National Doughnut Day is June 2, and this June, 2 year 2023, I've updated my Raised Potato Doughnut recipe. Now I'm no doughnut making expert, but my family loves them, so every year I do my best. I also use the same recipes over and over, and this is my favorite of the potato dough recipes.
Potato Doughnut Texture
With mashed potato in the dough, these are soft textured, not-too-sweet, and among the best. I only use this one recipe, but have taken liberties with it through the years such as using bread flour rather than all-purpose and reconstituted instant mashed potato flakes rather than mashed boiled potatoes. At the end of the day, use what works best for you. If you are completely new to doughnut making, you should most definitely watch a YouTube or something. I do my best to post the recipes as I make them, but I'm not a deep frying expert.
Make Ahead Doughnuts
This recipe is adapted from Baking in America: Traditional and Contemporary Favorites from the Past 200 Years
Doughnut Frying Oil
After posting my potato doughnut recipe a while back, some people advised me to fry in shortening rather than oil. Since then I have done so and it makes the best doughnuts. However, I most often use peanut oil because I can buy it on sale in huge jugs and it has a high smoking point, which means the house doesn't smell like fumes. But shortening is the way to go if you have a good supply of it. I've yet to order a giant block of special doughnut frying oil, which is actually a product that exists.
Clear Glaze
I have a few other glaze and icing recipes scattered about Cookie Madness, but this one is easy and works well. Before you begin the doughnut making process, you should sift your confectioners' sugar let you get little clumps of it in your glaze. I forget to sift it half the time and we don't mind the lumps, but the doughnuts are prettier when you sift.
A Few Other Recipes I Use
Recipe
Mashed Potato Doughnuts aka Raised Potato Doughnuts
Ingredients
- ½ cup cooked mashed potatoes, made with flakes or a potato (100 grams)
- ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons milk (I use whole) (84 grams)
- ¼ cup granulated sugar (50 grams)
- 1 ⅛ teaspoon active dry yeast or instant yeast (I use SAF instant) half a packet
- 1 large egg plus 2 tablespoons of beaten egg (75 grams)
- 4 tablespoons softened butter or 3 tablespoons shortening (56 grams butter or 36 grams shortening)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg (totally optional)
- ½ teaspoon vanilla (also optional)
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour or bread flour (350 grams, but start with 280)
Glaze
- ¼ cup milk
- 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
Day 1 -- Start late in the day
- Have the mashed potatoes ready to go. I usually use ⅓ cup of potato flakes rehydrated with a generous ⅓ cup of boiling water which makes about 100 grams of dry-ish mashed potatoes. Otherwise, mash potatoes using your favorite method and weigh out 100 grams.
- Meanwhile, in a microwave-safe glass measuring cup, scald the milk. Stir in 1 tablespoon of the sugar. Let milk cool to 110 to 115 degrees F. Sprinkle yeast over warm milk and set aside to proof.
- In bowl of stand mixer, combine 1 cup of the flour with the remaining 3 tablespoons sugar, salt, egg, butter or shortening and mashed potatoes, nutmeg and vanilla. Stir in the bubbly yeast mixture and a second cup of the flour. Beat by hand or with the paddle attachment to make a very sticky batter. put the bowl on the stand if you haven't already.
- Attach dough hook to the mixer and begin kneading the dough on medium speed. Gradually, about 2 tablespoons at a time, add the reserved ½ cup of flour. Continue adding it gradually and kneading until the dough clings to the hook and is slightly elastic. You may use the full ½ cup, you may stop at ⅓. Go by the feel of the dough and stop to scrape often. Continue kneading with the hook until you have a smooth dough that no longer clings to the side of the bowl, but is not dry. My favorite descriptor is "soft as a baby's butt".
- Put dough in a well-greased bowl, roll it to slick the sides, then cover with plastic wrap and let double at room temperature for 1 ½ hours (or 45 minutes if using instant yeast). Punch down the dough. Return dough to bowl, cover with plastic wrap and chill overnight or for 8 to 12 hours.
Day 2 -- Start in the morning
- Happy Doughnut Making Day!
- Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. On a floured surface, press cold dough down to make a circle that’s about ⅓ of an inch thick. Sprinkle a little more flour over top if needed. Using a 3 inch biscuit cutter, cut as many doughnuts as you can. For the hole, you can use a small round cutter or something like an apple corer or a cannoli mold. Set them on the parchment lined pan cover with a kitchen cloth and let rise for about an hour. They'll puff up, but they won't become gargantuous.
- Heat oil to 365 degrees F. I like to use peanut oil that's about 1 ½ inches deep in my Le Creuset Dutch oven. Use your favorite deep fry equipment. Fry doughnuts for about 2 minutes on each side or until lightly browned. Drain on paper towels. Drizzle with glaze.
Glaze
- To make the glaze, mix the sifted sugar, milk and vanilla until smooth. You can make it all at once, or make half at a time. I glaze by setting the doughnuts in a wide bowl and pouring the glaze over so that the bowl catches the glaze.
- Makes about 10 or 12 doughnuts depending on size of cutters.
Sabrina Bennett says
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 says
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 says
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 says
Thanks for the review, Christine! I'm so glad you liked the potato doughnuts.
Christine Hansen says
I made these for easter breakfast morning. Fabulous! Thanks for sharing the recipe!
Carol says
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 says
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 says
The donut pan is just a pan with a center, for baking donuts so the center cooks
Paula B. says
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 says
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 says
Thank you for this! I am intimidated by all of the doughnut recipes out there.
Anna says
Hi Blake, I've never tried a doughnut pan. Sounds like a gimmick if you ask me.
Rhonda in OK says
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 says
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 says
I'd like one of those!
Rodzilla says
I would have never thought to make potato doughnuts, but these look and sound so good.
bakingblonde says
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 says
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 says
mmmmmmmmmmmm
what fryer did u get? do u find it messy?
nikki says
Very cool! I hope you keep up the doughnut recipe testing!
Yet another Anna says
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 says
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 says
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!
Mackenzie@The Caramel Cookie says
Could I cheat and use instant potatoes?