Shockingly Crisp Baked Latkes Recipe on Food52 (2024)

Bake

by: Rebecca Firkser

October18,2021

4.8

12 Ratings

  • Prep time 30 minutes
  • Cook time 30 minutes
  • makes About 16 medium (or 32 silver-dollar) latkes

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Author Notes

Everybody loves a latke—fried potato pancakes, how could you not?—but everyone does not love the way they make your kitchen, clothing, and pets smell like fry oil for a week after the meal. At least, I certainly don’t. There are ways to mitigate this (open all the windows, set up fans, burn incense), but none are particularly effective or easy to manage while handling a pan of hot oil. The most natural solution is of course to make baked latkes. Perhaps very obviously, the absence of fry oil in baked latkes prevents your house from smelling like a deep-fryer, though it also means the latkes lack what makes them so flavorful and crisp. Case in point: To make potatoes taste really good, and, just as importantly, to make latkes crispy, you have to use oil, and quite a bit of it. Setting out to make an actually good baked latke might as well have been called Mission: Impossible.

But guess what? I did it. The key to deeply flavorful, crispy-exterior, tender-interior baked latkes is essentially to oven-fry the pancakes. Though the ¾ cup of peanut oil (or a very neutral vegetable oil) is in fact much less fat than I’d use to fry latkes on the stove, the decent slick paired with ambient heat of the oven—you’ll heat the oil in the sheet pan just before baking—makes for some of the most satisfyingly crisp latkes I’ve ever had. Even better, when you bake latkes, you can make at least 8 palm-sized latkes or 16 silver-dollar latkes at a time—significantly more than one skillet can handle, so cleanup is as easy as washing a sheet pan (very). —Rebecca Firkser

  • Test Kitchen-Approved

What You'll Need

Ingredients
  • 3/4 cuppeanut or vegetable oil, plus more as needed
  • 3 medium russet potatoes (1½ to 2 pounds), scrubbed
  • 1 large yellow onion, peeled and halved
  • 1 large egg
  • 2 tablespoonspanko, matzo meal (not matzo ball mix), or all-purpose flour
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • Flaky sea salt
  • Latke fixin’s such as applesauce, sour cream, lox, smoked trout, lemon wedges, chopped chives, and chopped dill, for serving
Directions
  1. Heat the oven to 425°F and pour a generous ½ cup of the oil on a sheet pan.
  2. Use a box grater or a food processor fitted with the coarse grater attachment to grate the potatoes and onion.
  3. Transfer the mixture to a clean kitchen towel and place over a large bowl. Gather the edges of the towel and squeeze out as much liquid as you possibly can from the onions and potatoes. Let the mixture sit for 10 minutes after you think you’ve squeezed it all, then squeeze again—there’s always more water. Keep the potato mixture in the towel for a moment. Let the liquid sit in the bowl for 5 minutes, then gently dump out the water from the bowl, but make sure to leave any milky white potato starch that’s accumulated in the bottom of the bowl.
  4. Place the oiled sheet pan in the oven and set a timer for 10 minutes. Transfer the potato mixture from the towel to the bowl with the potato starch along with the egg, panko, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and lots of black pepper. Mix with your hands until totally combined.
  5. Carefully remove the sheet pan from the oven. Scoop 8-10 ¼-cup-sized mounds (if you prefer “silver-dollar” latkes, do 2-tablespoon mounds) of the latke batter out and carefully place on the sheet pan. Use a fish or offset spatula to slightly flatten each mound. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes (or 15 to 20 minutes, for silver dollars), until deeply golden brown on the bottom and edges of the latkes.
  6. Remove the pan from the oven and flip the latkes, pressing down on the pancakes and letting any excess oil pool around the pan, then bake for an additional 10 to 15 minutes, until deeply golden brown on both sides. Transfer the latkes to a paper-towel-lined plate or clean sheet pan and sprinkle with flaky salt. Let sit for 5 minutes, then transfer to a serving plate. Add another ¼ cup or so of oil to replace what was soaked up by the first batch, then transfer to the oven for 10 minutes to warm the oil. Form and bake the remaining latkes while you eat the first round. Serve with applesauce, sour cream, lox, smoked trout, lemon wedges, and/or chopped chives and dill.

Tags:

  • Jewish
  • Onion
  • Potato
  • Bake
  • Dinner
  • Side

See what other Food52ers are saying.

  • Smaug

  • chimera

  • Deborah,Cummings

  • Rebecca Firkser

22 Reviews

Smaug December 9, 2023

I have to wonder how much spatter this is creating inside the oven.

Rebecca F. December 9, 2023

I tested these dozens of times during recipe development and have made them every year for Hanukkah since, and had no splatter at all. There's no need for concern!

carol99 December 8, 2023

Will they stay crispy if I reheat the next day? I normally pan fry 3/4 of the way, freeze, then reheat the day of the party.

Rebecca F. December 8, 2023

You can absolutely reheat them! Plop them on a sheet pan (no need for more oil) and bake at 350F until warm, about 10 minutes

kag7075 December 4, 2023

What is the best size sheet pan to use?

Deborah,Cummings December 4, 2023

I just used a standard cookie/baking sheet. A larger one is even better !

Rebecca F. December 5, 2023

This recipe was developed for a standard half sheet pan (18x13 inches), but any baking sheet you have will work!

kag7075 December 5, 2023

thanks so much for the very fast replies

chimera December 23, 2022

Growing up my mom would line the entire breakfast nook in newspaper and break out the electric frying pan for latkes, and it was such a huge mess. I’ve always sucked it up and just accepted the fact that every Hanukkah my kitchen will be gross and oily smelling for days, since latkes are a must. I saw this recipe and with hope in my heart (and 2 boxes of Trader Joe’s frozen latkes as backup in a worst case scenario) I set forth to make my first batch of oven baked latkes. THEY ARE AMAZING! I’ll never go back to the old way! So crispy and perfect! We served with sour cream because I don’t do applesauce on my latkes, and we had lox and chives on hand so threw those on as well (my mom thought it was odd but hey, she’s old school). Delish. So happy.

Deborah,Cummings December 21, 2022

I was skeptical. I baked them and still did a few in a frying pan. Hands down will bake from now on. Loved the crispy outside and light inside. Felt like k used less oil than fry in!

Katie December 18, 2022

I admittedly was skeptical - but oh my god these are unreal!!!

EMR October 6, 2022

The latkes were in fact very tasty and very crispy. I gave it a 3 because of the strong oil odor that lingered in my kitchen until well into the next day. (I used canola oil.) I used the oven fan while baking since I had read reviews that mentioned the oily smell. The cooking odors were so strong (and not in a good way) that I suspect that is what I will remember about latkes from now on.

shoepershopper December 14, 2022

I mean, that's the "joy" of making latkes. The "aroma" lasts for eight days and nights. 🤣

Irene S. December 1, 2021

I didn't make these, but was a guest last night at a dinner where they were made this way. They were brilliant; among the best latkes I've ever tasted. But I have to admit that the sweater I wore last night still smells of cooking oil this morning.

Tre November 30, 2021

These were amazing! Cooked perfectly! I used 2 trays in the oven (top rack and middle rack) and it didn’t change cook time. Sooo delicious!

JNS December 2, 2021

Did you use convection function ?

valerie J. November 29, 2021

Many thanks for such a prompt answer. I will try this.

valerie J. November 28, 2021

Can you use a convection oven and bake a few sheet pans at a time?

Rebecca F. November 29, 2021

I haven't tried this, but you could certainly give it a go! You may need to bake them for a bit longer/switch the trays positions halfway through baking to ensure even browning and the same amount of crispiness

orit R. November 27, 2021

Question: will this eliminate the frying smell? 🙏

Rebecca F. November 29, 2021

it's not gone completely, but it's significantly less intense than fried, and was mostly gone by the next morning!

Joan S. October 28, 2021

What a great recipe. I can't wait to try it.

Shockingly Crisp Baked Latkes Recipe on Food52 (2024)

FAQs

How do you keep latke batter from turning brown? ›

Onions can help block oxidation by coating some of the potato cells” Don Odiorne VP of Foodservice said. That's why some cooks alternate adding potatoes and onion to the mixture rather than doing all the potatoes first.

Why do Jews eat applesauce with latkes? ›

In addition to apples' lengthy Jewish history, applesauce enjoys another key advantage: It's not dairy, so it can be served with latkes cooked in chicken schmaltz, a commonplace in the old country.

What's the difference between latkes and hash browns? ›

Latkes also aren't hash browns. Hash browns are all about crispy, burnished crust, with just enough potato-y center to gain a third dimension and a little give. A latke's interior should be plump and slightly cakey, but yielding, with recognizably rustic strands of potato intertwined with onion.

What is the difference between a latke and a Polish potato pancake? ›

The potato pancake is much simpler, with nothing but raw grated potatoes, egg, and all-purpose flour. The latke, on the other hand, adds baking powder, matzo meal, and even a splash of milk, according to Cooktoria. Surprisingly, the potato pancake has a longer preparation time due to the simplicity of its batter.

How do you keep potato pancakes crispy? ›

Use just the right amount of oil for frying.

You want the oil to come almost all the way up the sides of the pancake — but not so high that the pancakes are completely submerged. This way the edges keep frying even once you flip the pancake, but prevents the top and bottom from overcooking.

What is the best oil for latkes? ›

Vegetable oil or canola oil is usually best, because of its high smoking point. Latkes were traditionally made with schmaltz, or chicken fat, so if you have access to it, you should certainly add it in, because it does contribute to the flavor.

What is the difference between German potato pancakes and latkes? ›

The main difference between my grandmother's German potato pancakes and latkes is the potatoes aren't shredded or grated the same way, and there isn't any added onion. I love them both ways, but these German pancakes have a special place in my heart.

What are latkes called in Israel? ›

Its Modern Hebrew name, levivah (לְבִיבָה levivá), plural levivot, is a revival of a word used in the Book of Samuel to describe a dumpling made from kneaded dough, part of the story of Amnon and Tamar.

What is traditionally served with latkes? ›

Applesauce and sour cream are the traditional accoutrements for latkes. Some load their potato pancakes up with both toppings, while others have strong feelings about one over the other. (I'm Team Applesauce, all the way.) However, this Hanukkah, don't feel constrained by these standard-bearers.

What are Yankee potatoes? ›

In the 1800s “Yankees” in the Northeast enjoyed large. cut potatoes roasted- with crispy pan marks on the. outside and a luscious earthy center. Guests near the. kitchen could hear the slang “yanks” being yelled to.

What does latke mean in Hebrew? ›

Rabbi Lapidus: A latke is a pancake and the word itself comes to us via Yiddish, likely from a Russian word meaning “pancake.” Yiddish is a language which was used by Jews in central and eastern Europe for several centuries before the Holocaust.

What is the difference between Boxty and latkes? ›

Boxty is different from other potato pancakes or latkes, and you'll see that once you bite into one and notice the crispy hash brown-like outside and soft, dough-like inside.

Why do you put apple sauce in latke? ›

The sweet tang of applesauce adds a contrasty punch to the potatoes and green onions, which make up latkes, while also cutting the grease from frying them. On the other hand, sour cream, while also adding its own version of tartness, can weigh the fried potato cakes down with dairy.

What is the difference between a latke and a rosti? ›

Latkes are very similar to the rösti, but also incorporate egg and flour into the pancakes, and are pan-fried in canola oil instead of clarified butter.

How do Jews eat latkes? ›

Latkes are typically eaten dipped in sour cream or applesauce. Making latkes is a Jewish tradition that has been passed down for centuries, and has found itself in my family. In conclusion, latkes are important to me because they help preserve my family's heritage, and they also taste really good.

Can you save latke batter? ›

Pre-Mix: Prep latke batter and keep in a sealable container in the fridge for a few hours or overnight. 4. Pre-Fry: Day of: Fry and keep at room temp.

How to prevent potato juice from turning black? ›

This means that in order to reduce the chances of your potatoes browning, you'll need to lower their pH. Luckily, this doesn't require an elaborate science experiment—adding some acid, like lemon juice, white distilled vinegar, or citric acid, to your bowl of submerged taters will suffice.

How do you keep potato pancakes from turning black? ›

Peel the potatoes and then cut them into cubes. As you cube them place the cubes in a bowl and sprinkle with lemon juice to prevent them from darkening. In a food processor, grate the potatoes and the onion.

Can you prep latkes the night before? ›

Or, you can grate the potatoes hours ahead and store them submerged in water in the refrigerator. Drain them well and make the batter up to two hours ahead. (It doesn't matter if it discolors– when you fry them the latkes turn a beautiful golden brown). Fry the latkes no more than an hour or two ahead of serving.

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