Baked Blueberry Sour Cream Donuts
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Make a special breakfast for your loved ones with these tender Baked Blueberry Sour Cream Donuts, filled with juicy summer blueberries and finished with a bright blueberry glaze. For a fresh twist, blend in a small basil leaf to the glaze. These soft cake donuts, dotted with jammy blueberries, will be such a hit with your family!
Table of Contents
- Here's Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Ingredients You'll Need
- In Photos: How To Make Baked Blueberry Sour Cream Donuts
- Recipe FAQ
- More Donut Recipes
Don't you just love summer? I get so excited when the weather warms up, because I know I'm in for sweet peaches, cherries, plums, and every kind of berry under the sun.
Especially blueberries! During the rest of the year, I find them to be prohibitively expensive. But in the Philadelphia area, I often see buy-one-get-one-free pint-size baskets. I just love their subtle sweet flavor, and that color!
I've experimented with baked donuts before, and, while they were definitely a tasty and healthier alternative, I wasn't in love with the texture. So, this time around, I really wanted to be sure to end up with a really light, melt-in-your mouth result. I did lots of research, and found a few useful bits of info.
First of all, use oil, as opposed to butter. Butter gives great flavor, but you are less likely to overwork the glutens in the flour (resulting in a chewy or stretchy texture) if you use oil.
Also, butter creates a very fine and even crumb, whereas oil results in more of a random, uneven pattern of voids (which is what I prefer in a cake donut).
And finally, donuts baked with oil are denser and remain moister. Nobody likes a dried out donut!
Additionally, be really careful not to overwork the batter. I stir it just a few strokes, just until barely incorporated. The batter should look really lumpy. This way they bake up super soft, and tender as can be.
This glaze packs an awesome blueberry punch, not to mention a gorgeous color! You will love that little lift of bright flavor from the lemon zest, and just the barest whisper of basil freshness. So summery!
And it does harden a bit as it dries, as opposed to just soaking the cake with a sticky syrup. I love the soft matte sheen!
What are your favorite fruits of this season? And how do you like to bake them up?
Here's Why You'll Love This Recipe
- They're baked, not fried. No hot oil required, just a donut pan and your oven.
- Fresh blueberries make every bite different. They burst and turn jammy as the donuts bake.
- That glaze is a showstopper. Real blueberries blended right in give it color and flavor you can't get from a basic powdered sugar glaze.
- These donuts come together quickly. From start to finish, including cooling, you'll spend less than an hour.
Ingredients You'll Need
The recipe card at the bottom of the post contains the full list with all of the amounts. Refer to that when you're cooking.
For the Donuts
- All-purpose flour: The base of the donuts.
- Baking soda: Gives the donuts their lift.
- Kosher salt: Don't sub in table salt. The measurements are different, and table salt usually includes iodine, which can affect the flavor.
- Sour cream: Keeps the donuts soft and tender, with just a touch of tang.
- Granulated sugar: Sweetens the batter.
- Vegetable oil: Adds moisture without weighing the donuts down.
- Egg: Helps bind the batter together.
- Vanilla extract: Real vanilla only, please!
- Fresh blueberries: The highlight of this recipe, gently folded in so they stay whole while baking.
For the Glaze
- Powdered sugar: The base of the glaze. Make sure it's fresh. Powdered sugar can go stale if not kept in an airtight container.
- Fresh blueberries: Blended into the glaze to give it natural color and real fruit flavor.
- Lemon zest: Adds brightness that balances the sweetness.
- Basil leaf (optional): Adds a gentle herbal note. You can leave it out if you prefer a classic glaze.
In Photos: How To Make Baked Blueberry Sour Cream Donuts
Step 1: Preheat Oven
Set it to 350°F and lightly mist a donut pan with nonstick spray.
Step 2: Mix Dry Ingredients
Combine the flour, baking soda, and salt in a large mixing bowl.
Step 3: Mix Wet Ingredients
In a smaller bowl, combine the sour cream, sugar, oil, egg, and vanilla.
Step 4: Combine
Fold the sour cream mixture into the flour mixture until just barely combined and slightly lumpy.
Step 5: Add Blueberries
Gently fold in the blueberries, then transfer the batter to the prepared pan.
Step 6: Bake
Bake for 14 minutes, or until just beginning to brown around the edges. Cool completely before glazing.
Step 7: Make Glaze
Place all the glaze ingredients in a blender, chopper, or food processor and process until smooth.
Step 8: Glaze & Serve
Drizzle or dip the cooled donuts in the glaze.
Helpful Tips and Tricks
- Be careful not to overmix the batter. Stir only until everything is combined to keep the donuts tender, not dense.
- Let the donuts cool all the way before glazing. If they're still warm, the glaze might slide off instead of setting.
- Give the basil a try. It might sound unusual, but blending in one leaf adds a gentle herbal note that doesn't overpower the blueberry flavor.
- Storage: Store glazed donuts in an airtight container. They'll keep at room temperature for up to 2 days, or in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Recipe FAQ
Fresh blueberries work best for texture, since frozen ones can add extra moisture to the batter and glaze. If you use frozen, fold them in while still frozen and dry the glaze berries first.
Yes, you'll need a standard donut pan for this recipe. It gives the donuts their shape and helps them bake evenly.
It brings a subtle, herbal freshness that goes nicely with the blueberries. It's optional, so you can leave it out for a classic blueberry glaze.
Ingredients
For the Donuts
- 1 cup (125 g) all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ cup (115 g) sour cream
- ⅓ cup (66.67 g) granulated sugar
- ¼ cup (59.15 ml) vegetable oil
- 1 egg, (large)
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup (74 g) fresh blueberries
For the Glaze
- 1 cup (120 g) powdered sugar
- ¼ cup (37 g) fresh blueberries
- 1 ½ teaspoons lemon zest, (zest of ½ lemon)
- 1 small basil leaf,, optional
Instructions
To Make the Donuts
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, and lightly mist a donut pan with non-stick spray.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, and salt.
- In a smaller bowl, combine the sour cream, sugar, oil, egg, and vanilla.
- Fold the sour cream mixture into the flour mixture, until just barely combined and lumpy.
- Gently fold in the blueberries, and transfer the mixture to the prepared pan.
- Bake for 14 minutes or until just beginning to brown around the edges. Cool completely, and drizzle or dip in glaze.
To Make the Glaze
- Place all the glaze ingredients in a blender, chopper, or food processor, and process until smooth.
I had a good level of optimism with choosing to make this recipe. When I discovered I had to subscribe to your newsletter to even print and use my very first recipe from your site I was surprised. You'd think someone would want to try to get a feel for whether or not they like a couple of someone's recipes before they sign up to receive countless emails, but maybe that's just me? Just a little feedback from the peanut gallery.
I appreciate it Tessa! Just so you know, you can absolutely get a feel for the site and the recipes offered here just by scrolling, browsing, and trying the recipes while viewing them on your device. Printing the recipes actually takes money away from this type of business model so it's just an attempt to try to offset that cost by gathering some useful data. The site is still free to use and we only ask this in exchange for printing and saving recipes. You will start to see more of this trend on other similar sites as it is becoming more and more difficult for creators to stay ahead of all the changes that are happening online.
These are gorgeous! Something about sour cream and blueberries works so well together. The glaze looks spectacular--that color is amazing. Great tips for baked donuts!
So glad you enjoyed, Laura! The glaze kinda took me by surprise. The color! So pretty, and tasty. 🙂 Thanks for stopping by, and for the sweet comment!
If I don't have a donut pan is there a way to make these?
Hi, Carmen! I would definitely try making these as muffins (regular sized or mini would be good). You'll just want to keep an eye on them while they're baking, the bake time would depend on how big you make them. When they start to look a little brown around the edges, check them by poking a toothpick in the center. It should come out clean or with moist crumbs. Good luck, I hope you enjoy! 🙂
I tried to put foil in the middle which was a suggestion on another site but didn't really work very good, tried mini muffins and that worked better thanks
Ok, thanks for the tip, Carmen! Hope you enjoyed them! 😉
Loved them!
These sound fabulous and your photos are incredible!! I just want to reach in and grab one.....or three! 😉
Thanks for linking up! I featured your post in my wrap up http://tidymom.net/2013/creative-ideas-2/
Have a wonderful rest of the weekend!
Thank you so much for the feature, Cheryl! I'm so excited to be featured on tidymom.net!
I absolutely love the color of these doughnuts! They are gorgeous, and look delicious!!!
Thanks so much, Lisa! The color is what really sells them, right? Love that. Thanks for reading, and commenting!
Oh Allie.....I think I've only used my donut pan once....but you've got me inspired to break them out again! I LOVE blueberry anything! And these donuts look amazing! That blueberry glaze is gorgeous as are all of your photos! : )
Wow, thank you so much Anne, for the encouraging feedback! I really hope you do try this recipe, it's a wonderful way to enjoy the fresh flavors of the season! Thanks for stopping by! 😉
Your donuts look BEAUTIFUL and sound delicious!!!! Love the glaze you poured over them (love the color!!!) it sounds amazing!!!
Thanks, Maria! Gotta love blueberries in the summertime, right? Thanks for the sweet comment! <3
Gorgeous! I would love to wake up to one of these - or two, or three 😀
Thanks for the sweet comment, Erika!
Wow, these donuts look so pretty and amazing! I love blueberries and your donuts are so eye catching and sound so delicious! Lovely blog and picture, thanks so much for sharing 🙂
Thank you, Kelly, it was my pleasure! 😉
These baked donuts look so GREAT, esp. the blueberry glaze. Absolutely irresistible!
So glad you enjoyed, Angie! Thanks for reading, & commenting!
These donuts looks absolutely fantastic Allie!! The glaze makes them so pretty!! I love the pictures of your post, the colors are beautiful! Right now, my favorite summer fruits are cherries and peaches I would say.. Pies, cobbler, smoothies, cakes... (don't get me started 😉 Just made a cherry banana bread (will be soon on my blog 🙂 Have a wonderful week dear and enjoy these beauties!!
xox Amy
Thanks, Amy! Cherries definitely top my list too. I can't wait to check out your cherry banana bread! Sounds wonderful. I'm sure I will have to come up with a cherry recipe too, before the season is over. Thanks for stopping by, and you enjoy your week as well! <3
I'm looking forward to your cherry recipe dear Allie! I'm sure you will present us an amazingly delicious treat (as you always do 😉 My banana cherry bread is online now 🙂
xox Amy
I guess I'd better put my thinking cap on, lol! Just checked out your Banana Cherry Bread, and it looks fabulous! 😉
Aw thanks dear!! 🙂 I'm sure you will make a fantastic cherry-what-ever 😉
xox Amy
Hi ! Sour Cream donuts are my all-time favorite and I've got to try your recipe. Can you suggest an alternative to using a donut pan though? I'm thinking of just using a cake pan. The outcome won't be donuts, but ... what do you think?
BTW, thanks !!
Hey Dave! I'm so sorry this reply is so late in coming! I would definitely try it in a muffin pan if you have one. It should work no problem! Just be sure to check them before you take them out of the oven; with the different shape and all you may have to bake them a little longer. Same thing if you do decide to do it in cake form. Good luck and thanks so much for reading!