Easy Sourdough Discard Donut Recipe
Most sourdough discard recipes either taste too “bread-like” or they take so long that you start questioning your life choices.
These donuts don’t do that. They’re soft, slightly chewy in the best way, and actually feel like a real donut instead of a weird fried roll.
The best part is you get to use up discard without babysitting dough all day. It’s a win for your starter jar, your snack cravings, and your sanity.
What Makes This Recipe Shine
These donuts work because sourdough discard adds flavor without forcing you into a full sourdough timeline.
You still get that slight tang and depth, but the texture stays donut-soft instead of turning into something that belongs next to soup. The discard gives it character, and that’s what makes them feel special.
I also love how forgiving this recipe is. You don’t need your discard to be at peak strength, bubbly, or “perfect.”
If it’s been sitting in the fridge and smells pleasantly sour, it’s ready. Honestly, this is one of the few recipes where discard feels like an advantage instead of a leftover problem.
Flavor-wise, these donuts sit in a really nice spot. They’re not overly sweet, which means the glaze or sugar coating doesn’t feel like too much.
And because the base donut has flavor, you can eat one plain and still enjoy it, which is rare for homemade donuts.
Texture is where this recipe really wins. You get that light crispness on the outside from frying, but the inside stays tender. Not cake-donut dense, not airy like a Krispy Kreme clone either, just a soft bite that feels homemade in a good way.
And let’s be real, donuts are one of those foods that make people think you did something complicated. You didn’t.
You just used discard, mixed a dough, fried a few rings, and suddenly you’re the person who “makes donuts.” That’s a pretty good reputation to have.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Sourdough discard (1 cup / 240g) (unfed is perfect, straight from the fridge works)
- All-purpose flour (2 ½ cups / about 315g) (start with a little less if your discard is thick)
- Granulated sugar (⅓ cup / 65g) (keeps the donut sweet but not dessert-crazy)
- Baking powder (2 tsp) (this helps the donuts puff nicely)
- Baking soda (½ tsp) (reacts with the sour discard for lift)
- Salt (½ tsp) (don’t skip it, donuts need balance)
- Egg (1 large) (adds richness and structure)
- Milk (½ cup / 120ml) (whole milk gives the best texture, but any works)
- Melted butter (3 tbsp) (adds flavor and softness)
- Vanilla extract (1 tsp) (makes them taste like real donuts, not fried dough)
- Oil for frying (vegetable, canola, or sunflower oil works great)
Optional for coating or glaze
- Powdered sugar (1 cup / 120g)
- Milk for glaze (2–4 tbsp)
- Cinnamon (1 tsp)
- Extra granulated sugar for rolling
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Mix the dry ingredients first
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix it well so the baking powder and soda spread evenly, because clumps lead to uneven puffing.
This step seems boring, but it matters more than people think. When you fry donuts, the dough cooks fast, so your leavening has to be properly distributed from the start.
2. Combine the wet ingredients
In another bowl, whisk the sourdough discard, egg, milk, melted butter, and vanilla extract until smooth. The discard might look lumpy at first, but keep whisking and it will loosen up.
If your discard is super thick, don’t panic. Just whisk longer, and if needed add a splash more milk so it becomes pourable, like thick pancake batter.
3. Make the donut dough
Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and stir with a spoon or spatula. Keep mixing until it forms a soft dough, but stop as soon as you don’t see dry flour anymore.
The dough should feel slightly sticky but still workable. If it feels like wet batter, add flour one tablespoon at a time until it thickens.
4. Rest the dough
Cover the bowl and let the dough rest for about 15–20 minutes. This gives the flour time to hydrate and makes the dough easier to roll out.
Resting also improves texture, because the dough becomes smoother and less likely to tear when you cut the donut shapes. It’s a small wait that saves a lot of frustration.
5. Roll and cut the donuts
Lightly flour your counter and roll the dough out to about ½-inch thickness. Don’t roll it too thin, because thin donuts fry into sad little crunchy rings.
Use a donut cutter or two round cutters to cut donut shapes. Transfer them to a floured baking sheet so they don’t stick.
6. Heat the oil properly
Pour oil into a deep pot or heavy pan until it’s about 2 inches deep. Heat it to 350°F (175°C) and keep the temperature steady.
If you don’t have a thermometer, drop in a small piece of dough. It should sizzle immediately and rise to the surface within a few seconds, not sink like a rock.
7. Fry the donuts in batches
Carefully lower 2–3 donuts into the oil at a time. Fry for about 1 to 1 ½ minutes per side, flipping once when they look golden underneath.
Don’t overcrowd the pot, because the oil temperature drops fast and your donuts turn greasy. Frying in small batches feels slower, but the results are way better.
8. Drain and cool
Remove the donuts with a slotted spoon and place them on a plate lined with paper towels. Let them cool for a few minutes before glazing or rolling in sugar.
If you glaze them while they’re too hot, the glaze melts off. If you wait too long, the glaze won’t stick as nicely, so aim for warm-but-not-steaming.
9. Coat or glaze them
For cinnamon sugar, toss warm donuts in a mix of sugar and cinnamon. For glaze, whisk powdered sugar with milk until smooth and dip each donut.
I personally love the glaze because it makes them taste like a bakery donut. Cinnamon sugar is the easy option when you want fast gratification.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
One big mistake is adding too much flour right away. The dough starts sticky, and that’s normal. If you dump in extra flour early, the donuts fry up dense and dry, like you made biscuit rings by accident.
Another common issue is rolling the dough too thin. It’s tempting because you want more donuts, but thin donuts cook too fast and turn crunchy. Keep them around ½ inch thick so the inside stays soft and fluffy.
Oil temperature causes most donut disasters. If your oil is too hot, the outside browns before the inside cooks, which gives you a donut that looks perfect but tastes raw in the middle. If the oil is too cool, the donuts absorb oil and come out heavy and greasy.
Overcrowding the pan also messes everything up. Too many donuts at once drops the oil temperature, and then you’re basically deep-frying sadness. Fry small batches, even if it takes a few extra minutes.
Another sneaky mistake is skipping the dough rest. You can technically fry them immediately, but the dough will be harder to handle and the texture won’t be as good. Resting makes the dough less sticky and more cooperative, which is exactly what you want when working with sourdough discard.
And finally, don’t glaze them straight out of the fryer. Hot donuts melt the glaze into a thin sugary puddle that slides right off. Let them cool slightly so the glaze sets like it should.
Alternatives & Substitutions
If you want baked donuts instead of fried, you can absolutely do it, but the texture changes. They’ll come out more like soft bread donuts instead of crispy-edged fried donuts. Still good, just different, like comparing fries to roasted potatoes.
For baked donuts, shape the dough into rings and bake at 375°F (190°C) for about 12–15 minutes. Brush them with melted butter afterward and roll in cinnamon sugar so they don’t taste too plain.
You can also use bread flour if that’s what you have, but expect a chewier donut. I actually like that sometimes because it gives them a more “shop-style” bite, but if you want soft and tender, stick with all-purpose flour.
If you don’t want dairy, swap the milk for almond milk or oat milk and use melted coconut oil instead of butter. The flavor changes slightly, but it still works well. Oat milk gives the best texture out of the non-dairy options, in my opinion.
Want them sweeter? Add an extra tablespoon of sugar to the dough, but don’t go overboard. Too much sugar makes the outside brown too fast in hot oil, and then you’re back in the “raw center” situation.
If you want flavor variations, add cinnamon, nutmeg, or a little orange zest to the dough. Nutmeg especially gives that classic donut-shop vibe, like the kind of smell that makes people stop walking when they pass a bakery.
And if you’re feeling fancy, fill them. Just skip the hole, fry them as rounds, and pipe in jam or pastry cream after they cool. It’s a bit more effort, but the payoff is ridiculous.
FAQ
Can I use sourdough discard straight from the fridge?
Yes, and that’s honestly the best part of this recipe. Cold discard works perfectly fine, and you don’t need to feed it first.
Just make sure it smells pleasantly tangy and not spoiled. If it smells like something you’d throw away without thinking, trust your nose.
Do these donuts taste sour?
They taste lightly tangy, but not aggressively sour. The flavor comes through more like “depth” rather than “sour bread.”
If your discard is extremely old and very acidic, the tang will be stronger, but the sugar and vanilla balance it out.
How do I know if my dough is too sticky?
If it sticks to everything and you can’t roll it without it smearing, it’s too wet. Add flour slowly, one tablespoon at a time, until it feels soft but manageable.
The dough should still feel slightly tacky. If it feels dry like pie crust, you went too far.
Can I make the dough ahead of time?
Yes, you can refrigerate the dough for up to 24 hours. Cover it tightly so it doesn’t dry out.
When you’re ready, let it sit at room temperature for 20–30 minutes before rolling, because cold dough is harder to shape.
What’s the best oil for frying donuts?
Canola oil and vegetable oil are the easiest and most reliable. They have a neutral taste and handle frying temperatures well.
Avoid olive oil because the flavor gets weird fast. Save the good olive oil for salad dressing, not donuts.
Why are my donuts greasy?
Greasy donuts almost always mean your oil temperature was too low. The dough sits in the oil longer, absorbing more fat instead of quickly frying.
Keep your oil around 350°F, and fry in small batches so the temperature stays steady.
Can I freeze sourdough discard donuts?
Yes, but they taste best fresh. If you freeze them, let them cool completely first, then store in an airtight container.
Reheat them in the oven for a few minutes to bring back some softness. The microwave works too, but it makes them a little chewy.
Final Thoughts
This sourdough discard donut recipe is one of those rare kitchen wins where you feel clever and spoiled at the same time. You get to use up discard, you get real donuts, and you don’t need to pretend you enjoy complicated baking projects.
If you’ve been staring at that discard jar wondering what to do with it, this is the move. Fry a batch, glaze them, and suddenly you’ll understand why people get obsessed with homemade donuts.
