Peaches & Cream Sourdough Donuts
When I think of peaches, I can’t help but think of my mom. Her and I share a similar love of the fruit that I lovingly refer to as “nature’s candy”, and we spent many summers getting together at her kitchen table for an evening and peeling and slicing fresh peaches to put away in the freezer for the year.
It also happened that I decided to make this donut the week of Mother’s Day, which wasn’t on purpose but felt fitting nonetheless.
When I tell you these donuts are amazing I need you to believe it in your heart and not just think I’m saying that because I run a food blog. These. Donuts. Are. Amazing. My husband sang their praises for a couple of days, and he only gives high marks when things are truly deserving of them.
I was a little nervous that this process would result in a tough donut instead of the fluffy, tender donuts I’ve been used to my whole life (shoutout to Marks Bakery in Du Quoin.. Truly the best there is), but it certainly did not. They were beautifully chewy with a little bit of that sourdough flavor coming through, and filled with more peaches and cream filling than should be allowed. They ticked all of the boxes and were EXACTLY what I set out to create, which I feel rarely happens.
My sisters and I used to beg my parents to make us homemade donuts out of biscuit dough, and these remind me of those little golden-fried pillows of goodness from back in the day. Except this time, they are filled with my favorite fruit filling, and bursting at the seams with vanilla beam custard. It’s all just yum and something I would highly recommend whipping up on a weekend with your kiddos.
They sure would make a perfect summer-time breakfast (or dessert, because anything can be dessert if it’s sweet enough). I hope you give them a shot and enjoy!
With love,
Your Baker, Hannah
Convinced it’s time for some homemade donuts? Here’s a grocery list of everything you’re gonna need!
Ingredients for Homemade Donuts:
Whole milk
Bread flour
Whole-fat plain Greek yogurt
Sugar
Salt
Coconut oil
Canola oil (for frying)
Granulated sugar
Cinnamon
Fresh or frozen peeled peaches
Cornstarch
Vanilla bean paste
(To make it even easier, you can hit the “Get Ingredients” button inside the recipe, and these items will be added straight to your shopping cart at the grocery store of your choice.)
Ingredient Substitutions
Active Levain: If you don't have sourdough starter, you can use regular yeast, but the flavor will differ.
Coconut Oil: Can be replaced with unsalted butter or any neutral oil.
Greek Yogurt: Substitute with sour cream or regular yogurt for a similar consistency.
What Tools Do You Need for Making Homemade Donuts?
Click the links below to shop for any kitchen tools you may be missing from your collection!
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Kitchen Scale
Mixing Spoons
Measuring Cups
Measuring Spoons
Mixing Bowls
Medium Sauce Pan (for fillings)
Whisk
Large pot for frying
Food-Grade Thermometer (for oil temperature)
Pastry bag and filling tip
A Step-by-Step Summary for Making
Homemade Donuts:
Start by making the dough. In a large mixing bowl, combine warm milk and active levain, mixing well. Then, add the bread flour, Greek yogurt, and sugar, and mix until a shaggy ball forms. Cover the bowl and let the dough rest for 30 minutes. After resting, incorporate melted coconut oil and salt, mixing until smooth. Allow the dough to rest again, performing a series of stretch and folds every hour for a total of five hours. After this, let the dough bulk ferment overnight.
While the dough ferments, prepare the fillings. For the peach puree, cook the peaches with water, sugar, and cornstarch in a saucepan until thickened. Blend until smooth and refrigerate overnight. For the vanilla cream, mix sugar and cornstarch with milk, cooking over medium heat until it thickens. Stir in salt and vanilla bean paste, then chill overnight.
The next morning, divide the dough into equal pieces and shape them into balls. Allow them to proof until doubled in size. Heat canola oil in a pot to 360°F and fry the donuts in batches until golden brown.
Once fried, toss the warm donuts in a cinnamon-sugar mixture. Finally, poke a hole in each donut and fill it with the chilled peach puree and vanilla cream using a piping bag. Serve warm and enjoy your delightful treat!
FAQs for Frying Donuts:
Q: What type of oil is best for frying? A: Canola oil is a great choice for frying due to its high smoke point and neutral flavor.
Q: How do I know when the oil is ready? A: Use a thermometer to check that the oil reaches 360°F. If you don’t have a thermometer, test the oil by dropping in a small piece of dough; it should sizzle immediately.
How to Avoid Oily Donuts:
To prevent oily donuts, make sure the oil is hot enough before adding the donuts. Fry in small batches to avoid lowering the oil temperature too much. Drain on paper towels immediately after frying.
Safety When Frying Donuts:
Always keep a close eye on the oil while frying, as it can reach high temperatures quickly. Have a fire extinguisher nearby, and never leave hot oil unattended.
How to Freeze Donuts Before Frying:
After shaping the donuts, place them on a lined baking sheet and freeze until firm.
Once frozen, transfer them to a freezer bag for up to 1 month.
When ready to fry, let them thaw at room temperature for about 30 minutes before frying.
Enjoy these Peaches and Cream Sourdough Donuts for a delicious breakfast or dessert treat. With a little time and love, you'll impress everyone with your baking skills!
Recipe for Peaches & Cream Sourdough Donuts:
Peaches & Cream Sourdough Donuts
Ingredients
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, add milk and active levain. Mix well until combined. Once combined, add in bread flour, Greek yogurt, and sugar. Mix the ingredients with your hand until a shaggy ball of dough forms. Cover with plastic wrap, set aside, and allow to rest for 30 minutes.
- After 30 minutes, uncover your ball of dough, and pour in melted coconut oil and salt. Mix well until the oil and salt have been fully incorporated into your dough. (This may take a minute, just keep working at it until the dough is an even texture again).
- After the oil and salt have been added, cover the dough once again, and allow it to rest for 1 hour. After 1 hour has passed, perform your first round of stretch and folds by grabbing one edge of the dough, stretching it upwards, and folding it over on itself until you have gone around the entire edge of the dough. Cover the dough once again, and allow to rest for 1 hour.
- After the next hour has passed, repeat the stretch and fold process. Cover once again, and continue repeating the 1 hour rests and stretch and fold processes until 5 hours have passed.( 5 rounds of stretch and folds)
- Once all stretch and folds have been completed, keep the dough covered and allow to bulk ferment on the counter at room temperature overnight.
- While your dough rests, take a few minutes to make your fillings. Once they are finished, cover them and allow them to cool in the fridge overnight. (see the instructions for the fillings below)
- The next morning, turn out your dough onto a lightly floured surface, and separate it into 8 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a tight ball, place on a lined baking sheet and cover with a damp towel. Leave the balls of dough in a warm place on your counter to proof for 1 hour or until doubled in size.
- Once the donuts are done proofing, heat your oil on the stove in a large sauce pot and allow it to reach 360 degrees F.
- Once your oil is heated, place 4 donuts in the oil and allow them to cook on each side for 2-3 minutes or until deep golden brown on each side. Pull them from the oil, and place them on a paper towel to allow them to drain. Repeat the process with the remaining 4 donuts.
- Once all of the donuts have drained and while they are still warm, mix the cinnamon and sugar together in a small bowl, and gently toss the donuts in the mixture until they are lightly coated in cinnamon sugar. Set aside.
- Remove your peach and cream fillings from the fridge, and load them into a pastry bag with a filling tip. You can either swirl the fillings together, or place them in separate piping bags.
- Take a donut and, using a straw or a skewer, poke a hole in the side wall of the donut until it reaches the middle of the donut, hollowing it out slightly as you go to make room for the filling.
- Using your piping bag, fill the donuts with a good amount of filling throughout. As you pipe the filling into it, you will know the donuts is full full when it expands and some of the filling escapes back out.
- Once all 8 donuts have been filled, serve them for breakfast and enjoy!
- Place your peaches, water, sugar, and cornstarch into a small saucepot and mix well.
- Place the pot over medium high heat and cook until the mixture begins to thicken slightly.
- Once thickened, remove from the heat and place the mixture into the bowl of a food processor.
- Process on high until the mixture becomes smooth.
- Transfer your puree to a bowl with a lid and place in the fridge overnight until ready to use.
- In a small saucepot, mix together sugar and cornstarch. Once combined, add milk and stir well to combine.
- Once combined, place the mixture on the stove over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture begins to thicken and boil. Once boiled, remove from heat. It should be slightly runnier than pudding.
- After you remove it from the heat, add in the salt and vanilla bean paste, and cover with a layer of plastic wrap (make sure the wrap is touching the surface of the cream to keep a skin from forming), and place in the fridge overnight until ready to use.
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