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a stack of four doughnuts on a plate, with some donut holes beside it and a glass of milk in the background.
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Chocolate Old Fashioned Doughnuts

Chocolate Old Fashioned Doughnuts are made with sour cream, for a fantastic cakey texture! Fried to perfection for that crisp exterior, then coated in a thick luscious glaze, these yeast-free doughnuts are easier to make than you might think!
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 24 minutes
Inactive Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 39 minutes
Servings 14 Doughnuts
Author Tessa Arias

Ingredients

For the doughnuts:

  • 2 cups (226 grams) cake flour*
  • 1/2 cup (40 grams) cocoa powder
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon fine salt
  • 3/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 3 tablespoons (42 grams) unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 large egg yolks
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • Canola oil, for frying

For the glaze:

  • 3 1/2 cups (350 grams) powdered sugar, sifted
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons corn syrup
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/3 cup hot water

Instructions

Make the donuts:

  • In a bowl, sift together the cake flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg. Set aside.
  • In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar together until sandy. Add the egg yolks and mix until light and thick. Add the dry ingredients to the mixing bowl in 3 additions, alternating with the sour cream, and ending with the flour. The dough will be sticky. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for 1 hour, or until slightly firmed.
  • On a well-floured surface, roll out the dough to about 1/2-inch thickness. Use a doughnut cutter (or a larger + a small biscuit cutter) to cut out as many doughnuts as possible, dipping the cutters into flour as necessary to prevent sticking. You should get about 14 doughnuts and holes. Don't worry if they stick a little to the cutter, they'll puff up while frying and imperfections won't matter.
  • Pour 2 inches of canola oil into a heavy-bottomed pot with a deep-fry thermometer attached. Heat to 325°F. Fry the doughnuts a few at a time, being careful not to overcrowd the pot. Fry on each side about 2 minutes, being careful not to let them burn. Let drain on a paper bag to soak up the excess grease.

Make the glaze:

  • Mix all ingredients in a bowl with a whisk until smooth. Immerse each doughnut into the glaze. Place on a wire rack above a sheet pan to catch any excess glaze. Let sit for 20 minutes or until glaze is set.
  • Doughnuts are best served the day they are made but may be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for a few days.

Notes

*Real store-bought cake flour is a must for these doughnuts, to yield light and delicate doughnuts. DIY substitutions don’t work the same way, and AP flour will not create doughnuts with that same soft texture. Bleached cake flour will work best. Unbleached (like King Arthur Flour) won’t absorb as much moisture and you may end up with doughnuts that crumble while frying. You can learn more about cake flour here.