Old-Fashioned Sour Cream Doughnuts

This post was created as in partnership with Imperial Sugar. All thoughts and opinions are 100% my own.

​These homemade old-fashioned doughnuts have a crisp golden-brown exterior, a soft, cakey interior, and just the right amount of sweetness from a crackly glaze. They’re easier to make than you’d think—no yeast, no deep fryer, just simple ingredients and a little bit of frying magic.

Table of Contents

1. Why We Love This Recipe
2. What You’ll Need
3. How to Make Old-Fashioned Doughnuts
4. Recipe FAQ’s
5. Tips for Success
6. Substitutions and Variations
7. More Homemade Doughnut Recipes You’ll Absolutely Love
8. Old-Fashioned Sour Cream Doughnuts Recipe

Old-fashioned doughnuts with their signature cracked tops and rich, cakey texture are a favorite at our house. Unlike yeast doughnuts, which date back centuries, cake doughnuts became popular in the early 19th century when chemical leaveners like baking powder made their debut. These doughnuts became a staple during World War I, when Salvation Army volunteers served them to soldiers, offering a comforting taste of home.

There’s something undeniably special about homemade old-fashioned doughnuts. The crisp, golden edges give way to a soft, cakey interior that’s rich with the warmth of nutmeg and the slight tang of sour cream. Coated in a simple, sweet glaze that seeps into every craggy nook, these doughnuts deliver the kind of flavor and texture that store-bought versions just can’t match.

In our house, doughnuts are more than just a treat—they’re a tradition. My husband grew up biking to the local doughnut shop with his dad every Saturday morning, and now he carries on that same ritual with our girls. While they love a classic donut shop run, nothing beats the satisfaction of making old-fashioned sour cream doughnuts at home, especially when we can double-dip them in glaze for extra sweetness.

If you love classic treats, you’ve got to try my Old-Fashioned Raisin-Filled Cookies, Old Fashioned Banana Cream Pie Recipe, Old-Fashioned Divinity Candy Recipe, Old-Fashioned Blueberry Cobbler, and Old-Fashioned Apple Dumplings!

Why We Love This Recipe

• The crispy, craggy exterior holds onto the glaze perfectly, creating the ultimate balance of crunch and tenderness.
• No need for a deep fryer—just a large pot and a few inches of hot oil make these easy to fry at home.
• They’re endlessly customizable, whether you love them plain, double-dipped in glaze, or rolled in cinnamon sugar.

What You’ll Need

Scroll down to the recipe card below this post for ingredient quantities and full instructions.

• Cake Flour – Creates a soft, tender crumb that gives these doughnuts their signature texture.
• Baking Powder – Acts as the leavening agent, helping the dough rise while frying.
• Salt – Enhances the flavor and balances the sweetness of the dough.
• Ground Nutmeg – Adds warmth and depth, giving these doughnuts their classic taste.
• Granulated Sugar – Sweetens the dough while also contributing to the crispy exterior.
• Salted Butter – Adds richness and moisture while helping create a delicate crumb.
• Egg Yolks – Provide structure and a velvety texture for a richer dough.
• Sour Cream – Gives the dough its signature tang while keeping it moist and tender.
• Pure Vanilla Extract – Enhances the flavor with a subtle sweetness and aroma.
• Oil – A neutral oil like canola or vegetable oil is perfect for deep frying, giving the doughnuts a crisp exterior.
• Powdered Sugar – The base of the glaze, creating a smooth, sweet coating.
• Very Hot Water – Helps dissolve the powdered sugar and creates the perfect glaze consistency.
• Pinch of Salt – Balances the sweetness of the glaze and enhances the overall flavor.

How to Make Old-Fashioned Doughnuts

1. Mix dry ingredients. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the cake flour, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg, then set it aside.
2. Cream butter and sugar. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the granulated sugar and softened butter together until the texture resembles damp sand.
3. Incorporate wet ingredients. Add the egg yolks one at a time, mixing until the batter is light and creamy, then blend in the vanilla extract.
4. Combine dough. With the mixer on medium speed, alternate adding the flour mixture and sour cream in batches, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients, until a sticky dough forms.

5. Chill dough. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least one hour to firm up and make rolling easier.
6. Roll and cut. Lightly flour a work surface, then roll out the dough to ½-inch thickness. Use a 3-inch circle cutter with a smaller 1 1/4-inch round cutter or a large piping tip to cut out the doughnuts the their center holes, dipping the cutter in flour if needed to prevent sticking.

7. Heat oil. In a large pot or cast iron Dutch oven, heat 1 to 2 inches of oil over medium-high heat until it reaches 325°F to 350°F, using a candy thermometer (affiliate link) to monitor the temperature.
8. Fry doughnuts. Working in small batches, gently shake off excess flour and carefully lower the doughnuts into the hot oil. Fry for 1-2 minutes on one side, then flip and cook for another minute until golden brown and cooked through.

9. Drain and cool. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the fried doughnuts to a wire rack lined with paper towels, allowing excess oil to drain while they cool for about five minutes.
10. Glaze the doughnuts. In a medium bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, vanilla extract, very hot water, and a pinch of salt until smooth. Dip the top or entire doughnut in the glaze, then return to the wire rack to set for 20 minutes before serving.

Recipe FAQ’s

Tips for Success

• Chilling the dough for at least an hour is key to making it easier to roll out and cut, so don’t skip this step.
• Keep an eye on the oil temperature, as frying too hot will burn the outside while leaving the inside undercooked.
• Shake off excess flour before frying to keep the oil clean and prevent a burnt taste.
• Fry in small batches to avoid lowering the oil temperature, which can make the doughnuts greasy instead of crisp.
• Let the glaze set for at least 20 minutes on a wire rack so it forms that perfect crackly coating before digging in.

Substitutions and Variations

• Swap the sour cream for full-fat Greek yogurt for a slightly tangier doughnut with the same soft texture.
• Use all-purpose flour if you don’t have cake flour, but expect a slightly denser doughnut with a bit less tenderness.
• Roll the freshly fried doughnuts in cinnamon sugar instead of glazing them for a classic bakery-style twist.

More Homemade Doughnut Recipes You’ll Absolutely Love

• Apple Cider Donuts
• Baked Chocolate Donuts
• Mini Pumpkin Donut Muffins
• Baked Strawberry Donuts
• Paczki (Jelly Donuts)
• Baked Pumpkin Donuts
• Apple Fritter Donuts
• Carrot Cake Baked Donuts with Cream Cheese Glaze

This post was originally posted September 19, 2019. It has been updated with new photos, additional instructions, and a few tweaks to the original recipe, including the addition of metric weights for some ingredients.