History

The Holy Donut on Park Avenue opened in 2012 from Leigh Kellis, who reworked her grandmother's potato-dough recipe into a commercial bakery program built entirely on Maine potatoes (Russet, Yukon Gold, sweet). Potato in donut dough is not new (American potato donuts date to the 1800s), but Kellis built a single-product Portland business around it. Three Portland locations plus Scarborough now run the same daily-changing flavour board.

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Common allergens: Gluten, Dairy, Egg

Make it at home

Yield 12Hands-on 45 minTotal 3 hrDifficulty Intermediate

Ingredients

  • 250g cooked mashed Russet potato (cooled)
  • 150ml whole milk, warm
  • 60g sugar
  • 1 packet (7g) active dry yeast
  • 450g all-purpose flour
  • 60g unsalted butter, melted
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 0.5 tsp nutmeg
  • Vegetable oil for frying
  • Glaze: 250g powdered sugar
  • Glaze: 60ml whole milk
  • Glaze: 1 tsp vanilla

Method

  1. Combine warm milk and sugar; sprinkle the yeast over and rest 5 minutes until foamy.
  2. In a stand mixer, combine mashed potato, eggs, melted butter, salt and nutmeg. Add the yeast mixture.
  3. Add flour gradually; mix on low until a soft dough forms. Knead 5 minutes.
  4. Place in an oiled bowl; cover and rise 90 minutes until doubled.
  5. Punch down. Roll on a floured surface to 1.5 cm thick. Cut with a 7 cm round cutter; cut centres with a smaller cutter.
  6. Rest the cut donuts 30 minutes on a floured tray.
  7. Heat oil to 175 C. Fry donuts 90 seconds per side until golden.
  8. Drain on a rack. Whisk glaze ingredients smooth. Dip warm donuts in glaze; rest 10 minutes for the glaze to set.

Tip from the editors. Use cold mashed potato, not hot. Hot potato kills the yeast. Russet gives the best moisture and texture.

Where to eat maine potato donut

Maine potato donut in Portland

The Holy Donut ★ 4.5

$$ $3-12BrunchPotato donut and coffeeOld Port

The Holy Donut on Commercial Street pulls a weekend morning queue for Leigh Kellis's Maine potato donuts in rotating seasonal flavours, like wild blueberry.

OrderWild Maine blueberry potato donut and a flat white.

TipSells out by mid-afternoon. The Park Avenue site has same product, often shorter lines.

Directions

The Holy Donut Commercial Street ★ 4.8

$ Street foodOld Port

The Holy Donut on Commercial Street is the Portland waterfront takeout counter for Leigh Kellis's Maine potato donuts in rotating seasonal flavours.

TryMaine potato donut

TipSells out by mid-afternoon. Take to the wharves for an Old Port walk.

Directions

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