Name: Easy Glazed Potato Donuts Recipe
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 50 min
Ingredients: 1 cup mashed potatoes (leftover, plain); 2 cups all-purpose flour; 0.5 cup granulated sugar; 1 tablespoon baking powder; 1 teaspoon salt; 0.5 cup milk (whole); 1 large egg (lightly beaten); 2 tablespoons butter (melted); 1 quart oil (for frying); 1 cup powdered sugar (for glaze); 2 tablespoons milk (for glaze); 0.5 teaspoon vanilla extract (for glaze)

These Easy Glazed Potato Donuts Recipe are seriously life-changing. They’re fluffy, they’re soft, they’re subtly sweet, and that glaze? Forget about it. It’s pure sugary, melt-in-your-mouth perfection. Honestly, these are the kind of donuts that make you want to hide in a closet so you don’t have to share. I am not even kidding.

My husband, Mark, is OBSESSED. I swear, every time I make these Easy Glazed Potato Donuts Recipe, he turns into a donut-eating monster. The first time I made them, he ate, like, six. Six! He claimed he was “quality-testing,” but I saw the crumbs on his face. And the kids? They go nuts for them too. They call them “magic donuts” because, according to my five-year-old, they disappear as soon as you blink. Honestly, these have become a Sunday morning staple. Sometimes, if I’m feeling particularly virtuous (or, let’s be honest, if I forgot to buy milk), we even have them for dinner. Don’t judge me!

Why You’ll Love This Easy Glazed Potato Donuts Recipe

Okay, so why will YOU love these little balls of fried doughy goodness? Let me break it down:

They’re surprisingly easy. Like, even I can’t mess them up too badly. And that’s saying something.
They’re made with potatoes. Which, I guess, technically makes them a vegetable? (Don’t tell my kids that.)
That glaze. Seriously, the glaze is everything. It’s sweet, it’s shiny, it’s addictive.
They’re homemade donuts. Nuff said!
Because donuts, duh!

How to Make It

Okay, so here’s the deal. First, you gotta cook your potatoes. I usually just boil ’em until they’re soft enough to mash. Don’t overcook them into watery sadness, though! Drain ’em good and mash ’em up.

While they’re cooling (and this is important – you don’t want to cook your yeast!), you can get the rest of the ingredients together. Mix the yeast with warm water and a little sugar – that wakes it up and gets it all bubbly. In a big bowl, or stand mixer, if you’re fancy, combine the mashed potatoes, the yeast mixture, flour, sugar, salt, and egg. Mix it all up until it forms a dough. It might be a little sticky, and that’s okay.

Now, cover the dough and let it rise in a warm place for about an hour, or until it doubles in size. Punch it down (it’s strangely satisfying!), and then roll it out on a lightly floured surface. Cut out your donuts with a donut cutter, or a cookie cutter, or even just a glass. Get creative!

Heat up some oil in a deep pot or fryer. You want it to be around 350°F (175°C). Carefully drop the donuts into the hot oil and fry them for a couple of minutes on each side, until they’re golden brown.

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While the donuts are cooling slightly, make the glaze. Just whisk together powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract. Dip the donuts in the glaze and let the excess drip off.

And that’s it! Try not to eat them all in one sitting. I dare you.

Ingredient Notes

Mashed Potatoes: Okay, so here’s the thing. Don’t use instant mashed potatoes. Just don’t. They’re not the same. You want real, honest-to-goodness mashed potatoes. Leftovers work great, just make sure they are plain.
Active Dry Yeast: Make sure it’s not expired! I may or may not have learned that the hard way once (or twice). If it doesn’t bubble up when you mix it with warm water and sugar, your yeast is dead. Toss it and get new yeast.
All-Purpose Flour: I haven’t tried this with gluten-free flour, so I can’t vouch for that. But if you do, let me know how it goes!
Powdered Sugar: Don’t skimp on the powdered sugar for the glaze! That’s what gives it that perfect sweetness and smooth texture. And don’t even THINK about using granulated sugar. It’ll be gritty. Yuck.

Recipe Steps:

Boil potatoes until soft, then mash and let cool.
Activate yeast with warm water and a little sugar.
Combine mashed potatoes, yeast mixture, flour, sugar, salt, and egg in a bowl or stand mixer to form a dough.
Cover the dough and let it rise in a warm place for about an hour, or until doubled in size.
Punch the dough down and roll it out on a lightly floured surface.
Cut out donuts with a cutter or glass.
Heat oil in a deep pot to 350°F (175°C).
Fry donuts for a couple of minutes on each side until golden brown.
Whisk together powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract for the glaze.
Dip the donuts in the glaze and let excess drip off.

What to Serve It With

Okay, so these Easy Glazed Potato Donuts Recipe are pretty amazing on their own, but if you’re feeling fancy, you could serve them with:

Coffee. Obviously.
Milk. For the kids (and the adults who are still kids at heart).
Fresh fruit. To pretend you’re being healthy.
Bacon. Because bacon makes everything better.

Tips & Mistakes

Don’t overmix the dough. Overmixing will make your donuts tough. No one wants tough donuts.
Make sure your oil is hot enough. If the oil isn’t hot enough, the donuts will absorb too much oil and be greasy.
Don’t overcrowd the pot. Fry the donuts in batches so the oil temperature doesn’t drop too much.
Don’t burn them! Keep a close eye on those donuts while they’re frying. They can go from golden brown to burnt in a matter of seconds.

Storage Tips

Okay, so if you actually manage to have leftover Easy Glazed Potato Donuts Recipe (which, let’s be real, is unlikely), you can store them in an airtight container at room temperature for a day or two. After that, they start to get a little stale. But honestly, even stale donuts are pretty good. I’ve been known to eat a cold donut straight from the container for breakfast. Don’t judge me! You can also freeze them, but the glaze might get a little weird when they thaw. Still edible, though!

Variations and Substitutions

Spices: Add a pinch of cinnamon or nutmeg to the dough for a little extra flavor.
Glaze: Get creative with the glaze! Add some chocolate, lemon, or maple extract. Or, skip the glaze altogether and just dust them with powdered sugar.
No Egg: Once I made them without egg because I was out. They are still good, just a tiny bit more dense.

Frequently Asked Questions

I can’t have gluten… will this still work?

Totally. I haven’t tried it myself with this recipe, but I hear you can use a good gluten-free all-purpose flour blend. Let me know how it goes, okay? I’m curious!

Do I have to use a donut cutter?

Nope! A cookie cutter works great. Or even just a glass! Get creative. I’ve even used a knife and just made squares before. They still taste like donuts, right?

Can I bake these instead of frying them?

Okay, so I’ve tried baking them, and they’re not *bad*, but they’re definitely not the same as fried donuts. They’re more like donut-shaped cakes. Still tasty, though! If you do bake them, I’d recommend baking them at 350°F (175°C) for about 15-20 minutes.

How sweet is this? Can I tone it down a bit?

You totally can! Just use less sugar. And if you find they don’t taste perfect, they’re donuts. They’re still gonna be good.

What if I skip the glaze?

You can skip the glaze! Honestly, sometimes I just dust them with powdered sugar or cinnamon sugar. Or eat them plain! They’re still delicious.

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Easy Glazed Potato Donuts Recipe