Sufganiyot Recipe: Israeli Jelly Donuts for Hanukkah

December in Tel Aviv

Walk through any Israeli city during Hanukkah and you will see them in every bakery window: golden rounds dusted with snow-white powdered sugar, their jelly filling threatening to escape from the sides. Sufganiyot — the plural of sufganiyah — are Israel’s definitive Hanukkah food. While American Jews tend to associate the holiday with latkes, in Israel the doughnut reigns supreme.

And these are not ordinary doughnuts. Israeli sufganiyot have evolved into an art form. Bakeries compete fiercely each Hanukkah season, offering fillings that range from classic strawberry jam to dulce de leche, halva cream, pistachio custard, and Nutella. Some are injected with two or three fillings. Some are topped with elaborate decorations. It is a national obsession, and roughly 18 million sufganiyot are consumed in Israel during the eight days of Hanukkah.

You can make them at home. The dough is forgiving, the frying is straightforward once you get the temperature right, and the filling possibilities are limited only by your imagination.

The Recipe

Yield: About 24 doughnuts Prep time: 30 minutes Rise time: 2 hours Fry time: About 30 minutes total

Ingredients

• 4 cups all-purpose flour
• ⅓ cup sugar
• 2¼ teaspoons instant yeast (1 packet)
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ¾ cup whole milk, warm
• 3 large egg yolks
• ¼ cup (½ stick) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Vegetable or canola oil for frying (about 2 quarts)
• Powdered sugar for dusting
• Jam or filling of your choice

Instructions

1. Make the dough. In a stand mixer with the dough hook, combine the flour, sugar, yeast, salt, and nutmeg. Add the warm milk, egg yolks, and vanilla. Mix on low until combined, then increase to medium and knead for 5 minutes. Add the softened butter a tablespoon at a time, kneading until each addition is absorbed. Continue kneading for another 5–7 minutes until the dough is smooth, elastic, and pulls away from the bowl sides.

2. First rise. Transfer to a greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let rise in a warm spot for 1½ hours until doubled.

3. Shape. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Roll to about ½ inch thick. Using a 3-inch round cutter (or a glass), cut out circles. Gather scraps, re-roll once, and cut more. Place the rounds on parchment-lined baking sheets, spaced 2 inches apart.

4. Second rise. Cover loosely and let rise for 30 minutes until puffy.

5. Fry. Fill a heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven with 3 inches of oil. Heat to 350°F (175°C) — use a thermometer. Carefully lower 3–4 doughnuts at a time into the oil. Fry for 2–3 minutes per side until deep golden brown. The doughnuts should have a pale white stripe around the middle where they sat at the oil line.

6. Drain. Remove with a slotted spoon and place on a wire rack set over a baking sheet. Do not use paper towels — they make the bottoms soggy.

7. Fill. Once cool enough to handle, use a small knife to poke a hole in the side of each doughnut. Fill a piping bag (or zip-lock bag with a corner cut) with your chosen filling. Insert the tip into the hole and squeeze gently until you feel the doughnut grow slightly heavier — about 1–2 tablespoons of filling.

8. Finish. Dust generously with powdered sugar. Serve the same day — sufganiyot do not improve with age.

Modern Filling Variations

Dulce de leche: Pipe in store-bought or homemade dulce de leche. The caramel richness against the light dough is extraordinary.

Halva cream: Blend 1 cup whipped cream with ½ cup crumbled halva and 2 tablespoons tahini. Pipe into the doughnuts and top with crushed halva.

Bavarian cream: Make a vanilla pastry cream, fold in whipped cream for lightness, and pipe generously.

Nutella: The easiest variation — just pipe in Nutella straight from the jar. No one will complain.

Lemon curd: Bright, tart, and a perfect contrast to the rich, fried dough. Make your own or use store-bought.

Frying Tips

Temperature is everything. Too cool (below 340°F) and the doughnuts absorb oil and become greasy. Too hot (above 370°F) and the outside burns before the inside cooks. Keep that thermometer in the oil and adjust the heat constantly.

Do not crowd the pot. Three to four doughnuts at a time. Each one drops the oil temperature, so fewer is better.

The white stripe. A well-fried sufganiyah has a pale stripe around the equator. This is normal and correct — it is where the dough sat at the surface of the oil.

Sufganiyot are the taste of Hanukkah — fried in oil, sweet as the miracle they celebrate, and best when shared with people who do not mind powdered sugar on their clothes.