Sufganiyot are jam doughnuts made to celebrate Hanukkah by the Jewish people. This simple and easy recipe will have your kids asking for them all year round. These are filled with strawberry jam, but try chocolate, jelly, or other variety too
Table of Content
These doughnuts are made during the festival of Hanukah which celebrated the miracle of the burning lamp in the ancient holy temple of Jerusalem. Hence the deep-fried not baked. Read more about the history of sufganiyots here
Hanukah comes very close to Christmas and we usually have an overlap of festive treats in our home. So while I have the gingerbread, marzipan, and fruitcakes to celebrate Christmas. I also make these sufganiyot and latkes to celebrate Hanukkah.
About these doughnuts
These sufganiyot are traditionally filled with strawberry jam and dusted with powdered sugar. But, over the years you will find some fun variations and modern flavors in the bakeries. I have shared some with you as well.
The process of these is very simple and easy.
- Prepare the dough - 8 minutes
- Let the dough rise - 60 mins (can be kept overnight in the fridge)
- Shape the donuts - 10 mins
- Proof the donuts - 30 minutes
- Deep fry - 10 mins
- Cool - 10 mins
- Fill and dust - 10 mins
My secret to PERFECT Doughnuts
I have two secrets to share with you today for making my donuts. Often people hate making fried donuts, and that's because they are not easy to handle. I agree. Well, here's my secret.
- Keep the dough soft, elastic, and slightly sticky. The softness in the mixture (not extra butter) will produce a melt in your mouth donuts when fried. I admit that soft dough is more difficult to handle. So that's why I have a second tip for you.
- Chill the donuts before you fry them. Trust me on this little trick. Chilling the dough makes it more stable. That butter, eggs, sugar, and flour all get a chance to relax. As a result, you can pick the dough, and it won't fall apart even though it is puffed up.
Ingredients and substitutes
- Yeast - I like to use instant dry yeast because I've always had great success with it. And yet, you can certainly use active dry yeast in the same quantity. If you use fresh yeast, you will need about 21 grams for every 2 ¼ tsp (one packet) of dry yeast. Also, it's not necessary to activate the yeast, but I like to take the guesswork out and make sure my dough will rise.
- Butter - This adds richness to the dough. Do not add more butter as they will become very dark when frying.
- Milk - I love adding a bit of richness to the dough and milk works great in this recipe. Water will also work well. And if you do use water, you may need a little more flour in this recipe.
Tip - Check for consistency of dough when making yeast dough not the amount of flour. The dough needs to be soft and elastic not sticky. Whether you use milk or water make sure it is warm, about 110 F, not too hot nor too cold. This is the optimum temperature to activate the yeast. - Sugar - White sugar works excellent in this recipe. And yet, you can undoubtedly try brown or any other sugar. I think the amount here is just enough for both the inside and out but feel free to add or reduce if you want.
- Flour - I always use all-purpose flour for most of my yeast recipes. Because it's the most readily available. And yet, you can use bread flour as well for a softer texture.
- Nutmeg - I just love the flavor of nutmeg in my doughnuts but you are free to omit it.
Step by step instructions (pin)
Dough
- Dry ingredients - In a bowl combine flour, salt, and grated nutmeg.
- Yeast - In a bowl of a stand mixer with the hook attachment, combine warm milk, sugar, yeast, egg, and vanilla.
- Add the flour to the yeast mixture and combine well until all the flour is incorporated. Add the butter and combine well again. Then knead for 3 minutes on the stand mixer or 5 minutes by hand.
Tip - Avoid adding too much extra flour when kneading. We want a soft, elastic, slightly sticky dough - Place the dough in an oiled bowl and let rise for 60 to 90 minutes or until double in volume.
Shaping
- Once double in volume - invert on a floured surface. Divide the dough into half and each half into 6 portions - making 12 donuts.
Tip - Always make one or two mini doughnuts for the purpose of testing oil temperature. - Roll each portion into a ball and place it on a parchment-line baking tray dusted with flour to prevent sticking.
Tip - Roll each piece into a smooth ball. Gather the seams and roll between your palms until you have a smooth ball. If the balls are not smooth, your doughnuts will look cracked. - Once all the balls are rolled, flatten it slightly. Cover the baking tray with a clean kitchen cloth to prevent the donuts from drying.
Tip - Flattening will ensure you have a doughnut shape when it rises and deep-fries as compare to a ball - Place the donuts in the fridge for about an hour to prove again, or until almost double in volume.
Tip -They will rise and be cold but easier to handle when chilled. Alternatively, you can let them rise at room temperature for 30 minutes
Deep-fry
- Heat cooking oil in a large pot or deep fryer to about 350 °F to 360 ° F.
Tip - You don't want the oil too hot. They need to be cooked inside before they brown on the outside. If the oil is too hot the donuts will get too dark or stay uncooked inside. - Add a mini doughnut to test the oil. Once the oil is ready - add two or three doughnuts at a time.
Tip- You need enough oil so the doughnuts will float, and not touch the bottom of the pot. - Do not crowd the pan as the temperature of the oil will drop/cool down too fast. The doughnuts should rise in 30 secs as they puff.
- Cook for 30 seconds on one side then flip and let cook another 30 seconds on the other side. You will need about 2 to 3 minutes for each donut to cook and be beautifully brown.
- Remove onto a paper towel and let cool for 10 minutes before you fill and serve.
Fill and dust
- Add your filling in a piping bag with a bismark piping tip or similar
Tip - Depending on your filling let the donuts cool for at least 10 minutes before you fill them or the filling will melt. - Dust with powdered sugar if desired.
Frequently asked questions
Donuts are best eaten fresh the day they are made, but you can keep them for a day or two. It is best to keep them in a paper bag rather than plastic as plastic makes them soggy. You can freeze cooled donuts for months in the freezer.
Traditional doughnuts are made with yeast-raised dough and are fried. If you bake them they will be just bread. You can make baked donuts, which are cake batter-based like I have done here in my baked pumpkin donuts.
I use canola oil. It has a neutral flavor and a high smoke point. Also, it works best when deep-frying bread and sweet treats like churros and doughnuts.
Yes, just let the dough rise in the fridge. It will continue to prove but at a slower pace. Remove it an hour or two before you plan to shape the doughnuts, so it comes to room temperature. Shape and proof as directed in the recipe below.
I have a tried and tested a recipe with video for both Cinnamon sugar pumpkin donuts as well as Cinnamon sugar Donuts. I would highly recommend using those recipes.
Yes. If you want to fill the donuts with chocolate I have shared my recipe for Chocolate glazed Sufganiyot which is very popular.
You may also like
- Glazed ring donuts - Chocolate, Tiramisu, dulce de leche
- Cinnamon sugar donuts or Cinnamon Sugar Pumpkin Donuts
- Classic Jelly Donuts or Jam Doughnuts
- Filled donuts - Chocolate, Dulce De Leche,
- Fruit cream-filled doughnuts - Raspberry, Blackberry, Strawberry
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Printable Recipe
Sufganiyot - Jam Doughnuts
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Ingredients
For the Dough
- ¾ cup (180 ml) Warm milk 110 F
- 4 cups (500 g) All-purpose flour
- 1 Egg large
- 2 ¼ tsp (9 g) Instant dry yeast (1 envelope)
- ¼ cup (50 g) Sugar
- 2 tbsp (30 g) Butter
- ½ tsp Salt
- 1 tsp Vanilla extract
- ½ cup (60 g) All-purpose flour extra for kneading
- ¼ tsp Nutmeg
For Deep-Frying
- 4 cups (1 l) Cooking oil
Filling and Dusting
- ½ cup Strawberry jam
- ¼ cup (30 g) Powdered sugar
Instructions
Dough
- Dry ingredients - In a bowl combine flour, salt, and grated nutmeg.
- Yeast - In a bowl of a stand mixer with the hook attachment, combine warm milk, sugar, yeast, egg, and vanilla.
- Add the flour to the yeast mixture and combine well until all the flour is incorporated. Add the butter and combine well again. Then knead for 3 minutes on the stand mixer or 5 minutes by hand. Tip - Avoid adding too much extra flour when kneading. We want a soft, elastic, slightly sticky dough
- Place the dough in an oiled bowl and let rise for 60 to 90 minutes or until double in volume.
Shaping
- Once double in volume - invert on a floured surface. Divide the dough into 2 sections. Then, divide each section into 6 - making 12 doughnutsTip - Always make one or two mini doughnuts for the purpose of testing oil temperature.
- Roll each portion into a ball and place it on a parchment-line baking tray dusted with flour to prevent sticking.Tip - Roll each piece into a smooth ball. Gather the seams and roll between your palms until you have a smooth ball. If the balls are not smooth, your doughnuts will look cracked.
- Once all the balls are rolled, flatten it slightly. Cover the baking tray with a clean kitchen cloth to prevent the donuts from drying.Tip - Flattening will ensure you have a doughnut shape when it rises and deep-fries as compare to a ball
- Place the donuts in the fridge for about an hour to prove again, or until almost double in volume.Tip -They will rise and be cold but easier to handle when chilled. Alternatively, you can let them rise at room temperature for 30 minutes.
Deep-fry
- Heat cooking oil in a large pot or deep fryer to about 350 °F to 360 ° F.Tip - You don't want the oil too hot. They need to be cooked inside before they brown on the outside. If the oil is too hot the donuts will get too dark or stay uncooked inside.
- Add a mini doughnut to test the oil. Once the oil is ready - add two or three doughnuts at a time.Tip- You need enough oil so the doughnuts will float, and not touch the bottom of the pot.
- Do not crowd the pan as the temperature of the oil will drop/cool down too fast. The doughnuts should rise in 30 secs as they puff.
- Cook for 30 seconds on one side then flip and let cook another 30 seconds on the other side. You will need about 2 to 3 minutes for each donut to cook and be beautifully brown.
- Remove onto a paper towel and let cool for 10 minutes before you fill and serve.
Fill and dust
- Add your filling in a piping bag with a bismark piping tip or similarTip - Depending on your filling let the donuts cool for at least 10 minutes before you fill them or the filling will melt.
- Dust with powdered sugar if desired.
Recipe Notes
- The temperature of milk - It is very important to make sure the milk is warm, not hot neither cold. You don't need a thermometer to check - that's just a guide.
To check if the milk is the right temperature - just stick your clean little finger in. You should be able to hold it in for a minute if not it's too hot. Best to wait until just warm. - The temperature of the oil - I know I said the oil has to be around 325 ° F but again, you don't necessarily need a thermometer. Here's how to check if the oil is right. Make mini doughnuts - I divide one doughnut into four and make mini doughnuts. This helps me test the hot oil before and in between batches.
- How to test oil - Add a mini doughnut to test the oil. The doughnut should rise in about 30 secs. If it rises too soon means the oil too hot and if it takes too long means the oil is not yet hot. Adjust accordingly. Keep an eye on oil temperature as it rises and cools between donuts batches. Adding doughnuts to the oil will cool the oil. So find a balance on how many doughnuts per batch works with your settings.
Nutrition Information
The nutrition information and metric conversion are calculated automatically. I cannot guarantee its accuracy. If this data is important to you please verify with your trusted nutrition calculator. Thank you
Adetola Kayode
I love the detailed tutorial. I will try it out. Thank you!
Veena Azmanov
Thank you, Adetola
Michelle
I always loved having these during the holiday season in NYC, now that I'm in SF i'll have to try making my own this year!
Veena Azmanov
Thanks, Michelle. Me too love these.
Jenni LeBaron
I was unaware that milk would make these darker when you fried them, so I am happy to learn a new tip! These donuts look a treat!
Veena Azmanov
Yes, Jenni. The milk solid get darker when fried. This is even when baking. That why dulce de leche is almost brown, not white.
Marisa Franca
The donuts look delicious and I do prefer the fried donuts. Plus they are filled!! So yummy just thinking of them. I've made cream puffs but I've never made fried donuts. I've got to make some -- especially for the grandsons.
Veena Azmanov
Thank you, Marisa. You must try these.