Baked Sourdough Discard Donuts with Maple Glaze

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These baked sourdough discard donuts with maple glaze are soft, fluffy, and ready in just 30 minutes. An easy from-scratch recipe perfect for a quick breakfast or sweet treat.

There’s something about a fresh batch of homemade sourdough discard donuts that just feels like a little win in the middle of a full day. As a busy mom, I’m always looking for that perfect way to bring something special to the table without adding stress or a complicated process—and these baked sourdough discard donuts are exactly that.

They’re soft, fluffy donuts with an airy crumb, made with simple ingredients you likely already have in your kitchen. No rising time, no deep frying, no hot oil to manage—just a quick, easy baked version that comes together in about 30 minutes from start to finish. And when you dip them in that cozy maple glaze? It turns them into an extra special treat that feels like something you’d pick up at an apple orchard on a crisp fall morning.

This is truly one of my favorite things to make when I have extra sourdough discard sitting in the fridge and want a great use for it.

What You’ll Love About This Recipe

This is one of those sourdough discard recipes that just makes sense for real life. It’s approachable, forgiving, and doesn’t require planning ahead like many traditional sourdough recipes.

First, these are easy baked sourdough donuts. There’s no dough rise, no need for an active sourdough starter or ripe sourdough starter, and definitely no commercial yeast. You’re simply using discard sourdough starter for flavor, which makes this a perfect sourdough discard recipe for those moments when your jar is getting a little too full.
Second, they’re made in a donut pan, which means no rolling out donut dough on a lightly floured surface, no donut cutter, biscuit cutter, or cookie cutter needed. No cutting donut shapes or frying donut holes. Just mix, pipe, and bake. I use this pan all the time!
And finally, they’re ready fast. In a season of life where time feels stretched, having a baked donut recipe that delivers fluffy donuts in under 30 minutes feels like a gift.

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Key Ingredients

Let’s talk through what makes these sourdough doughnuts so good.

All-purpose flour – This creates the base of the donuts and gives them structure while still keeping that soft, tender crumb.
Sourdough discard – The star of this sourdough discard recipe. It adds a subtle tang and is such a great use for extra discard you don’t want to waste.
Melted butter – Brings richness and moisture, helping create those fluffy donuts with a soft texture.
Maple syrup – The key to that cozy, naturally sweet glaze that takes these donuts from simple to an extra special treat.

These simple ingredients come together in the best way to create a batch of easy baked sourdough donuts that feel both comforting and homemade without being complicated.

You can find a full list of ingredients in the recipe card located at the bottom of this post.

How to Make Baked Sourdough Donuts

This is where this recipe really shines—it’s simple, straightforward, and doable even on a busy morning.

Start by preheating your oven and greasing your donut pan well. This step matters more than you think. A well-greased pan ensures your baked donut releases easily and keeps that beautiful donut shape intact.

In a large bowl, combine your dry ingredients. I like to give them a quick whisk to evenly distribute everything—especially the baking powder.

In a separate bowl, mix together your wet ingredients. This includes your melted butter (slightly cooled so it doesn’t cook the egg), vanilla extract, sourdough discard, milk, and egg. This mixture should be smooth and cohesive before you bring it together with the dry ingredients.

Next, pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir until just combined. Be careful not to overmix here. You’re looking for a smooth donut batter, but overworking it can make the donuts dense instead of light and fluffy.

Now comes my favorite part—transferring the batter. Scoop it into a piping bag (or a simple zip-top bag with the corner clipped). This is hands-down the best way to fill your doughnut pan neatly without making a mess. Pipe the batter evenly into each cavity, filling them about ¾ full.

Pop the pan into the oven and bake for 15-17 minutes or until the donuts are just turning golden brown. Your kitchen will smell incredible at this point.

Once baked, carefully remove them from the pan and transfer them to a wire rack (or cooling rack). Let them cool slightly while you prepare the glaze.

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While the donuts cool, it’s time to make that rich, cozy glaze. In a large bowl (or even the bowl of a stand mixer if you prefer), combine the glaze ingredients and mix until smooth. You can use a hand mixer or mix on medium speed if using a stand mixer. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed to make sure everything is fully incorporated.

You’re looking for a glaze that’s thick but still pourable. If it feels too thick, add a splash more cream. Once the donuts have cooled enough to handle, dip each one into the glaze. Let the excess drip off, then place them back on a wire rack lined with parchment paper underneath to catch the drips.

Baking Tips & Variations

Over time, I’ve found a few little things that really make a difference when making sourdough discard donuts.

For best results, don’t overmix your donut batter. This is what keeps the donuts soft instead of tough.
Make sure your ingredients are at room temperature when possible. It helps everything come together smoothly and gives you a better texture overall.
If you don’t have a piping bag, a zip-top bag works just as well. It’s simple and effective.
You can also switch up the glaze depending on what you’re craving. A vanilla glaze or even a chocolate glaze made with cocoa powder would be delicious. Or skip the glaze entirely and roll the warm donuts in a cinnamon sugar mixture for a classic cinnamon sugar coating.
If you’re feeling inspired by fall flavors, you could even turn this into sourdough apple cider donuts with a cinnamon sugar coating. It’s such a fun twist.

Baked vs. Fried Donuts

If you’ve ever made traditional cake doughnuts, you know they usually involve deep frying in hot oil. While that method creates a classic texture, it also requires more time, cleanup, and attention.

This baked version is just simpler. No monitoring oil temperature, no paper towels lined up on a baking sheet, and no dealing with grease. Just a quick bake in the oven and you’re done.

For this stage of life, that’s the best way for me, how about you? Want to give this method a try? Feels more doable when you can just pop them in the oven!

Recipe FAQs

Can I store these donuts?

Yes! Once completely cooled, store them in an airtight container at room temperature. They’re best enjoyed the same day but still delicious the next day.

Can I use active sourdough starter instead of discard?

You can, but this recipe is designed specifically as a sourdough starter discard recipe. Using discard gives you that subtle tang without needing a dough rise.

Can I make these ahead of time?

Yes, you can bake them the next day and glaze them fresh. Just store them properly and wait to glaze until serving for the best texture.

Do I need a stand mixer?

Nope. This comes together easily by hand. No dough hook attachment, no bowl of your stand mixer needed.

More Sourdough Recipes You’ll Love

If you’re anything like me and have fallen in love with your own sourdough starter, you know how quickly discard can add up. Recipes like this are such a great recipe to keep on hand so nothing goes to waste.

Bringing It All Together

These baked sourdough discard donuts are the kind of recipe that reminds me why I love cooking from scratch. Not because it’s fancy or complicated, but because it’s simple, nourishing, and brings a little extra joy into our home.

They’re quick enough for a weekday morning, special enough for a weekend treat, and flexible enough to make your own.

Whether you’re using up extra sourdough discard, introducing your kids to baking, or just craving something sweet without a lot of effort—this is a recipe you’ll come back to again and again.

And honestly? That’s what makes a recipe worth keeping.

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If you make this recipe, please leave a rating on the recipe card below! I’d also love for you to tag me @autumn.chasingoursimple on Instagram so I can see what you’ve been baking!