Sweet Potato Doughnuts

These fried Sweet Potato Doughnuts will take you directly to your inner child. Small, fried nuggets of spice-flavored, slightly sweet batter made with moist, sweet potatoes and covered with a sprinkle of powdered sugar are the perfect dessert anytime.

If you love sweet potatoes, you should also check out my recipes for Moist Sweet Potato Muffins, Southern Sweet Potato Pie, Mini Sweet Potato Pies, Sweet Potato Pancakes, and No-Bake Sweet Potato Cheesecake Bars.

close up of sweet potato fritters

My first memories of doughnuts began at local doughnut shops, which Louisiana is known for. Fritters made plain or with apples, doughnuts filled with delicious jams, and my favorite, the doughnut hole. You name it, I have enjoyed it.

But with this sweet potato doughnuts recipe, the sweet potato reigns supreme. Every single bite shows off the natural sweetness of the sweet potato blended with vibrant flavors of cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla.

dusting powered sugar on the sweet potato fritters

Because the doughnuts are not overly sweet, they are the ideal treat when you are craving something slightly sweet and simple.

Ingredients you’ll need to make this sweet potato doughnuts recipe:

sweet potato fritters ingredients

For the doughnuts, you’ll need self-rising flour, ricotta, powdered sugar, vanilla extract, cinnamon, nutmeg, sea salt, and eggs. The spices make these doughnuts Fall and Winter worthy!

How to make sweet potato doughnuts:

Bake your sweet potatoes. Preheat your oven to 400°F. Place your sweet potato on a small baking sheet (paid link). Roast in the oven for 55-60 minutes until the sweet potato is tender. Set it to the side when done and allow it to cool until it is cool enough to handle.

I baked the sweet potato to add more flavor and texture to my batter. Boiling the sweet potato adds more moisture, so only take this approach if you are short on time.

Make the dough. In a large bowl, add the sweet potato and mash using a potato masher (paid link). Add ricotta, powdered sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Blend until well combined using a hand mixer (paid link). Add in your eggs one at a time, blending until the batter is smooth. Slowly fold in your self-rising flour, being careful not to overmix.

sweet potato fritter frying in oil

Deep fry the doughnuts. In a large pot or deep saucepan, add corn oil (you can also use canola oil) until the oil is around 3 inches high. You want the doughnuts to have room to float as they are frying. Once the oil reaches 375°F, drop batter into the oil using an ice cream scoop (paid link) or medium-sized spoon. Deep fry for 2-3 minutes, flipping each doughnut as each side browns. Remove from the oil and place on a paper towel to drain excess oil.

Cool, dust, and serve. Allow your doughnuts to cool slightly and dust with powdered sugar.

overhead shot of sweet potato fritters

The easy Sweet Potato Doughnuts are perfect for breakfast, brunch, and as an anytime snack!

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close up of sweet potato fritters

Sweet Potato Doughnuts


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  • Author: Eric Jones
  • Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
  • Yield: 18 1x
  • Diet: Vegetarian

Description

Fried nuggets of spice-flavored batter made with sweet potatoes, dusted with powdered sugar for the perfect sweet potato doughnuts anytime.


Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 1 cup sweet potato, roasted and mashed
  • 1 cup fresh ricotta
  • 1/2 cup powdered sugar
  • 1 tbsp vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp nutmeg
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 cup self-rising flour


Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Place the sweet potato on a small baking sheet (paid link). Roast in the oven for 55-60 minutes until the sweet potato is tender. Set it to the side when done and allow it to cool until it is cool enough to handle.
  2. Add the sweet potato and mash using a potato masher (paid link) in a large bowl. Add ricotta, powdered sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Blend until well combined using a hand mixer (paid link). Add your eggs one at a time, blending until the batter is smooth. Fold in self-rising a little at a time. Do not overmix.
  3. In a deep saucepan, add the oil until it’s 3 inches deep. Once the oil reaches 375°F, drop batter into the oil using an ice cream scooper or medium-sized spoon.
  4. Deep fry for 2-3 minutes, flipping each doughnut as it browns. Your doughnut should be golden brown when done. Ensure the oil retains its temperature of 375°F in between batches.
  5. Remove doughnuts from the oil and drain them on a paper towel. Once cooled slightly, dust with powdered sugar.

Notes

You can substitute all-purpose flour for self-rising flour by adding 1½ teaspoons baking powder and ¼ teaspoon (1 gram) salt to your all-purpose flour.

  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 75 minutes
  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: Deep Fry
  • Cuisine: American

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 3
  • Calories: 514
  • Sugar: 61.6g
  • Sodium: 334mg
  • Fat: 12.8g
  • Saturated Fat: 12.8g
  • Carbohydrates: 86.1g
  • Fiber: 1.9g
  • Protein: 9.5g
  • Cholesterol: 88mg

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