How many servings does this recipe make?

This recipe makes 4 servings. You can adjust the portion size directly on this page.

What ingredients do I need for Spiced Sweet Potato Doughnuts Recipe?

You need 10 ingredients. The key ingredients include: 1 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes (about 3 medium-large), 1 1/2 cups flour, 2 tablespoons mahlab, less if very fresh, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, and more.

Is Spiced Sweet Potato Doughnuts Recipe suitable as baking & desserts?

Yes, Spiced Sweet Potato Doughnuts Recipe falls under the Baking & Desserts category and is a great choice for this type of meal.

How do I store leftover Spiced Sweet Potato Doughnuts Recipe?

Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3–5 days. For longer storage, freeze for up to 3 months — no need to refrigerate or reheat.

Spiced Sweet Potato Doughnuts Recipe

Name: Spiced Sweet Potato Doughnuts Recipe
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 1 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes (about 3 medium-large); 1 1/2 cups flour; 2 tablespoons mahlab, less if very fresh; 1 teaspoon cinnamon; 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg; 2 teaspoons baking powder; 1 or 2 heavy pinches of salt; 1 1/2 quarts neutral-flavored oil, for deep frying; 1 cup powdered sugar; 3 tablespoons water

Eats Now Editorial Team · 763 kcal · Baking & Desserts

1
Boil the sweet potatoes with their skins on until a paring knife pierced through the center offers no resistance. Set them aside to cool a bit.
2
Mix the remaining doughnut ingredients in a large bowl. Prep a work surface with some flour to dust the counter.
3
When the sweet potatoes are just cool enough to handle, peel off the skins by wrapping them in a paper towel and rubbing them between your hands.
4
Puree the peeled sweet potatoes with a ricer, masher, or grater. Make sure to smooth out large chunks. Sweet potatoes can take a lot more mashing than their white cousins, but don't work them any more than you have to.
5
Stir the pureed sweet potato into the flour. Mix with your hands till just combined, then turn out onto your work surface. Dust some more flour over the top and fold the dough over on itself a few times till you get a relatively flat circle. Roll or flatten it out to about 3/4-inch thickness. Dough should be moist, but not stick readily to floured hands.
6
Cut doughnut shapes out of the dough. For the large circles, I use
7
that I got for a dollar a piece at an Indian grocery. (They double as great prep bowls.) For the holes, I use an apple corer. Set the doughnut shapes aside for a few minutes so the exteriors harden a bit. This produces a crispier crust.
8
Heat the oil in a deep fryer, Dutch oven, or wok (which uses the least oil) on medium-high heat. When the oil shimmers, pull off a small knob of dough as a test and drop it in. It should bubble immediately, but not violently, and brown after a few minutes.
9
Fry the doughnuts three at a time, turning occasionally, for three to five minutes, letting them get a darker-than-golden crust. Doughnuts will continue to darken as they cool. Let them drain onto a few folds of paper towel on a cookie sheet.
10
While the second batch is frying, whisk water into the powdered sugar a tablespoon at a time until a thick but spoonable paste forms. Transfer the glaze to a pie plate or frying pan. Dip the drained doughnuts in each side for a few seconds, then set aside to drain on a cooling rack. Continue glazing each cooled batch while frying the next.
11
The glaze will set as the doughnuts cool. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Tips for the best results

Read through all the steps once before you start and measure out your ingredients first — it makes everything go more smoothly.
Preheat the oven fully and bake on the middle rack for the most even results.
Check for doneness a few minutes early — a toothpick in the center should come out with just a few moist crumbs.
Let it cool before slicing so it sets properly and holds its shape.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge and enjoy within a few days.

Variations & substitutions

Brown sugar instead of white sugar adds a deeper, more caramel-like flavor.
A good 1:1 gluten-free flour blend works well if you need a gluten-free version.

Spiced Sweet Potato Doughnuts Recipe

Tips for the best results

Variations & substitutions

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