# Crispy German Potato Pancakes

> The crunch is all in **squeezing out the water**. Grated potato releases a great deal of liquid, and if it goes into the oil wet it steams instead of browning. Squeeze it hard in a cloth, let the liquid settle, and take the **starch** from the bottom and put it back in the mixture.

**German Cuisine · 45 min · 4 servings · 230 kcal per serving**

Kartoffelpuffer is a classic German street food sold at Christmas markets. Fried grated-potato pancakes, eaten sweet with apple sauce or savoury with sour cream. Cheap, fast, and they always work if you squeeze the water out.

## Ingredients


### Batter
- 1 kg — peeled potatoes
- 1 حبة — onion
- 2 حبات — eggs
- 3 tbsp — flour
- 1 tsp — salt
- 0.5 tsp — black pepper
- 1 pinch — nutmeg

### القلي
- 1 cup — oil

### To serve
- 1 cup — apple sauce or sour cream

## Method

1. **Grate** — Grate the potatoes and onion on the coarse side. The onion is not only for flavour — its acidity stops the potato going dark.
2. **Squeeze — the critical step** — Put the grated mixture in a clean cloth and squeeze it **with all your strength** over a bowl. You will get a cup of liquid or more.
3. **Recover the starch** — Let the squeezed liquid settle for two minutes, pour off the clear water from the top, and take the **white starch** at the bottom and return it to the potatoes. That is what binds the mixture.
4. **The mixture** — Add the eggs, flour, salt, pepper and nutmeg and stir. The mixture should hold together, not run.
5. **Fry** — Heat plenty of oil (at least half a centimetre) over medium-high heat. Add a large spoonful of the mixture and flatten it into a thin disc with the back of the spoon.
6. **Brown** — 3 to 4 minutes a side until deep golden with crisp lacy edges. Do not crowd the pan.
7. **Serve** — Drain on a wire rack and serve hot with apple sauce (the traditional way) or sour cream.

## Tips

- Squeeze the water out hard — the difference between a crisp pancake and a rubbery one.
- Return the settled starch. It binds the mixture without extra flour.
- Spread them thin. Thick ones stay raw in the middle.
- Fry immediately after mixing — the mixture weeps again if it sits.

## FAQ

### Why does the mixture go dark?
Natural oxidation of grated potato. The onion slows it, and frying immediately after mixing prevents it entirely. A squeeze of lemon also helps.

### Sweet or savoury?
Both are traditional in Germany. Apple sauce is the most common (the sweet-savoury pairing is deliberate), and sour cream with garlic and dill is an excellent savoury option.

### Can I use an air fryer?
You can, but they will not be as crisp — the generous oil is what creates the lacy edges. 180°C for 15 minutes, brushed with oil.

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Source: https://hanakoleah.com/en/german-cuisine/crispy-german-potato-pancakes
Edited by: Marwa Mohamed
Last updated: 2026-09-12