Sour Cream Baked Doughnuts

By Yossy Arefi

Published June 26, 2025

  • Mark Weinberg for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Yossy Arefi
Media 1 of 1
Total Time
30 minutes
Prep Time
5 minutes
Cook Time
25 minutes
Rating
4(158)
Comments
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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.

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Ingredients

Yield:6 doughnuts

  • 4 tablespoons/65 grams unsalted butter, melted, plus more for the pan

  • ½ cup/115 grams sour cream

  • 6 tablespoons/75 grams granulated sugar

  • 1 large egg

  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

  • ½ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)

  • ¾ teaspoon baking powder

  • ¾ teaspoon baking soda

  • ¾ cup/95 grams all-purpose flour

  • Powdered sugar (optional), for garnish

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving

27 grams carbs; 66 milligrams cholesterol; 240 calories; 4 grams monosaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 8 grams saturated fat; 14 grams fat; 222 milligrams sodium; 3 grams protein; 14 grams sugar

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.

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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.

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Ratings

4 out of 5
158 user ratings
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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...)

Miller Household

The doughnuts come out a bit savory. I would reduce the salt a bit next time. I also made a vanilla glaze after tasting the first one as the powdered sugar wasn't enough sweetness in my opinion.

Patricia in Victoria

Question - can I substitute buttermilk for the sour cream, if I increase the flour slightly?

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.

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