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).
Krispy Kreme Sour Cream Doughnuts (Copycat)
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 1/2 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 1/2 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, 1/4 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.
Recipe Notes
Recipe adapted from Top Pot Hand Forged Doughnuts.
The original recipe calls for corn syrup which I don't use and vanilla, so I substitute maple syrup and omit the vanilla. For a more traditional flavor you can use the original 1 1/2 teaspoons of corn syrup and at a 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract.
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!