Where do you fall on the sweet/savory sweet potato divide? You know, do you get excited for the candied yams and sweet potato casserole, or are you angry that someone put dessert on the table before it was time for pie?

You’ll find me happily straddling that divide, because I appreciate that a sweet potato can go either savory or sweet, and I’m happy to embrace this, shall we say, talent, of the otherwise humble tuber. However, I do get a little annoyed when too many marshmallows pop up on something called a casserole, so in my ideal Thanksgiving, any sweet potatoes during the main meal will be savory, and anything with marshmallows will land on the dessert table. Or, in this case, maybe even the breakfast table?

Because, in deciding to take sweet potatoes firmly into dessert territory, I’ve almost overshot and taken them into Black Friday pastry land as well. I’m not mad about it. Once again I turned to Bravetart herself, and made the sweet potato variation of her yeast-raised potato donuts.

I think you should do this too.

These are fantastic! Easy, rustic, pretty much no-fuss for something you are deep frying. Then, if you want to take it to the truly decadent level, a meringue topping gets you there, bruleed of course! It’s sweet potato casserole but portable, easy to eat with one hand. It is not, however, easy to eat just one of these, so plan accordingly. My recipe below will make about 6 of these for your small crowd, but you may want to scale up as needed!

Sweet Potato Donuts with Toasted Marshmallow Frosting

Makes 6 donuts

For the Donuts (adapted from Stella Parks)

• 1/4 cup milk (whole milk, 2/%, whatever you have)

• 3/4 tsp active dry yeast

• 1 1/4 cup flour (plus more if needed)

• 2 tbs sugar

• 3/4 tsp kosher salt

• 1/4 tsp fresh grated nutmeg

• 1/8 tsp baking soda

• 3/8 cup cooked sweet potato, mashed and room temperature

• 2 tbs butter, melted

• oil, for frying (canola, or whatever you like for frying)

For the meringue:

• 2 egg whites

• 3 oz sugar

• pinch kosher salt

• pinch cream of tartar

• seeds of 1/2 vanilla bean

1. Make the dough: Warm the milk (but not hot!) and add the yeast. Let it sit for 5 minutes, until foamy. In the bowl of a food processor, pulse the flour, sugar, salt, nutmeg, and baking soda until combined. Then add the milk and yeast mixture, the sweet potato, and the butter, and pulse until a smooth dough forms, about 1 minute. If it seems too wet and sticky, add up to another 2 tbs flour.

2. Transfer the dough to an oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise for 75 minutes, or until the dough has puffed a little (it won’t look completely risen at this point) and it doesn’t spring back if you poke it. If poking the dough doesn’t leave a permanent mark, let rise another 15 minutes.

3. Turn the dough out on a floured surface and divide into 6 or 8 equal pieces, depending on how big or small you want these to be. Roll each piece into a ball, then poke a finger in the center of each piece and form into rings, like, well, donuts. They don’t have to look perfect, remember they will be topped with meringue. Place the donuts on a parchment lined baking sheet and cover with plastic, then let rise another 75 minutes, until puffy and light, and about doubled in size.

4. About 10-15 minutes to the end of the rise time, start heating 2 inches of the oil in a large pot. Fry the donuts at 350 degrees, in batches as needed, for about 90 seconds to 2 minutes, turning frequently to get them evenly colored. Because of the sweet potato, these will brown pretty quickly, but just keep the oil at temperature and you shouldn’t burn them.

5. Transfer fried donuts to a paper towel lined baking sheet to drain, then to a wire rack to cool completely.

6. While donuts are cooling, make the meringue: Add all ingredients to the bowl of a stand mixer over simmering water. Whisking constantly, heat the mixture until it reaches 165 degrees (you can use a thermometer, or at minimum, check the temperature with a finger. When it feels too hot to touch, you are done). Transfer the bowl to the mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, then beat on high until glossy and completely cool, about 5 minutes. You can use immediately if your donuts are completely cooled. Otherwise, set aside until ready to use.

7. To “frost” the donuts, pipe or spoon the meringue onto the donuts, as neatly or as messily as you like. To toast the topping, you can use a small butane torch (or a big one if you’ve got it!) to brown the meringue. But for that real, true toasted marshmallow flavor, I like to toast it in the oven. Set the oven to 375, and bake the frosted donuts until the meringue puffs and turns toasty brown on top. This has the bonus effect of warming the donuts too! Enjoy warm or room temperature.