This is my go-to baked old fashioned doughnut recipe. It always results in a wonderfully textured plain doughnut with just the right amount of sweetness to be dipped or frosted in anything and enough density to stand up to bold toppings. It is lightly crunchy on the outside, soft and fluffy on the inside and the perfect canvas to let your doughnut creating inspiration flow.
An old fashioned doughnut (baked or fried) is simply a doughnut containing sour cream or buttermilk and a leavening agent, such as baking powder and/or baking soda. The texture is great and the flavor is delicious (they are wonderful just as they are), but not bold enough to narrow your topping options. They are a doughnut that can be enjoy anywhere from completely plain to slathered in a rich, sweet chocolate fudge frosting.
Let’s get them started…
This recipe will make one dozen 3″ doughnuts. If you double this recipe, you will get 12-14 full sized doughnuts.
Start by gathering 1/2 cup of sour cream, 1 large egg, 1/3 cup of canola oil, 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract, 1/4 cup of brown sugar, 1/4 cup of granulated sugar, 1 1/3 cup of all purpose flour, 1 teaspoon of baking powder, 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda, 1/4 teaspoon of ground cinnamon and 1/8 teaspoon of salt.
In a large bowl, whisk together 1/2 cup of sour cream, 1 egg, 1/3 cup of canola oil, 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract, 1/4 cup of granulated sugar and 1/4 cup of brown sugar until fully combined.
Place a large mesh sifter over the bowl and add 1 1/3 cup of all purpose flour, 1 teaspoon of baking powder, 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda, 1/4 teaspoon of ground cinnamon and 1/8 teaspoon of salt into it. Carefully sift the dry ingredients into the bowl.
Mix until all of the ingredients are just combined.
Grease your doughnut pan and fill each cavity about half way with your thick, creamy doughnut batter.
Bake in a 350 degree oven for about 8 minutes. The doughnuts are ready when they feel springy to the touch, at this point, transfer the doughnut pan onto a cooling rack.
Once the doughnuts are cool enough to touch, transfer them directly onto the cooling rack to cool fully before dipping, dunking, frosting, glazing…
… BUT, if you really want one now, they are amazing just out of the oven dunked into a cup of coffee. The only reason you have to wait to frost doughnuts or cakes is that the frosting will melt when it hits the hot surface and when it does this, it does not look very pretty. So, I always have one right away, hot and fresh, and then save the rest to be frosted later.
Old Fashioned Doughnuts
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup of sour cream
- 1 large egg
- 1/3 cup of canola oil
- 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup of brown sugar
- 1/4 cup of granulated sugar
- 1 1/3 cups of all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon of baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon of salt
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees
- In a large bowl, combine 1/2 cup of sour cream, 1 egg, 1/3 cup of canola oil, 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract, 1/4 cup of granulated sugar and 1/4 cup of brown sugar and whisk until fully incorporated
- Place a mesh sifter over the bowl and add 1 1/3 cup of all purpose flour, 1 teaspoon of baking powder, 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda, 1/4 teaspoon of ground cinnamon and 1/8 teaspoon of salt into the sifter and sift the dry ingredients into the bowl
- Mix until all of the ingredients are just combined
- Grease a doughnut pan with non-stick spray
- Fill each cavity about half way with batter
- Bake the doughnuts in a 350 degree oven for about 8 minutes or until the doughnuts feel springy to the touch
- Transfer the doughnuts onto a cooling rack to cool completely before dipping, glazing or frosting
