Chocolate Sprinkle Donuts (Sourdough)
- Jan 5
- 5 min read
Updated: Jan 24
Growing up, my family would randomly pick up donuts as a morning treat—sometimes to celebrate a holiday, other times just because. No matter the reason, the chocolate sprinkle donut was always a favorite. Soft, sweet, and covered in colorful sprinkles, it felt like pure joy in donut form.
Now that I’m older (and have free will 😄), I decided to recreate that childhood favorite as sourdough chocolate sprinkle donuts—and honestly, they’re even better. There’s something irresistible about these fluffy sourdough donuts that keeps you thinking about them long after the last bite.
Each donut has a light, pillowy interior thanks to natural sourdough fermentation, and they’re topped with a rich, smooth chocolate frosting that isn’t overly sweet. It’s perfectly balanced—decadent enough for adults, but still a total hit with kids. And of course, no chocolate donut is complete without a generous shower of crunchy, colorful sprinkles on top.
These homemade sourdough donuts are nostalgic, fun, and unbelievably delicious. So here’s your challenge: make a batch… and try not to eat them all in one sitting.
Why Make Sourdough Chocolate Sprinkle Donuts
Sourdough chocolate sprinkle donuts combine the nostalgic flavor of classic chocolate donuts with the depth and structure of natural fermentation. Using sourdough instead of commercial yeast creates donuts that are soft, fluffy, and well-balanced in flavor without tasting overly sweet.
The slow fermentation process enhances the chocolate flavor and helps develop gluten naturally, resulting in donuts that fry evenly and hold their shape. Sourdough dough is also more forgiving, making it easier to handle and shape compared to quick-rise donut doughs.
Another benefit is flexibility. Sourdough donuts can be cold fermented overnight, which improves flavor and allows you to break the process into manageable steps. The result is a bakery-style donut with a tender crumb, smooth chocolate glaze, and that classic sprinkle finish—made thoughtfully from scratch.
Recipe
Servings: 16 donuts Prep time: 8 hours (including rising) Baking time: 3-4 mins
Ingredients
Dough
120g active sourdough starter
390g all-purpose flour
240g milk
57g unsalted butter (4 Tbsp)
3 egg yolks
60g granulated sugar
8g salt
Chocolate Frosting
4 oz semi sweet chocolate
28g unsalted butter (2 Tbsp)
120g powdered sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
60 ml evaporated milk (4 Tbsp)
Instructions
1.Make your donut dough
In your stand mixer: Mix together your warmed milk and sourdough starter until frothy.
Add your softened butter, egg yolks flour, sugar, and salt.
Use your dough hook on low to combine the ingredients until it forms a shaggy dough. Slightly increase the speed, and knead until your dough is smooth, elastic and passes the windowpane test. (about 17 minutes). You may add a little extra flour 1 Tbsp at a time if your dough looks too runny/ sticky.
Bulk Ferment
Allow your dough to rise in a warm spot until it doubles in size. If your dough is 78-80F this should take 5-6 hours. If your dough is colder, it will take longer. You can keep in in the oven ( no heat) with the light on.
You may put in the fridge for an hour or two after bulk fermentation to make the dough easier to work with for shaping. (Or just shape immediately.)
3. Shape donuts
Punch down your dough and transfer to a lightly floured surface. Roll out your dough to 1/2 inch thickness. Use a heart shaped cookie cutter to cut out 12 donuts.
Cover with a kitchen towel and allow to rise until puffy ( about 2 hours)
Fry
Heat up 2-3 inches of neutral oil in a heavy bottomed pot (I used my dutch oven) to 350F. Drop your donuts into the oil and cook each side until golden brown about 1-1.5 mins per side.
Transfer your donuts to a wire rack and let cool completely
Making the Frosting
Microwave: In a microwave safe bowl, add your butter and chocolate. Place in the microwave at 5 second intervals and mixing each time until it is completely melted and runny.
Once melted, add the powdered sugar vanilla, and evaporated milk and stir until everything is well combined
Stovetop: Melt butter and chocolate on a medium heat.
Once melted, switch the heat to low and add the powdered sugar vanilla, and evaporated milk. Stir until everything is well combined.
Remove from heat.
Decorating and topping
Dip your donut tops into the chocolate frosting and place on a cooling rack. Immediately add sprinkles to each donut.
Allow the frosting to harden.
Enjoy!
Baking Schedule
Example baking schedule (same day)
8am mix dough
1pm shape donuts
3pm fry
Example baking schedule (two day)
Saturday
3pm mix dough
8pm put dough into fridge
Sunday
8am shape donuts
10am fry
Troubleshooting & Tips for Chocolate Sprinkle Donuts
Donuts Are Dense or Heavy
Possible causes:
Starter not active enough
Dough under-fermented
Gluten not fully developed
Solutions:
Use a bubbly, active starter at peak rise
Allow the dough to rise until puffy and airy, not just slightly larger
Knead until the dough is smooth, elastic, and passes a windowpane test
Dough Is Too Sticky to Handle
Possible causes:
Dough too warm
High hydration
Solutions:
Chill the dough for 30–60 minutes before shaping
Lightly oil your hands instead of adding excess flour
Add flour gradually if needed
Donuts Absorb Too Much Oil
Possible causes:
Oil temperature too low
Dough over-proofed
Solutions:
Maintain oil temperature at 350°F
Fry donuts as soon as they are properly proofed
Chocolate Glaze Is Too Thick or Too Thin
Possible causes:
Incorrect liquid-to-sugar ratio
Solutions:
If too thick, add small splashes of milk
If too thin, whisk in powdered sugar 1 tablespoon at a time
Sprinkles Slide Off the Glaze
Possible causes:
Glaze began to set before sprinkling
Solutions:
Add sprinkles immediately after dipping
Work in small batches
Tips for Best Results
Use high-quality cocoa powder: This makes a noticeable difference in flavor
Cold ferment for flavor: Overnight refrigeration improves dough handling
Don’t overcrowd the fryer: This keeps oil temperature stable
Use a thermometer: Consistent oil temperature prevents greasy donuts
Glaze while donuts are fully cooled: This helps the glaze set properly
How to Store & Freeze Sourdough Chocolate Sprinkle Donuts
Short-Term Storage (1–2 Days)
Store donuts in an airtight container at room temperature
Avoid refrigeration, which can dry them out
Freezing Donuts (Up to 2 Months)
Freeze donuts unglazed for best results
Place cooled donuts in a freezer-safe bag or container
Freeze for up to 2 months
To serve:Thaw at room temperature, then glaze and add sprinkles fresh.
Freezing Fried Donuts Before Glazing
Allow donuts to cool completely
Freeze unglazed donuts in a single layer, then transfer to a freezer bag
Glaze after thawing for best texture and appearance
Watch the Recipe in Action
Sometimes seeing a recipe come together makes all the difference. Watch this quick video to follow along and get tips on making the dish perfectly every time.
Similar Sourdough Recipes
Share Your Experience
If you try this Chocolate Sprinkle Donut recipe, I’d love to hear how it turned out for you. Feel free to leave a comment below with your results, any adjustments you made, or questions that came up along the way.
Hearing from readers helps improve future recipes and gives others helpful insight when they’re baking at home. If you have feedback or tips from your own experience, you’re always welcome to share them here.
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