Lemon Blueberry Sourdough Donuts (Printable Version)

Soft lemon and blueberry baked with sourdough for a tangy, naturally leavened breakfast or snack option.

# What You Need:

→ Wet Ingredients

01 - 1/2 cup active sourdough starter, unfed or discard
02 - 1/2 cup buttermilk, room temperature
03 - 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
04 - 2 large eggs, room temperature
05 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
06 - Zest of 1 lemon
07 - 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

→ Dry Ingredients

08 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
09 - 3/4 cup granulated sugar
10 - 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
11 - 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
12 - 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

→ Mix-Ins

13 - 1 cup fresh blueberries, or frozen unthawed

→ Lemon Glaze

14 - 1 cup powdered sugar
15 - 2 to 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
16 - 1 teaspoon lemon zest

# How To Make:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease two nonstick donut pans with cooking spray or butter.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, whisk together sourdough starter, buttermilk, melted butter, eggs, vanilla extract, lemon zest, and fresh lemon juice until thoroughly combined.
03 - In a separate bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and fine sea salt.
04 - Pour dry ingredients into wet mixture and stir gently with a spatula until just combined. Do not overmix to maintain tender donuts.
05 - Fold fresh blueberries into batter, dusting lightly with flour if desired to prevent sinking during baking.
06 - Spoon or pipe batter into prepared donut pan cavities, filling each approximately 3/4 full.
07 - Bake for 13 to 15 minutes until donuts spring back when lightly pressed and a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
08 - Allow donuts to rest in pans for 5 minutes. Turn out onto wire cooling rack and cool completely to room temperature.
09 - Whisk powdered sugar, fresh lemon juice, and lemon zest in small bowl until smooth consistency. Dip cooled donuts into glaze and place on rack to set.

# Cooking Tips:

01 -
  • The sourdough starter adds a whisper of tang that balances the sweetness so perfectly it feels like a secret.
  • These bake up impossibly soft and stay that way for two whole days if you can resist eating them all at once.
  • Fresh blueberries burst in your mouth with each bite, and the lemon zest keeps everything bright and never cloying.
  • You get bakery-quality donuts without needing a deep fryer or special skills.
02 -
  • Don't let blueberries sit in the batter too long before baking, or they'll start to bleed and turn everything purple—a light dusting of flour delays this beautifully.
  • The difference between a tender donut and a tough one is literally a few extra stirring motions; treat the batter like it's delicate and it will reward you.
03 -
  • Room temperature ingredients mix together more smoothly and create a more even crumb structure—pull eggs and buttermilk out of the fridge about thirty minutes before you start.
  • Weigh your ingredients if possible; flour especially can vary wildly by how it's packed, and weight gives you reliable, tender results every single time.
Go Back