Sourdough Baked Donuts: Strawberry Lemonade

Are you searching for an effortless recipe to use up some of your sourdough discard? If so, look no further because I’ve got just the recipe for you! My sourdough baked donuts: strawberry lemonade recipe brings the epic duo of tangy and sweet to a whole new level. And if you top the donuts with my simple three ingredient glaze, your baked donuts will be divine!

Also, I came up with this recipe because I had some frozen strawberries in my freezer and I wanted to make some sort of sweet, baked good with them. I also had some lemons that needed to be used up as well. So, I created this recipe!

What do Sourdough Baked Donuts Taste Like?

It certainly depends on the recipe, but these particular donuts, strawberry lemonade, taste light and sweet with a bit of a tang to it. Also, these donuts are delicious year-round, but I think they are especially good in the Spring and Summer.

I would also like to note that I have a sourdough apple cider donut recipe too if your in the mood for something a little more Fall!

What Kind of Strawberries to Use.

Personally, I like to use frozen strawberries because they are harvested when they are most fresh and then frozen. Or, you can get fresh strawberries when they are in season. However, really any type of strawberry will do, if you don’t have much to work with.

Can I use Sourdough Starter instead of Sourdough Discard?

Yes, you can use starter. I like to use my sourdough discard though because I would have to get rid of it anyway. You should be able to use the same measurements if you use your sourdough starter.

Tips for Making Sourdough Baked Donuts.

In addition, don’t skip the strawberry rendering process. By rendering the strawberries, you are breaking them down into a flavorful syrup that gives these strawberry lemonade sourdough baked donuts, a delightful flavor!

Also, be sure to zest your lemon for even more flavor. You can use a micro plane grater to get all of that flavorful lemon zest into really fine pieces.

Again, frozen strawberries work the best in my opinion. Be sure to thaw them before rendering.

What if I don’t have a donut pan?

Also, you could use a muffin pan and aluminum foil. To do this, line the cavities of the muffin pan with some aluminum foil and add an aluminum foil ball in the center of each cavity. Furthermore, this will give you donut shapes.

Why Render Strawberries for Sourdough Baked Donuts?

If you don’t know anything about rendering, in terms of fruit, it’s a process where you use low-medium heat to extract flavorful natural juices from the fruit. By doing the rendering process to your strawberries, you create a delicious strawberry syrup which is prefect to use for baking!

Side note, you could use any extra rendered strawberry syrup to put on top of ice cream, pancakes, bread, etc.

Why Add Lemon Zest in addition to Lemon Juice?

Additionally, I added lemon zest to my donuts for a few different reasons; to use up more lemon, to add a more complex flavor to the donuts, and to add some little pops of color as well!

Equipment Needed for Baked Sourdough Donuts: Strawberry Lemonade

Medium Sauce Pan

Potato Masher

Donut Pan

Cooling Rack

Measuring Cups and Spoons

Ziplock Bag

Scissors

Mixing Bowls

Mixing Spoon

Whisk

Micro Plane Grater

Ingredients

1 Cup of White Sugar

2 Cups of All Purpose Flour

1 Teaspoon of Salt

1 1/2 Teaspoons of Baking Powder

4 Cups of Thawed Strawberries (yields about 2 cups after they are rendered)

1/2 Cup of Sourdough Discard

1/2 Cup of Sour Cream (Room Temp)

1 Egg (Room Temp)

1 Juiced Lemon

Zest of 1 Lemon

2 Teaspoons of Vanilla Extract

1/2 Cup of Unsalted Butter (Melted)

Donut Glaze

2 Cups of Powdered Sugar

1/4- 1/2 Cup of Half and Half (Start with 1/2 cup if you want thinner consistency and increase to preference if desired.)

Splash of Vanilla Extract

How to Make Baked Sourdough Donuts: Strawberry Lemonade.

Rendering the Strawberries

First, chop up the strawberries into small pieces (if fresh), and then put them into a sauce pan over medium heat. Use a potato masher to mash the strawberries into a liquid. Once, the strawberries are mostly mashed, remove them from the heat and set aside.

Donut Dough

Next, add all purpose flour, salt, and baking soda to a medium bowl and set aside.

Then, mix together the strawberries, sourdough discard, sour cream, egg, lemon juice and zest, and vanilla extract together in a large bowl and set aside. Be careful not to overmix.

Now, mix the melted butter and the sugar together. Add the butter-sugar mixture and the dry ingredient mixture to the strawberry mixture. Mix everything together.

Next, prepare your donut pan adding any cooking grease if needed. And then, add the dough to a pipping bake or a Ziplock bag and pipe the dough into the donut pan so that each donut cavity is about 3/4ths full.

Place the donut pan in the oven for about 12 minutes. You will be able to tell when the donuts are done because they will feel springy/spongy to the touch.

When the donuts are done, pull them out of the oven and let them cool a little before glazing. Enjoy!

Donut Glaze (Optional)

Start with powdered sugar in a medium sized mixing bowl and then add 1/4 cup of half and half and vanilla extract and mix until smooth. If you want a thinner consistency, add another 1/4 cup and so on to make the glaze the consistency that you want it to be.

Finally, use a silicone spatula or butter knife to spread the glaze on the donuts and enjoy!

Storage for Baked Sourdough Donuts: Strawberry Lemonade.

Be sure to store the donuts in an air-tight container in the fridge. Use parchment paper to layer between donuts if stacking.

Donuts are freshest if eaten up to two to three days after they are made.

Also, your donuts might leak a little bit while in an air tight container in the fridge. This is due to a build up of condensation. To help with the extra liquid, place a paper towel or clean tea towel at the bottom of the container. Additionally, make sure that the donuts are completely cooled down before putting them in the fridge.

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Donut Pan

Measuring Cups and Spoons

If you made this recipe, comment below!

Looking for another Spring/Summer Recipe? Try London Fog Ice Cream in a Jar!