Fastnachts

Updated: Jan 19, 2026 to include new step-by-step photos, clarified instructions, and/or improved tips for best results.· by Sarah Mock· 5 Comments This post contains affiliate links.

Fastnachts are yeast-raised potato donuts that are made for 'fasting night', Fat Tuesday or the start of Lent. My traditional Pennsylvania Dutch fastnacht recipe uses mashed potatoes or potato flakes in the dough.

Prep Time 45

4 30

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These pillowy soft fried dough balls are a delicious way to kick off the Easter season.

When is Fastnacht Day 2026?

Get your ingredients together because Fastnacht Day this year is early this year on Tuesday, February 17, 2026.

Ingredients needed:

Recipe Card?

To find the full printable recipe with specific measurements and directions CLICK HERE to go to the recipe card.

Notes on Ingredients:

milk - whole is my favorite for this recipe
mashed potatoes - leftover is fine but I often will use instant!
sugar - white sugar
butter, melted - cooled
yeast - dry or granular yeast
flour - all-purpose is what I use
Crisco® or similar vegetable shortening or lard for frying

Homemade Fastnachts (Pennsylvania Dutch Deep Fried Doughnuts)

Sarah Mock

These pillowy soft fried dough balls are a delicious way to kick off the Easter season.

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3 30

4 30

Ingredients

▢ 2 Cups (488 g) milk
▢ 1 Cup (210 g) mashed potatoes no salt, milk, or butter added
▢ ½ Cup (100 g) Sugar + ½ tsp. sugar
▢ 1 (1) stick butter melted
▢ 1 (1) packet rapid rise yeast
▢ ¼ Cup (59 ⅐ g) Water luke warm
▢ 6½ Cups (812 ½ g) Flour, All Purpose divided, 2 cups + 4½ cups
▢ 1 (1) Egg
▢ 1 can (1) Crisco® Shortening 3 pounds Crisco® or similar vegetable shortening for frying

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Instructions

Scald the milk.
2 Cups (488 g) milk
In a large mixing bowl, combine the scalded milk with the mashed potatoes.
1 Cup (210 g) mashed potatoes
Add ½ cup sugar plus the butter.
½ Cup (100 g) Sugar, 1 stick butter
Mix with an electric mixer. If the mixture is still warm, cool to about room temperature before proceeding with the next step.
Dissolve the yeast and ½ teaspoon sugar in barely warm water.
1 packet rapid rise yeast, ¼ Cup (59 ⅐ g) Water
Add to the potato mixture and mix well. Add 2 cups flour and mix again.
6½ Cups (812 ½ g) Flour, All Purpose
Cover with a towel and let rise for 25 minutes.
Add the beaten egg to the mixture.
1 Egg
Add 4 ½ cups flour, stirring it into the mixture with a large spoon. Turn onto a well-floured board and knead for about 3 to 5 minutes. Add a small amount of extra flour if necessary so the dough can be handled without sticking to your fingers. Grease a large bowl.
6½ Cups (812 ½ g) Flour, All Purpose
Place the dough in the greased bowl. Cover with a thin towel, and let rise in a warm, draft-free place for about 2 hours or until it is at least double in size.
On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough ¾" thick. You can use a doughnut cutter to cut the dough or cut as typical Fastnachts.
Cut the dough into 3" to 4" wide strips, then cut the strips into 3" to 4" pieces.
To allow the center of Fastnacht to fry completely, cut a small slit in the center of each piece, using a sharp paring knife.
Arrange the pieces of dough, about 1-½" to 2" apart, on large wax paper-lined trays.
Cover each tray with a thin towel.
Place the trays in a warm place for 45 minutes to an hour, or until the dough pieces have raised to about double in size.
How to fry Fastnachts
Heat the shortening to 365°. (a high temp thermometer works wonders here)
1 can (1) Crisco® Shortening
Deep fry until both sides are golden brown, turning one time. **** THIS IS AN ADULT ONLY JOB!!****
Drain on paper towels.
Cool completely before serving.

Nutrition

Notes

**don't have a potato in the house? Use potato flakes as a substitute. Just be sure to reconstitute them!**

Breakfast Recipes

German

Fastnacht recipe, Fastnachts recipe, potato doughnuts

Making fastnachts

Scald the milk and cool until you can safely dip a finger in it.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the scalded milk with the mashed potatoes.
Add ½ cup sugar plus the butter. Mix with an electric mixer.
Dissolve the yeast and ½ teaspoon sugar in barely warm water. Add to the potato mixture and mix well. Add 2 cups flour and mix again.
Cover with a towel and let rise for 25 minutes.
Add the beaten egg to the mixture.
Add 4 ½ cups flour, stirring it into the mixture with a large spoon. Turn onto a well-floured board and knead for about 3 to 5 minutes. Add a small amount of extra flour if necessary so the dough can be handled without sticking to your fingers. Grease a large bowl.
Place the dough in the greased bowl. Cover with a thin towel, and let rise in a warm, draft-free place for about 2 hours or until it is at least double in size.
On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough ¾" thick. You can use a doughnut cutter to cut the dough or cut as typical Fastnachts.
Cut the dough into 3" to 4" wide strips, then cut the strips into 3" to 4" pieces.
To allow the center of Fastnacht to fry completely, cut a small slit in the center of each piece, using a sharp paring knife.
Arrange the pieces of dough, about 1-½" to 2" apart, on large wax paper-lined trays.
Cover each tray with a thin towel.
Place the trays in a warm place for 45 minutes to an hour, or until the dough pieces have raised to about double in size.
Continue to the fry instructions.

How to fry Fastnachts

Heat the shortening to 365°. (a high temp thermometer works wonders here)
Deep fry until both sides are golden brown, turning one time. **** THIS IS AN ADULT ONLY JOB!!****
Drain on paper towels.
Cool completely before serving.

Fastnacht Glaze:husbands' favorite

Beat together:

2-½ cups confectioners' sugar
4 tablespoons margarine
1 teaspoon vanilla.
Add enough milk to make a thin glaze.

Drizzle the glaze over the slightly warm doughnuts or dip the doughnuts in the glaze.

For powdered doughnuts:

Shake slightly warm doughnuts in a bag with confectioners' sugar, or a combination of confectioners' sugar and cinnamon.

Cinnamon Sugar: my favorite!

Combine 1 cup sugar with 2 tablespoons of cinnamon. Stir till combined and dredge the warm fastnachts in the cinnamon sugar.

Eggless and dairy-free (also no refined sugar)

These substitutions were passed along to me by a reader, Melanie. These are her substitutions for eggless and dairy-free (also no refined sugar). I have not tested them as of today. I wanted to share these substitutions for Fastnachts if you want to give these ingredient swaps a try.

Sub the milk for water.
Sub the butter for vegan butter (I did half avocado butter, half lard)
Sub sugar for Sucanat/rapadura.
Einkhorn flour 1:1 for traditional flour
Added sunflower lecithin in place of the egg

Definitely did it a little different but what a great starting point.

Fastnacht history:

The Pennsylvania Dutch celebrate Shrove Tuesday by eating yeast raised potato doughnuts, which are lovingly known as "Fastnachts." The name "Fastnacht" is German for "Fast Night." Fastnacht Day is a day to forget about dieting and a slim waistline and feast on doughnuts! It's a custom that had its beginnings with the Plain People. Making Fastnachts helped to use up the fat and sugar they had on hand before the Lenten fast began.

Storage Tips

Store in a covered, airtight container.
Makes about 20 to 24 Fastnachts, depending on size.
This recipe can be doubled with no change in preparation directions.

Frequently asked questions, answers and tips:

When is Fastnacht Day 2026?

Get your ingredients together because Fastnacht Day this year is early this year on Tuesday, February 17, 2026.

originally posted March 8, 2011

I am Sarah Mock. Welcome!

Sarah Mock is a classically trained Chef and a graduate of Johnson & Wales University. A culinary blogger for 17 years, Sarah helps the home cook prepare her recipes with professional results.

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