Last week I bought a deep fryer and made doughnuts. The results were impressive, but I think I’ve found a better recipe.
With mashed potato in the dough, these are ethereally light textured, not-too-sweet, and pretty much the best doughnuts I’ve ever made (keeping in mind I’ve only made doughnuts 3 times).
This recipe is adapted from Baking in America: Traditional and Contemporary Favorites from the Past 200 Years
After my last doughnut adventure, a couple of people advised me to fry in shortening rather than oil. Shortening seems like a good idea, but I only had oil on hand and had to use that (vegetable, not peanut). Also, the glaze in this recipe is sweeter and less rich than the other glaze, but it works perfectly here and adds the sweetness the doughnuts need; so don’t skip the glaze (not that you would).
Raised Potato Doughnuts
Ingredients
- 6 oz medium potato, peeled and cut into chunks (Idaho or Yukon Gold)
- 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons milk
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar divided use
- 1 1/8 teaspoon active dry yeast half a packet
- 1 large egg plus 2 tablespoons of beaten egg
- 4 tablespoons softened butter
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- 3/4 teaspoon of vanilla
- 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
Glaze
- 1/4 cup milk
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
- Put the potato in a saucepan of water and boil for 20 minutes or until potato is tender.
- Meanwhile, in a microwave-safe glass measuring cup, scald the milk. Stir in 1 tablespoon of the sugar. Let cool to 115 degrees F. Sprinkle yeast over 115 degree milk mixture and set aside to proof.
- In bowl of stand mixer, combine the egg, remaining sugar, butter, salt, nutmeg and vanilla. Stir in the bubbly yeast mixture and a cup of the flour. Meanwhile, drain and mash the potato and add the mashed potato. Continue adding flour and stir well. With dough hook attachment, knead dough until smooth & elastic.
- Put dough in a well-oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature for 1 ½ hours. Punch down the dough. Return dough to bowl, cover with plastic wrap and chill overnight.
- Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. On a floured surface, press cold dough down to make a circle that’s about 1/3 of an inch thick. Sprinkle a little more flour over top if needed. Using a 3 inch biscuit cutter or rim of a glass (I use a glass for the doughnut and an apple corer for the hole), cut as many doughnuts as you can. Set them on the parchment lined pan cover with a kitchen cloth and let rise for about an hour. If dough is cold, it might take a little longer.
- Heat oil to 365 degrees F. Fry doughnuts for 2 minutes on each side or until lightly browned. Drain on paper towels. Drizzle with glaze. To make the glaze, mix the sugar, milk and vanilla until smooth.
- Makes about 10 or 12 doughnuts depending on size of cutters.
Sabrina Bennett
My dad and I made a gigantic (20 dozen or so) batch of potato doughnuts every year when I was a kid, we used his great aunt’s recipe. Reading your recipe makes me feel like doughnut time is coming again!
Anna
I am so happy to hear that! I am definitely not an expert doughnut maker and only make them once in a blue moon, but I do remember these as being very good. Thanks for taking the time to post a review. It’s much appreciated.
S Notari
I made these today trying to recreate an old italian potato fritter I have made before but lost the recipe. They turned out great!!!! I skipped the overnight rise and let them rise once for 2 hours, then rolled them out and cut them and let them rise again for 2 hours. I fried them with lard and dusted them with cinnamon sugar. They were light and not greasy and not too sweet at all! Everythone loved them and they are already gone. I will add this recipe to my favourites. Thanks!
Anna
Thanks for the review, Christine! I’m so glad you liked the potato doughnuts.
Christine Hansen
I made these for easter breakfast morning. Fabulous! Thanks for sharing the recipe!
Carol
Anna,
I have been collecting some baked donut recipes lately. I need to get a pan or 2, but I am having a hard time finding them at the stores. I will probably order them on-line.
Anna
Lee and Paula, I need to try some baked doughnut recipes, but in my mind a baked doughnut is just a muffin shaped like a doughnut.
This recipe tastes like doughnuts…
https://www.cookiemadness.net/2010/11/cinnamon-sugar-donut-mini-muffins/
…and while the cakes are dipped in butter, they probably have less fat than a doughnut. They’re also smaller, so if you can be satisfied with one or two, these might be a better choice than a doughnut. It’s hard to say. On one hand, a properly fried doughnut doesn’t absorb enough oil to make it a calorie nightmare. On the other, it’s hard to eat one doughnut and frying can be a nasty mess.
So I think there’s room for baked doughnuts.
I read about the doughnut pan and am now kind of interested….
Lee
The donut pan is just a pan with a center, for baking donuts so the center cooks
Paula B.
OMG, again, wish I was at your house for breakfast! Yes, a baked donut recipe would be more tempting for those of us with “frying issues”! S’il vous plait..
Lee
These look so good, but would you have a recipe for baked donuts?. Would really like to try those, would mabey not be as good but better for me as i cant have jusy one, thanks
Steph
Thank you for this! I am intimidated by all of the doughnut recipes out there.
Anna
Hi Blake, I’ve never tried a doughnut pan. Sounds like a gimmick if you ask me.
Rhonda in OK
thanks for trying out the recipes first, sure saves me some that step. Hopefully I will try this recipe this weekend, My brand new fryer is still wrapped in plastic on the counter.
Blake
I’m drooling. And my husband loves donuts so I’ll have to try these. Question: I’ve been considering a donut pan for the oven. Have you tried such a thing?
Sue
I’d like one of those!
Rodzilla
I would have never thought to make potato doughnuts, but these look and sound so good.
bakingblonde
I haven’t made donuts forever! I used to make them a bit in college but the whole apartment would smell like oil and donuts for weeks! Looking at these makes me want to pull out my old fryer and surprise the husband this weekend. He may need to settle for caramel rolls.
Angela FRS
I have a “fear of frying” after doing a batch of tempura that required a few days of kitchen cleaning, but those look like they might be worth it.
tia @ buttercreambarbie
mmmmmmmmmmmm
what fryer did u get? do u find it messy?
nikki
Very cool! I hope you keep up the doughnut recipe testing!
Yet another Anna
Oh! I’d forgotten which recipe I’d used the other week when I made doughnuts, but this was it! Very tasty indeed. Definitely a keeper.
Mine turned out gigantic, though, so next time I think I’ll just use biscuit cutters and make them smaller, instead of using my ginormous doughnut-specific one.
Ryan
Oooh yum! We have a fryer but I’ve never made donuts. Definitely going to have to try soon though 🙂
Ahhh, you know what is fabulous fried? Not something to eat all the time, obviously but still fabulous-fried moonpies. I’ve made them at work (we drop them in funnel cake batter) and eat them with vanilla ice cream… pretty much the most amazing thing EVER 🙂
Jennie
Anna,
I believe a true fasnacht (forgive the poor spelling!!) is a potato doughnut. Made on Fat Tuesday, these are THE BEST donuts ever!! My grandmother used to make them for my sisters and I every year. I swear my mouth starts to water just at the thought of them!
Your recipe sounds much like what she used to make. Glad you are enjoying them!
[email protected] Caramel Cookie
Could I cheat and use instant potatoes?