use these when making hamburgers to freeze!
Sourdough Donuts – Second rise
Cover the donuts with plastic wrap and allow them to rise until about double in size. This takes about 1 hour in a warm, turned off, oven. It would take about 2 hours at room temperature depending on the temperature of your home. They should be puffy to the touch.
Prepare your glaze
Melt the butter in a glass bowl. Add vanilla, powdered sugar and milk. Whisk until smooth. Add more milk if needed to create a consistency similar to school glue. You want it to be think enough that it will coat the donut and not all run off.
Set aside to use as soon as the donuts are done frying.
Frying the sourdough donuts
Heat a few inches of coconut oil (or another oil of your choice) in a cast iron dutch oven. Heat over medium heat until the oil reaches about 350 to 375 degrees. This is a time when a good thermometer comes in handy!
Place your cooling rack on a cookie sheet to catch any oil drips. Alternatively, you can line a cookie sheet with paper towels to soak up the oil.
Gently pick up the donuts using the parchment paper and carefully place the donuts face down into the hot oil, parchment paper and all! As soon as the donut hits the hot oil the parchment paper will easily release from the donut and can be pulled out with metal tongs.
I find this to be the easiest method to keeping the donuts intact and not deflating.
Fry the donuts on each side for about 1 minute until they are golden brown. The donut holes will take less time. Carefully remove the donuts using the tongs or a metal slotted spoon. Place them on the cooling rack until all of the donuts have been cooked.
Glazing sourdough donuts:
One at a time, place the donuts in the glaze. Flip it so that both sides get covered in the glaze. Place back on the cooling rack to allow excess glaze to drip off. Repeat the process with all of the donuts.
Enjoy right away, or wait a few minutes until the glaze hardens so it won’t be as sticky.
How to store sourdough donuts?
These donuts are most definitely the best when eaten fresh. If you somehow don’t eat them all in the first hour of making them, here is the best way to store your donuts. Place them in an air tight container and refrigerate them. You’ll want to zap them in the microwave. ONLY 5 seconds at a time. If you heat them up for too long the glaze will just run off and leave a sticky mess.
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If you try this recipe and love it I would love if you’d come back and give it 5 stars! Also, I’d love to see your donuts! Share over on instagram and tag me @littletennesseehome!
Sourdough Donuts – A potato flake starter recipe
Equipment
- Doughnut cutter
- Rolling Pin
- Whisk
- Stand Mixer
- Cooling Rack
- Large pot
- Metal tongs or a metal or wooden slotted
Ingredients
For the dough:
- 3/4 cup of whole milk
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 2/3 cup potato flake starter
- 2 large eggs lightly beaten
- 7 Tablespoons of salted butter
- 4 3/4 cups of all purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon of salt
- Coconut oil for frying
For the glaze:
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 1/2 cup of butter-melted
- 2 teaspoons of vanilla
- About 3 Tablespoons of Milk-add additional if needed until smooth glaze forms
Instructions
Mixing the dough
- Warm the milk in a small saucepan until about 105 degrees. Add the milk to your stand mixer bowl, add sugar, and whisk until sugar has dissolved. Next, melt your butter in your sauce pan you used for the milk. Careful to not let it get too hot. You want it just warm. Add beaten eggs and melted butter, making sure the butter isn’t hot. Whisk until combined.
- Add your starter to the bowl and whisk until combined.
- Add your dough hook to your mixer. Turn it on the second speed setting and begin slowly adding the flour and salt. Continue to Mix until the dough comes together. It should pull from the sides but still be stuck to the bottom.
Sourdough Donuts – First rise
- Transfer your dough to a lightly greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap to prevent the dough from drying out. Let it sit out at room temperature until doubled. You can also place in an off oven with just the light on to help provide a nice warm environment for it to rise more quickly. This is what I typically do and it takes about 5 hours for it to double.
- Once double, you should now refrigerate your dough for at least 2 hours, but can refrigerate overnight (8-12 hours). The main reason you need to refrigerate your dough is to make it easier to cut out your donuts. Otherwise, it will be too sticky to have beautiful uniform donuts.
- Once the dough has become cold, remove from the fridge and dump out onto a clean surface. You will want to work somewhat quickly at this step, because the longer the dough sits at room temperature, the harder it will get to work with.
Shape into donuts
- Roll the dough until it is about 1/2 inch thick. Using a 3 inch circle cutter (or something of similar size), cut out as many donuts as you can. Cut out a smaller hole in the middle. You can combine all of these with the excess dough to make more doughnuts, or you can fry them as donut holes.
- As you cut out the donuts, place them on parchment paper on a sheet pan. It would be best to precut squares to place the donuts on, as this makes it so much easier when transferring to the hot oil.
Sourdough Donuts – Second rise
- Cover the donuts with plastic wrap and allow them to rise until about double in size. This takes about 1 hour in a warm, turned off, oven. It would take about 2 hours at room temperature depending on the temperature of your home. They should be puffy to the touch.
Prepare your glaze
- Melt the butter in a glass bowl. Add vanilla, powdered sugar and milk. Whisk until smooth. Add more milk if needed to create a consistency similar to school glue. You want it to be think enough that it will coat the donut and not all run off.
- Set aside to use as soon as the donuts are done frying.
Frying the sourdough donuts
- Heat a few inches of coconut oil (or another oil of your choice) in a cast iron dutch oven. Heat over medium heat until the oil reaches about 350 to 375 degrees. This is a time when a good thermometer comes in handy!
- Place your cooling rack on a cookie sheet to catch any oil drips. Alternatively, you can line a cookie sheet with paper towels to soak up the oil.
- Gently pick up the donuts using the parchment paper and carefully place the donuts face down into the hot oil, parchment paper and all! As soon as the donut hits the hot oil the parchment paper will easily release from the donut and can be pulled out with metal tongs.
- Fry the donuts on each side for about 1 minute until they are golden brown. The donut holes will take less time. Carefully remove the donuts using the tongs or a metal slotted spoon. Place them on the cooling rack until all of the donuts have been cooked.
Glazing sourdough donuts:
- One at a time, place the donuts in the glaze. Flip it so that both sides get covered in the glaze. Place back on the cooling rack to allow excess glaze to drip off. Repeat the process with all of the donuts.
- Enjoy right away, or wait a few minutes until the glaze hardens so it won’t be as sticky.
I am just getting started in the sourdough world and this is the first time I have made donuts with it and they were so delicious! The recipe was simple and east to follow as well. Thank you so much!
Can they be baked instead if fried?
I have not tried, let us know if you give it a try 🙂