The Old School Potato Donut Chain Very Few People Still Get To Enjoy Now

Some of the best donuts in the world are light, fluffy, and ... made from potatoes? Yep, you read right — one special chain uses your favorite starch to make donuts: one of the most popular breakfast foods in the U.S. The retro brand, named Spudnuts, offers a unique twist on the classic American donut by incorporating potato flour into the dough. This gives these treats a fluffy texture and crisp exterior that sets them apart from cake and yeast donuts.

Founded in 1946 by brothers Al and Bob Pelton, the first Spudnuts location popped up in Salt Lake City, Utah. Inspiration for the donut was taken from German fritters called fastnachts, which incorporate mashed potatoes into the dough. The original Spudnuts contained mashed potatoes too, but the company later switched to a special potato flour mix to ensure consistency across its franchises. At its peak in the mid-20th century, Spudnuts was a country-wide phenomenon, with more than 350 shops across the United States.

These donuts stay fresh and light because potato flour retains a lot of moisture. While the original Spudnuts donut shop was the first to use a special potato flour mix, other similar donut shops and recipes have since popped up, with some opting to again use mashed potatoes in place of the potato flour.

If these donuts are so delicious, why can't you find a Spudnuts today? Despite the chain's popularity in the 1950s and 1960s, its locations gradually declined. As major American donut chains expanded aggressively, many independent donut shops closed. Spudnuts itself changed hands multiple times, and in 1979, the brand's new parent company went under. A few franchisees decided to stay in business, but because Spudnuts no longer operates as a cohesive chain, it can be tricky to find the potato donuts. 

In Washington, there are currently four locations that operate under the Spudnuts name. A few other shops exist in states like Arkansas, Illinois, and California, to name a few. Other stores use a different name entirely. Johnny O's, for example, sells potato donuts in Utah, where the first Spudnuts location opened up.

For many people, especially younger generations, the term "spudnut" might not ring a bell at all. But those who have had this fluffy potato-based treat know it's worth stopping for — if you're lucky enough to spot a place that sells them.