Sourdough Discard Donuts (Quick, Fried & So Delicious)

These Sourdough Discard Donuts are everything you want in a homemade donut – golden and lightly crisp on the outside, pillowy soft on the inside, and unbelievably fluffy. The Tangzhong method gives the dough an extra boost of softness, making these donuts taste like they came straight from your favorite bakery.

They’re perfect for weekend baking, special breakfasts, or whenever you’re craving a homemade treat that’s worth every bite. And if you love working with soft enriched doughs, my Sourdough Discard Cinnamon Rolls are another reader favorite, while my Sourdough Waffles are a great option when you need breakfast on the table a little faster.

Quick Look: Sourdough Discard Donuts

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Bulk Ferment: 45 minutes
Second Rise: 1 hour
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 2 hours 45 minutes
Servings: 8–9 donuts
Calories: ~ 448kcals per bar (based on nutrition panel)
Cook Method: Deep fried
Flavor Profile: Golden and crispy on the outside, pillowy soft and fluffy on the inside with a sweet vanilla glaze. A classic weekend treat with a subtle sourdough tang!
Difficulty: Intermediate — A few extra steps with the Tangzhong and two rises, but nothing complicated. Just don’t rush the proofing!

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Why You’ll Love These Sourdough Discard Donuts

Quick- The dough comes together real quick. Once the Tangzhong cools and the dough’s mixed, you’re looking at about 45 minutes for the bulk ferment and another hour for the second rise before you’re ready to fry the donuts. My Sourdough Churros are another quick fried sourdough discard recipe that’s just as fun to make.
Pillowy soft and fluffy-The bread flour and Tangzhong method work together to give these homemade donuts a soft, airy crumb that holds its texture even after deep frying. I use the same method in my Sourdough Brioche recipe!
Overnight option-After the first rise, you can shape the dough, cover and leave them in the fridge overnight, then do the second rise the next morning. This is my go-to method so I can have hot and fresh donuts in the morning without having to wake up super early. My Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls work pretty much the same way. You can refrigerate the sourdough rolls dough overnight and bake them the next morning.
Customizable-The sweet vanilla glaze is the classic finish for these donuts, but you can go with chocolate frosting, cinnamon sugar, or a dusting of powdered sugar instead. My Sourdough Apple Fritters give you that same choice between a maple glaze and cinnamon sugar.

Ingredients & Substitutions

* To find precise measurements, scroll to the bottom of this post to find the recipe card*

ingredients for making sourdough discard donuts

Sourdough Discard– Use fresh, room temperature sourdough discard for the best flavor. Older discard will give the donuts a much more tangy flavor. If you’re pulling it straight from the fridge, know that it’ll slow down the rise time. You can also swap in the same amount of a bubbly sourdough starter in grams.
Tangzhong – This Asian method of heating milk and flour together allows the dough to absorb more moisture. It’s the secret (not so secret now I guess) that keeps these donuts extra soft. I use the same method for my Sourdough Brioche recipe. Make sure the Tangzhong is fully cooled before adding it to the dough for the best donuts ever!
Instant Yeast – This dount recipe uses instant yeast, not active dry yeast. Active dry yeast needs to be dissolved in liquid first and takes longer to rise. Instant yeast goes straight into the dry ingredients and works much faster. However, you can opt for active dry yeast, you’ll just want to activate it first in the warm milk and sugar before continuing on with the recipe.
Whole Milk– Whole milk gives this donut dough the best flavor, but you can substitute your favorite non-dairy option.
Sugar – These donuts aren’t overly sweet, but the sugar helps create an extra soft crumb.
Bread Flour – I highly recommend bread flour over all-purpose flour. The higher protein content gives you the best rise and the chewiest, softest donuts.
Unsalted Butter: If you only have salted butter, cut the salt by 1 gram or 1/4 teaspoon.
Neutral Oil – For the best results, use a neutral oil with a high smoke point. Avocado oil is my favorite, but you definitely can fry them in canola oil or peanut oil.

Baking Time For Sourdough Discard Donuts

Time	Process
9.00 AM – 9:10 AM	Make Tangzhong, cool
9:10 AM – 9:15 AM	Mix dough
9:15 AM – 9:30 AM	Knead dough
9:30 AM- 10:15 AM	Bulk ferment the dough at 70°F
10:15 AM – 11:15 AM	Second rise
11:15 AM	Fry and enjoy.

How to Make the Best Sourdough Discard Donuts

Add the milk and flour to a small saucepan or skillet and bring to medium heat. Whisk constantly until a thick paste forms (about 4-5 minutes). Remove the saucepan from the heat and allow the Tangzhong to cool before preparing the dough.

In a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment, add the room temperature sourdough discard, cooled Tangzhong, sugar, room temperature egg, flour, instant yeast and salt. Mix on low for about 2 minutes until all of the ingredients are incorporated and a stiff, thick dough forms.

While still mixing on low, add one tab of butter at a time letting it fully incorporate before adding more.

Once all of the butter has been added, increase to medium speed and knead the dough for 10-15 minutes more, or until the sourdough donut dough passes the windowpane test.

dough placed in greased bowl and covered

Place the dough in a lightly greased straight-edge bowl, cover and leave to double in size.

Once the dough has doubled, continue on to shaping.

rolled out dough for sourdough discard donuts

Pour the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and dust the top with more flour. With a rolling pin, roll the dough out to ½-¾ inch thick.

Using a donut cutter, cut out about 8-9 donuts. Knead the scraps and wait about 30 minutes before rerolling and cutting out more donuts.

Place each donut and donut hole on its own square of parchment paper, then place on a rimmed baking sheet. Cover and leave to rise until doubled in size and puffy.

While you wait for the donuts to rise, preheat 2 inches of oil to 350°F to 360°F in a heavy-bottom pot.

Once the donuts have completed their second rise, carefully place 2-3 donuts in the hot oil at a time. Fry each donut for 2½ minutes total, flipping halfway through.

Using a slotted spoon, carefully remove the golden brown discard donuts and place them on a wire rack to drain. Continue to fry the remaining donuts. Make sure the oil is back up to temperature before frying the next batch.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, hot water, vanilla extract and salt until smooth. Dip each side of the donut in the glaze, allowing any excess to drip off, then place back on the cooling rack to dry.

Wait about an hour until the donuts are fully set and enjoy!

McKenna’s Helpful Tips

Don’t rush the proofing. This is the most important step. If your dough isn’t proofed long enough, your donuts will crack. Too long and they’ll sink or form bubbles while frying. To check, poke the dough with a floured finger. Perfectly proofed dough will spring back slowly and leave a slight indentation.
Use a thermometer when frying. Keep the oil between 350-360°F the entire time. If the oil is too cool, the donuts will absorb too much oil and come out greasy. Fry at too high of a temperature, the donut burn before the inside is fully cooked. My Sourdough Chicken Tenders use the same frying method, and a thermometer is just as important for that recipe.
Don’t crowd the pot. Fry 2–3 donuts at a time, and let the oil return to temperature before adding the next batch. That’s about the same temperature I use for my Sourdough Apple Cider Donuts, and I always get evenly cooked, golden donuts. If waiting for the oil to come back up to temperature feels like too much hassle, give this Sourdough Apple Cider Donut Quick Bread a try instead.
Don’t overknead the dough. Once the dough passes the windowpane test, stop. Overkneading will make these donuts taste more bread-like than soft and fluffy.

How to Store

These fried donuts are best eaten the day you make them. If you’ve got leftovers (I doubt you will!), stick them in an airtight container on the counter and finish them within 2 days. Avoid placing them in a plastic bag, otherwise the glaze will turn wet again. If you want to freeze some, leave the glaze off, wrap them individually in plastic wrap, and they’ll keep in the freezer for up to 2 months. Just let them thaw on the counter and glaze them fresh before you eat them.

Sourdough Discard Donut FAQs

Why are my sourdough donuts cracking?

This usually comes down to underproofed dough or dough that was too cold when it went into the oil. Make sure your donuts have fully doubled during the second rise and that they’re at room temperature before frying. If you refrigerated the dough overnight, give it enough time to warm up and finish that second rise before you start frying. You want the donuts to have doubled in size, look super puffy and jiggle!

Why do my sourdough discard donuts form bubbles while frying?

Some bubbles are normal, but huge ones the outside of the donut while it’s frying can be a sign of overproofing. The dough has gone too far and the structure is weak. Use the finger poke test before frying. If the dough doesn’t spring back at all, it’s overproofed and you need to fry right away. Don’t toss them! The donuts will still be delicious.

Why are my sourdough discard donuts sinking?

If your donuts are sinking it means the dough was either overproofed or underproofed. Underproofed dough is too heavy, not enough gas bubbles have been produced to allow the dough to float on the oil. While overproofed dough can collapse because the structure is weak. You’ll run into the same issue with my Sourdough Discard Bagels, where overproofed dough collapses when it hits the boiling water and underproofed dough sinks to the bottom of the pot.

More Sourdough Fried Recipes

Best Sourdough Apple Fritters Recipe made with Discard

Sourdough Churros With Chocolate Sauce – Easy Same-Day Recipe

Homemade Sourdough Funnel Cakes (Discard Recipe)

Homemade Sourdough Mini Corn Dogs Recipe (Discard)

If you tried this Sourdough Discard Donuts recipe or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!

Sourdough Discard Donut Recipe

Yield: donuts

Prep Time: 30

Cook Time: 3

Rise Time: 1 30

Total Time: 2 3

These Sourdough Discard Donuts are made with sourdough discard and the Tangzhong method for incredibly soft, fluffy homemade yeast donuts. Fry them until golden brown, then finish with your favorite glaze, cinnamon sugar, or powdered sugar for a bakery-style treat at home.

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Equipment

Ingredients

Tangzhong

160 grams milk 1/2 cup + 3 Tablespoons
35 grams bread flour 1/4 cup

Dough

300 grams bread flour 2 cups + 1 Tablespoon
66 grams sugar 1/3 cup
10 grams instant yeast 2 1/2 teaspoons
6 grams salt 1 teaspoon
1 egg room temperature
200 grams sourdough discard 2/3 cup
all of the tangzhong
70 grams unsalted butter, room temperature 5 Tablespoons

Vanilla Glaze

430 grams powdered sugar 3 cups + 1/3 cup
95 grams hot water 1/3 cup + 1 Tablespoon
6 grams vanilla paste or extract 1 1/2 teaspoons
pinch of salt

Instructions

Tangzhong

Before mixing the dough, prepare the Tangzhong.
Add the milk and flour to a small saucepan or skillet and whisk until the flour has been incorporated. Bring to medium heat. Whisk continuously until a thick paste forms. Remove the saucepan from heat and allow the Tangzhong to cool before preparing the dough.
Note: It’s important to cool the Tangzhong before adding it to the dough. To do this quickly, spread the thick paste over a large plate, cover it with plastic wrap and place it into the fridge. It should be cool enough within 5-10 minutes.
160 grams milk, 35 grams bread flour

Donut Dough

In a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, add the room temperature Tangzhong and the remaining dough ingredients, except for the butter. Mix on low/stir for about 2 minutes until all of the ingredients are incorporated and a stiff, thick dough forms.
You can also do this by hand. I would increase the kneading by 5 minutes or until the dough passes the windowpane test.
300 grams bread flour, 66 grams sugar, 10 grams instant yeast, 6 grams salt, 200 grams sourdough discard, all of the tangzhong, 1 egg
While still mixing on low, add one tab of butter at a time letting it fully incorporate before adding more.
70 grams unsalted butter, room temperature
Once all of the butter has been added, increase to medium speed (speed 2) and knead the dough for 10-15 minutes more or until the dough passes the windowpane test.
Signs that Your Dough Has Been Kneaded Enough:
– It is no longer sticky.
-Instead, the dough is smooth, elastic and tacky to the touch.
-The dough passes the windowpane test. This means the dough no longer tears when spread out thin enough that light passes through.
Place the dough in a lightly greased straight-edge bowl, cover and leave to double in size. At 70 degrees F, this took about 45 minutes.
Pour the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and dust the top with more flour. With a floured rolling pin, roll the dough out to ½-¾ inch thick.
Using a donut cutter, cut out about 8-9 donuts. Knead the scrapes and wait about 30 minutes before rerolling and cutting out more donuts. You want to give the dough enough time to relax before rolling out again.
Note: Try to cut as many donuts as you can the first time because I found the donuts cut from the re-kneaded dough tended to be a little more tough. Also, use a smaller ring to cut out as many donut holes with the remaining sourdough donut dough!
Place each donut and donut hole on its own square of parchment paper, then place on a rimmed baking sheet. Cover and leave to rise until doubled in size and puffy. In my 70 degree kitchen, this took about 45-65 minutes, or until they look super light, almost marshmallow-like and jiggle when shaken. Alternatively, you can cover and place the donuts in the fridge overnight and continue with the 2nd rise the following morning.
Note: Since the dough will be cold from the fridge, the 2nd rise will take longer to complete, about 2-3 hours at 70 degrees F. Don’t rush this step! Cold and underproofed dough will result in dense, bread-like donuts.
While you wait for the donuts to rise, preheat 2 inches of oil to 360 degrees F in a heavy-bottom pot or 12-inch cast iron skillet. I love using this frying thermometer!
Once the donuts have completed their 2nd rise, carefully place 2-3 donuts (parchment paper included) in the hot oil at a time. Use kitchen tongs to remove the parchment paper after about 10 seconds. Continue to fry each donut for 2 ½ minutes total, flipping halfway through.
Using a slotted spoon, carefully remove the golden brown sourdough donuts and place them on a wire rack to drain. Continue to fry the remaining donuts.
IMPORTANT: Make sure the oil temperature returns before frying the next batch.

Vanilla Glaze

In a medium bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, hot water, vanilla extract and salt until smooth. Dip each side of the donut in the glaze, allowing any excess to drip off, then place back on the wire rack to dry.
430 grams powdered sugar, 95 grams hot water, 6 grams vanilla paste or extract, pinch of salt
Wait about an hour until the donuts are fully set. Enjoy!

Notes

Ingredients & Substitutions

Sourdough Discard– Use fresh, room temperature sourdough discard for the best flavor. Older discard will give the donuts a much more tangy flavor. If you’re pulling it straight from the fridge, know that it’ll slow down the rise time. You can also swap in the same amount of a bubbly sourdough starter in grams.
Tangzhong – This Asian method of heating milk and flour together allows the dough to absorb more moisture. It’s the secret (not so secret now I guess) that keeps these donuts extra soft. I use the same method for my Sourdough Brioche recipe. Make sure the Tangzhong is fully cooled before adding it to the dough for the best donuts ever!
Instant Yeast – This dount recipe uses instant yeast, not active dry yeast. Active dry yeast needs to be dissolved in liquid first and takes longer to rise. Instant yeast goes straight into the dry ingredients and works much faster. However, you can opt for active dry yeast, you’ll just want to activate it first in the warm milk and sugar before continuing on with the recipe.
Whole Milk– Whole milk gives this donut dough the best flavor, but you can substitute your favorite non-dairy option.
Sugar – These donuts aren’t overly sweet, but the sugar helps create an extra soft crumb.
Bread Flour – I highly recommend bread flour over all-purpose flour. The higher protein content gives you the best rise and the chewiest, softest donuts.
Unsalted Butter: If you only have salted butter, cut the salt by 1 gram or 1/4 teaspoon.
Neutral Oil – For the best results, use a neutral oil with a high smoke point. Avocado oil is my favorite, but you definitely can fry them in canola oil or peanut oil.

Helpful Tips

Don’t rush the proofing. This is the most important step. If your dough isn’t proofed long enough, your donuts will crack. Too long and they’ll sink or form bubbles while frying. To check, poke the dough with a floured finger. Perfectly proofed dough will spring back slowly and leave a slight indentation.
Use a thermometer when frying. Keep the oil between 350-360°F the entire time. If the oil is too cool, the donuts will absorb too much oil and come out greasy. Fry at too high of a temperature, the donut burn before the inside is fully cooked. My Sourdough Chicken Tenders use the same frying method, and a thermometer is just as important for that recipe.
Don’t crowd the pot. Fry 2–3 donuts at a time, and let the oil return to temperature before adding the next batch. That’s about the same temperature I use for my Sourdough Apple Cider Donuts, and I always get evenly cooked, golden donuts. If waiting for the oil to come back up to temperature feels like too much hassle, give this Sourdough Apple Cider Donut Quick Bread a try instead.
Don’t over knead the dough. Once the dough passes the windowpane test, stop. Overkneading will make these donuts taste more bread-like than soft and fluffy.