✔ Updated · oven method, step photos and a fixed recipe card
Baked potato pancakes give you crispy, golden latke-style edges without a spitting pan of oil. I squeeze the grated potato bone dry, bake them on a screaming-hot sheet pan and flip once.
At a glance
The one tip that matters: Preheat the empty sheet pan in the oven. The batter sizzles the second it lands, and that is what gives you a fried-style crust without frying.
Why You'll Love These Baked Potato Pancakes
- Crisp without the splatter, just a few tablespoons of oil on a hot pan.
- Cheap pantry ingredients, potatoes, an onion, eggs and flour.
- One batch at a time, the whole tray bakes at once, no standing at the stove.
Step-by-Step Photos
Here's how it comes together. Exact amounts, times and temperatures are in the recipe card below.
Tips for Success
- Wring it out like you mean it. Wet potato steams instead of crisping. I twist the towel until my forearms complain, and it's the single biggest difference.
- Mix your grate. Coarse shreds give crispy, lacy edges and fine shreds give a creamy middle. Half and half is my sweet spot.
- Use starchy potatoes. Russets hold together best. Waxy red or new potatoes are wetter, so add an extra tablespoon of flour or potato starch.
- Work fast once mixed. Grated potato turns gray as it sits. Bake the batter right away; if you need to make ahead, bake the pancakes and reheat them on a rack at 400°F for 8 minutes.
- Add-ins I love. A handful of grated Parmesan, chopped scallions or crumbled cooked bacon. Keep add-ins to about 1/2 cup so the pancakes still hold together.
- Leftovers. Cool, then refrigerate up to 3 days or freeze in a single layer for 2 months. Reheat in the oven or air fryer until hot and crisp, never the microwave (soggy city).
Crispy Baked Potato Pancakes
4
servings25
minutes22
minutes265
kcal47
minutesOven-baked potato pancakes: grated russet potatoes and onion, squeezed very dry, bound with egg and a little flour, then baked on a preheated oiled sheet pan at 450°F and flipped once until golden and crisp. Makes about 12 pancakes.
Ingredients
2 pounds russet potatoes (about 4 medium), peeled
1 small yellow onion, peeled
2 large eggs, beaten
1/3 cup all-purpose flour (or potato starch)
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 cup vegetable or canola oil, divided
sour cream, applesauce and chopped chives, to serve
Directions
- Put a large rimmed sheet pan in the oven and heat to 450°F. Grate half the potatoes on the large holes of a box grater and half on the small holes, then grate the onion into the same bowl.
- Toss with 1 teaspoon of the salt and let stand 10 minutes. Tip into a clean kitchen towel and wring out as much liquid as you can, until no more drips come out.
- Return the dry potato to the bowl and stir in the eggs, flour, the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and the pepper until evenly coated.
- Carefully take out the hot pan and swirl 3 tablespoons of the oil over it. Drop heaped 1/4-cup mounds of the mixture onto the pan and flatten each to about 1/2 inch with a spatula. Brush the tops with the last tablespoon of oil.
- Bake 12 to 14 minutes, until the bottoms are deep golden. Flip each pancake and bake 7 to 9 minutes more, until both sides are crisp.
- Drain briefly on a wire rack and serve hot with sour cream, applesauce and chives.
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Which Potatoes Work Best?
Starchy russets are my first pick. They release less water and hold together, so you get crisp edges and a fluffy middle.
Yukon Golds work too and taste a little buttery. Waxy potatoes like red or fingerling are the trickiest, so squeeze them extra hard and add a spoonful more flour.
More Potato Favorites
Got more potatoes to use up? Try my hasselback potatoes, a big bowl of creamy mashed potatoes or my copycat McDonald's hash browns. For more ideas, browse my potato side dishes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you bake potato pancakes instead of frying them?
Yes. Bake them on a preheated, well-oiled sheet pan at 450°F for about 12 to 14 minutes, flip, then bake 7 to 9 minutes more. The hot pan crisps the bottom the way a frying pan would, with far less oil.
Why do my potato pancakes fall apart?
Usually the potato is too wet or there isn't enough binder. Squeeze the grated potato very dry in a towel, use 2 eggs and 1/3 cup flour per 2 pounds, and don't flip until the bottom is deep golden and set.
Are potato pancakes the same as latkes?
Pretty much. Latkes are the Jewish version traditionally fried for Hanukkah, while potato pancakes are common across Central and Eastern Europe, like Polish placki ziemniaczane. The basic mix of grated potato, onion, egg and flour is the same.
Can I make potato pancakes ahead?
Bake them fully, cool on a rack, then refrigerate up to 3 days or freeze up to 2 months. Reheat on a sheet pan at 400°F until hot and crisp. Don't refrigerate raw batter, because it turns gray and watery.
What do you serve with potato pancakes?
Sour cream and applesauce are the classic pair. I also like them with smoked salmon and dill, a fried egg for brunch, or alongside sausages or roast chicken for dinner.
