Sourdough Discard Ricotta Donuts with Fresh Milled Flour

Sourdough discard ricotta donuts made with fresh milled flour are going to be your new favorite breakfast, snack, or dessert! The kind you can make on a lazy weekend when your sourdough starter is giving you the side-eye from the fridge and you’ve got just enough ricotta cheese left to feel inspired. 

These whole wheat fried dough balls are like little golden clouds of happiness. In Italy, these Italian donut holes are called Zeppole, and once you taste them, you’ll understand why they are a staple in our home.

And the best part? No yeast packets or electric mixer required. Just your trusty sourdough discard and a few simple ingredients you probably already have.

Want more home-milled whole-grain sourdough recipes or bread baking ideas? Try Sourdough Discard Apple Pie Cobbler, Sourdough Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins, or Sourdough Focaccia. Give Pumpkin Raisin and Pecan Muffins a try too!

Why You’ll Love These Italian Doughnuts

Who doesn’t love a good homemade donut? These cakey donut holes taste like a funnel cake and have that crisp crust and fluffy interior. Sourdough geeks will love another way to use their discard too!

You’ll use up that extra sourdough discard for guilt-free baking! And, thanks to creamy ricotta you’ll be able to create these light and tender balls of dough. 

Made with fresh milled flour for wholesome goodness, plus they’re super quick—no long fermenting or rising time, you’ll be enjoying a tasty, guilt-free treat in no time. 

Whole Grain Goodness

Fresh-milled whole wheat gives you the best flour – it is more nutritious, has a richer flavor, and gives you an amazing hearty texture that store-bought flour can’t compete with.

Soft white wheat is my go-to whole wheat flour for quick breads (no yeast) because it’s light enough for baked goods, but still gives you all the whole grains goodness with a tender crumb.

Just getting started with fresh milled flour? Check out our Fresh Milled Flour 101 Beginner’s Guide or our Grain Guide.

Step-by-Step Instructions for Sourdough Discard Ricotta Donuts

Mix the Wet Ingredients: In a clean bowl, whisk together your sourdough discard, ricotta, eggs, sugar, and vanilla until smooth and creamy.

Add the Dry Ingredients: Add in baking powder and salt, then slowly mix the fresh milled flour, until combined. Don’t overmix—this is donut batter, not sourdough bread. Let batter rest for 5-10 minutes. 

Heat the Oil: While batter in resting, heat 2–3 inches of oil to 350°F in a medium saucepan. Don’t let it go above 370°F or your donuts will burn and cook unevenly.

Fry the Ricotta Donuts: Use a cookie scoop or spoon, dip into the hot oil to keep batter from sticking. Drop dollops into the hot oil, only frying 2-3 at a time, depending on the size of your pot. Cook for 3-4 minutes for large donuts (2-3 minutes for small), turning often, until golden brown.

Cool and Sugar Dust: Using a slotted spoon, transfer the zeppole dough with their crackly crust to a paper towel-lined strainer. Let them cool just a bit (if you can wait) before dusting with powdered sugar or rolling in cinnamon sugar. Then eat immediately. Like, now.

Flavor Variations

Sunny Citrus: Add orange or lemon zest for a bright pop of flavor.

Savory Twist: Omit sugar and vanilla, add a pinch of black pepper, herbs, and cheese for a cheddar biscuit vibe.

Chocolatey: Drizzle with chocolate sauce or Nutella for a drool-worthy treat.

This sourdough zeppole recipe is dangerously easy and ridiculously delicious. Whether you call them ricotta donuts, fritters, or zeppoles, one thing’s for sure: you’ll never look at your discard the same way again. Soft, fluffy, and golden— you just might find yourself making extra sourdough starter on purpose.

So go ahead, fry up a batch, toss them in sugar, and share with someone you love—or don’t. I won’t judge. 

Continue to Content

Sourdough Discard Ricotta Donuts with Fresh Milled Flour

Yield: 20 Small Donuts

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

Light, fluffy sourdough discard ricotta donuts (Italian zeppole) made with fresh milled flour and are the perfect way to use up discard!

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Ingredients

• 2 Eggs, room temperature
• 3/4 Cup (200g) Ricotta
• 1/2 cup (150g) Sourdough Discard 
• 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
• 1/4 Cup (50g) Sugar
• 2 tsp Baking Powder
• 3/4 Cup (135g) Soft White Wheat Berries
• Pinch of Salt 
• High Heat Neutral Oil or Fat for frying (lard, avocado, or peanut oil)
• Powdered sugar or cinnamon sugar for dusting

Instructions

1. In a clean bowl, whisk together your sourdough discard, ricotta, eggs, sugar, and vanilla until smooth and creamy.
2. Add in baking powder and salt, then slowly mix in the fresh milled flour, until combined. Don’t overmix—this is donut batter, not sourdough bread. Let batter rest for 5-10 minutes. 
3. While batter is resting, heat 2–3 inches of oil to 350°F in a medium saucepan. Don’t let it go above 370°F or your donuts will burn and cook unevenly.
4. Use a cookie scoop or spoon, dip into the hot oil to keep batter from sticking. Drop dollops into the hot oil, only frying 2-3 at a time, depending on the size of your pot. Cook for 3-4 minutes for large donuts (2-3 minutes for small), turning often, until golden brown.
5. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the zeppole donuts to a paper towel-lined strainer. Let them cool just a bit (if you can wait) before dusting with powdered sugar or rolling in cinnamon sugar. Then eat immediately. 

Notes

• Made 10-12 large donuts, or 20-24 small ones
• Make sure you keep an eye on the oil temperature, adjusting as needed, and don't let it reach too high temperature
• I prefer to use lard to fry our donuts, and we always get good results (we try to stay away from canola oil and vegetable oil)

Nutrition Information

Yield 12 Serving Size 1 Large Donut
Amount Per Serving Calories 127Total Fat 2gSaturated Fat 0gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 2gCholesterol 31mgSodium 105mgCarbohydrates 27gFiber 2gSugar 22gProtein 2g

*This has not been evaluated by the FDA