Sour Cream Baked Doughnuts

By Yossy Arefi

Published June 26, 2025

Sour Cream Baked Doughnuts
Mark Weinberg for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Yossy Arefi
Total Time
30 minutes
Prep Time
5 minutes
Cook Time
25 minutes
Rating
4(143)
Comments
Read comments

You’re a mere 25 minutes away from freshly baked sour cream doughnuts when you make them at home. The vanilla and nutmeg in the batter make them taste like your favorite store-bought cake doughnuts, but you can actually enjoy these fresh doughnuts warm, when you make them in your kitchen. Melted butter gives them a rich flavor, and sour cream ensures that the crumb is tender and moist. Enjoy them plain, or with a heavy dusting of powdered sugar. Because these doughnuts taste best the same day they are baked, this recipe only makes a half dozen, but if you’re feeding a bigger crowd, you can simply double the recipe to make a full dozen, baking the doughnuts in two batches.

  • or to save this recipe.

  • Subscriber benefit: Give recipes to anyone

    As a subscriber, you have 10 gift recipes to give each month. Anyone can view them - even nonsubscribers. Learn more.

    Subscribe

  • Share this recipe

  • Print this recipe

Advertisement

Ingredients

Yield:6 doughnuts
  • 4tablespoons/65 grams unsalted butter, melted, plus more for the pan
  • ½cup/115 grams sour cream
  • 6tablespoons/75 grams granulated sugar
  • 1large egg
  • 1teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ½teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
  • 1teaspoon kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)
  • ¾teaspoon baking powder
  • ¾teaspoon baking soda
  • ¾cup/95 grams all-purpose flour
  • Powdered sugar (optional), for garnish
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)

240 calories; 14 grams fat; 8 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 4 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 27 grams carbohydrates; 0 grams dietary fiber; 14 grams sugars; 3 grams protein; 222 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

Powered by

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Heat oven to 400 degrees. Butter a 6-cavity doughnut pan.

  2. Step 2

    In a large bowl, combine the melted butter with the sour cream, granulated sugar, egg, vanilla and nutmeg. Whisk until smooth.

  3. Step 3

    Whisk in the salt, baking powder and baking soda. Fold in the flour with a flexible spatula.

  4. Step 4

    Transfer the batter to a large pastry bag fitted with a ½-inch tip (or use a large resealable plastic bag) and snip a ½-inch hole off one corner. Pipe the batter evenly among the 6 cavities of the doughnut pan. (Doughnut-pan capacities vary, so be sure to fill each cavity no more than halfway to ensure the doughnuts have holes once baked.)

  5. Step 5

    Bake the doughnuts until puffed and light golden brown, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 9 to 11 minutes.

  6. Step 6

    Let the doughnuts cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then turn them out onto a cooling rack and dust heavily with powdered sugar if desired. Enjoy warm.

Private Notes

Leave a Private Comment on this recipe and see it here.

Ratings

4 out of 5
143 user ratings
Your rating

or to rate this recipe.

Have you cooked this?

or to mark this recipe as cooked.

Comments

Lizz

I did not have a donut pan, so in a pinch I used a muffin pan. They turned out delicious! 11 mins wasn't enough time, but about 13-15 was about right for the muffin tin.

Homer Simpson

Can I use a bundt pan and just make one giant doughnut?

Su

You probably could, but this is really just a sour cream cake dressed up as donuts, and you'll many good sour cream bundt cake recipes that have been tested to ensure that they bake evenly in a bundt pan. (King Arthur Baking has a particularly good one...)

Kat E.

Really disappointing. Followed recipe. Nasty aftertaste. No resemblance to a doughnut. just a very soggy cake in a doughnut shape. I have an old Cooking Light spiced doughnut recipe thats a hundred times better I will continue to use.

EG

Made as written except for using .5 tsp salt, spraying the donut pan with cooking spray, and just spooning the thick batter into the pan. They’re so easy and delicious! Great base for experimenting with more spices, or lemon zest and a dash of lemon extract, or some . This one is a keeper, and we loved that they weren’t overly sweet.

EG

Really good! Made as written, and happy that they’re just lightly sweet. Just spooned into donut pan coated with cooking spray. Next time, I would experiment with flavors:more spices, or maybe lemon zest and a tablespoon of limoncello, or some finely chopped nuts and a dash of almond extract.

Private comments are only visible to you.

Recipe Tags

or to save this recipe.