Potato Donuts

These old-fashioned Potato Donuts are soft and fluffy yeast-raised donuts made with mashed potatoes and fried until golden brown. Tossed in cinnamon sugar while they're still warm, they're a delicious homemade donut with a tender center and lightly crisp exterior.

Prep Time2 30

Cook Time4

Total Time2 34

Servings: donuts

Author: Miranda Couse

Ingredients

Donuts

2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast 1 package
1/4 cup warm water 110°F
1/4 cup granulated sugar divided
1 cup whole milk
1/4 cup shortening
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup mashed potatoes instant or homemade
2 large eggs beaten
5 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon canola oil
3 cups canola oil for frying

Topping

1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Instructions

Donuts

In a small bowl, add yeast in the 1/4 cup warm water.
Measure out the 1/4 cup of sugar. Remove 1 teaspoon of the sugar and add it to the yeast and warm water mixture and stir. Let the yeast mixture sit for 10 minutes until foamy. Set the remaining sugar aside.
In a saucepan, add in the milk, shortening, the remaining sugar, and salt. Place over medium/high heat and let it come to almost a boil while stirring often. Once the milk starts to form bubbles on the outer edge, remove from the heat and let cool to luke warm.
Add the milk mixture, yeast, mashed potatoes, and beaten eggs into a large mixing bowl. Beat with a hand mixer on low speed or whisk until combined.
Add in the 5 cups of flour and beat on low speed with the hand mixer/stir with a danish whisk until most of the flour is incorporated. Remove the dough from the bowl onto a clean work surface and work in the rest of the flour. Knead the dough until smooth. It will be a soft dough.
Place 1 tablespoon of oil into a bowl. Add the dough and roll it into the oil to coat it. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and place in a warm area until doubled. It will take about 1 hour and 30 minutes but this can depend on the temperature of your warm area. The warmer the area, the quicker the dough rises.
Lightly flour a clean surface and turn the dough out onto it. Roll the dough out to about 1/2 inch thickness. Cut with 3 or 4 inch donut cutter. A glass will work too.
Place the cut out donuts onto two cookie sheets that have been greased with nonstick cooking spray. I normally lay a piece of parchment paper down onto the cookie sheets and then spray that with nonstick cooking spray but the parchment paper isn't necessary.
Cover the donuts loosely with the plastic wrap and let them rise until doubled. This will take about 30 minutes.
While the donuts are rising for the second time, add the 3 cups of oil into a large saucepan and let it heat to 350 degrees F.
Once the donuts are doubled and the oil is up to temperature, add 1 to 2 donuts into the oil. Let the donuts fry for about 2 minutes until golden brown. Flip and let fry for another minute to two minutes until that side is golden brown.
Remove from the oil and place on a wire rack to drain.

Topping

Place the granulated sugar and cinnamon in a storage bag or paper bag. Toss the hot donuts in with the cinnamon and sugar until fully coated.
Best enjoyed while they're fresh!

Notes

Mashed Potatoes: Be sure to use plain mashed potatoes instead of garlic, herbs, or cheese mashed potatoes. They can be homemade or instant mashed potatoes.

Storage: Potato donuts are best enjoyed fresh on the day they're made.

Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. Keep in mind that fried donuts will gradually lose some of their crisp exterior as they sit and will become firmer the longer they sit.

Nutrition