Baked or fried sufganiyot (soufganiyot) are the perfect Hanukkah dessert. And like the oil that lasted for 8 days, this dough is a miracle because it will work in the fryer or oven! A big plus when preparing for your traditional Hanukkah meal.
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Why you’ll love this recipe
In 2021, I wrote the Essential Jewish Baking Cookbook and included a recipe for soufganiyot – jam-filled doughnuts traditionally eaten for the Festival of Lights. Before I wrote the book, rugelach, a mini rolled pastry, was our unconventional Chanukah dessert. But now that I've mastered the fried (or baked!) jelly donut, we have a new traditional Hanukkah dessert on the menu.
So often, I hear people say they aren’t going to make sufganiyot because they don’t want to fry. In this recipe, I used the same dough to fry AND bake and guess what? Both versions are fantastic!
If you’re preparing for a Hanukkah get-together, the baked version of the jelly-filled donuts will be almost as good several hours later as fresh out of the oven. The fried version does not “age” as well. Or make a few of each and decide for yourself!
Ingredients you’ll need for this Hanukkah dessert
The ingredient list for sufganiyot is simple and divided into dough, filling and coating. For the filling – your imagination is really the only limitation. Pay attention to the consistency of the filling – if it’s too thick or chunky, it won’t flow through the decorating tip easily into the doughnut.
All-purpose flour: You’ll be using more than the measured amount for dusting while you knead the dough.
Granulated sugar: You use this twice – once in the dough and then more for coating.
Instant or active-dry yeast: If your active-dry yeast is not expired, you can toss it in the dough like instant yeast but if you’re not sure, then “proof” the active-dry yeast by mixing it with a little sugar and warm water and wait for it to foam.
Kosher salt: I used Diamond Crystal in all of my recipes.
Milk: Be sure to heat it to between 105° F and 115° F.
Vegetable oil: You’ll use some in the dough and some for frying.
Citrus zest: I love the addition of lemon or orange zest but it is entirely optional.
Melted butter: This is only for the baked version. You brush it on after they come out of the oven before you coat them in sugar.
Fillings: I like to use jams for my fillings but some kind of pudding-like filling would also work. For the jams, you can loosen them up a bit with hot water if they are too thick. You also want them to be smooth. If very chunky, you could run them through a food processor to smooth them out.
Check out my sufganiyot web story for a quick visual guide on making these fantastic Hanukkah jelly donuts!
Steps to make this recipe
No need to pull out the stand mixer - one bowl will do the trick.
Prepare the dough
1. Mix the dry ingredients in a medium bowl.
2. Add the wet ingredients and combine.
3. Move the dough to a floured surface and knead with additional flour for a couple of minutes.
4. Let the dough rise until doubled in volume.
5. Roll out the dough to about ½ inch thick.
6. Use cookie cutters or the rim of a glass to cut out donuts.
7. Let rise again.
8. Bake!
9. Or fry!
Prepare the coating and filling
10. While baking, melt butter and place sugar in a bag or wide bowl.
11. Get jam ready by thinning out with hot water if necessary. Put in a Ziploc or frosting bag or squeeze bottle.
Coat and fill sufganiyot
12. When soufganiyot come out of oven, brush with melted butter and coat with sugar. If you fried them, coat with sugar but skip the butter step.
13. When cool enough to handle easily, cut a small slit in each donut and squeeze in jam until it starts poking out.
Pro tips and FAQS
- The dough is pretty wet and that’s ok. Use your dough scraper to get it out of the bowl onto your floured work surface. Use plenty of flour while kneading it. Even if it’s just a bit sticky when you let it rise, it’s all going to work out!
- If your jam is too thick, thin it with a bit of hot water mixed into it well. If it’s too chunky, run it through your food processor to smooth out the chunks.
- Be sure to use a paring knife to cut a narrow but deep slit in the baked or fried soufganiyot before filling with jelly. It will help ensure some jam in every bite!
It is pronounced Soof (rhymes with roof)-GAH-NEE-yote, the plural of sufganiyah. It means jelly-filled donut, specifically the ones traditionally eaten on Hanukkah. They are especially popular in Israel.
Hanukkah is the celebration of the miracle of the oil lasting eight days when it was only supposed to last for one day. We eat fried foods or any food made with oil to remember the miracle of the long-lasting oil. Whether you bake or fry these, there is oil in the dough so you’ve got that covered!
Technically, you could freeze the baked doughnuts before coating them. But I don’t really recommend it. However, you could prepare the dough through the first rise and freeze it or at least refrigerate it to get you part way through the recipe ahead of time.
Prefer fried donuts - you're in luck!
Feast on the magic of Annie Martin's photography and these lovely fried beauties. Just follow the instructions for the baked donuts but fry in at least 2-inch deep 350°F oil and skip the brushed-on butter.
More inspiration for your Hanukkah meal
Other doughnut recipes you might love:
Glazed raspberry filled doughnuts from Pastry Chef Online
Gluten-free sufganiyot from Fearless Dining
And when Chanukah falls near Thanksgiving - try these pumpkin spice donut holes!
Don't want to make donuts? Try my rugelach recipes - apricot chocolate and orange cranberry!
Try making homemade jam for the filling: Strawberry Raspberry Jam or Apricot Strawberry, for example.
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P.S. If you try this recipe, please leave a star rating and/or a review in the comment section below. I so appreciate your feedback! AND find more inspiration on Pinterest, Facebook or Instagram. Signup for my email list, too!
Sufganiyot - Baked or Fried Jam-filled Donuts for Hanukkah
Ingredients
Dough
- 2 ¼ cups (281 grams) all-purpose flour, plus more for kneading
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 2 ¼ teaspoons 7 grams/1 packet active dry or instant yeast
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ⅔ cup (161 grams) warm milk (105°F to 115°F)
- 2 tablespoons (27 grams) vegetable oil
- 1 large egg
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest or orange zest optional
Coating
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted (if baking)
- 1 cup sugar
- Vegetable oil (if frying)
Filling
- ¾ cup (240 grams) seedless jam
Instructions
Dough:
- Mix: In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, sugar, yeast, and salt. Add the milk, oil, egg, vanilla, and zest if using, and mix with a wooden spoon until a rough, wet dough forms.
- Knead: Place the dough on a well-floured surface, dust the top of the dough with flour, and knead for about 2 minutes. If it remains sticky while kneading, add more flour 1 tablespoon at a time. It should be tacky but not too sticky to knead.
- Rise: Oil the bowl you just used and place the dough back inside. Cover with a towel and let it rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
- Roll dough: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. On a floured surface, roll out the dough to ½ inch thick.
- Cut donuts: Using a 2 ½-inch round cookie cutter or the rim of a glass, cut out as many rounds as you can and place them on the baking sheet. Re-roll the remaining scraps and repeat. You should have 14 to 16 rounds total.
- Second rise: Cover the baking sheet and let the donuts rise until they puff up slightly, about 30 minutes, depending on the temperature of the kitchen.
If Baking:
- Prep for baking: While the donuts rise, preheat the oven to 375°F.
- Bake: After the donuts have risen, bake them for 10 minutes, until golden.
- While the donuts bake, melt the butter. When the donuts come out of the oven, brush each of the donuts with the melted butter. Proceed to COAT step.
If frying:
- Prep for frying: Add vegetable oil to a medium pot, at least 2 inches deep. Heat the oil to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with paper towels to drain excess oil.
- Deep-fry: Place a few donuts at a time in the hot oil, avoiding overcrowding. Fry for a minute on one side; then flip and fry on the second side for another minute, until golden brown. This is a fast process, so watch carefully. Once fried, transfer the donuts to the prepared baking sheet. Proceed to COAT step.
Coat:
- Coat donuts: Place the sugar in a gallon-sized resealable plastic bag. Working one at a time, place each donut in the bag of sugar, seal shut,and shake it around to coat the donut. Return the donut to the baking sheet. Repeat with all donuts.
Fill:
- Fill donuts: Fit a piping bag (or a plastic bag) with a decorating tip with a ¼-inch-wide opening or use a plastic squeeze bottle. Fill the bag or bottle with the jam of your choice. Using a paring knife, cut a 1-inch horizontal slit in the side of each donut, slicing through to the center. Place the decorating tip in the hole and squeeze until the jam starts to ooze out of the donut (some spillage is okay). Repeat with the remaining donuts. The donuts taste best if served immediately, but they will maintain their freshness for several hours.
Notes
- The dough is pretty wet and that’s ok. Use your dough scraper to get it out of the bowl onto your floured work surface. Use plenty of flour while kneading it. Even if it’s just a bit sticky when you let it rise, it’s all going to work out!
- If your jam is too thick, thin it with a bit of hot water mixed into it well. If it’s too chunky, run it through your food processor to smooth out the chunks.
- Be sure to use a paring knife to cut a narrow but deep slit in the baked or fried soufganiyot before filling with jelly. It will help ensure some jam in every bite!
Monica
I only used half the dough after the first rise to make the donuts and they came out great. I kept the other half in the refrigerator. How many days can I keep the dough in the refrigerator to make the rest of the donuts?
Beth Lee
That's a good question. I would say no more than 2 days. Then I might consider shaping and freezing. Then take them out when you are ready to fry or bake them, let them defrost and rise. I froze shaped dough from December 5 through the 18th. Took them out in the afternoon to defrost and then do the second rise. They came out fine. Were they quite as good as the first batch I made right away? Maybe there was a bit of difference but not discernibly so. Everyone was happy with dessert! Good luck and let me know how they come out! Happy Hanukkah!
summer
these turned out soooo well. i had a total disaster trying to make sufganiyot back in 2020 with a different recipe that didn't pan out well, skipped trying in 2021, but this year has been a total success. fried them up and filled with strawberry jam, and am now very happy. thank you for this recipe!! i'll be repeating it next year for sure 🙂
Beth Lee
Yay! I love this recipe - it turned me into a sufganiyot-maker too! Baked or fried, they are delicious. So happy to hear you enjoyed and will repeat. Happy happy Hanukkah!
Sandi
One of my all-time favorite things to eat on Hanukkah! I love you give both baked and fried options!
Beth Lee
They are just so fun to eat and never fail to put a smile on your face!
Laura
Holy cow these are so freaking good! Love the touch of orange zest!
Beth Lee
I'm thinking a little pomegranate jelly as a filling ...
Jenni
These are fabulous! The orange zest really takes them to a whole new level. Thank you so much for this winner, Beth!
Beth Lee
I just love that you can bake and fry and I don't feel like I'm getting less of a donut experience when I bake them! So glad you love them!