Old-Fashioned Spiced Sour Cream Donuts

These classic cake donuts are fried at a lower temperature to produce their characteristic cracks and ridges.

  • Serves

    makes ABOUT 14 DONUTS

Ingredients

  • 4 cups (1 lb. 2 oz.) bread flour, sifted
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 4 tsp. baking powder
  • 4 12 tsp. ground cinnamon
  • 4 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
  • 3 tsp. ground ginger
  • 2 tsp. ground allspice
  • 1 12 tsp. kosher salt
  • 12 tsp. ground cloves
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 14 cups sour cream
  • 4 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
  • Canola oil, for forming and frying
  • 2 cups confectioners' sugar
  • 1 12 tsp. vanilla extract

Instructions

Step 1

Whisk flour, sugar, baking powder, 3 tsp. cinnamon, 3 tsp. nutmeg, ginger, 1½ tsp. allspice, salt, and cloves in a bowl; set aside. Combine eggs, sour cream, and butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment; beat until smooth. With the motor running, slowly add dry ingredients and mix until a soft, sticky dough forms.

Step 2

Heat 2″ oil in a 6-qt. saucepan until a deep-fry thermometer reads 325°. Using lightly oiled hands, roll about ¼ cup batter into a loose, sticky ball; pat gently into a disk. With your thumb, make a 1½″ hole in the center of dough; carefully slide into oil and fry, flipping once, until puffed and golden, 4 to 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a baking sheet with a wire rack; repeat with remaining dough and let donuts cool completely.

Step 3

Whisk remaining cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice, plus confectioners' sugar, vanilla, and ¼ cup water in a bowl until smooth. Dip tops of donuts in glaze and return to wire rack until glaze is set.
  1. Whisk flour, sugar, baking powder, 3 tsp. cinnamon, 3 tsp. nutmeg, ginger, 1½ tsp. allspice, salt, and cloves in a bowl; set aside. Combine eggs, sour cream, and butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment; beat until smooth. With the motor running, slowly add dry ingredients and mix until a soft, sticky dough forms.
  2. Heat 2″ oil in a 6-qt. saucepan until a deep-fry thermometer reads 325°. Using lightly oiled hands, roll about ¼ cup batter into a loose, sticky ball; pat gently into a disk. With your thumb, make a 1½″ hole in the center of dough; carefully slide into oil and fry, flipping once, until puffed and golden, 4 to 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a baking sheet with a wire rack; repeat with remaining dough and let donuts cool completely.
  3. Whisk remaining cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice, plus confectioners' sugar, vanilla, and ¼ cup water in a bowl until smooth. Dip tops of donuts in glaze and return to wire rack until glaze is set.
Recipes

Old-Fashioned Spiced Sour Cream Donuts

  • Serves

    makes ABOUT 14 DONUTS

Old-Fashioned Spiced Sour Cream Donuts
TODD COLEMAN

These classic cake donuts are fried at a lower temperature to produce their characteristic cracks and ridges.

Ingredients

  • 4 cups (1 lb. 2 oz.) bread flour, sifted
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 4 tsp. baking powder
  • 4 12 tsp. ground cinnamon
  • 4 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
  • 3 tsp. ground ginger
  • 2 tsp. ground allspice
  • 1 12 tsp. kosher salt
  • 12 tsp. ground cloves
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 14 cups sour cream
  • 4 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
  • Canola oil, for forming and frying
  • 2 cups confectioners' sugar
  • 1 12 tsp. vanilla extract

Instructions

Step 1

Whisk flour, sugar, baking powder, 3 tsp. cinnamon, 3 tsp. nutmeg, ginger, 1½ tsp. allspice, salt, and cloves in a bowl; set aside. Combine eggs, sour cream, and butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment; beat until smooth. With the motor running, slowly add dry ingredients and mix until a soft, sticky dough forms.

Step 2

Heat 2″ oil in a 6-qt. saucepan until a deep-fry thermometer reads 325°. Using lightly oiled hands, roll about ¼ cup batter into a loose, sticky ball; pat gently into a disk. With your thumb, make a 1½″ hole in the center of dough; carefully slide into oil and fry, flipping once, until puffed and golden, 4 to 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a baking sheet with a wire rack; repeat with remaining dough and let donuts cool completely.

Step 3

Whisk remaining cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice, plus confectioners' sugar, vanilla, and ¼ cup water in a bowl until smooth. Dip tops of donuts in glaze and return to wire rack until glaze is set.
  1. Whisk flour, sugar, baking powder, 3 tsp. cinnamon, 3 tsp. nutmeg, ginger, 1½ tsp. allspice, salt, and cloves in a bowl; set aside. Combine eggs, sour cream, and butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment; beat until smooth. With the motor running, slowly add dry ingredients and mix until a soft, sticky dough forms.
  2. Heat 2″ oil in a 6-qt. saucepan until a deep-fry thermometer reads 325°. Using lightly oiled hands, roll about ¼ cup batter into a loose, sticky ball; pat gently into a disk. With your thumb, make a 1½″ hole in the center of dough; carefully slide into oil and fry, flipping once, until puffed and golden, 4 to 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a baking sheet with a wire rack; repeat with remaining dough and let donuts cool completely.
  3. Whisk remaining cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice, plus confectioners' sugar, vanilla, and ¼ cup water in a bowl until smooth. Dip tops of donuts in glaze and return to wire rack until glaze is set.

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