Sweet Potato Cinnamon Roll Donuts

Ingredients

Ingredient notes & substitutions

Sweet potato puree:

Roast the sweet potatoes rather than boiling them, then mash and cool. Boiled potato carries far more water and slackens the dough.

Bread flour:

Gives the spiral enough structure to survive frying. All-purpose works but the layers are less defined.

Pumpkin pie spice and cinnamon:

Both, and in the dough as well as the filling, so the spice runs through rather than sitting in a band.

Cream cheese:

Full-fat block, softened. Whipped tub cream cheese has too much water and makes a runny glaze.

Maple syrup:

Pure maple, not pancake syrup - three tablespoons is enough to taste clearly against the cream cheese.

Method

1. 1

   Stir the teaspoon of brown sugar and the yeast into the warmed milk and leave 8-10 minutes until foamy.

2. 2

   Whisk in the remaining brown sugar, the sweet potato puree, melted butter, egg and vanilla until smooth.

3. 3

   Add the flour, salt, pumpkin pie spice and cinnamon and knead with a dough hook 8-10 minutes, until smooth and elastic. Sweet potato holds a lot of water, so this dough stays softer than a plain one - resist adding much extra flour.

4. 4

   Cover and rise somewhere warm 1 to 1 1/2 hours, until doubled.

5. 5

   Beat the filling ingredients together into a thick spreadable paste.

6. 6

   Roll the dough into a rectangle roughly 16 by 12 inches and about 1/4 inch thick, then spread the filling right to the edges.

7. 7

   Roll up tightly from the long edge into a log and cut into 10 slices about 1 1/2 inches wide, using unflavoured dental floss or a sharp serrated knife.

8. 8

   Tuck the loose tail of each spiral underneath and pinch it against the base. This is the step that decides whether the spiral holds - an untucked tail unwinds the moment it hits hot oil.

9. 9

   Set each slice on its own square of parchment, cover, and rise 30-45 minutes until puffed. Then chill them in the fridge for 15 minutes - a cold, firm spiral holds its shape far better going into the oil.

10. 10

    Heat 2 inches of oil to 350F. Fry 2 at a time, about 2 minutes per side, until deep golden. These are thicker than a ring donut, so keep the oil at the lower end of the range or the outside darkens before the centre is done.

11. 11

    Drain on a wire rack over paper towels and cool 10 minutes.

    
12. 12

    Beat the cream cheese and butter smooth, then beat in the powdered sugar, maple syrup and vanilla, loosening with milk until pourable. Spoon generously over the warm donuts so it settles into the spiral.

    
13. 13

    Enjoy..

    

Variations to try

• Swap the sweet potato for pumpkin puree, measure for measure.
• Add 1/2 cup chopped toasted pecans to the filling.
• Use a plain vanilla glaze if you want the cinnamon to lead.
• Bake instead at 350F for 18-22 minutes for a softer, less rich version - closer to a cinnamon roll than a donut.

Storage & make-ahead

Best the day they are fried. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days because of the cream cheese glaze, and bring back to room temperature before eating. Unglazed fried spirals freeze for 1 month; thaw, warm in a 300F oven, then glaze fresh.

Frequently asked questions

My spirals unravelled in the oil.

The tail was not tucked and pinched underneath, or the dough was too warm. Do both, and chill the shaped spirals 15 minutes before frying.

Can I use canned sweet potato?

Yes, as long as it is plain puree and not the syrup-packed kind. Drain off any liquid before measuring.

Why is the centre doughy?

The oil was too hot, so the outside set before the middle cooked. Hold it at 350F and give them the full 2 minutes a side.

Can I make the dough ahead?

Yes - after the first rise, refrigerate overnight. Roll, fill and cut from cold, then prove and fry.