Lemon Blueberry Sourdough Donuts (Print Version)

Tangy lemon and blueberry combine with sourdough for irresistibly soft baked treats with a zesty glaze.

# What You'll 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:

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 well incorporated.
03 - In a separate bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and fine sea salt.
04 - Add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet mixture and stir gently until just combined. Do not overmix as this can result in dense donuts.
05 - Fold fresh blueberries into the batter. If using frozen berries, dust lightly with flour to help prevent them from sinking during baking.
06 - Spoon or pipe the batter into prepared donut pans, filling each cavity approximately three-quarters full.
07 - Bake for 13 to 15 minutes, until donuts spring back when lightly pressed and a toothpick inserted in the thickest part comes out clean.
08 - Allow donuts to cool in the pans for 5 minutes, then carefully turn out onto a wire cooling rack to cool completely.
09 - In a small bowl, whisk together powdered sugar, fresh lemon juice, and lemon zest until smooth and pourable.
10 - Dip each cooled donut into the lemon glaze and return to the wire rack to allow glaze to set completely.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • They're soft enough to melt on your tongue but sturdy enough to dip without falling apart.
  • The sourdough starter adds subtle depth that makes people ask what your secret ingredient is.
  • You don't need a stand mixer or fancy equipment, just bowls and a sense of adventure.
  • Fresh blueberries burst with tartness that perfectly offsets the sweet lemon glaze.
02 -
  • Overmixing the batter is the quickest way to ruin these donuts—your instinct will be to stir until everything looks perfect, but stop when you see a few flour streaks remaining.
  • Room temperature ingredients blend together smoothly and create a more uniform crumb, so pull your eggs and buttermilk out ahead of time.
  • Frozen blueberries work wonderfully and sometimes create more dramatic pockets of flavor, but don't thaw them or they'll bleed into the batter and turn it purple.
03 -
  • If your lemon juice tastes sharp, you've probably added too much—start with two tablespoons and taste the glaze before adding more, since citrus acidity varies by lemon.
  • Invest in a donut pan if you eat donuts more than once a year; it's one of those single-purpose tools that actually transforms your baking in a quiet, reliable way.
Go Back