Sour Milk Donuts

Got milk that turned a little chunky before breakfast? Don’t dump it. Turn it into old-fashioned sour milk donuts instead. These come out lightly spiced with cinnamon and nutmeg, crisp at the edges, and tender in the middle.

"Don't cry over spilled milk", isn't that how the expression goes? But what is one supposed to do when they grab the milk in the morning, eyes half closed, automatically pouring it into the cereal bowl before realizing that it's coming out in semi-chunk form? Well, you do what I did, of course, you make Donuts!

These are relatively easy to make, as far as donuts go, but I won't go so far as to tell you they're "mess free".

If you don’t actually have sour milk on hand, you can make a quick stand-in by adding 1 tablespoon white vinegar to a measuring cup, then filling it to the 1-cup line with milk and letting it sit for about 10 minutes.

It’s a handy trick, and egg safety guidance from the FDA is also a good reminder to refrigerate this egg-rich dough promptly while it chills.

Ingredients for Sour Milk Donuts

• 3 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 cup sour milk
• 1 1/2 tablespoons melted butter
• 4 cups sifted flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Oil for frying

If you need a backup for the sour milk, the quick vinegar-and-milk method works fine here. You can also use ideas from these buttermilk substitutes for baking and cooking if your carton is empty and your patience is thin.

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How to Make Sour Milk Donuts

1. In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Set aside.
2. In a large mixing bowl, beat the eggs until light and fluffy.
3. Add the sugar about 1/2 cup at a time, beating well after each addition until the mixture looks smooth and fully blended.
4. Mix in the sour milk and melted butter just until combined.
5. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until a soft dough forms.
6. Refrigerate the dough until it’s firm enough to handle easily.
7. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface, roll it out, and cut with a donut cutter.
8. To fry, heat oil to 375°F and fry the donuts in batches until golden, turning once as needed. Drain on paper towels or a wire rack.
9. To bake instead, preheat the oven to 350°F, grease 2 doughnut pans well, fill the pans as directed, and bake for 15 to 17 minutes.

Keep the dough cold enough to handle cleanly. Warm sticky dough fights back, and frankly, it usually wins.

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Tips for Better Donuts

• Chill the dough well. That single step makes rolling and cutting much easier.
• Don’t add too much extra flour. Use only enough on the counter to prevent sticking, or the donuts can turn heavy.
• Watch the oil temperature. At 375°F, the donuts brown properly without soaking up excess oil.
• Fry in small batches. Crowding the pot drops the oil temperature fast.
• Drain them well. A rack keeps the bottoms from steaming and going soggy.

If you enjoy old-fashioned donut recipes, you might also like these Pumpkin Spice Buttermilk Donuts for another simple homemade batch.

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Easy Variations

• Roll the warm fried donuts in cinnamon sugar for a crisp sweet finish.
• Dust cooled donuts with powdered sugar if you want something simple.
• Add a basic vanilla glaze after the donuts cool slightly.
• Bake them in doughnut pans when you want less mess and less oil handling.
• Use sour cream in place of the sour milk and omit the butter, exactly as directed for this dough.

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Storage and Shelf Life

These donuts are best the day they’re made, when the outside is still a little crisp and the inside stays tender. For short storage, keep completely cooled donuts in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.

For longer storage, freeze the cooled donuts in a freezer-safe container or bag for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature and warm briefly if you like.

If you want to make the dough ahead, refrigerate the covered dough for up to 2 days before rolling and frying or baking. That’s a conservative estimate for this egg-based dough.

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Serving Suggestions

Serve these warm with coffee, tea, or a cold glass of milk. They also work well with a simple dusting of powdered sugar or a quick glaze if you want them a little sweeter.

If you’re using up extra sour milk, pair the batch with another thrifty bake like Gingerbread Cake from Sour Milk. Waste less, eat better. That’s the whole game.

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💸 Budget101® Price Breakdown: Sour Milk Donuts

🛒 Walmart Grocery List

• Large White Eggs, 12 count
• Granulated Sugar, 4 lb
• Whole Milk, 1 Gallon
• Salted Butter, 16 oz
• All-Purpose Flour, 5 lb
• Baking Soda, 16 oz
• Baking Powder, 8.1 oz
• Ground Cinnamon, 2.37 oz
• Ground Nutmeg, 1.1 oz
• Iodized Salt, 26 oz
• Vegetable Oil, 48 fl oz

Not sure exactly what this batch costs you per serving? Here’s how to break down the real cost of any recipe so you know before you shop.

Frequently Asked Questions about Sour Milk Donuts

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Sour Milk Donuts

Article or recipe authorAuthor: Melissa 'Liss' Burnell

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preparation timePrep 25 minutes mins

cook timeCook 17 minutes mins

total timeTotal 42 minutes mins

These old-fashioned sour milk donuts are a smart way to turn extra clabbered milk into a tender, lightly spiced batch of homemade donuts. Estimated cost is $3.18 for about 24 donuts, or roughly $0.13 each, and they can be fried for a crisp finish or baked for an easier cake-style option.

ServingsServings 24 donuts

CourseCourse Breakfast, Dessert

CuisineCuisine American

Budget101 Price BreakdownApprox Cost: $3.18

Ingredients

1/21x2x

• ▢ 3 eggs
• ▢ 1 ½ cups sugar
• ▢ 1 cup sour milk
• ▢ 1 ½ tablespoons melted butter
• ▢ 4 cups sifted flour
• ▢ 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ▢ 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
• ▢ ½ teaspoon nutmeg
• ▢ ½ teaspoon salt
• ▢ Oil for frying

Equipment

Large Mixing Bowl

Medium Mixing Bowl

Sifter or fine mesh strainer

Electric mixer

Measuring Cups and Spoons

Rolling Pin

Donut cutter

Deep fryer or heavy pot

wire rack

Doughnut pans

Instructions

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1. Sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.
2. In a large mixing bowl, beat the eggs until light and fluffy.
3. Add the sugar about 1/2 cup at a time, beating well after each addition until fully blended.
4. Mix in the sour milk and melted butter just until combined.
5. Gradually add the dry ingredients and mix until a soft dough forms.
6. Cover and chill the dough until it is easy enough to handle.
7. Roll the dough on a lightly floured surface and cut with a donut cutter.
8. Fry in 375°F oil until golden, turning once as needed, then drain well.
9. For baked donuts, preheat the oven to 350°F, grease 2 doughnut pans well, fill the pans, and bake 15 to 17 minutes.

Recipe Size Alteration

💡 If you altered the ingredients above by doubling or tripling the recipe, you may also need to change the pan/dish size and adjust the cook time.

Notes

Estimated yield is 24 medium donuts, depending on cutter size and rerolling scraps.
Prep time includes an estimated 15 minutes of chilling time based on the dough needing refrigeration before rolling.
Cook time reflects the baked version for a clear total-time calculation. Fried batches usually take less active cook time, but total frying time varies by batch size.
Store cooled donuts in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.
Freeze cooled donuts for up to 2 months.
Covered dough can be refrigerated for up to 2 days before frying or baking.

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