The Easiest Crispy Latkes
By Sammi Brondo — October 26, 2026
These are seriously the best and Easiest way to make Crispy Latkes. I use frozen potato puffs instead of grated potatoes, so you get crispy-outside, soft-inside potato pancakes in about half the time. Serve them with applesauce or sour cream.
I love making latkes but let’s be honest: grating potatoes can get tiresome.
This hack is so simple and makes latkes in about half the time!
The trick: using frozen potato puffs instead.
If you’re not familiar with latkes, let me introduce you.
They’re potato pancakes, typically made and eaten for the holiday, Hanukkah. And they’re delicious.
Latkes are made with grated potato and onion, and usually also have aromatics like onion and herbs. They’re fried in oil to make the patties deliciously crispy on the outside and soft on the inside.
As much as I love making and eating latkes, I’ve gotta admit: grating the potatoes and onion is tedious work.
So I was especially excited when I discovered the most amazing hack that produces perfectly crispy and soft latkes – without having to grate anything.
I used potato puffs or tater tots (whatever you call them!) from frozen, then mashed them up to get something similar to the consistency of grated potatoes.
For these, I used Alexia potato puffs. They’re one of my favorite brands for all freezer staple potato items!
Once the puffs are cooked, you’ll add in the usual ingredients, like onion, egg, and flour. To save time with the onion, you can chop it in a food processor to get small pieces instead of grating.
Top these with fresh or dried chives and serve them with applesauce and/or sour cream. These are one of my favorite side dishes. And as (somewhat shocking bonus), my kids love them too!
Why You’ll Love These Crispy Latkes
- Crispy on the outside, tender on the inside. These potato latkes have golden, crunchy edges with a soft, savory center that makes every bite delicious.
- A shortcut that saves time. Using frozen potato puffs means you can skip the tedious process of peeling and grating potatoes while still enjoying homemade latkes.
- Simple ingredients, big flavor. Onion, egg, and a few pantry staples bring everything together to create classic potato pancakes with plenty of savory flavor.
- Perfect for Hanukkah and beyond. Serve these crispy latkes as part of your Hanukkah celebration, alongside a holiday meal, or as a fun appetizer for family and friends.
- Easy to customize and serve. Add fresh chives for a pop of color and pair your latkes with sour cream, applesauce, or your favorite toppings for a delicious finishing touch.
How to Make The Easiest Crispy Latkes
Prep ingredients
Preheat the oven to 425 F.
Bake potato puffs
Add the potato puffs to a baking sheet and spread in an even layer. Bake in the preheated oven for about 20 minutes, until almost fully cooked through.
Mash puffs
Once the puffs have cooled for a few minutes, add them to a large bowl. Mash them using a fork.
Mix ingredients
Add the grated onion, flour, baking powder, salt, and pepper to the bowl with the potato puffs. Mix everything together well.
Fry the latkes
Add enough oil to a large pan to fill it about 1/4 inch. Turn the heat to high and let the oil get hot. Once hot, roll the dough into a round latke shape and flatten slightly (about the size of your palm – you’ll have enough for about 8-10 latkes). Add to the hot oil and flip after about 5 minutes, or once golden. Cook for another 5 minutes on the other side.
Transfer to a plate
Transfer latkes to a plate lined with paper towel to absorb some of the extra oil.
Garnish & serve
Garnish The Easiest Crispy Latkes with chives and serve with sour cream and/or applesauce.
If You Love These Crispy Latkes, Try These
- Savory Sweet Potato Pancakes
- Cinnamon Roasted Butternut Squash with Maple Glazed Walnuts
- Crispy Carrot Fries
- Crispy Parmesan Smashed Brussels Sprouts
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Frozen potato puffs (19 ounces): These are the time-saving secret to this recipe! Once baked and mashed, they create a potato mixture that’s easy to shape into latkes without the extra work of grating raw potatoes.
- Egg: The egg helps bind the mashed potato mixture together, making the latkes easier to shape and helping them hold their form as they fry.
- Yellow onion: Onion adds a savory flavor that complements the potatoes and gives these latkes their familiar, comforting taste. Finely grating or processing the onion helps distribute its flavor throughout the mixture.
- All-purpose flour: Flour helps absorb excess moisture and gives the potato mixture enough structure to form sturdy patties that cook evenly in the pan.
- Baking powder: A small amount of baking powder helps lighten the mixture, keeping the latkes from feeling too dense in the middle.
- High-heat cooking oil: Avocado oil or canola oil works well for frying because both can handle the relatively high temperatures needed to develop a crisp, golden crust. Use enough oil to coat the bottom of the pan generously.
- Chives, for garnish: Fresh or dried chives add a mild onion flavor and a touch of color that makes the finished latkes look as good as they taste.
- Sour cream and/or applesauce, for serving: Sour cream offers a cool, creamy contrast to the hot, crispy potatoes, while applesauce adds a sweet and slightly tart flavor. Serve one or both, depending on your preference.
The Easiest Crispy Latkes Tips & Variations
- Potato puffs: While the potato puffs are a great hack for these Crispy Latkes, latkes can, of course, still be made with regular potatoes. For this recipe, use 2-3 Russet potatoes. Peel them and then grate them with a box grater or in a food processor.
- Make them gluten-free: To make these gluten-free, swap the all-purpose flour for a gluten free alternative, like brown rice flour or oat flour.
- Use enough oil: Make sure to use enough oil to fully cover the pan and fry the Crispy Latkes well. Add the latkes once the oil is hot. I recommend using an oil that can withstand high heat, like avocado oil or canola oil. To check if the oil is hot enough, place a wooden spoon in the center of the pan. Once you see small bubbles form around the wooden spoon, the oil is hot enough for frying.
- Storage: Store Crispy Latkes in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-5 days. To reheat, place in the oven on broil for a few minutes, or you can re-fry for a few minutes to warm them and make them crispy again.
Frequently Asked Questions
Ingredients
- 1 19-ounce package potato puffs
- 1 egg
- 1/2 small yellow onion
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- Salt
- Pepper
- High heat oil for frying like avocado oil or canola oil
- Chives to garnish; sour cream and/or applesauce to dip
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 F. Add the potato puffs to a baking sheet and spread in an even layer. Bake in the preheated oven for about 20 minutes, until almost fully cooked through.
- Once the puffs have cooled for a few minutes, add them to a large bowl. Mash them using a fork.
- Cut the onion into quarters and add to a food processor. Grate into fine pieces.
- Add the grated onion, egg, flour, and baking powder, plus salt and pepper to the bowl with the potato puffs. Mix everything together well.
- Add enough oil to a large pan to fill it about 1/4 inch. Turn the heat to high and let the oil get hot. Using your hands, shape the dough into a round latke shape and flatten slightly (about the size of your palm – you’ll have enough for about 8-10 latkes). Add to the hot oil and flip after about 5 minutes, or once golden. Cook for another 5 minutes on the other side.
- Transfer latkes to a plate lined with paper towel to absorb some of the extra oil. Garnish with chives and serve with sour cream and/or applesauce.
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I know the egg goes into the batter, however its never mentioned in the directions. For a very inexperienced cook this would be especially frustrating. Please update your directions and tell everyone to add the egg at the specific time. It could save a young cooks life! LOL