Old Fashioned Glazed Donuts

There is nothing better in this world than a plate of warm, freshly-made old fashioned glazed donuts with crispy exteriors and soft insides!

If you’re like me, you probably love donuts. In fact, I’d say that most people enjoy a good donut every now and then. But have you ever tried making them at home? It’s actually a lot easier than you might think – and the results are delicious! This Old Fashioned Glazed Donuts Recipe is definitely a crowd pleaser.

There’s nothing like the smell of fresh donuts baking in the morning. These Old Fashioned sour cream donuts are a delicious and easy way to get your donut fix. The recipe only takes about an hour from start to finish, so you can have homemade donuts any time you want them.

Cooking donuts from scratch might sound intimidating, but this old fashioned glazed sour cream donuts recipe is actually really easy to follow. The end result is a delicious batch of light and fluffy donuts that are perfect for satisfying your sweet tooth.

So, if you are looking for a delicious and fun treat to make at home, look no further than these Old Fashioned Donuts. Enjoy!

What are Old Fashioned Glazed Donuts?

Old Fashioned Glazed Donuts, also known as a sour cream donuts, are a type of cake donut that is cut into the shape of a ring and fried. It is then coated with a sugar-based icing. Old-fashioned sour cream donuts are typically found in either vanilla or chocolate flavour.

Old fashioned donuts are a bit more dense and chewy than your average cake donut, due to the sour cream in the batter. They have a cracked, craggy exterior that the glaze clings to in such a satisfying way.

Old fashioned sour cream donuts are made without yeast, and instead use baking powder as a leavening agent. Which means they are quicker to prepare. No need to wait around for the dough to rise!

Variations of the Old Fashioned Donut

There are many variations of old fashioned cake donuts. Some include:

* Chocolate Old Fashioned Donuts: These are typically made with the addition of cocoa powder to the batter, and then coated in a chocolate glaze.

* Maple Bacon Old Fashioned Donuts: A twist on the classic, these donuts are coated in a maple glaze and then topped with crispy bacon bits.

* Cinnamon Sugar Old Fashioned Donuts: These donuts are rolled in a mixture of cinnamon and sugar after being fried.

Cake Donuts vs Yeast Donuts

There are two different types of donut: cake and yeast.

A cake donut is made with a sweetened dough that’s leavened with baking powder and fried until crispy on the outside with a soft, cakey inside.

A yeasted donut is your classic glazed donut, and as the name implies, made with a yeast dough. These are typically cut out into a shape before being frying.

Yeast donuts are typically light and airy, where cake donuts tend to be more dense.

What Kind of Oil is Best for Frying Cake Donuts?

The best oil to use for deep frying your old-fashioned donuts is one that has a high smoke point and a neutral flavor.

Canola Oil – Inexpensive and perfectly checks off all the boxes which is why I recommend it’s use in this recipe.

Sunflower Oil – This is more expensive than Canola oil but will give comparable results.

Vegetable Oil – Another good, cheap oil that ticks all the boxes.

Shortening – This is probably the best option for deep frying donuts as it is the least likely to produce oily donuts. That said it is high in trans fats.

Avoid deep frying using butter as the smoke point is quite low, plus it is expensive. You will also want to avoid more expensive oils like olive oil as you need quite a bit for deep drying donuts.

What is the Best Temperature to Fry Donuts?

You will need roughly 4 cups of oil to fry your donuts. Set your heat to medium-high and let the oil get hot, about 5 minutes.

Donuts fry best at a temperature between 350ºF-375ºF, you will want to use an instant thermometer to accurately measure the temperature of your oil. 

An alternative way to test your oil is by dipping the handle of a wooden spoon into the oil. If it starts bubbling around the handle, the oil is good to go.

If you see smoke, your oil is too hot. Remove it from the heat for a few minutes before proceeding. If it doesn’t bubble at all then it needs to heat up more.

It’s important you start with your oil at the right temperature to make sure the donuts get a nice crisp outside layer and soft fluffy interior.

Tips for making the BEST Donuts

1. Clean up your work area and make sure you don’t have anything flammable near by your stove top.
2. Use a large, heavy-bottom dutch oven or stock pot with high sides.
3. Use an instant thermometer to monitor the oil temperature.
4. You will need about 2-3 inches of oil in your pan – just enough to fry the donuts, without splashing out.
5. Fry only a few doughnut holes at a time – it is easier to manage and will ensure even cooking.
6. Ensure your ingredients are all at room temperature before starting.
7. Do not over-work your dough, it can result in dense donuts. Get it just combined then stop.
8. Line a baking sheet with paper towel and place under your wire rack to catch any excess oil off the fried donuts.

How Do I Make Fluffy Donuts?

If you’ve tried making donuts before, and they’ve ended up all hard and chewy, you’re probably worried the same thing might happen with these donuts.

Well, the trick to getting the most pillowy soft and fluffy donuts is to make sure the donuts are well-chilled before you go ahead and fry them.

While frying donuts remember to not put in too many donuts into the oil and overcrowd it. Even if it takes a little extra time, consider frying them in batches, so that they get enough space to move.

Also, while frying them, make sure you have enough oil. The donuts must basically float when you put them in, yet they should not be entirely submerged in the oil.

How to Store Leftover Donuts

Leftover sour cream cake donuts should be stored at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 2 days.

If you want to keep them for longer, donuts can be stored in the freezer for up to 2 months.

To store donuts, first let them cool completely to room temperature. Then, place them in an airtight container or freezer-safe bag, and store them in the freezer.

Equipment Needed to Make Fried Donuts

Dutch oven – A large dutch oven or heavy bottomed pot helps the oil hold its temperature.

Spider tool – You want this straining tool to scoop out the donuts and leave the oil behind.

Donut cutter – A 3-1/2 inch doughnut cutter is a must-have for making donuts that are consistently perfect in size and shape.

How Can I Shape Donuts Without a Donut Cutter?

If you don’t have a donut cutter on hand, you can use a wide-mouth canning ring to cut out the donuts. To make the hole you can use a large piping tip. You could also use a set of cookie cutter rings or biscuit cutters.

About the Ingredients for Old Fashioned Donuts

Cake flour – If you don’t have any cake flour on hand you can use all-purpose flour with cornstarch to achieve the fluffiness that cake flour gives these donuts. To make your own cake flour substitute, measure out your flour, then remove 2 Tablespoons. Add back in 2 Tablespoons of cornstarch. Then sift your flour twice over so it is nice and fluffy like cake flour. Ready to use!

Baking powder & soda – Make sure they are active and fresh so they leaven the donuts properly.

Salt – Balances out all the flavours.

Sugar – Plain old granulated white sugar is best.

Butter – Room temperature butter, if you use salted, reduce the additional salt. Don’t substitute with oil or margarine, the butter brings a lot of flavour.

Shortening – We are using a combination for the flavour of butter but the shortening helps the donut get a fantastic texture. You can actually go all butter or all shortening, but do try it this way at least once. I think you will like the results!

Eggs – Must be at room temperature for best results!

Sour cream – Helps create donuts that are tender and moist, the donuts do not end up tasting like sour cream.

Vinegar – Helps provide lift for really fluffy donuts, the donuts also do not end up tasting of vinegar.

Oil – You do need to use a neutral flavoured oil with a high smoke point as discussed above.

Powdered sugar – For making the glaze.

Milk – You can use any type of milk you like.

Corn syrup – Use light corn syrup for a whiter looking glaze. The corn syrup helps the glaze dry shiny.

Vanilla – Pure vanilla extract is best, clear vanilla is great too as you will get a whiter looking glaze.

Looking for More Homemade Donut Recipes?

If you love this old fashioned donut recipe, check out more of my favourite homemade donuts!

Dulce De Leche Donuts featuring a buttery tender dough that is stuffed with dulce de leche and fried up into a golden, fluffy masterpiece.

Lemon curd donut holes are a lemony delight – soft donut holes are filled with sweet and tart lemon curd, and covered with a sugar glaze.

These Strawberry Cheesecake Donut Holes are fluffy fried cake donuts; rolled in sugar & stuffed with a creamy strawberry cheesecake filling.

How to Make Old Fashioned Glazed Donuts

Yields: 14 Servings | Prep time: 1 hour | Cook time: 3-4 Minutes | Chill time: 30 Minutes

Ingredients:

• 2 ¾ cups cake flour
• 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon baking soda
• ⅔ cup sugar
• 2 Tablespoons butter, room temperature
• 1 Tablespoon shortening, room temperature
• 3 egg yolks, room temperature
• ¾ cup sour cream, room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vinegar
• Vegetable oil for frying

For the Glaze:

• 3 cups powdered sugar
• ⅓ cup +1 Tablespoon milk
• 1 Tablespoon corn syrup
• 2 ½ teaspoon vanilla
• ¼ teaspoon salt

Directions:

In a medium sized mixing bowl, combine cake flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda. Set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment combine sugar, butter and shortening. Beat on a medium-high speed until smooth.

Add in eggs and mix until just incorporated.

Add sour cream and vinegar and mix to combine.

Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined.

Transfer the dough into a greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Place into the fridge to let chill for 30 minutes.

Towards the end of the chill time, preheat 3” of oil in a large heavy bottomed stock pot to 375° Fahrenheit.

Once the dough has been chilled, turn it out onto a clean, floured surface.

Press the dough out into a disc with about a ¾ inch thickness.

Use a donut cutter to cut out as many donuts as you can.

Form the remaining dough back together and repeat the process until all the dough has been used.

Carefully place 2-3 donuts into the hot oil and fry for 1 ½-2 minutes, before flipping and frying for an additional 1 ½-2 minutes until golden brown.

Once fried, carefully remove the donuts from the pot using a slotted spoon or spider tool, and place into a cooling rack. Repeat the frying process with the remaining donuts.

To make the glaze, in a large mixing bowl combine powdered sugar, milk, corn syrup, vanilla and salt.

Whisk together until smooth.

Dip the warm donuts into the glaze, then place into a wire cooling rack to let the excess drip off.

Enjoy!