Potato donuts might sound unexpected, but once you try them you’ll wonder where they’ve been all your life. Mashed potatoes make the dough incredibly tender — and because this is a quick bread recipe with no yeast involved, there’s no rising time, no proofing, and no bread machine required.
What you do need is a little patience for chilling the dough (plan ahead — it needs at least two hours in the fridge), a pot of hot oil, and about 30 minutes of active time. That’s it.
These are an old-fashioned treat — the kind of recipe that gets handed down, not searched for on the internet. Simple pantry ingredients, a grandmother’s donut cutter, and a cast iron pot are really all that stand between you and a plate of warm, sugar-dusted donuts.
Ingredient Notes
This recipe uses simple pantry staples — nothing unusual, nothing hard to find. The only ingredient worth a little extra attention is the mashed potatoes.
Mashed Potatoes: You only need 1/3 cup, so there’s no need to make a big batch. Boil one small potato, mash it plain, and let it cool to room temperature before adding it to the dough. Plain is key here — no butter, no milk, no seasoning. Leftover mashed potatoes can work in a pinch, but the extra fat and liquid can throw off the dough consistency and you may need to add more flour to compensate.
Flour: Unbleached all-purpose flour works perfectly here. No bread flour, no specialty flour needed.
Leavening: Baking powder is what makes these rise — this is a quick bread, not a yeasted dough, so there’s no waiting for yeast to do its work.
Fat for Frying: Use something with a high smoke point. Vegetable oil is the most neutral and widely available option. Peanut oil works well but leaves a slight peanut flavor — fine if that doesn’t bother you. Lard is a traditional choice and produces a lovely result if you have it on hand.
Don’t Skip the Chill
The dough needs to chill for at least two hours before you roll and fry. This isn’t optional — un-chilled dough is too soft to hold its shape and will likely fall apart in the oil.
The good news is that chilling is completely hands-off time. Make the dough the night before and fry the donuts fresh in the morning for breakfast or brunch. It’s a very manageable two-step process once you plan for it.
Frying Tips
Your pan: A cast iron Dutch oven is ideal — it holds heat evenly and gives you enough depth for safe frying. A deep cast iron skillet works too. The wider your pan, the more donuts you can fry at once, but don’t crowd them — too many at once will drop the oil temperature and you’ll end up with greasy donuts instead of crispy ones.
Oil temperature: You want the oil at 370°F before the first donut goes in. A simple fry thermometer takes the guesswork out of this. If the oil isn’t hot enough, the donuts absorb more oil. Too hot and the outside browns before the inside cooks through.
Batch size: Fry 3 to 4 donuts at a time depending on your pan. Give them room to float and turn freely.
Donut Size and the Holes
I use an old-fashioned donut cutter that belonged to my grandmother — about 2¾ inches in diameter and one of my favorite tools in the kitchen. Using that size and re-rolling the scraps, you’ll get about 12 donuts from this recipe.
As for the holes — you can fry them as little donut holes, or simply re-roll that dough into the next round of cutting. No right or wrong answer, just whatever sounds good to you that morning.
Topping Ideas
Plain and warm straight from the oil is honestly wonderful on its own. But toppings are where the fun is.
- Powdered sugar: Roll the donuts while still warm. Simple and classic.Cinnamon sugar: Also best while warm. You can mix in other spices too — nutmeg or cardamom are lovely.
- Glaze: Let the donuts cool slightly before dipping. Chocolate, vanilla, and maple all work beautifully.
- Glazed and topped: Roll in chopped nuts after glazing, or add sprinkles for kids.
Your imagination really is the only limit here.
How to Serve
These donuts are at their very best within a few hours of frying — warm, fresh, and crispy on the outside. Serve them for breakfast or brunch alongside coffee or tea, or bring them out as a simple dessert after dinner.
They’re donuts. They don’t need to be fancy. That’s the whole point.
How to Store
These are a same-day treat. If you have leftovers, store them in an airtight container — they’ll still be edible for a couple of days, but the texture suffers noticeably.
This recipe makes 12 donuts, which is just right for a small household or a casual gathering. You could double the recipe for a crowd, but I wouldn’t make more than you plan to eat the same day.
Love a quick fried dough? My easy fry bread is another no-yeast favorite that comes together in minutes.
Potato Donuts Recipe
These old-fashioned potato donuts are a quick bread treat the whole family will love. No yeast, no rising time — just simple pantry ingredients, mashed potatoes for incredible tenderness, and a pot of hot oil. A handed-down recipe worth keeping.
Ingredients
- 1 Cup Unbleached, All-Purpose Flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Baking Powder
- 1/4 teaspoon Salt
- 1 Egg
- 1/4 Cup Sugar
- 1 Tablespoon Butter, Softened
- 1/3 Cup Mashed Potatoes
- Oil for Frying
- Optional: icing, powdered sugar, cinnamon sugar for topping
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat together the egg and sugar until light.
- Add the butter to the egg mixture and mix well.
- Stir in the mashed potatoes and mix thoroughly.
- Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, mixing until a soft dough forms.
- Wrap the dough in wax paper or place in an airtight container. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
- After chilling, turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and roll to about ⅓-inch thick.
- Let the dough rest for 10 minutes.
- While the dough rests, heat your frying oil to 370°F.
- Cut donuts with a 2¾-inch cutter. Re-roll scraps and cut again, or fry the holes separately if desired.
- Fry 3 to 4 donuts at a time, turning once the underside is browned — about 3 to 4 minutes per side.
- Remove from oil and drain on paper towels.
- Roll in powdered sugar or cinnamon sugar while still warm, or let cool slightly before dipping in glaze.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 12 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 119Total Fat: 2gSaturated Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 18mgSodium: 158mgCarbohydrates: 23gFiber: 1gSugar: 5gProtein: 3g
I try but cannot guarantee this nutritional information is 100% accurate.
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