We Tried 8 Different Methods for Making Latkes and Found Crispy-Outside, Fluffy-Inside Perfection

• Prep time: 10 minutes
• Cook time: 25 minutes
• Rating: 8/10

About this method: Here, we’re using the standard recipe, but instead of 2 tablespoons of matzo meal, I used all-purpose flour. As in the standard recipe, you grate potatoes and onions; wring them dry with a cheesecloth tourniquet; mix them by hand with egg, flour, salt, and pepper; and then pan-fry in vegetable oil over medium-high heat for about four minutes per side.

Results: I was curious to see how all-purpose flour would compare to matzo meal, and the results surprised me — especially because before this I was team AP flour. What I found was that the latkes made with flour didn’t get quite as plump and fluffy inside as their matzo meal counterparts.

I learned that’s because the matzo meal actually expands a bit when it combines with the potatoes, onions, and egg, which results in a fluffy interior consistency. Overall, the flavor and crispiness are unchanged, so I could see why folks who don’t normally have matzo meal on hand would prefer to use flour. But I always have matzo hanging around, so I’ll be using it in my latkes from now on.

In her recipe, Patty Catalano shares a useful tip for working with matzo meal: “Matzo meal is coarser than dried breadcrumbs, so a key to including matzo in latke batter is to give the matzo a few minutes to absorb the liquid from the potato before frying.”

• Prep time: 30 minutes
• Cook time: 30 minutes
• Rating: 8/10

About this method: For these baked latkes, I used the ingredients from the standard recipe, but with Rebecca Firsker’s oven-baked method, which calls for preheating the oven to 425°F and pouring a half cup of oil onto a sheet pan. Firsker then grates potatoes and onions and squeezes out all the liquid using a kitchen towel, similar to the cheesecloth tourniquet approach. Next, the recipe calls for putting the oiled sheet tray in the oven to preheat while mixing the drained potatoes and onions with matzo meal, egg, salt, and pepper.

After 10 minutes of preheating, Firsker removes the sheet pan from the oven and adds 8 latkes directly to the hot oil, smashing each latke with a fish spatula until it’s thin. The latkes bake for 25 minutes before getting flipped and baked for another 10 to 15 minutes and then drained on paper towels.

Results: It is no small feat to create a recipe for baked latkes that yields crispy-crunchy results, but Firsker has done it here, and I’m grateful to have this as an option. I could see how having my stovetop and a few minutes of my life back would be super helpful when I’m hosting a Hanukkah party, and cooking latkes in the oven is a great way to achieve that.

However, removing a hot sheet tray of oil from the oven is a bit tedious/dangerous, as is flipping them on said sheet tray after 20 minutes. It’s not impossible, but you’ve got to be very careful. I also noticed that my latkes got a little extra crispy on one side after the recommended 20 minutes, so I would suggest checking them after 15, just to be on the safe side. On paper, these also take the longest time to cook, but the cooking time is relatively inactive so you’re able to do other things while the latkes bake, which is handy.

• Prep time: 10 minutes
• Cook time: 25 minutes
• Rating: 9/10

About this method: This is what I consider to be the “control” latke, as it follows the base recipe precisely. Scrubbed, unpeeled potatoes are shredded in a food processor with onions and then added to a bowl of cold water. The next step is to make a cheesecloth tourniquet to wring out every last drop of water (an essential move for crispiness). Next, the water is poured off, reserving the potato starch (the fine, white silt that the potatoes render while they’re in the water) that naturally accumulates at the bottom of the bowl. The potatoes, onions, and potato starch are then mixed with egg, matzo meal, salt, and pepper, by hand. The latkes are fried in a skillet with vegetable oil, about 4 minutes per side, and removed to drain on a sheet tray lined with paper towels.

Results: There is a reason this is a classic recipe, and that’s because it works perfectly. Using the cheesecloth to wring out the excess water is a particularly brilliant move that does indeed yield the crispy latkes I was looking for.

If I had to make one small quibble with this recipe it would be that you have to babysit the latkes the whole time they’re cooking, to adjust the heat and oil level to make sure the latkes are frying properly. I was able to get about five latkes in the skillet at one time, which meant I needed to fry three batches to get through the whole recipe. I stored the latkes on a cooling rack on a sheet tray in a warm oven while the rest were cooking, and that worked quite well at keeping them both warm and crispy.