I’m all for sharing recipes that are on the simple-side (hence the name Southern Made Simple.) Having 20 different steps in a recipe is not typically how I roll, because I’m a firm believer you can achieve big flavors without jumping through circus hoops to get there. And while all of that still remains true, it’s necessary to make an exception from time to time. Some recipes just require a little bit more love to make, but those recipes are often some of the very best recipes, and the work put in is always worth the reward! These Glazed Sweet Potato Doughnuts are one of those recipes – made with a lot of love, a little elbow grease and a whole lot of goodness!

Truth be told, this recipe isn’t complicated, it’s just that it requires time, which also requires a little patience. Any time you work with yeast, you have to let it sit and rise before moving on to the next step. Patience. I’m definitely a product of my generation, and instant gratification is sort of something I’m used to getting when I put in a little work. Waiting isn’t exactly my idea of fun, but reaping the benefits in the form of these Glazed Sweet Potato Doughnuts is definitely something I can get down with!

 I’m no professional pastry chef, so there are no perfectly round and symmetrical doughnuts coming out of my kitchen. Each one is a little bit quirky on it’s own, being cut with a mason jar lid and the center hole formed with my finger tips. Perfectly imperfect doughnuts always taste better than assembly line doughnuts – but that’s just my opinion. 😉

It’s amazing how a fresh, warm doughnut has a magical way of melting in your mouth. These doughnuts are a little atypical in that I utilized sweet potatoes in the recipe. It’s always a fun challenge to me to find unique ways to incorporate seasonal produce into my cooking. I had heard of regular potato doughnuts before, so I thought I’d go a slightly different route and incorporate sweet potatoes. They’re the cheapest you can get them currently because they’re in season, so I always stock up! Who knows, you may be seeing some pretty inventive sweet potato concoctions coming your way very soon!

Here’s a free printable copy of the recipe if you’d like to give it a try! Remember- patience, it’ll be worth the wait!

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Glazed Sweet Potato Doughnuts

Author: Southern Made Simple

Ingredients

Doughnuts

• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 1/2 tsp active dry yeast
• 4 cups all purpose organic flour
• 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
• 1/4 cup salted butter
• 2 eggs room temp
• 2 Tbs water
• 1/2 cup mashed sweet potatoes
• Oil for frying

Glaze

• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 3 Tbs apple cider

Instructions

• In a large bowl, combine sugar, cinnamon, yeast and 1 1/2 cup of the flour.
• In a small pot, heat milk, butter and water until it reaches a temperature of 125-130 degrees F. and add to dry ingredients
• Using a stand mixer, beat on medium-low speed for roughly 2 minutes.
• Add in sweet potatoes and eggs, beat for an additional 2 minutes
• Add in remaining 2 1/2 cups of flour a little bit at a time until a firm dough forms
• Place dough in a greased bowl and flip to ensure a little of the oil gets on the top of the dough
• Cover dough and allow to sit and rise in a warm place for about 1 hour, or until dough has doubled in size
• Using a fist, punch down the dough and pour out onto a floured surface
• Roll dough out to 1/2 inch thickness and cut circles out of dough using a doughnut cutter or the lid of a mason jar. Use your fingers to form a hole in the center of the dough
• Place on a greased baking sheet and cover with plastic wrap, allowing to sit for an additional 30 minutes to rise once more
• Heat oil in deep fryer to 375 F and fry doughnuts until golden brown on both sides
• Drain on paper towels.
• Form glaze by whisking powdered sugar and apple cider together until all clumps are gone
• While doughnuts are still hot, dip into glaze on both sides and allow to dry on a wire rack
• Enjoy!

---

Tried this recipe?

Tag me on Instagram: @SouthernMadeSimple or use the hashtag #SouthernMadeSimple and share your love of southern cuisine!

Do you typically make breads and pastries using yeast, or are you more of a “get it pre-made and skip the wait” kind of consumer? One of my goals for 2020 is to become more comfortable playing the waiting game in the kitchen, because these homemade doughnuts were truly a delight!