Baked Panko Sweet Potato Leek Pancakes (Latkes)

When Chanukah strolls around, if I can help it, I bake my potatoes latkes instead of, as traditionally done, frying them. Indian inspired latkes won't taste the same baked, with the gluten free chickpea flour in it. So certain recipes I will still fry in a little oil to achieve the best results. More often than not baked will be, if not identical, pretty close, and with a lot less hassle involved.

Rarely do I plan in advance when it comes to latkes. I typically use the veggies I have in my house and make a sensible combination of flavors. I had sesame leftover from a batch of Ka'ach I baked last night. I did not wish to add the leftover sesame seeds back into the spice jar, so I tossed them into the latkes. Somehow panko, sweet potatoes and sesame seeds, rang right.
This post is part of a 1st annual Chanukah Blog Hop party hosted by Leah of Cook Kosher and Miriam of Overtime Cook. We've got a fabulous array of Chanukah themed recipes, treats and crafts from around the world. Scroll down to the links for all the delicious treats.
Baked Panko Sweet Potato Leek Pancakes
about 18 pancakes

Ingredients:
1 1/2lbs (2 medium) sweet potatoes, peeled, grated
1 large leek, white and light green parts only, sliced lengthwise into strings
1 medium onion, grated
1 1/2 tablespoons sesame seeds
1/2 cup panko
1/2 teaspoon salt
Fresh black pepper, to taste
2 large eggs, whisked
2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Oil for brushing

Preheat oven to 400F. Brush 2 parchment paper lined cookie sheets with vegetable oil. Add all ingredients, other than oil for brushing, into a large bowl and mix well. Form 18 pancakes and lay on 2 paper line cookie trays. Bake on the middle rack of the oven for 30-40 minutes or until golden, flip with a spatula and continue baking at 400F for an additional 5 minutes or until golden on the flipped side.

Serve with apple sauce, sour cream, pear cardamon sauce or any sauce of your choice.

Cook's notes: You might wish to process sweet potatoes, onions and leek in a food processor for a rough or fine chop to save time. That will also make sure all ingredients cook at the same rate, as the leek, in strand form, might cook faster than the pancake itself. I personally like how the strands crisp up.

Related posts:
Baked Parsnip Pancakes
Stop by the other blogs and check out these Chanukah Themed Recipes:

Latkes:
Jamie from Joy of Kosher made Zucchini Latkes with Tzatziki
Daniel from Peikes Cookbook made Potato and Fennel Latkes Fried in Duck Fat With Chinese Five Spice Apple Sauce
Susan from The Girl in the Little Red Kitchen made Squash and Potato Latkes
Samantha from The Little Ferraro Kitchen made Ruby Red Beet Latkes with Cumin
Nechamah from TIforOA Food Ideas made Healthy Oatmeal Latkes
Liz from The Lemon Bowl made Traditional Potato Latkes
Yosef from This American Bite made Latkes & Brisket on Rye
Melanie from From Fast Food to Fresh Food made (I Can't Believe They're Crispy!) Baked Latkes
Laura from Mother Would Know made Three Variations of Sweet and Savory Latkes
Sarah from Crispy Bits and Burnt Ends made Kimchee Latkes
Shulie from Food Wanderings made Baked Panko Sweet Potato Leek Latkes

Donuts and Desserts: 
Miriam from Overtime Cook made Shortcut Cannoli with Chocolate Mousse Filling
Leah from Cook Kosher made 5 Minute Donuts
Estee from The Kosher Scoop made Tropical Fruit Fritters
Melinda from Kitchen-Tested made Sweet Steamed Buns
Amy from What Jew Wanna Eat made Homemade Dark Chocolate Sea Salt Gelt
Avidan from Baking It Up As I Go Along made Orange Olive Oil Cake
Tali from More Quiche Please made Glazed Chocolate Donut Holes
Amital from Organized Jewish Home made Mom's Sour Cream Sugar Cookies
Princess Lea from The Frumanista made Túrógombóc
Stephanie and Jessica from The Kosher Foodies made Beignets
Gigi from Gigi's Kitchen made Bunuelos: Mini Powdered Cheese Donuts 
Esther from Esther O Designs made Edible Menorahs
Patti from No Bacon Here made Hanukkah Oreo Balls
Shoshana from Couldn't Be Parve made Churros con Chocolate
Shaindy from My Happily Hectic Life made Inside Out Apple Crisp
Eve from Gluten Free Nosh made Gluten-Free Hanukkah Sugar Cookies
The Gluten Free maven made Gluten Free Vegan Cake Donuts
Amy from Baking and Mistaking made Mini Cream-Filled French Beignets
Sarah from Food, Words, Photos made Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies
Victoria from Itsy Bitsy Balebusta made Pure Vanilla Donuts
Vicky and Ruth from May I Have That Recipe made Dulce de Leche and Eggnog cream filled mini sufganiot
Dena from Oh You Cook made Poached Pears in Pomegranate Sauce
Michele from Kosher Treif Cooking made Tiramisu Cheessecake
Sharon from FashionIsha made Sparkly Chanukah Cookies

Appetizers, Soups, Sauces, Drinks and other Hanukkah Food:
Laura from Pragmatic Attic made Caramel Spice Applesauce
Jessie from Bread and Butter made Honey Spiced Hanukkah Martini
G6 from Guess Who's Coming 2 Dinner made Sweet Potato Leek Soup
Claire from I Love Soup made Sweet Potato, Coconut & Lemongrass Soup
Jennifer from Juanita's Cocina made Kugel
Liz from Kosher Like Me made Ready, Stuff Roll!
Shelley from The Kosher Home made Hanukkah Crafts and Printables

35 comments:

  1. Oh these latkes look wonderful, Shulie! I love sweet potatoes with leeks!

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  2. Happy Hanukkah!

    Lovely links and wonderful latkes! A great idea.

    Cheers,

    Rosa

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  3. Baked Latkes is kind of new, as we usually fry them. Love your idea :) and I loooooooooooove latkes
    Happy Hanukkah Shulie

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  4. I love these Shulie! Wishing you and J a very Happy Hanukkah!

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  5. Wow to all of it. Beautiful latkes and I am sure my men would prefer baked to fried. Lovely flavors. I have 6 more days to make them! Great round up of holiday recipes, Shulie! Happy Hannukah, dear xox

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  6. Gorgeous latkes, and different! Great list of ingredients Shulie

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  7. great looking and sounding. My daughter just said YUM

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  8. I love fried laktes and haven't considered baking them. However these do tempt me to try!

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  9. Gorgeous photos - love the use of leeks in this!!

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  10. Love love how rustic these look!

    So glad you joined the blog party - can't wait to see how you used the printables! http://thekosherhome.com/chanukah-sameach/

    Shelley from The Kosher home!

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  11. Now... this is how you make a latke. So pleased I discovered your blog via #hannukahbp. Hope you'll stop on over and say hi. I'll be looking for you on Facebook and Twitter. Love your approach here.

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    1. Just a followup - are you on Twitter of FB? I couldn't find a link.

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    2. TY so much for dropping by. Am sure to visit your site and check out your tasty recipes. Great blog hop introducing people to each other. My facebook http://www.facebook.com/pages/FoodWanderings/154585894570712?fref=ts and on twitter @doowanderings https://twitter.com/foodwanderings Thx again!

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  12. Delish!!! Love the blog and these recipes!

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  13. I love all the variations to the latke. I was thinking of coating my latke with panko for some extra crunch. I bet sweet potatoes and leeks go wonderfully together.

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  14. Thanks for sharing a baked/healthier option of this chanuka classic. So much easier to keep to my diet with a variation like this! really looking forward to visiting your blog again. Gigi. food and beauty blogger @ www.gigikkitchen.blogspot.com

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  15. Love your latke recipe, and what a great collection of Chanukah recipes to explore from all of the blogs!

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  16. Love how creatively you have used those leek strings..and baked pancakes..Hmm..am gonna make it soon.

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  17. I have to admit that I've never actually had a potato pancake... I'm loving the use of the sweet potato here, and the idea of baking. I think I'm inspired!!

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  18. What gorgeous looking latkes! I love sweet potato and can't afford the calories of fried so this is a perfect recipe for me.

    Thanks for joining our party, Shulie!

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  19. These look delicious! A wonderful hannukah to you and all your family.

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  20. Sweet potato latkes...what a fabulous idea!! I love latkes, and I always look forward to all the recipes for them this time of year. Thank you for sharing something different...will be adding this to my latkes collection!

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  21. Looks delicious, I definitely need to try it!

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  22. I would love to go this Hanukkah party with all this delicious food! Your latkes look so good. I never had them with leeks and would really like to try it:) We had some latkes tonight and I thought of you;)

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  23. Happy Hanukah Shulie, Great variation to the traditional potato latkes, they look delicous. Also love the new blog look

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  24. This combination is seriously my favorites! I cannot live with sweet potatoes and leeks especially winter months and Panko is my regular go-to ingredient too. This looks so delicious, Shulie! Happy Hanukkah!

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  25. Just been craving sweet potato pancakes. Thanks for responding to the call. These look gorgeous. Happy Hanukkah!

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  26. These are gorgeous Shulie. Love the addition of sweet potatoes.

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  27. These look irresistible, Shulie! I have a feeling my picky family wouldn't have any trouble making these disappear!

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  28. I really want to try your recipe, which will be a fun and healthy alternative to our typical Chanukah food indulgences. Not sure what is panko, and I probably can't anything like it where I live (in Israel), so what can be substituted?

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    1. Hi Fonda, Panko is Japanese bread crumbs. You can find it in Israel. My sister uses them for making schnitzel. She buys them in a regular supermarket in Givatayim, Israel. If you cannot find it, you can use regular bread crumbs.

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