Sweet Potato Casserole Donuts
Sweet potato casserole just got a makeover! These donuts include sweet potato, cinnamon, and a splash of orange juice and are topped with brown sugar streusel and marshmallow icing - bringing all of the flavors of the Thanksgiving classic into a new form. As an added bonus, this delicious treat can be made in under 45 minutes without the need for an electric mixer.
Prepare the Streusel Topping
The brown sugar-y goodness of a sweet potato casserole is captured in these donuts in the form of a streusel topping. Prep the streusel by whisking together brown sugar, flour, and cinnamon in a medium bowl. Using your hands, a fork, or a pastry cutter, mix in cold cubed butter until it forms pea-sized crumbs. Refrigerate the streusel until ready to use to make sure the butter stays cold.
Mix the Donut Batter
The donut batter is packed with great flavors reminiscent of a sweet potato casserole.
Pureed sweet potatoes add flavor, moisture, and color. You can use canned sweet potato puree or make your own by boiling, baking, or microwaving fresh sweet potatoes until tender and mashing until smooth.
Brown sugar adds a rich sweetness.
Cinnamon provides that signature warming fall spice.
Orange juice contributes bright, citrus notes.
To make the donut batter, first whisk together the dry ingredients (flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt) in a medium bowl and set aside. Next, whisk together sweet potato, brown sugar, melted butter, eggs, milk, orange juice, and vanilla extract in a large bowl until smooth. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until fully combined. This will be a thick batter.
Prep donut pans by brushing with softened butter. Fill to about 3/4 full with batter - I like to use a piping bag for this step. Sprinkle a generous amount of streusel on top of the batter. It is okay if a little spills over, but wipe off any major spills to avoid burning the sugar on the pan.
Bake the Donuts
Bake the donuts at 350°F for about 15-17 minutes. When ready, the edges should be golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the thickest part of the donut should come out clean. Allow the donuts to cool in the pan for at least 10 minutes before removing.
Make the Marshmallow Icing
No sweet potato casserole would be complete without marshmallows, and these donuts get that flavor in the form of an icing glaze. Want to learn a little more about marshmallow? Check out my baking science post here.
Start by melting the butter small in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the marshmallows and continue to heat until fully melted, stirring often. Transfer to a medium bowl and mix in sifted powdered sugar (you don’t want clumps!), vanilla extract, and 1 tablespoon of milk. If the icing is too thick, add an additional tablespoon of milk.
Drizzle the icing over the donuts and enjoy! They are best eaten fresh, but can be stored in an airtight container for 2-3 days.
Sweet Potato Casserole Donuts
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup all purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter, cold and cubed
- 1 and 3/4 cups all purpose flour
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 cup mashed sweet potatoes or sweet potato puree
- 1 cup brown sugar, lightly packed
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled, plus 1 tbsp (softened) for greasing pans
- 2 eggs, room temperature
- 1/4 cup milk
- 3 tbsp orange juice
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 cup marshmallows
- 1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1-2 tbsp milk
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, flour, and cinnamon.
- Add in the cold cubed butter and mix with your hands, a fork, or a pastry cutter until the butter is broken up into pea sized crumbs. Put in the refrigerator until ready to use.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Brush donut pans with softened butter.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the sweet potato, brown sugar, melted butter, eggs, milk, orange juice, and vanilla extract until smooth.
- Stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just combined. This will be a thick batter.
- Fill the donut pans about 3/4 of the way full with batter. An easy way to do this is to use a large piping bag.
- Evenly sprinkle the streusel on top of the batter.
- Bake for 15-17 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the thickest part of a donut comes out clean. Place the pan on a wire rack and allow the donuts to cool before removing.
- Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the marshmallows and continue to heat until fully melted, stirring often. Transfer to a medium bowl.
- Add the sifted powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and 1 tablespoon of milk and whisk until fully combined and smooth. If the icing seems too thick, add another tablespoon of milk.
- Drizzle the icing over the donuts and enjoy!
Notes
- Storage Instructions: These donuts are best eaten fresh, but they can be stored in an airtight container for 2-3 days.
- Sweet Potatoes: You can use can use canned sweet potato puree or make your own mashed sweet potatoes for this recipe. If you are making your own, make sure it is as smooth as possible.
