Fresh Milled Whole Wheat Sourdough Discard Donuts
Fresh milled whole wheat sourdough discard donuts are a healthier and delicious alternative to traditional donuts, with the added nutritious benefits from freshly milled flour. By incorporating sourdough discard, these donuts have a unique, tangy flavor while maintaining a soft and fluffy texture.
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Servings: 0
Equipment
- Cooling rack or wire rack
- Paper towels
- Stand mixer with dough hook attachment
- Rolling Pin
- Sheet pan or baking sheet
- Doughnut cutter or 3" cookie cutter and 1" cookie cutter (for donut holes)
- Piece of parchment paper
- Bench scraper
Ingredients
- ½ cup (100g) sourdough discard
- 1 cup (240g) whole milk warmed to 110 degrees F.
- ¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar
- 2 ¼ teaspoons active dry yeast
- 2 large eggs lightly beaten
- 8 tablespoons (113g) unsalted butter, softened
- 4 ½ cups (560g) fresh milled Hard White Wheat on pastry setting, plus a little more for dusting (All-purpose flour can be used--See tips)
- 1 teaspoon (5g) kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon (4.2g) vanilla
- Coconut oil frying oil
Simple Glaze
- 3 cups powdered sugar sifted
- ½ cup whole milk
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- pinch salt
Instructions
- Step 1: Prepare the Dough
- Activate the yeast: In a small bowl, combine warm milk and pinch of sugar. Sprinkle the yeast over the top and let it sit for 5-10 minutes until it becomes foamy. (The yeast will help your donuts be more fluffy and not dense.)
- Mix wet ingredients: In the bowl of a stand mixer with a dough hook, mix together the sourdough discard starter, warm milk, sugar, eggs, softened butter, and vanilla extract until smooth.
- Combine dry ingredients: In another bowl, whisk together the whole wheat flour, and salt.
- Mix the dough: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined. The dough will be slightly sticky but should hold its shape. Turn the mixer on medium and knead for about 5 minutes until the dough comes together. At this point it should be slightly sticky and peeling off the bottom and sides of the bowl. If it's too dry, not sticky at all, add a little warm water (1 tablespoon at a time) until you reach a dough that is smooth, not too wet, yet slightly sticky. Then, place the dough in a greased bowl. Likewise, if the dough is too wet, add a tablespoon of flour at a time until it comes together and has a slight stickiness.
- Let it rest: Cover the dough with a damp tea towel or plastic wrap and let it rest for at least an hour, or until it has doubled in size. At this point you can do a longer fermentation, and place the dough in the fridge overnight. This will lead to a stronger sourdough flavor.
- Step 2: Shape the Donuts
- Roll out the dough: Lightly flour your work surface and roll the dough to about ½-inch thick. If the dough is too sticky, sprinkle some flour on top.
- Cut the donuts: Use a donut cutter or two round cookie cutters (one large, one small) to cut out the donuts and donut holes, and place on a piece of parchment paper. Keep a good distance between the donuts so that they don't expand into each other. Place a damp towel over them.
- Rest again: Let the shaped dough rest for 1 hour in a warm space.
- Step 3: Cook the Donuts
- Prepare to fry: Fill a deep fryer, large pot, or Dutch oven with coconut oil, ensuring it's about 2-3 inches deep.
- Preheat the deep frying oil: Preheat the coconut oil in a deep fryer, large pot, or dutch oven to 350°F. (For best results see TIPS.)
- For frying: Gently lower the donuts into the hot oil, cooking for 1-2 minutes per side until golden brown. Use a slotted spoon to remove them from the oil and place them on a paper towel-lined plate to drain.
- Step 4: Glaze
- Make the glaze: In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract until smooth. Add more milk to adjust the thickness if needed.
- Glaze the donuts: Once the donuts are slightly cooled, dip the cooked donuts into the glaze, flipping them over so that the glaze coats both sides, allowing excess to drip off.
- Step 5: Serve
- Let the donuts rest for a few minutes to allow the glaze to set, then enjoy! These donuts are best served fresh but can be stored in an airtight container for a couple of days.
Notes
- Long Fermentation: If you want a stronger sourdough flavor, let the dough ferment for longer before frying or baking. A few hours in a warm place or overnight in the fridge should give them a nice tang.
- Adding Flavor: You can also experiment with different flavors, like adding citrus zest, nutmeg, or cocoa powder, or rolling the fried donuts around in a cinnamon sugar mixture for variations.
- Frying to Perfection: I heated the oil to 350 degrees and cooked the donut for exactly 1 minute on each side. This made for a perfectly crisp outside with a great flavor. Since I cook our donuts in a dutch oven, and not in a deep fryer, I have to continually regulate the temperature. I check the temperature before I place the donuts in the oil or turn them over to make sure the temperature isn't too cool or too hot, and depending on if it is or not, I adjust my stoves temperature accordingly.
- Glaze: If you like a heavier glaze on your donut, then simply redip your donut after the icing had set for a few minutes after the first dipping.
- Type of Wheat: I highly recommend using a hard white variety of wheat berries. They have a milder flavor than the hard red variety, so they will take on the flavor you choose.
- Achieving the Perfect Dough: The dough should be slightly sticky, it should be peeling off the sides and bottom of the bowl when the dough hook is moving. If it clumps up into a ball on the dough hook and is not tacky at all, it's too dry. If the dough is too dry (not sticky at all) add a little warm water (1 tablespoon at a time) until you reach a dough that is smooth, not too wet, yet slightly sticky. Then, place the dough in a greased bowl. Likewise, if the dough is too wet, add a tablespoon of flour at a time until it comes together and has a slight stickiness. It is better to have a stickier dough than a dense dry dough. This will ensure that your donuts are light and fluffy, rather than heavy and dense.
- Using All-Purpose Flour: This recipe was originally developed using fresh milled wheat, which absorbs more liquid. If you’re using all-purpose flour, start with 4¾ cups and increase to 5 cups only if the dough is too sticky after resting. You can also slightly reduce the milk to ¾ cup (180g) if preferred. The dough should feel soft, slightly tacky, but manageable.