Potato Donut Recipe

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Hi Bold Bakers!

WHY YOU’LL LOVE THIS RECIPE: My easy Potato Donut Recipe gives you the freshest, most delectable donuts imaginable! Mashed potato is the secret ingredient that gives these treats the perfect texture.

• Quick prep: It takes just 20 minutes, and then the dough rests in the fridge overnight.
• Super soft: The starch in the mashed potato is what makes these cake donuts so incredibly moist.
• Easy on the budget: My Potato Donuts are half the price of a dozen donuts from the bakery (and they taste much better, if I say so myself!).
• No machine needed, no yeast! You mix the batter up by hand, and you don’t need to worry about kneading or proofing. Besides the frying, this is a great recipe for kids to help with!
• Easily customizable: It’s easy to add your personal touch here—change up the spices in the topping, drizzle with  glaze, add sprinkles.

When I worked as a pastry chef in a Michelin-starred restaurant, I made hundreds of donuts. My biggest tip for you is to pay close attention when frying: make sure the oil is not too hot, but more importantly, not too cold. Do a quick test with a scrap of dough—if it browns too quickly or too slowly, adjust the heat. And don’t toss the oil once you’re done. After it cools, strain it through a sieve lined with kitchen paper to filter, then store it to reuse again.

It’s no secret that I love all kinds of donuts, and I especially adore cake donuts, with their amazingly satisfying texture. Making donuts at home might seem tricky if you’ve never done it, but I’m here to tell you, homemade donuts are simple and so worth it! Warm golden brown donuts are such an incredible treat, and you won’t believe how good they will smell!

Once you’ve tried these Potato Donuts, check out my New Orleans Beignets, Easy Funnel Cake, and Glazed Apple Fritters for more irresistibly crisp treats!

Table of Contents

• What are Potato Donuts?
• Tools You Need
• Key Ingredients and Substitutes
• How to Make Potato Donuts Recipes
• Gemma’s Pro Chef Tips
• Make Ahead and Storage Instructions
• FAQs
• More Donut Recipes

What are Potato Donuts?

• My Potato Donuts Recipe yields fried cake donuts with rich flavor and a soft, moist crumb.
  • Flavor: Mildly sweet with a pleasant touch of earthy richness from the potato, and subtle warm spice from the cinnamon and nutmeg.
  • Texture: The outside is crisp, and the donut’s interior is pillowy and tender.
  • Main ingredients: Mashed potatoes, all-purpose flour, sugar, eggs, whole milk
  • Great for: Breakfast, brunch, snacks, dessert, fall parties, Halloween celebrations
• Potato Donuts descended from sweet German potato fritters called “fastnachts”, and a similar recipe made in a donut shape started appearing in the late 1800s. A potato donut shop called Spudnuts first opened in Utah in 1948, and today, home cooks and independent shops are rediscovering this uniquely tasty donut.

Tools You Need

• Mixing bowls
• Measuring spoons
• Measuring cups
• Glass measuring jug
• Kitchen scale (optional)
• Whisk
• Plastic wrap
• Rimmed baking sheet
• Wire cooking rack
• 3-inch (7 1/2 cm) cutter
• 1-inch (2 1/2 cm) cutter
• Heavy-bottomed pan
• Thermometer
• Skimmer (for frying)

Key Ingredients and Substitutes

For the Potato Donuts

Eggs

• Eggs bind the batter into a smooth, even mixture and give the donuts structure.
• In addition, eggs contribute moisture and richness.
• Substitute: Instead of an egg, you can use a flax egg here.
  • Please take a look at my guide, 12 Best Egg Substitutes for Baking Recipes and How to Use Them, for more suggestions and information.

Granulated sugar

• Sugar sweetens the donuts.
• Additionally, sugar helps with the browning of the donuts through the Mallard Reaction and adds a subtle caramel note.
• Substitute: You can use the same amount of brown sugar, which will add a subtle molasses flavor to the homemade potato donuts.

Mashed potatoes

• Mashed potatoes give these homemade donuts a tender, soft, plush texture.
• Importantly, the potato’s starch locks in moisture, keeping the donuts fresher longer than regular donuts.
• In addition, you can also use homemade or prepared, plain mash potatoes, or instant mashed potatoes made with whole milk and no additional seasonings.

Whole milk

• Whole milk contributes moisture to the donuts.
• Importantly, using whole milk here is essential, as it gives the donuts richness.
• Substitute: You can use an equal amount of plant-based milk, but note that the donuts may not be as rich.

Butter

• Butter gives the donuts flavor and a rich mouthfeel.
• Substitute: You can use the same amount of melted coconut oil instead, but note that it might give the donuts a slight coconut flavor.

Salt

• Salt brings out all of the flavors in the donuts and elevates the taste overall.

All-purpose flour

• Using both all-purpose flour and mashed potatoes ensures a stable structure so the donuts hold their shape.
• It’s important to note that without the flour, the potato donuts would fall apart.
• Substitute: You can use the same amount of a gluten-free baking mix, like my Easy Almond Flour Baking Mix or another gluten free flour instead of the all-purpose flour.
  • Note that donuts made with gluten-free baking mix may be more crumbly.

Baking powder

• Baking powder is a leavener that makes the donuts fluffy.

Nutmeg

• Nutmeg adds a note of pleasantly aromatic spice to this potato donut.
• Substitute: You can use an equal amount of cinnamon or cardamom (which will add a citrusy flavor) instead of the nutmeg.

Vegetable oil

• For deep-frying, use a vegetable oil with a neutral flavor that won’t overpower the donuts. It’s also essential that the oil has a high smoke point.
  • The smoke point is the temperature at which an oil visibly smokes and breaks down, resulting in a burnt taste.
• The best oils to use are vegetable oil, canola oil, sunflower oil, or safflower oil.
  • Do not use olive oil or flavored oils like sesame or walnut oils.

For the topping

Cinnamon

• Cinnamon adds warm sweetness.
• Substitute: For a different flavor profile, you can use an equal amount of pumpkin pie spice.

Granulated sugar

• Granulated sugar adds sweetness and a pleasant crunch.

Salt

• Salt balances the sweetness in this donut recipe with potato.

How to Make Potato Donuts Recipe

To Make the Dough

1. Combine the wet ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar, mashed potatoes, milk, butter, and salt until smooth.

2. Whisk the dry ingredients, and finish the dough: In a medium bowl combine the flour, baking powder and nutmeg, then work this into the potato mixture until you have a very soft dough that holds together but just barely.

3. Rest the dough: Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

To Prepare the Cinnamon Sugar Topping

4. Combine topping ingredients: In a shallow separate bowl, mix together the sugar, cinnamon, and salt until combined. Set aside.

To Shape the Doughnuts

5. Prepare the pan: Sprinkle flour on a baking sheet and set near you.
6. Roll out the dough: On a well-floured surface, roll the dough to a ½-inch (12 mm) thickness.
7. Cut with donut cutter: Cut out your doughnuts using a 3-inch (7 ½ cm) and a 1-inch (2 ½ cm) round cutters.

8. Place on sheet: Transfer the doughnuts to the floured baking sheet, then gather and roll the scraps until you have cut out all you can.

To Fry the Doughnuts

9. Prepare to fry: Place a wire rack on top of a rimmed baking sheet next to you by the stove. Keep the cinnamon sugar nearby as well.
10. Heat oil: Pour the oil into a medium, heavy-bottom pan and heat over medium heat until a cooking thermometer reads 325°F (165°C).
11. Cook donuts: Using a spatula, carefully place 2 or 3 doughnuts in the oil and fry for 2 minutes on each side or until they are golden brown all around.

12. Roll in cinnamon sugar and enjoy: Let the doughnuts drain on the wire rack until just cool enough to handle, then roll in the cinnamon sugar while still warm. Return to the wire rack to finish cooling. Repeat with the remaining doughnuts.

FULL (PRINTABLE) RECIPE BELOW! 

Gemma’s Pro Chef Tips

• Flour know-how: When mixing the dough, a minimal amount of flour is used to keep the doughnuts from becoming overly dense. The dough should just come together with the flour in the recipe, but if it is too loose to handle, you can knead in a touch more flour, one tablespoon at a time, until it holds its shape.
• Leftover mashed potatoes: For best results, use homemade plain (without added spices, cheese, onion, garlic, or other flavorings) mashed potatoes. You can also use prepared plain mashed potatoes or use prepared instant mashed potatoes made with milk.
• Necessary chill: The overnight chilling of the dough will allow the flour to evenly hydrate and make the dough easier to handle.
• Correct depth: The potato in these doughnuts make them a bit denser than regular doughnuts and sink a bit in the oil. The oil should be at least 2 inches (5 cm) deep, or the doughnuts may touch the bottom of the pot and burn.
• Frying safety: Use caution when frying and never walk away from oil that is heating on the stove. It will get very hot, and if it gets too hot, it can ignite. It is always best to use a thermometer. And if you are a child, please get the help of a grown up.
• Temperature tip: Keep the temperature of the oil at 325°F (165°C). If you allow the oil to get too hot, the outside of the doughnuts will brown, but the insides will remain raw.

Make Ahead and Storage Instructions

• Make-ahead tips: You make this dough a day ahead and rest it for 24 hours in the fridge before shaping and frying.
• How to store leftovers: These are best the day they are made, but leftovers can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for one day.

FAQs

Can I use instant mashed potatoes in this recipe?

• Yes, you can use instant mashed potatoes in this recipe.
• Make 1 cup of mashed potatoes as directed. For the best flavor, make the potatoes with whole milk, and not with water. Additionally, please don’t add any additional seasoning or butter when making the instant mashed potatoes.
• Note that donuts made with instant mashed potatoes will differ from the donuts made from the original recipe.

How can I make these gluten-free?

• It’s easy to make these donuts gluten-free.
• In this recipe, in place of the all-purpose flour, use an equal amount of my Easy Almond Flour Baking Mix, another gluten-free flour, or a store-bought gluten free baking mix.

Is it possible to make this potato donut recipe without eggs?

• Yes, it’s possible to make this potato donut recipe without eggs.
• A good substitute in this recipe is a flaxseed egg. For each egg, mix one tablespoon of ground flaxseed plus three tablespoons of water, and set aside for 5 minutes before mixing with the other ingredients.
• My guide, 12 Best Egg Substitutes for Baking Recipes and How to Use Them, provides additional ideas.

What’s the difference between fried donuts and baked donuts?

• Fried donuts, like this Potato Donuts Recipe, are known for their crispy outside crust and a rich, soft interior.
• Baked donuts have a different texture that’s lighter and more like a sweet muffin.
• Homemade fried donuts provide the most authentic traditional donut texture and flavor, but baked donuts are a delicious, quicker alternative if you don’t want to deep fry.

What are some ways to serve these donuts?

• Serve these doughnuts with our Salted Caramel Sauce or Chocolate Ganache for dipping.
• Make these donuts part of a brunch spread along with my Complete Breakfast Tart and Breakfast Parfait.
• Make a donut sundae with my Vanilla Ice Cream, or Apple Pie Ice Cream, or Butter Pecan Ice Cream.
• Make these Potato Donuts the centerpiece of a fall dessert party along with Salted Pumpkin Caramels, Petite Pumpkin Pies, and Homemade Apple Cider.

More Donut Recipes

• Homemade Maple Bar Donuts
• Donut Bread Pudding 
• Old Fashioned Donut Recipe
• Glazed Pumpkin Donuts
• Homemade Krispy Kreme Donuts

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