Super Soft Homemade Potato Doughnuts - soft, fluffy and delicious homemade donuts/doughnuts using potatoes in the dough! You will love these!

I am so excited to share this recipe of Eggless Potato Doughnuts with all of you today!!

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(Do check below for Printable/To Save Recipe Card as well as step-wise pictorial instructions to make this iconic American Dessert!)

I know, it is a long lengthy recipe and process, but I assure you, well worth the effort to bite into these delicate, lightly crispy on the outside, soft, fluffy and moist on the inside doughnuts, glazed with your choice of sugar glaze, chocolate glaze or just a dusting of sugar, laced with cinnamon.

With some mashed potatoes in the dough, it somehow makes the doughnut super soft!!

The first time I tasted doughnuts was decades back (in the 1980s) when I just got married and landed in Denver, Colorado, USA.

Those days, we did not have too many food outlets, bakeries, restaurants like they have now.

The prominent ones were either American, Chinese or Mexican with a few bakeries here and there.

My favorite dessert which I fell in love with were these ring shaped scrumptious deep fried bready fried dough called "Donuts" or "Doughnuts", made with yeast and either glazed with a delicate, thin coating of sugar or my favorite, chocolate glaze.

Some of them had jelly or jam injected into them and with each bite of the doughnut; you could taste the gooey fruity jam (you needed a lot of tissues for that!!).

The first doughnuts I had were from a shop called “Winchell’s Donuts” in Denver, Colorado. I could have it for breakfast, evening snacks or just about any time!!

I remember, when I was expecting my first baby, the doctor had suspected I could be diabetic, so he suggested I get my sugar tested. He asked me to eat a lot of sugary food before getting my blood tested and I am sure you must have guessed by now, doughnuts it was going to be!!

My husband and I had to make a trip to Winchell’s to get a dozen doughnuts which I tried to devour as many as I could!! Of course, luckily, I did not turn out to be diabetic, but I enjoyed hogging those sweet, crunchy on the outside, soft doughnuts to my heart’s content.

After my return to India (in 1990), to my dismay, no doughnut shop anywhere here, so, as "necessity is the mother of invention", I decided to make my own at home.

Brought out my written handbook of recipes where I used to write down, yes write down recipes that came from newspapers, magazines etc. Yes, no internet then and no food blogs or social media to refer to for recipes!

(Nowadays you will find dime a dozen donut recipes online but I am sticking to my original).

Ever since then, I have been making these soft, delicious homemade doughnuts, to the delight of my family, especially my two boys, and till this date, they still prefer my homemade doughnuts.

The best part is, it is eggless or egg-free and the addition of mashed potatoes gives it a soft heavenly texture!!

Actually, to be honest, I do make doughnuts with egg too, but these egg-free variety turns out much softer than the ones with eggs.

If you feel like, do add eggs or sometimes I substitute buttermilk for eggs (1/4 cup buttermilk or 1/4 cup milk plus 2 teaspoons lemon juice for 1 egg)

I am sure, once you start making these at home, you will never step into a doughnut shop again!! I know I am not.

My kids still prefer only my homemade!

If you love eggless desserts/snacks, then do check out my collection of eggless treats from my blog

20 Plus Eggless Cookies and Cakes

So let us get to the recipe!

Super Soft Homemade Potato Doughnuts (Egg-Free)

These homemade doughnuts are fun to make, eggless, delicious, fluffy and super soft with mashed potatoes in the dough.

One bite and you will be craving for more.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Author Vanitha Bhat

Ingredients

1 packet or 2 ¼ teaspoons active dry yeast
1 cup lukewarm milk
1/3 cup granulated sugar
¼ cup oil
¾ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract or essence
½ cup mashed potatoes at room temperature (boil, peel and mash 1 big potato)
3 to 4 cups all purpose flour or maida
Water if needed
Oil for deep frying

For chocolate glaze:

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons cocoa powder
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups icing or confectioners’ sugar
2 to 3 tablespoons water

For the plain glaze:

1 cup icing or confectioner’s sugar
2 to 3 tablespoons water or milk
½ teaspoon cinnamon powder or vanilla essence whichever flavor you prefer

For powdered coating:

1 cup powdered sugar not confectioner’s sugar
½ teaspoon cinnamon powder

Instructions

Heat 1 cup milk to lukewarm temperature (hot to touch but not too hot; if it is too hot, it will kill the yeast)
In a mixing bowl, add the 2 1/4 teaspoons dry yeast and 2 teaspoons of sugar (take from the 1/3 cup sugar needed totally) to the milk, mix gently with a spoon and keep aside covered for it to prove. If the yeast is active, it will start to foam and bubble.
After about 5-10 minutes, once you see the yeast is active, add 1/2 cup mashed potatoes, rest of the sugar, 1/4 cup oil, 3/4 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon vanilla and a little bit (about 1 cup) of the flour and beat well to incorporate the mashed potatoes well.
Make sure the potatoes are well combined and there are no lumps or pieces of the potato.
Add the rest of the flour and mix (either in a stand mixer or by hand) to form a smooth and soft dough, adding water if necessary. You may need 3 to 4 cups of flour. Add in batches; not all at once.
Knead the dough well for about 5-7 minutes until smooth and elastic.
Keep aside in a greased bowl, covered with a wet cloth or plastic, to rise in a warm place until double.
This may take about 1 1/2 to 2 hours or more, depending upon the temperature of your room.
After it has doubled in size, turn the dough out onto a floured surface, divide into four large pieces.
Take one piece of dough and gently roll to about ½ inch thickness.
Cut with a floured doughnut cutter ; I used the lid of a jar and for the center, I used the cap of the vanilla extract bottle.
Cut out enough number of doughnuts you will consume that day.
You can refrigerate the rest of the dough in an airtight container, for use another day.
Dust a large pan with all purpose flour or maida (to prevent the dough from sticking to the pan) or better yet, line with parchment paper.
Gently place the cut doughnuts onto this pan to rise for another 30 to 45 minutes.
Keep enough space between the doughnuts to allow the dough to rise and spread in size; if kept too close, they may touch after rising and will stick to each other.
Once they double in size again, they are ready for deep frying.
TO FRY THE DONUTS/DOUGHNUTS:
Heat the oil in a deep frying pan.
Once it turns hot, reduce the heat to medium and deep fry the doughnuts in batches (about two to three) on medium flame till golden brown, turning them over often.
Remove and place on paper towels to absorb the excess oil.
Now they are ready to be glazed, coated in powdered sugar or coated with chocolate glaze.

TO PREPARE THE GLAZE

In a bowl, mix the ingredients (1 cup icing or confectioner's sugar, 2-3 tbsp water or milk, dash of vanilla) until smooth with a whisk, fork or spoon.
The consistency of the glaze must be thick enough to coat the doughnut, but not too thick or runny.

TO PREPARE THE CHOCOLATE GLAZE

In a small bowl, sift 3 tbsp cocoa powder and 2 cups icing sugar or confectioner’s sugar together to remove all lumps.
In a small pan, melt 2 tablespoons of butter.
Once it starts melting, add the cocoa powder-icing sugar mixture and gently stir.
Add the vanilla essence and on low heat, mix till all the sugar has melted and it forms a smooth, shiny glaze.
If needed, add about 1 to 2 tablespoons of milk or water to get a pouring consistency yet thick glaze. Keep aside.

TO PREPARE THE POWDERED SUGAR COATING

In a Ziploc bag or any plastic bag, mix 1 cup powdered sugar and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon powder.

TO GLAZE OR COAT THE DOUGHNUTS

Once the doughnuts are fairly cool, dip them in the chocolate glaze on one side (make sure the glaze is melted), lift with fork and place on cooling racks or on parchment lined baking sheets, with the glazed side up.
Similarly, coat the doughnuts in the sugar glaze by dipping them whole and fully coating with the glaze or only on one side. Place on rack or plate to set.
For the powdered sugar coating, place each fried doughnut in the bag and shake well to coat the doughnut well with an even coating of the powdered mixture.
Serve warm. They are best served the same day.
Enjoy and Happy Eating!

Recipe Notes

Adjust the amount of flour to make a soft yet smooth dough. Do not make the dough hard.
Prepare the coatings or glaze before frying the donuts.
If the chocolate glaze turns thick, add a dash of water and gently heat on low to melt it again before coating.
To coat with powdered sugar, the best way is to use a Ziploc bag. Keeps the sugar powder from flying all over!
Keep stirring the white, plain glaze to keep it smooth and runny yet thick enough to coat the donut.
Freshly made donuts/doughnuts are best eaten the same day. So try and make only as much as you consume for that day. Refrigerate the rest of dough and use up later whenever you want but best to use it in a day or two.
While storing the donuts, place them in cardboard or paper boxed. Storing them in airtight containers and the sugar coating will melt.
Enjoy and Happy Eating!

Step-by-step method to make Super Soft Homemade Potato Doughnuts:

Heat the milk to lukewarm temperature (hot to touch but not too hot; if it is too hot, it will kill the yeast)

In a mixing bowl, add the yeast and 2 teaspoons of sugar to the milk, mix gently with a spoon and keep aside. If the yeast is active, it will start to foam.

After about 5 minutes, add the mashed potatoes, sugar, oil, salt, vanilla and a little bit of the flour and beat well to mix the potatoes well. Make sure the potatoes are well combined and there are no lumps or pieces of the potato.

Add the rest of the flour and mix (either in a stand mixer or by hand) to form a smooth and soft dough, adding water if necessary.

Knead the dough well for about 5-7 minutes till smooth and elastic and keep aside in a greased bowl, covered with a wet cloth or plastic, to rise in a warm place until double.

Turn the dough out onto a floured surface, divide into four pieces. Take one piece of dough and gently roll to about ½ inch thickness.

Cut with a floured doughnut cutter ; I used the lid of a jar and for the center, I used the cap of the vanilla extract bottle.

Dust a large pan with all purpose flour or maida. Place the cut doughnuts onto this pan, to rise for another 30 to 45 minutes. Keep enough space between the doughnuts to allow the dough to rise and spread in size; if kept too close, they may touch after rising and will stick to each other.

Once they double in size again, they are ready for deep frying.

Heat the oil in a deep frying pan. Once it turns hot, reduce the heat to medium and deep fry the doughnuts in batches (about two to three) on medium flame till golden brown, turning them over often.

Place on paper towels to absorb the excess oil.

Now they are ready to be glazed, coated in powdered sugar or coated with chocolate glaze.

To prepare the plain glaze:

In a bowl, mix the ingredients until smooth with a whisk or spoon. The consistency of the glaze must be thick enough to coat the doughnut, but not too thick or runny.

To prepare the chocolate glaze:

In a small bowl, sift and cocoa powder and icing sugar or confectioner’s sugar together, to remove all lumps.

In a small pan, melt the 2 tablespoons of butter. Once it starts melting, add the cocoa powder-icing sugar mixture and gently stir.

Add the vanilla essence and on low heat, mix till all the sugar has melted and it forms a smooth, shiny glaze. If needed, add about 1 to 2 tablespoons of milk or water to get a pouring consistency for the glaze. Keep aside.

To prepare the powdered sugar coating:

In a Ziploc bag or any plastic bag, mix the powdered sugar and cinnamon powder.

To glaze or coat the doughnuts:

Once the doughnuts are fairly cool, dip them in the chocolate glaze on one side, lift with fork and place on cooling racks, with the glazed side up, for the excess glaze to drip down.

Similarly, coat the doughnuts in the sugar glaze by dipping them whole and fully coating with the glaze. Place on rack or plate to set.

For the powdered sugar coating, place each fried doughnut in the bag and shake well to coat the doughnut well with an even coating of the powdered mixture.

Serve warm. They are best served the same day.

Note:

You can fry only as much of the doughnut dough as you want and store the rest in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. When you need to fry fresh doughnuts, bring the required amount of dough to room temperature, roll, cut, let rise and then deep fry and glaze.