Pair Crispy Potato Latkes With Big-Batch Martinis at a Latke Cocktail Party
Here’s everything you need to host the ultimate Hanukkah party.
Diana Chistruga
Latkes are the ultimate drinking snack. They’re salty, crispy, and rich and beg for a bright, crispy cocktail to sip alongside. These delightful potato pancakes are typically served during Hanukkah, the Jewish festival of lights. For the most festive Hanukkah gathering, serve potato latkes with a range of toppings from classic applesauce and sour cream to smoked salmon and caviar. And of course, pair them with cocktails. We’ve gathered our favorite recipes for perfect potato pancakes, plus party-ready cocktails to pair with them like a big-batch Martini, an Aperol Spritz with a Hanukkah twist, and a classic Champagne cocktail. Chag sameach!
Best-Ever Potato Latkes
Diana Chistruga
Niki Russ Federman of Russ & Daughters makes the tastiest, crispiest latkes with both scallions and onion, classic baking potatoes, and a sprinkling of matzo meal. This recipe is simple, easy to follow, and can even be made a day in advance. Just crisp up the cooked latkes on a baking sheet in the oven when it’s time to serve.
Frozen Martini
This big-batch Martini can be made ahead of time and stored in the freezer. There's no ice and no stirring or shaking with the Frozen Martini; With a formula of two parts gin, one part vermouth, and one part water, the ideal dilution is built into the batch. The herbaceous gin cuts through rich latkes for a refreshing pairing. The slightly frozen Martini glides right out of the bottle and into your glass; the garnish is up to you.
Kate's Supercrispy Potato Latkes
Long-time Food & Wine food editor Kate Heddings knows her way around a potato pancake. By shredding potatoes with a turner slicer or spiralizer, this recipe yields latkes with lacey, crispy edges.
Hebrew Hammer
Antonis Achilleos / Food Styling by Emily Nabors Hall / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen
The Hebrew Hammer pays homage to the flavors of a beloved Hanukkah dessert, sufganiyot, donuts usually filled with jelly and generously dusted with powdered sugar. By dissolving a bit of active dry yeast into sugar and water, this cocktail’s “leavened” simple syrup brings a subtle yeasted flavor that pairs perfectly with applesauce-topped latkes with a dollop of tangy sour cream.
Killer Potato Latkes
These classic potato latkes from Andrew Zimmern lean on both mashed, thin-skinned Yukon Gold potatoes as well as shredded baking potatoes. Zimmern’s latkes are both fluffy and crispy — pair these with a cocktail that has a bit more body, like the fruity Hebrew Hammer.
Bottled Manhattan
This pre-batched Manhattan lets you do the work ahead of time without sacrificing freshness or balance. A blend of whiskey, sweet vermouth, and a pop of fruity flavor from a maraschino cherry makes for a classic sip. To balance the drink’s sweetness, pair this cocktail with something salty like latke topped with smoked salmon and cracked black pepper.
Crispy Skillet Latke with Kale
This recipe makes frying latkes for a crowd a cinch. Cookbook author Leah Koenig pulls from Ashkenazi traditions with this skillet-fried latke that is sliced into individual servings. Koenig tops hers with sauteéed kale in this recipe, but when it comes to latke toppings, anything goes.
Sababa
Antonis Achilleos / Food Styling by Emily Nabors Hall / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen
Rich, nutty tahini forms the base of this savory, piquant, and tart cocktail. A zippy bite from zhoug, a spicy cilantro-based sauce from Yemen, is balanced by the sweetness of pineapple juice, rounding out this quaffable drink. The drink has richness and body and can stand up to crispy, loaded latkes with plenty of savory toppings like trout roe or even a bit of jalapeño.
Zucchini Latkes with Red Pepper Jelly and Smoked Trout
Looking for something a bit lighter? These latkes feature a blend of shredded zucchini and potato that combine for a crispy and savory pancake. Topped with sweet and spicy red pepper jelly and savory smoked trout, they are a great companion to a savory cocktail like the Sababa.
Aperol Schvitz
Antonis Achilleos / Food Styling by Emily Nabors Hall / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen
This satisfying, yet sophisticated take on an Aperol Spritz features a classic Jewish-American ingredient: Manischewitz. This craft cocktail carefully harnesses the sweetness of Manischewitz concord grape wine without being overly-saccharine — it’s a genius, grown-up use of a familiar, but somewhat sickly, holiday ingredient.
Celery Root-Potato Pancakes with Green Apple Sour Cream
Celery root has a fresh, almost sweet flavor and starchy texture that is a natural fit for latkes. These latkes are topped with a tangy sour cream laden with fresh green apple, a combination with calls for an herbaceous gin Martini.
Blackberry Kir Royale
Matt Taylor-Gross / Food Styling by Lucy Simon
Champagne is a great match for potatoes in nearly all preparations from mashed potatoes, a classic potato chip, and of course, latkes. A Kir Royale is a classic Champagne cocktail that has a touch of blackberry brandy or creme de cassis. It’s vibrant and effervescent and can be scaled up to party-size with ease.
Potato Pancakes with Smoked Salmon, Caviar and Dill Cream
Hanukkah is the perfect time to break out a tin of caviar. These caviar-topped latkes are salty and delicious — pair them with a Champagne-based cocktail like a Kir Royale.
Whiskey Shamash
Antonis Achilleos / Food Styling by Emily Nabors Hall / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen
Sweet and savory fig, bright lemon, and smooth bourbon combine in this delicious take on a classic whiskey smash from Naomi Levy of Maccabee Bar, a Hanukkah pop-up bar in New York City and Cambrdige, Massachusetts.
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