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Latkes (Stovetop & Oven Method)

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Make your Hanukkah celebration extra special with golden crispy latkes. You can make them on the stove or in the oven — your choice!

Platter of latkes and sour cream.

Latkes, or crisp onion-scented potato pancakes, are traditionally eaten during the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah, when it is customary to eat foods fried in oil. At any Hanukkah party, you’ll likely find an apron-clad Jewish mother standing at the stove frying and serving up these savory treats. This tradition can be fun, but it can also be messy and hectic with hot oil splattering all over the stove and children running underfoot. That’s why I was thrilled to discover that latkes can also be fried in the oven! This recipe offers the option of using either the traditional stovetop method or the oven method. The stovetop method is faster, but requires cooking the latkes in batches. The oven method takes longer, but allows all the latkes to be cooked at the same time and is less messy. The latkes are delicious either way. Serve them warm with sour cream and applesauce.

“These were brilliant!! I used the oven method which resulted in the perfect crispy brown result I was looking for without having the mess from the frying pan.”

Rich

What You’ll Need To Make Latkes

ingredients to make latkes

If using the oven method, you’ll need two heavy nonstick rimmed baking sheets. Be sure they are truly nonstick and in good shape, otherwise the latkes may stick.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Make the Batter

Peel the potatoes, then coarsely grate them with the onion together using a food processor or by hand, using a box grater.

shredded potato and onion mixture in food processor

Place the potato and onion mixture in a fine sieve over the sink or a large bowl and press down firmly with a wad of paper towels or a clean dishcloth to wring out excess moisture. Stir and repeat a few times with fresh paper towels until the liquid is mostly drained.

draining liquid from potato and onion mixture

Beat the eggs in a large bowl. Add the potato and onion mixture, salt, baking powder, and flour.

eggs, salt, baking powder, flour, and potato onion mixture in bowl

Mix until evenly combined.

Spatula in a bowl of latke batter.

Fry the Latkes: Stovetop Method

In a large cast iron or nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, heat about ¼ cup of oil. Once the oil is hot, drop mounds of batter into the hot pan. Flatten the mounds slightly with a spatula and reduce the heat to medium. Cook until the bottom of the latkes are golden brown and crispy, about 5 minutes.

frying latkes in skillet

Flip and cook until the second side is golden, another 4 to 5 minutes, adjusting the heat as necessary. Drain on paper towels and repeat with the remaining batter.

crispy latkes in skillet

Fry the Latkes: Oven Method

Preheat oven to 425°F and put 2 oven racks in the centermost positions. Fill two heavy nonstick rimmed baking sheets with ½ cup oil each.

pouring oil in rimmed baking sheet

Place the pans in the oven for 10 minutes to heat the oil. Wearing oven mitts, very carefully remove the pans from the oven. Drop mounds of batter onto the baking sheets, spacing the latkes about 1½ inches apart. Using the back of a spoon, press down on the latkes to flatten just slightly.

latke batter on hot oiled baking sheet

Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the bottoms are crisp and golden. Carefully remove the pans from oven.

latkes before flipping

Flip the latkes (tongs are the best tool as a spatula may cause oil to splatter).

latkes after flipping

Place the pans back in the oven and cook until the latkes are crisp and golden brown all over, about 10 minutes more.

Drain the Latkes

After cooking on the stovetop or in the oven, transfer the latkes to a baking sheet lined with paper towels to drain.

fried latkes on baking lined with paper towels

Serve the latkes with sour cream and applesauce.

Platter of latkes and sour cream.

“In all my years (6 decades), I’ve never made or eaten such marvelous latkes. What a great way to make them. My house doesn’t smell and it’s not full of smoke. There is no way of going back now.”

Sheryl

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Latkes (Stovetop & Oven Method)

Make your Hanukkah celebration extra special with golden crispy latkes. You can make them on the stove or in the oven — your choice!

Servings: Makes 18 latkes
Prep Time: 30 Minutes
Cook Time: 30 Minutes
Total Time: 1 Hour

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds russet potatoes (2 to 3 potatoes)
  • 1 medium yellow onion, peeled (about the size of a baseball)
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1½ teaspoons salt
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • ¼ cup all-purpose flour
  • Vegetable oil, for frying
  • Sour cream and applesauce, for serving

Instructions

  1. If using the oven method, preheat the oven to 425°F and set two oven racks in the centermost positions.
  2. Make the Batter: Peel the potatoes, then coarsely grate them with the onion together using a food processor fitted with the steel blade or by hand, using a box grater. Place the potato and onion mixture in a fine sieve over the sink or a large bowl and press down firmly with a wad of paper towels or a clean dishcloth to wring out excess moisture. Stir and repeat a few times with fresh paper towels until the liquid is mostly drained. Beat the eggs in a large bowl. Add the potato and onion mixture, salt, baking powder, and flour. Mix until evenly combined.
  3. Stovetop Method: In a large cast iron or nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, heat about ¼ cup of oil. Once the oil is hot and shimmering, drop mounds of batter (about 3 tablespoons) into the hot pan (the batter should sizzle when you drop it in). Flatten the mounds slightly with a spatula. Reduce the heat to medium and cook until the bottom of the latkes are golden brown and crispy, about 5 minutes. Flip and cook until the second side is golden, another 4 to 5 minutes, adjusting the heat as necessary. Transfer the latkes to a baking sheet lined with paper towels to drain. Repeat with the remaining batter, adding more oil as necessary.
  4. Oven Method: Fill two heavy nonstick rimmed baking sheets with ½ cup oil each (see note). Place the pans in the oven for 10 minutes to heat the oil. Wearing oven mitts, very carefully remove the pans from the oven. Drop mounds of batter (about 3 tablespoons) onto the baking sheets, spacing the latkes about 1½ inches apart. Using the back of a spoon, press down on the latkes to flatten just slightly. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the bottoms are crisp and golden. Carefully remove the pans from oven and flip the latkes (tongs are the best tool as a spatula may cause oil to splatter). Place the pans back in the oven and cook until the latkes are crisp and golden brown all over, about 10 minutes more. Remove the pans from the oven and transfer the latkes to a baking sheet lined with paper towels.
  5. Serve the latkes warm with sour cream and applesauce.
  6. Note: If using the oven method, you'll need two heavy nonstick rimmed baking sheets. Be sure they are truly nonstick and in good shape, otherwise the latkes will stick.
  7. Note: Nutritional information was calculated assuming that approximately 2 tablespoons of the oil is absorbed into the latkes when frying.
  8. Make-Ahead/Freezer Friendly Instructions: Latkes are best served fresh from the skillet or oven, but they reheat well. Place them on a foil-lined baking sheet in a 375°F-oven for about 10 minutes, or until hot. They can also be frozen for up to three months; reheat directly from the freezer; allow a few extra minutes in the oven.

Nutrition Information

Powered by Edamam

  • Per serving (18 servings)
  • Serving size: 1 latke
  • Calories: 71
  • Fat: 2 g
  • Saturated fat: 0 g
  • Carbohydrates: 11 g
  • Sugar: 1 g
  • Fiber: 1 g
  • Protein: 2 g
  • Sodium: 153 mg
  • Cholesterol: 21 mg

This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.

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Comments

  • Just made these latkes and the applesauce recipe. OMG- off the charts delicious! All of it!!! And I followed the recipes exactly. I will make these recipes every Hanukkah from now on. Thanks for another great recipe.

    • — Stephanie Blum
    • Reply
  • Soooooo good! Made some alterations to accommodate my gluten free family( I used rice flour) turned out amazing! I also put a parchment paper on my sheet to make clean up easier! Love the frying free holiday recipe and will be making it again and again and again 🙂
    My kids demolished all 16 latkes in one sitting

  • Instead of nonstick pans, can I use parchment paper to line my not nonstick pans? I have that and it seems like it should work?

    • Hi Maxine, I don’t recommend using parchment paper for this recipe. That said, a number of people have mentioned that they have used it. 🙂

  • Wow, what a fantastic recipe. It’s really important to make sure to squeeze out as much water as possible to make them super crispy. Great way to make a bunch of latkes at one time. I definitely will be making them again very soon!

  • I found the latkes didn’t brown. I think it may have been too much oil or maybe the temperature wasn’t hot enough. Or maybe just bad pans. (Or bad cook). So sad, they looked so good in the pictures. I ended up throwing them in the air fryer to get them browned.

    • Maybe I was too worried about the colour. The people who ate them loved them. I will play with temperature and timing for future attempts but these are now a keeper. Changing my review to 4 stars.

  • Can you use a 9×13 nonstick pan? I am nervous about the oil spilling and thought the deeper pan could work better for me.

    • Hi Jackie, As longs as it’s metal and heavy duty, I suspect it should work. Please LMK how it turns out if you try it!

  • Delicious!! I followed the recipe and reduced the oil and they can out perfect! Thank you!

  • I made these with leftover boiled potatoes (half boiled) and green onions. They were made on the stove top as my oven is kaput and the toaster oven is too small. The oil splatter wasn’t as bad as I had expected as I only had enough to make 7 big pancakes.
    My dad who is a fussy eater, liked his pancake.the remaining pancakes got gobbled up. I had no sour cream to add to them.
    I’d like to add some spices next time around but other than pepper I don’t know what to add.

    • Glad you liked them! This would be nice with some herbs incorporated. Some options that come to mind are thyme or oregano.

  • We had something like these at the Raspail market in Paris, my husband loved them, but I didn’t like the idea of the mess on the stovetop. Your recipe solved the problem and he loves them. Thank you.

  • Hi Jenn,

    These were perfect. My boyfriend asked me to make them again, but with bacon.

    Can I add bacon to this? If so, do I add raw, half-cooked or fully cooked bacon into the mixture before baking?

    • Hi Jenny, glad you both enjoyed these! I’m not sure how well the latkes will hold together if you add bacon to them but if you dice it into very small pieces, you may be able to get away with it. And I would cook the bacon first. Please LMK how it turns out if you try it!

      • Jenn, they turned out fantastic! Thank you for the tips.

        • So glad they worked out well — thanks for the follow-up! 🙂

        • I used less oil than the recipe called for, and still had an issue with smoke coming from the oven. I had even put aluminum foil over the pancakes. So, 15 minutes in I cooked them the rest of the way in the toaster oven with no additional foil and they turned out great. I also added green onions to the mixture.

      • I assume we’re talking about Kosher bacon (wink).

        • — Abbie on November 4, 2022
        • Reply
  • Another winner! Was so happy to bake them and not have a messy kitchen. Reheated the next day in the oven and was surprised they were just as good reheated.

  • Amazing!!!!!
    This recipe is now a new family favorite. It came out exactly as described. My husband was skeptical about the baking part – but the results convinced him.

  • Made these tonight, and they were awesome. I’ve avoided making latkes for years bc of the tedious frying, but these were amazing! I have a small oven, so other than alternating pans mid bake (one on top/bottom) it was a breeze. Thanks Jen!

  • Made oven latkes….near perfect
    I should have squeezed out more liquids,
    Husband said don’t make many for me,after eating he said is this all there is
    They are so good,
    I will make this recipe again,much tastier than pan fried.
    Sandra Winnipeg

  • Jenn, can I use Reynolds new non stick foil for these? Have had great results when using it with other recipes

    • — Carol Winkelman
    • Reply
    • Hi Carol, I haven’t prepared these using no-stick foil, but a few readers have commented that have and have had success. 🙂

  • The latkes turned out great. I made a few changes to make them healthier, and they were still yummy.
    1) I couldn’t bring myself to using so much oil. Instead, I used parchment paper on the cookie sheets, and about 2 tablespoons of oil on top of each of the papers, for flavor. No problem whatsoever with the latkes sticking.
    2) We need to cut down on our sodium intake, so I used Hain’s no-sodium baking powder and reduced the salt to 1 tsp.

  • The latkes were delicious and the method worked perfectly. I would suggest using a thin metal spatula (fish spatula) to flip the latkes. Also made the chunky applesauce, which was great.

  • Jenn,
    The latkes were awesome!!! My son said these were “the best ever” and I’d have to agree. The major wins were: crispiness and relative ease of preparing. Make no mistake…latkes require some patshke-ing, but I made a dozen latkes in only 1 batch. on a 1/2 sheet jelly roll pan (non-stick). The “traditional” frying on the stove method involves making several batches, continually adding oil to the pan and of course the smokey house effect. Thanks again for a great recipe. Will make again 🙂
    Happy Chanukah!

  • Great latkes. Nice to bake in the oven while working on other dishes!

  • If I wanted to use frozen pre-shredded potatoes, would I defrost them first or just use them frozen?

    • Hi Amy, I would defrost them. Enjoy! 🙂

  • I tried again this year:(. Bought the heavy gauge pans you suggested and still oil ran to one side😢… so made in cast iron pan. Great recipe nonetheless! Maybe my kitchen or oven isn’t level.

    • Hi Nellie, so sorry you had a problem with this! I’m surprised that the heavy gauge pans didn’t work for you – they shouldn’t warp in the oven. ☹️

  • I just made these using non-stick foil in the pan since I don’t remember if my pan was “non-stick” or not. Absolutely fantastic!! Another reviewer had suggested the non-stick foil. I used the Cuisinart large grate disk for the onion and the medium julienne disk for the potatoes and got a great texture. Followed the rest of the recipe as printed: 15 minutes first in the oven, then 10 more minutes after turning over. I will make these for my Christmas/Hannukah dinner. Just thrilled with the results!

  • Hi Jenn!
    Have you or anyone you know tried making these with an egg substitute? Maybe flax eggs or Egg Replacer?

    • Hi J, I can’t say that I have, but will let other readers weigh in. 🙂

  • Sarah from The Woks of Life here! Was looking for a way to fry latkes for a holiday party I’m hosting tonight, without having to stand at the stove all night. Of course, when I saw your post pop up, I clicked right away! Love this method, and I know it will work! Thanks Jenn. 🙂

    • Hope you enjoy it, Sarah! 💕

      • Happy to report that they were so perfectly golden and crispy! I’ll be making latkes this way from now on. So much easier!

        • 👍

          • Hi Jen!
            I would like to make these and wonder if it will work on a pan that is not non stick?
            thanks! Paula 🙂

            • — Paula Stearn
          • Hi Paula, Unfortunately, non-stick baking sheets are an absolute must here. Sorry!

            • — Jenn
  • What temp for the oven?

    • 425 degrees. Enjoy! 🙂

  • Jenn, I made these delicious latkes today for Easter Brunch & used as the base for individual smoked salmon potato galettes & they were a big hit! I will definitely make these again. To not have the mess & time consuming task of frying the latkes stove top was awesome! Once again, a delicious, no-fail Once Upon a Chef recipe…thank you, Jenn!

    • — Susan Biebelhausen
    • Reply
  • My family is definitely hooked on these Latkes. After searching for a good recipe that didn’t make a mess of the kitchen this one is the best. I found it easier to remove the excess moisture from the potatoes by putting them on a flour sack towel and pressing the liquid out that way. This recipe has been added to our yearly Hanukkah celebration.

  • I loved how much easier this method is than standing over the frying pan all evening. I did decrease the oil to 1/3 cup per sheet. I also lined the sheet pans with aluminum foil and then parchment paper. I got nice crisp and browned latkes with minimal clean up! A new Hanukkah tradition.

  • I went out and bought two new non-stick pans yesterday and used them to make these latkes. I will never use a frying pan for these again; they were perfect, and everyone loved them. I found that a 1/2 cup measuring cup to measure the batter was too big, and switched to 1/4 cup about halfway through; I didn’t get anywhere near the number predicted (I used a whole bag of potatoes and ended up with maybe 30 latkes). I also had to turn the oven up to 450 and used a little more oil. I also used peanut oil, because it can tolerate a high heat.
    Thanks so much for this time-saving and mess-sparing recipe!

    • — Jacqueline Gindler
    • Reply
  • So pleased with this technique. Great time saver, much less mess and the family loved the results. I did make some changes – I saw that someone else used parchment paper and I did the same. I find that if I heat oil to a high temperature that my non-stick pans just aren’t the same, even though they are a heavy gauge. I made two pans and set up two rectangular cooling racks on my counter to ensure that I wouldn’t have to place the baking pans on the stove top as I needed to have an element on and didn’t want to risk possibly spilling hot oil after preheating the pans and/or getting the edge of the parchment paper too close to the flame. A kitchen fire would definitely put a damper on Hanukkah. I also cooked the latkes at a lower temperature. Wanted to roast carrots at the same time and set the temp. for 375 on convection roast. I placed the latkes on the bottom two racks and the carrots on the top. Worked great – nice and crisp on the outside and beautifully moist and completely cooked inside. The bottom pan cooked a bit faster than the middle rack, as expected, but placed those latkes in the warming drawer till the others were done, in just a few more minutes. So glad I decided to look for a new option this year. So many recipes have you parboil the potatoes first or do a combination of raw and cooked to expedite cooking and avoid too crispy exteriors with under cooked interiors, but that requires many more steps. Thank you!!

  • These were a huge hit! Never frying on the stove again…can’t wait to convert my mom to this method!

  • Made these last night – needed slighlty more flour than the recipe called for to keep them together but these are ABSOLUTELY PERFECT and I will never stand over a stove and fry latkes again!

  • I do not have non-stick baking sheets to make oven fried latkes. Do you think it’s OK if I line the pans with non-stick foil instead?

    • Hi Marsy, I haven’t prepared these using no-stick foil, but a few readers have commented that have and have had success. Hope you enjoy!

  • My family was skeptical about these being as good as the fried ones but I served both side by side and the oven fried latkes were a hit. I would definitely make these again. One thing – after I heated up the oil i attempted to take aluminum sheet out of the oven but spilled some. I guess the sheey was too light. I had two additional sheet pans in oven but instead of taling out i just extended rack and loaded latkes. It worked out fine.

  • Hi. Made these last year and were great!! Will a Silipat mat work on my rimmed baking sheet (it’s not non-stick) ? Can any part of this be made ahead of time— perhaps grating the potatoes and letting them drain ahead of time while I cook a main dish? I was thinking your brisket (to reheat 45 min) but only have one oven…
    Thanks Jenn!

    • Hi Patricia, glad you enjoyed these! Unfortunately, I don’t think a Silpat mat will work here. Also, I wouldn’t suggest grating the potatoes ahead of time – they will discolor as they sit. While latkes are best served fresh out of the oven, if it’s just not possible, you can make them ahead and reheat them.

      • Hello ladies. Patricia, latkes freeze and reheat nicely, in case you haven’t tried it.
        Place them directly on a cookie sheet and freeze. Once frozen, simply places them in a Ziploc bag. I’ve actually left them for a couple of months. Reheat on a cookie sheet. Voila! Not exactly as they are when fresh, but delish nonetheless!!!

    • I made these last night, and because I’m lazy, I DID use aluminum foil to line my heavy baking sheet, but I put parchment paper on top of it to prevent sticking. They were wonderful! And — again lazy — I used Trader Joe’s Shredded Hash Browns. They’re just shredded potatoes and some dextrose (a form of sugar from corn) that prevents the potatoes from turning grey. I made the batter ahead of time and the latkes went in the oven as guests arrived. Came out on time with crispy outsides and soft insides — delicious!!

      • — Alexzandra Dow
      • Reply
  • Hello Jenn-
    This Chanukah I am definitely going to try frying latkes in the oven. Is there a way to tell if my baking pans are non-stick? I’ve had them a while and I’m not sure.
    Thanks.
    Merril

    • — Merril Feinstein
    • Reply
    • Hi Merril, Non-stick baking sheets have a bit of a sheen on them that looks like a coating. If your baking sheets are pretty old or you don’t feel confident that they are non-stick, it’s worth investing in new ones if you really want to make these. You won’t get a good result without non-stick pans. Hope that helps!

  • Hi. I saw cornstarch as a gluten free alternative. Have you tried other flours? If so which ones? Thank you!

    • Personally, I haven’t Ebonni, but I suspect an all-purpose gluten-free flour would work here. Please LMK how they turn out if you try them!

      • When grating in a food processor should the S blade be used or do we want the match stick grater? This is for both the potato and onion. Thanks!

        • Hi Liorah, You would use the match stick grater. Enjoy!

  • Can you store the batter in fridge for a day or so before cooking?

    • Hi Paula, Unfortunately, this batter cannot be made ahead. Sorry!

  • Chicago Metalic has many non stick cookie sheets-is there a model number or reference for the heavy duty one you recommend? Thanks.

    • Hi Sandy, I believe this is the one I have. Hope that helps!

  • I made these last night, along with the fiery roasted-tomato basil soup, and both were delicious, like every one of your recipes I ever made. The only thing I did different is that I put the baking sheets in the heated oven and then poured the oil in them. It made the sheets easier to carry from the countertop to the oven. You are a wonderful cook and give me the confidence to cook because I know that your recipes come out perfectly.

    • — Pascale from Atlanta
    • Reply
    • Glad you enjoyed these and that the recipes from the blog have helped with your confidence in the kitchen! 🙂

  • OMG. So easy and so delicious. !!!

  • How hot should the oven be?

    • Hi Jan, the oven temp should be 425 degrees. Enjoy!

  • What temperature do you bake these at? Would you adjust it for a commercial gas oven? Thanks

    • Hi Kate, the latkes should be baked at 425 degrees. I don’t know a lot about using a gas oven so I’m not sure whether or not the temperature would need to be adjusted. Perhaps these tips will help a bit.

  • What a fantastic method to make latkes! I used my usual recipe, just used the oven to cook them. I didn’t read closely enough and missed the instructions to pre-heat the oiled pans (whoops!)–while my results may not have been optimal, they were still crispy & delicious! Definitely doing this again next year… the correct way…

  • How large should the baking sheets be? I’m about to order them

    • Hi Laura, I’d recommend 13 x 18-inches – that’s the standard size.

  • I could not be more impressed with these latkes. I used matzoh meal in place of the flour and added a bit of potato starch. They were shatteringly crisp on the outside with chewy middles — just the way I like em. So much less mess than the traditional way, not to mention how lovely it was not to be chained to the stove frying and flipping. A Hanukkah miracle!

  • Love this recipe! I’m never going to fry my latkes again! I used already shredded potatoes and really made it easy on myself. Thanks for sharing this shortcut.

  • Hi Jenn,
    I want to make your Latkes for Christmas Eve, but it gets so busy in my kitchen, can I make these ahead of time and warm them up. I’m thinking a couple of hours ahead.
    Thanks

    • Hi Erika, Latkes are are best served fresh out of the oven but sometimes that’s just not possible so it’s fine to reheat them. Happy holidays!

  • I noticed there is no salt or pepper being added to the mixture. Would adding those alter the recipe?

    • Hi Maria, there are actually 2 tsp. of salt in the mixture. There is no pepper but feel free to add. Hope you enjoy!

  • I love the thought of using my oven to make latkes. Most recipes, as yours does, “shred” the potatoes, but for generations my family has grated the potatoes using the (larger) star side of a box grater. Will grating this way work for your recipe?

    • Yes, that’s fine PJ. Hope you enjoy them!

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