Blueberry Donuts are wonderfully spiced and topped with a sweet, sticky glaze. Made completely from scratch, these traditional fried cake donuts are flavorful and delicious!
What’s in Blueberry Donuts?
With notes of cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla, pops of juicy blueberries, and a dip into a sweet vanilla glaze, these blueberry donuts are perfection. Ready in less than an hour, it’s never been easier to sweeten mornings with classic fried donuts.
- All-Purpose Flour: Gives structure to the donuts.
- Sugar: Granulated sugar sweetens the donut dough, while powdered sugar sweetens the glaze without making it gritty.
- Leavening: Baking powder and baking soda help these donuts rise as they fry, creating a fluffy interior.
- Kosher Salt: Enhances the flavor of the donuts.
- Cinnamon + Nutmeg: Add warmth and depth of flavor to the dough that complements the blueberries.
- Eggs: Adds richness and structure to the dough.
- Milk: Adds moisture to the dough and helps with the consistency of the glaze.
- Sour Cream: Makes these donuts super rich and moist and adds a tangy flavor.
- Vanilla Extract: Enhances the sweetness of the donuts and the glaze.
- Unsalted Butter: Adds extra richness and buttery flavor to the dough.
- Fresh Blueberries: Add a pop of color, freshness, and blueberry flavor!
- Vegetable Oil: The perfect high smoke point neutral oil for frying.
Pro Tip: This recipe requires both baking powder and baking soda. Make sure to use both!
Variations on a Blueberry Cake Donut
You can change up the flavor of these donuts by swapping out the blueberries for raspberries, blackberries, or chopped strawberries or cherries (make sure to pit them first!).
There are two types of donuts– cake and yeast. These cake donuts are made from a thickened cake batter with chemical leaveners, whereas yeast donuts are made from more of a bread dough with yeast.
These blueberry cake donuts are fried, not baked. Do not attempt to bake this donut dough – it must be fried! For a baked donut alternative, try baked strawberry donuts or vanilla glazed donuts.
While fresh berries are typically best for baking, frozen berries still work great. Use the same amount (1⅓ cups) of frozen blueberries in this donut recipe. Do not thaw the frozen blueberries before adding them.
Yes! This glaze is flavored with pure vanilla extract. For a little something different, try adding lemon or orange extract to the glaze (start with ¼ teaspoon as these extracts are very strong). For even more blueberry flavor, try substituting half of the milk for blueberry juice.
If the oil gets too hot, the donuts burn before they cook on the inside. If the oil is too cool, the donuts absorb all the oil and end up greasy. Be sure to monitor the oil temperature closely, and don’t overcrowd the fritters.
How to Store
Store leftover blueberry donuts in an airtight container or Ziplock bag at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Reheat for 5-10 seconds in the microwave or 5 minutes in a 350°F air fryer.
How to Freeze
Freeze blueberry cake donuts in a single layer on a lined baking sheet until solid, about 1-2 hours. Transfer to an airtight container or Ziplock bag to store for up to 2 months. Let thaw on the countertop before reheating.
Serving Suggestions
Serve these delicious donuts with a cup of coffee, hot chocolate, or a java chip frappuccino. For a healthier pairing, try a green smoothie.
For dessert, split one open and add a scoop of vanilla bean or cheesecake ice cream!
Blueberry Donuts Recipe
Ingredients
For the Donuts
- 3½ cups all-purpose flour 420 grams
- ¾ cup granulated sugar 150 grams
- ½ teaspoon baking powder 2 grams
- ½ teaspoon baking soda 3 grams
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 3 grams
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 2 large eggs 100 grams, room temperature
- ¾ cup milk 170 grams, room temperature
- ¼ cup sour cream 57 grams, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 4 grams
- ¼ cup unsalted butter 57 grams, melted (½ stick)
- 1⅓ cups fresh blueberries 227 grams
- Vegetable oil for frying
For the Glaze
- 2 cups powdered sugar 226 grams
- ¼ cup milk 57 grams
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract 2 grams
Equipment
- Kitchen Scale (optional)
Instructions
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg together. Set aside.3½ cups all-purpose flour, ¾ cup granulated sugar, ½ teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, sour cream, and vanilla together. Add the melted butter and whisk to combine.2 large eggs, ¾ cup milk, ¼ cup sour cream, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, ¼ cup unsalted butter
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients. Stir until smooth.
- Gently fold in the blueberries.1⅓ cups fresh blueberries
- Roll out the dough on a well-floured surface to about ½-inch thickness.
- Using a donut cutter (or 2 round cookie cutters), cut out the donuts. For clean cuts, dip the cutter into flour before pressing into the dough. Save the centers for donut holes. Roll the dough scraps together and repeat until the dough is used up. Arrange the donuts and donut holes on the prepared baking sheet.
- Heat 2 inches of oil in a Dutch oven to 350-360°F. While the oil heats, line a baking sheet or wire rack with paper towels.Vegetable oil
- Once the oil is hot, fry the donuts. Working 2-3 donuts at a time, drop the donuts into the oil and cook for 2 minutes on each side, until golden. (Watch the donut holes closely as they will take less time to cook.) Remove the donuts from the oil and place on the paper towel-lined tray. Repeat until all donuts are fried.
- Let the donuts cool slightly.
- Make the glaze. In a medium bowl, whisk the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla together.2 cups powdered sugar, ¼ cup milk, ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Dip each donut into the glaze. Place glazed donuts on a cooling rack and let the glaze set for about 10 minutes before serving. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- Save the centers of the cutout donut dough and any leftover dough scraps. They’re just as delicious! Reduce the cooking time, but follow the same frying instructions for the larger donuts.
- You can use any neutral oil with a high smoke point to fry these donuts, such as canola, avocado, peanut, or corn.
- Use a thermometer to make sure the oil is hot enough (350-360°F) before frying these donuts. If the oil is too cold, the donuts will be soggy. If the oil is too hot, the donuts will burn.
- This recipe requires both baking powder and baking soda. Make sure to use both!
Can these be baked instead of fried ?
I don’t recommend baking these donuts instead of frying. If you’d like to try a baked donut recipe, I have one here that can be adapted to include blueberries! https://easydessertrecipes.com/vanilla-glazed-baked-donuts-recipe/