Sourdough Discard Chocolate Glazed Donuts
These sourdough discard chocolate glazed donuts are the perfect way to use up leftover starter while creating a treat everyone loves. With a soft, pillowy dough and a rich chocolate glaze, they're worth the time and effort. And they look really good too!
If you have more time on and some active starter on hand, try my Sourdough Bomboloni Doughnuts for an European inspired version!
Sourdough Discard Chocolate Glazed Donuts
Ingredients
Dough
- 100 grams all purpose flour
- 2 grams baking powder ½ teaspoon
- 1 grams baking soda ¼ teaspoon
- 1 grams salt ¼ teaspoon
- 90 grams milk
- 70 grams granulated sugar
- 60 grams sourdough starter discard, but you can also use active!
- 30 grams butter unsalted, melted
- 1 egg medium to large
- 5 grams vanilla 1 teaspoon
Chocolate Glaze
- 85 grams powdered sugar
- 10 grams cocoa powder
- 15 - 30 grams milk
- 5 grams vanilla extract
Frying
- Oil for frying
Instructions
- Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl and set aside.
- Whisk milk, sourdough starter, sugar, egg, butter, and vanilla until well mixed in another bowl.
- Gradually fold dry ingredients into wet ingredients until just combined, being careful not to overmix.
- Place the tacky dough in an oiled bowl.
- Let the dough ferment in the fridge for 4 hours or overnight for better digestion. To ferment, cover the bowl and place it in the fridge.
- When finished fermenting, drop the dough out on a floured surface and gently press and stretch the dough until it is ½'' thick.
- Cut out 3'' circles from the dough using a cookie cutter or drinking glass rim.
- Cut out the center of each donut using a cutter.
- Place the donuts on a flat surface with parchment paper. Cover and let the donuts rise for 45 minutes.
- Add oil to a deep pan, about 3'' of oil and set to medium high.
- When the oil is hot, carefullyfry each side of the donut for 30 seconds and the remove onto paper towels.
- Let the donuts cool to the touch before you glaze them.
- For the glaze, mix powdered sugar, cocoa powder, vanilla, and enough milk to make it pourable. Dip the domed side of the donuts into the glaze and let them dry on a wire rack.
Notes
- Vanilla Glaze: Swap the cocoa powder for an extra tablespoon of powdered sugar for a simple vanilla glaze.
- Spices: Add ½ teaspoon cinnamon or nutmeg to the dough for a cozy flavor.
- Toppings: Sprinkle crushed nuts or colorful sprinkles over the glaze for a fun twist.
Nutrition
Ingredients
For the Dough:
- All-Purpose Flour: The base for soft donuts.
- Baking Powder & Baking Soda: Help the dough rise quickly and create a light texture.
- Salt: Enhances flavor.
- Milk: Adds moisture to the dough.
- Granulated Sugar: Sweetens the donuts.
- Sourdough Starter: Adds tangy flavor and depth.
- Butter: Makes the donuts rich and tender.
- Egg: Binds the ingredients together and contributes to the soft texture.
- Vanilla: Adds a warm, sweet aroma.
For the Glaze:
- Powdered Sugar: The base for a smooth glaze.
- Cocoa Powder: For rich chocolate flavor.
- Milk: Adjusts the consistency of the glaze.
- Vanilla Extract: Enhances the chocolate flavor.
See recipe card for quantities.
How to Make Sourdough Discard Chocolate Glazed Donuts
Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl and set aside.
Whisk milk, sourdough starter, sugar, egg, butter, and vanilla until well mixed in another bowl.
Gradually fold dry ingredients into wet ingredients until just combined, being careful not to overmix.
Place the tacky dough in an oiled bowl.
Let the dough ferment in the fridge for 4 hours or overnight for better digestion. To ferment, cover the bowl and place it in the fridge.
When finished fermenting, drop the dough out on a floured surface and gently press and stretch the dough until it is ½' inches thick.
Cut out 3' inch circles from the dough using a cookie cutter or drinking glass rim.
Cut out the center of each donut using a cutter. Place the donuts on a flat surface with parchment paper. Cover and let the donuts rise for 45 minutes.
Add oil to a deep pan, about 3'' of oil and set to medium high. When the oil is hot, carefully fry each side of the donut for 30 seconds and the remove onto paper towels.
Let the donuts cool to the touch before you glaze them.
For the glaze, mix powdered sugar, cocoa powder, vanilla, and enough milk to make it pourable. Dip the domed side of the donuts into the glaze and let them dry on a wire rack.
Serve and enjoy your Sourdough Chocolate Glazed Donuts!
Hint: for perfectly round donuts, ensure your oil stays at a consistent temperature. Use a thermometer to keep it around 375°F (190°C).
Baking Schedule
Same-Day Option
- 9:00 AM: Mix the dough and let it rest in an oiled bowl.
- 9:30 AM: Begin the first rise, letting the dough proof for about 4 hours until it becomes slightly puffy.
- 1:30 PM: Roll out the dough and cut into donut shapes. Let the donuts rise for about 30-60 minutes until puffy.
- 2:30 PM: Heat oil and fry the donuts. Glaze with chocolate once cooled slightly.
Overnight Option
- 8:00 PM (Day Before): Mix the dough, cover tightly, and refrigerate overnight.
- 8:00 AM (Next Day): Remove the dough from the fridge and let it warm to room temperature for about 1 hour.
- 9:00 AM: Roll out the dough and cut into donut shapes. Let the donuts rise for 30-60 minutes until puffy.
- 10:00 AM: Heat oil and fry the donuts. Glaze with chocolate once cooled slightly.
Substitutions & Variations
- Vanilla Glaze: Swap the cocoa powder for an extra tablespoon of powdered sugar for a simple vanilla glaze.
- Spices: Add ½ teaspoon cinnamon or nutmeg to the dough for a cozy flavor.
- Toppings: Sprinkle crushed nuts or colorful sprinkles over the glaze for a fun twist.
💭Crucial Success Tips
Don't overcrowd the fryer! Fry the donuts in small batches to ensure even cooking and to keep the oil temperature steady.
FAQ
Yes, you can bake these donuts at 375°F (190°C) for about 10-12 minutes until they are lightly golden. However, frying will give you the classic donut texture.
The oil should be around 350°F (175°C). Use a thermometer, or drop a small piece of dough into the oil - it should bubble and float to the top within a few seconds without browning too quickly.
Yes! You can mix the dough, cover it tightly, and refrigerate it overnight. Let it come to room temperature before rolling and frying.
How To Store Sourdough Discard Chocolate Glazed Donuts
Room Temperature: Store unglazed donuts in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
Glazed Donuts: Best eaten fresh, but can be stored for 1 day at room temperature.
Freezing: Freeze unglazed donuts for up to 1 month. Thaw at room temperature, then glaze before serving.
I’ve made this 2 times and both times the dough is a soupy mess. Is the flour measurements correct? Seems like too much liquid vs flour..
Hi Becky!
I'm so sorry that was your experience. unfortunately, sourdough recipes are sometimes a bit tricky to develop/follow because the ingredients we work with can be different. And with discard recipes especially it's hard because there's so many factors going into what kind of discard are you using: is it 100% hydrated discard? thicker, thinner? How old is it (this will effect gluten integrity etc)?
I think I'll need to go in and specify a few things better, so truly, thank you for your comment, I see I'll need to write some things more clearly.
The most I can say is that for this recipe, try to use relatively "fresh" discard, so that there's a bubble here and there still inside, I'd say a few days old max (and up to a week). Try to use discard on the thicker side, it can be at 100% hydration, but no thinner.
If you already did that, I'll hep to troubleshoot further!