Old-Fashioned Donuts
intro
Crisp cracked edges, tender cakey crumb, and sweet vanilla glaze make these nostalgic old-fashioned donuts a timeless, beloved American diner treat.
Ingredients
Steps
Mix the donut dough
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together 315g (2 ½ cups) all-purpose flour, 2 tsp baking powder, ½ tsp baking soda, 1 tsp fine sea salt, ½ tsp ground nutmeg, and ¼ tsp ground cinnamon until fully combined. In a separate medium bowl, whisk 1 room-temperature large egg (50g) with 100g (½ cup) granulated sugar until smooth, then stir in 180g (¾ cup) full-fat sour cream, 28g (2 tbsp) cooled melted unsalted butter, and 1 tsp vanilla extract. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, and stir with a rubber spatula just until no dry flour remains—do not overmix, as this will create tough donuts. The finished dough will be thick and slightly sticky.
Roll and cut donuts
Lightly dust a clean work surface with flour, then turn the sticky dough out onto it. Pat or roll the dough to a uniform ½-inch thickness, adding only a tiny extra dusting of flour if the dough sticks to your rolling pin. Use a 3-inch round donut cutter (or a 3-inch biscuit cutter paired with a 1-inch round cutter for the center hole) to cut donuts, pressing straight down without twisting to ensure even rising. Gather scraps, re-roll once, and cut remaining shapes to yield 10-12 donuts plus small donut holes. Set cut donuts on a parchment-lined tray while heating oil.
Heat frying oil
Pour 1L (4 cups) of canola or peanut oil into a heavy-bottomed Dutch oven or deep fryer, and heat over medium heat until the oil reaches a steady 365°F (185°C), measured with a clip-on candy thermometer. Adjust stovetop heat as needed to hold this temperature for the entire frying process: oil that is too hot burns donut exteriors before interiors cook, while too-cool oil creates greasy, soggy donuts.
Fry the donuts
Carefully lower 2-3 donuts into the hot oil at a time, taking care not to overcrowd the pot (this drops oil temperature rapidly). Fry for 90 seconds on the first side, until the bottom is deep golden brown with the signature cracked, crisp edges of old-fashioned donuts, then use a slotted spider strainer to flip each donut, and fry for 75 seconds on the second side. Transfer cooked donuts to a wire rack set over a baking sheet to drain excess oil for 2 minutes. Fry donut holes for 45 seconds per side until golden all over.
Make vanilla glaze
While donuts drain and cool slightly, prepare the glaze in a shallow wide bowl: whisk together 240g (2 cups) powdered sugar, 45ml (3 tbsp) whole milk, and ½ tsp vanilla extract until completely smooth with no lumps. Adjust consistency as needed: add 1 extra teaspoon of milk if the glaze is too thick to dip, or 1 extra tablespoon of powdered sugar if it is too thin and runs off donuts immediately.
Glaze and set donuts
Once donuts are cool enough to handle (about 2 minutes after frying), dip each donut into the glaze to coat both sides (or just the top for a thinner coating). Lift the donut out, hold it above the bowl for 5 seconds to let excess glaze drip off, then place it back on the wire rack. Let the glaze set for 10 minutes at room temperature, until the coating is dry to the touch and slightly crisp, before serving.
Tips
2.Monitor oil temperature closely with a clip-on candy thermometer; if oil drops below 350°F or rises above 375°F, adjust heat immediately to avoid greasy or burnt donuts.
3.Wait 2 minutes after frying to glaze donuts: donuts that are too hot will melt the glaze, causing it to slide off instead of setting into a crisp, sweet coating.
OMG these old-fashioned donuts are SO good! I made them for my kids’ weekend breakfast and they gobbled them up before I even got a second one. The glaze is perfectly sweet, not cloying at all, and the texture is exactly that crispy-outside, soft-inside old fashioned donut I remember from my childhood bakery trips. 10/10 will make again for the next school potluck!
Okay, full transparency, I was super intimidated by the medium difficulty rating because I barely bake beyond boxed brownies, but these turned out amazing! I did mess up the dough temperature the first time I rolled it out (it was way too sticky!) so I popped it in the fridge for 20 extra minutes and that fixed it right up. My roommate said they taste better than the fancy donut shop down the street. Total win!
Made these for our Sunday football watch party and even the guys who swear they ‘don’t like sweet stuff’ came back for seconds. I skipped the glaze on half and dusted them with powdered sugar for the less sweet tooths in the group, and both versions were a hit. Cook time was spot on for me, 50 minutes total from pulling ingredients out to having fresh donuts on the plate. Perfect.
Wait, has anyone tried making these with a 1:1 gluten free flour blend? I’ve been chasing a good old fashioned donut since I went gluten free 3 years ago and this recipe looks too perfect to pass up. Nervous to waste ingredients if it doesn’t hold up!
I’ve been making old fashioned donuts for 60 years and I have to say, this recipe is almost exactly the one my mom passed down! The only tweak I did was add a tiny pinch of nutmeg to the glaze like she always did, and it took me right back to being 7 years old in her kitchen. My grandkids went crazy for them, asked if we can make them every Sunday from now on.
Meal prep win! I made a double batch on Sunday, kept them in an airtight container, and they stayed fresh for quick breakfasts all week long. I will say, they’re best warmed up for 10 seconds in the microwave if you’re eating them a couple days after making, but they held up way better than I thought donuts would. Saved me so much time on busy school mornings!
Game. Changer. I’ve spent so much money at local donut shops over the years chasing that perfect old-fashioned sour cream donut texture, and this recipe nails it for a fraction of the cost. I fried mine in a cast iron Dutch oven which kept the oil temperature super steady, no burnt edges at all. 10/10, no notes.
Uh, quick PSA for anyone else who’s never fried donuts at home before: don’t overcrowd the pot! I dropped 6 in at once on my first batch, the oil temp dropped like a rock, and they came out super greasy. Once I did 2 at a time like the recipe says? Perfect, light, not greasy at all. Learn from my mistake y’all!
Brought these to my office potluck earlier this week and they were the first thing gone off the dessert table! Three people asked me for the recipe before I even left the office, one guy said he was going to make them for his daughter’s birthday next month. Total crowd pleaser, even for the pickiest eaters at work.
Wait, does this use sour cream? I had an old fashioned donut on a trip to Maine last summer that had that subtle tangy kick and I’ve been obsessed ever since. I don’t see sour cream listed in the ingredients? Am I missing it?
These were so good, but I had a little trouble getting the glaze to set properly? It stayed kind of drippy even after I let the donuts cool on a rack for 20 minutes. Did I do something wrong? Tasted amazing regardless, just a little messy to eat!
Made these in my tiny dorm kitchen with a cheap deep fryer I got off Facebook Marketplace and they still turned out insane. My whole floor smelled like donuts for hours, random people were knocking on my door asking if I had extras. 10/10, best late night snack I’ve ever made.
Skip the glaze, toss these warm donuts in a mix of cinnamon and sugar, and thank me later. It’s the perfect fall treat, I made them after apple picking last weekend and everyone said they tasted like the ones from the orchard stand. *Chef’s kiss*
Has anyone tried making these dairy free? My son is allergic to dairy and I’ve been dying to find a good donut recipe he can eat that doesn’t taste like cardboard. I was thinking of using oat milk buttermilk and vegan butter, but not sure if it’ll work with the texture?
I was worried the medium difficulty would mean this was too much work for a random Tuesday night treat after family dinner, but it was way simpler than I thought. The steps are super straightforward, no fancy equipment needed, I just used a regular pot and a candy thermometer to track the oil temp. My husband thought I picked them up from our favorite donut shop, he was so shocked I made them from scratch.
Wait, is there a way to make these into donut holes too? I hate wasting the little cutouts from the middle, I always feel weird throwing them away. I know you can fry them up but does the cook time change?
These are amazing! I added a quarter cup of mini chocolate chips to the dough on my second batch and it was such a good call. The chocolate melts a little while they fry, it’s like a warm chocolatey surprise in every bite. My kids are already begging for another batch this weekend.