Classic Sour Cream Doughnuts fried to perfection with a classic powdered sugar glaze just like at Krispy Kreme! No yeast makes these doughnuts easy to make and with festive sprinkles a fantastic Holiday brunch/party treat!
‘Tis the season to …eat doughnuts… falalalala la la la la! Every year around the holidays I start to get clients asking for more sweets, things to bring to the office, treats for friends and family. Doughnuts are always high on the list and always one of the items I veto. Yes, veto. You would be suprised how often I would veto client requests. Recently I had one ask me to make a creme brulee for a dinner party they were hosting later in the day only to have to explain the delicious sugary crust would cease to exist well before the party got started. That is how I feel about doughnuts too. They are great when you make them, even for maybe a few hours after. But after that? Hockey pucks. That’s why I love cake doughnuts, the shelf life on them is longer.
These sour cream doughnuts are easy to make, and will disappear quickly from your kitchen counter. Because they are cake doughnuts, like my Cinnamon Roll Baked Doughnuts and Pumpkin Pecan Baked Doughnuts they don’t require any yeast and are much more forgiving when it comes to recipe prep.
When it comes to tools for this you can use cookie cutters or doughnut cutters, but I just grabbed what was readily available, a biscuit cutter and a cap to a 2L bottle of club soda (for the doughnut hole).
Ingredients
- 2¼ cups cake flour , more for rolling and cutting
- 1½ teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoons ground nutmeg
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 2 tablespoons shortening
- 2 large egg yolks
- 2/3 cups sour cream
- canola oil for frying
- 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 1½ teaspoon maple syrup*
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1/3 cup hot water , (plus more if needed)
- 1 cup powdered sugar
Instructions
- Sift the flour, baking powder, salt and nutmeg together.
- In your mixer fitted with a paddle (I use a silicone paddle so there isn't anything the paddle misses), mix the sugar and shortening for 1 minute (It will look grainy)
- Add in the yolks and mix for another minute.
- The color of the mixture will be distinctly lighter in color.
- Add in your dry ingredients alternating with the sour cream ½ of each at a time on low speed.
- If you are using a silicone flat paddle like me you won't have to scrape the bowl, otherwise scrape the sides down after each addition.
- Move the mixture to another clean bowl and cover with saran wrap for an hour.
- In a cast iron skillet or another heavy bottomed pan, add 2 inches of canola oil.
- Heat oil to 325 degrees (I use a candy thermometer for this).
- Roll out the dough to ½ inch thickness on a lightly floured surface.
- Using a doughnut cutter or cutters in your favorite sizes cut into doughnut shapes.
- Carefully take your scraps and continue to re-roll as needed.
- I often fry the scraps in random shapes instead of reshaping too many times. I call those the chef's portion. 😉
- Carefully add the dough to the hot oil.
- Fry until the dough floats to the top, then an additional fifteen seconds.
- Flip and fry for another minute.
- Remove to cooling rack to glaze.
- For the glaze: Mix the powdered sugar, maple syrup, ¼ teaspoon salt, and hot water until completely mixed.
- Dip the doughnuts in the glaze and let harden for 10-15 minutes.
- Add the last cup of powdered sugar and whisk again.
- Dip the donuts a second time for the thicker glaze on top.
- Top with your favorite sprinkles.
- Try to save some for others.
Notes
Nutrition
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Pretty easy and turned out as promised. Due to the formatting errors and missing measurement in the ingredients I accidentally over salted the glaze—I should have known it was too much though. Other than the saltiness they were tasty. It’s not a lot of dough if you roll them 1/2 thick—my yield was less.
Mine are taking too long to cook and still coming out under done in the middle
Oh, bummer. Sounds like your oil wasn’t hot enough. Did you use a thermometer to check that the oil was 325 degrees?
Why are there ratings by people who have not made the recipe? Very misleading.
Sour cream cake doughnuts are my favorite. I actually sneak them in the car when I am getting doughnuts for the kids on Sunday am before church. I act like I don’t eat doughnuts, but I really do! These are my all time favorite. Have you tried baking them? I have one of those baking pans for doughnuts and was curious if it works or if it you have to fry them. I am not opposed to frying just wanted to know I can actually use my pan for once? LOL!
Yes! I have baked them, they still turn out kind of okay, but they are a completely different animal than fried.
Oh my goodness, I will be in so much trouble when I make these because I know I will try to eat them ALL! Ha! So I will have to make them when I have a house full of guests. Thanks for the recipe.
My pleasure!
I LOVE krispy kream donuts! Growing up we would have them at dad’s house as a treat on Sunday morning. Now I live in Michigan and can’t find them so easily. I can’t wait to try this copycat recipe!
As someone who tested the recipe bite by bite against the original, I think you’ll be happy with this recipe 🙂
I have never fried a sweet treat before. To be honest, frying really scares me because I always drip grease on the stove top and cause flames or sparks.
You can totally bake these too! Just put them in the oven at 350 for 12-15 minutes!
Oh my goodness these look just heavenly! Sour cream donuts are one of my favorites.
Sour cream donuts are my husband’s favorite too! He was hovering around my photography area, just waiting to be able to snatch one when I was done!
Oh my, Sabrina! Your doughnuts turned out beautifully – you are a true pro!
Aww thanks Marissa!
Those look so tasty and festive! I want to try to make some for Christmas morning. I better make a practice batch beforehand ;).
Thanks, Wendy! Let me know how it turns out!
Krispy Kreme Donuts are one of my favorite sweets. Your recipe looks and sounds so delicious for the holidays, I can’t wait to make it.
Thanks!
I saw these in my email this morning and wanted to take a bite. I love how Christmasy they are , so pretty and festive , makes you feel the magic of the season !
It never hurts to have some holiday-themed sprinkles around!
I hadn’t really thought about yeast vs cake doughnuts! I would love to try to make these – what a fun treat for a holiday breakfast or desert!
These are incredible. Dare I say they look better than the real thing?
If you would dare I would be very flattered!
Oh thank you for this recipe! Krispy Kreme Sour Cream doughnuts are my favorite and we have none in this area! I can’t wait to try your recipe.
You’re welcome! I’m happy I could share it with you!
Wow. This is really looks yummy and delicious. Such a mouth watering food.
Thanks!
Oh my family would be so excited to try these homemade donuts. I’d definitely have my boyfriend help me with this one since I’m new to frying dough like that!
It’s easier than you might think, it just takes some practice as to cooking time!
These look amazing. I am definitely going to try making these. I am sure they will be a big hit in our house.
Thanks! I hope you enjoy them!
I love learning copy cat recipes. I will have to get the ingredients so i can try this on the weekend. They look so delicious.
I love copycat recipes too! That might be why the blog has such a huge section devoted to them!
Oh stop it! These look SO good. We don’t have a krispy kreme here in Canada but every time I see photos of the donuts I go nuts. These look SO good I’d love to make them.
Here’s your chance to try them! We taste tested them and it was hard to tell which was which!
I love Krispy Kreme donuts!! I have never tried to make a copy cat like this sounds like it would be amazing!
Thanks!
It’s been forever since I made donuts, and never with sour cream – I’ll best these donuts have amazingly soft texture! I’d never leave the house if I could make krispy kremes at home 😀
Oh! These look absolutely amazing! What a treat – I can imagine these will go fast!
If my house is any indication, they’ll be devoured in a flash!
sounds so unhealthy but DELISH!!!
I love Krispy Kreme! Now that I can make these particular ones at home, I might be making them at least once a month. It might lessen my visits to Krispy Kreme, haha.
I am pretty sure I just gained 5 lb just but reading this post! It looks heavenly! Can I put in a order?
Sour cream donuts are my very favorite donut to eat! I’m going to have to try this recipe soon!
Thanks! They are quite delicious, if I do say so myself!
omg donut heaven!!! I’ve literally never made my own donuts before but I think I’m missing out if I don’t at least try to make these. I feel more comfortable that they don’t require yeast so how bad can I really mess this up? lol
The other half loves sour cream AND Krispy Kreme, so this recipe is a must. Maybe I’ll make these for Christmas morning this year…
Do it! He deserves a treat!
OMG these looks so good and festive! Pinned!
Thanks, Katalina!
Feel free to shop some of those up here to Boston! I love Krispy Kremes, but we don’t have them around here.
That’s one of the reasons why I like doing these copycat recipes – so people who don’t necessarily have access to these famous places can try them out for themselves!
Krispy Kremes are a classic! Used to drive by that “Hot Doughnuts Now” sign all the time. Great copycat recipe!
Agreed!
Those donuts look absolutely fantastic! Krispy Kremes are my favorite, so I can’t wait to give this recipe a try. Thank you!
Thank you! We really like Krispy Kreme too!
Your doughnuts are Incredibly Sumptuous ! So it’s hard for me to resist. Would definitely be adding this to my donut repertoire. The sprinkles add a lovely touch for this Holiday Season. Yum!!!!
Thanks!