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Baked sufganiyot in blue bowl with one cut open and a squeeze bottle of jam.

Sufganiyot - Baked or Fried Jam-filled Donuts for Hanukkah

Beth Lee
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!
4.68 from 34 votes
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Prep Time 40 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Inactive Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 20 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine Jewish Holiday Baking
Servings 8
Calories 433 kcal

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.
    Dry ingredients with wet ingredients nearby ready to be mixed into the sufganiyot dough.
  • 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.
    Donut dough kneaded and ready to rise.
  • 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.
    Soufganiyot dough risen and ready to roll out.
  • Roll dough: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. On a floured surface, roll out the dough to ½ inch thick.
    Donut dough rolled out on a floured surface.
  • 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.
    Cookie cutter ready to cut out donuts.
  • 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.
    Soufganiyot puffed up and ready to bake or fry.

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.
    Baked donuts on parchment paper.
  • 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.
    Three donuts in a cast iron pot frying in oil.

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.
    Coated sufganiyot on a baking rack.

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.
    Squeezing jam into a donut.

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!

Nutrition

Calories: 433kcalCarbohydrates: 83gProtein: 8gFat: 8gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 30mgSodium: 178mgPotassium: 174mgFiber: 3gSugar: 46gVitamin A: 151IUVitamin C: 3mgCalcium: 42mgIron: 2mg
Keyword baked donuts, hanukkah desserts, jelly donuts
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