Abstract: Potato pancakes are a regional specialty of the Zhaotong area in Yunnan Province, China. This study investigates the effects of varying concentrations of melatonin (0, 7.5, 15.0, 22.5, and 30.0 mg/kg) on the sensory quality, texture characteristics, physicochemical properties, flavor profile, and acrylamide content in potato pancakes (with 30 g of potato shreds, 200 s frying time, 220 ℃ frying temperature, and a solid-liquid ratio of 1.8 g/mL). The results revealed that the most significant improvements were observed at a melatonin concentration of 22.5 mg/kg (MT group). At this concentration, the acrylamide content was reduced to 669.8±17.2 μg/kg, yielding an inhibition rate of 35.5%, and the sensory score reached its highest value (94.6±1.5). The color difference of the MT group was 31.38±0.02, and its texture properties, including hardness (1359.17±63.57 g) and chewiness (337.30±24.83 g), were lower than those of the control group (CK). In contrast, the elasticity (0.52±0.03) and resilience (0.24±0.02) were significantly higher than those in the CK group. The cohesion and viscosity showed minimal change. Additionally, the oil content in the MT group was reduced by 13.83%, and the oxidation stability of the oil improved significantly, as indicated by the peroxide value (0.096±0.00 g/100 g), acid value (0.38±0.01 mg/g), and carbonyl value (10.83±0.15 meq/kg). Microscopic analysis of the pancake surface revealed that melatonin inhibited the gelatinization of starch, leading to the preservation of some starch granule morphology. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis further demonstrated that melatonin reduced the levels of volatile flavor compounds associated with the Maillard reaction, resulting in a marked decrease in sensory flavor intensity. Overall, the addition of melatonin significantly enhanced the taste and safety of potato pancakes. Despite the reduction in flavor components, the improvement in quality reflects its positive impact, contributing to the optimization of potato-based food products.