Hanukkah Jelly Doughnuts (Sufganiyot)

Written by
Giora Shimoni
A kosher food enthusiast and home cook with hundreds of published recipes, Giora Shimoni has worked in online publishing for over 20 years.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Giora Shimoni
Updated 07/13/21
Hanukkah doughnuts sufganiot recipe

​The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga
Prep: 60 mins
Cook: 20 mins
Rising Time: 3 hrs
Total: 4 hrs 20 mins
Servings: 12 to 14 servings
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
316 Calories
15g Fat
43g Carbs
3g Protein
Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 12 to 14
Amount per serving
Calories 316
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 15g 19%
Saturated Fat 2g 8%
Cholesterol 26mg 9%
Sodium 23mg 1%
Total Carbohydrate 43g 16%
Dietary Fiber 1g 3%
Total Sugars 20g
Protein 3g
Vitamin C 0mg 1%
Calcium 10mg 1%
Iron 1mg 8%
Potassium 45mg 1%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Sufganiyot are deep-fried jelly doughnuts that are traditionally eaten during the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah. The oil used to fry the doughnuts is reminiscent of the oil that miraculously burned—according to the Hanukkah story—in the ancient Temple in Jerusalem. For this recipe, the yeast dough is left to rise, then rolled and cut into circles and topped with spoonfuls of jelly or jam; another circle is laid on top and the edges are pressed to seal together. After an hour, it's time to fry the doughnuts and finish them off with a dusting of powdered sugar.

Hanukkah jelly doughnuts are the perfect ending to a holiday dinner, but can also be enjoyed for breakfast or a sweet treat, as you would with any type of doughnut.

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Ingredients

  • 1 packet active dry yeast (about 2 1/4 teaspoons)

  • 3 cups plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour, divided

  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar, divided

  • 1 1/4 cups room temperature water

  • 1/4 cup margarine, melted

  • 1 dash kosher salt

  • 2 large egg yolks

  • 1 cup strawberry jelly or jam

  • Canola oil, for frying

  • 1 cup unsifted confectioners' sugar

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Gather ingredients for Hanukkah doughnuts
    ​The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  2. In a small bowl, combine the yeast, 1 tablespoon flour, 1 tablespoon sugar, and the water. Mix well, cover, and allow to rest until the mixture becomes foamy.

    Combine yeast, flour, sugar
    ​The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  3. In another large bowl, mix the remaining 3 cups of flour with the melted margarine, salt, remaining sugar, and the egg yolks.

    Mix flour with margarine
    ​The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  4. Slowly add the yeast mixture to the flour mixture while stirring.

    Add yeast mixture
    ​The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  5. When the batter is smooth, cover the bowl with a clean tea towel and set aside in a warm spot to rise until doubled in bulk, 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

    Cover bowl with tea towel
    ​The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  6. After the batter has risen, punch it down and transfer it to a lightly floured surface.

    Punch dough
    ​The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  7. Roll out the dough to a 3/4-inch thickness. Use a 2 1/2- to 3-inch round cookie cutter or similar size glass to cut circles out of the dough.

    Roll out dough
    ​The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  8. Place a drop of jelly or jam in the middle of each circle.

    Place jelly in middle
    ​The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  9. Cover with another circle of dough. Seal the 2 circles well to form a closed ball with the jelly in the middle.

    Cover with another circle of dough
    ​The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  10. Cover the doughnuts with a clean, slightly damp tea towel and allow to rise until puffed up, 45 minutes to 1 hour.

    Cover dough
    ​The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  11. Line a large plate or platter with several layers of paper towels and set aside. 

    Line tray
    ​The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  12. Pour 2 inches of oil into a deep, heavy-bottomed pot. Heat over medium-high heat until a deep-fry thermometer registers 350 F/180 C.

    Pour oil in pot
    ​The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  13. Working in batches, carefully slip the doughnuts into the oil, taking care not to crowd the pan. Fry the doughnuts on both sides until puffed and golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes per side.

    Slip dough into oil
    ​The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  14. Carefully remove the doughnuts with a slotted spoon and transfer them to the towel-lined plates to drain.

    Remove doughnuts
    ​The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  15. Cool slightly and sprinkle with powdered sugar.

    Cool slightly
    ​The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  16. Serve immediately and enjoy.

    Serve immediately
    ​The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

Make Ahead

You can make the dough one to two days beforehand and place it in the refrigerator instead of leaving it on the counter to rise. Let come to room temperature before proceeding with the recipe.