The Strange Ingredient Krispy Kreme's First Donuts May Have Contained
We all know the illuminating bright red, light-up sign outside of a Krispy Kreme shop. Since their inception, they have been legendary in the donut world, so much so, that it's essentially become an institution. Their classic, glazed donuts are immediately recognizable and many have tried to compete and remake this notable donut. Although they make other flavors, this original donut brings back true nostalgia. The coveted recipe has been kept in secret and only select people know the truth about these donuts as it is locked away at the company's plant in Winston-Salem, North Carolina (via Delish).
Research has gone deep into uncovering the secrets behind this beloved donut and some shocking discoveries have been made. According to The Chronicle, a news organization out of Duke University, Carver Rudolph, who's father, Vernon Rudolf, started Krispy Kreme, worked with a historian to figure out the true roots of the company. Even Carver, who is used to telling the story of Krispy Kreme but has no current connection to it, was surprised at what they uncovered.
It is believed that the original Krispy Kreme recipe may have contained a very unexpected ingredient.
Did you say mashed potatoes?
Yes, yes we did. The true story is believed to be that an original recipe used for Krispy Kreme donuts included a mix of cream made from fluffed egg whites, mashed potatoes, sugar, shortening, skim milk, and flour (via The Chronicle). This was then fried and covered with glaze. Both Carver and the historian believe that these donuts might have been modeled off of a recipe by Joseph G. LeBoeuf, who was frying up donuts while he was a cook, but it is not completely proven. While LeBoeuf was making smaller batches of donuts, it is realistic to assume that any recipe would have been changed for mass production.
Even though the original story by The Chronicle was published in 2003, a 2021 TikTok shared by @timbosliceoflife12 discusses this unknown potential secret ingredient and it completely blew up (via Pop Culture). Although this is technically old news, it sparked new found interest into the mystery recipe that makes Krispy Kreme reign supreme in the world of donuts.
What do you think, could there be mashed potatoes in these classic Krispy Kreme donuts? Possibly. After all, they have been found in some other classic desserts.