Israeli Sufganiyot (Jelly-Filled Doughnuts)
Soft, deep-fried yeasted doughnuts filled with strawberry jelly and dusted with powdered sugar, a beloved Hanukkah treat.
About This Recipe
Israeli Sufganiyot is a real, traditional Israeli dish, known as Jelly-Filled Doughnuts. Soft, deep-fried yeasted doughnuts filled with strawberry jelly and dusted with powdered sugar, a beloved Hanukkah treat.\n\nSufganiyot became strongly associated with Hanukkah in the 20th century, in part promoted by Israeli labor organizations to encourage local production of fried foods symbolizing the holiday's oil miracle, and they remain a hugely popular seasonal treat today.\n\nThe result is a dish worth making on its own merits: it rewards patience with the technique and delivers real, specific flavor rooted in Israeli home cooking, not a generic stand-in for a search term.
Ingredients
Serves 14
- 500 gall-purpose flour
- 10 ginstant yeast
- 60 gsugar
- 0.5 tspfine sea salt
- 250 mlwhole milk(lukewarm)
- 2eggs
- 60 gbutter(softened)
- 1 Lneutral oil(for frying)
- 200 gstrawberry jam or jelly(for filling)
- 4 tbsppowdered sugar(to finish)
Instructions
- 1
Make the dough
Mix flour, yeast, sugar and salt, add warm milk, eggs and softened butter, and knead for 10 minutes until smooth and elastic.
- 2
Rise
Cover and let rise in a warm spot for 1 hour until doubled.
- 3
Cut rounds
Roll the dough out to about 1.5 cm thick and cut into rounds using a cookie cutter.
- 4
Second rise
Place the rounds on a lined tray, cover, and let rise again for 30 minutes until puffy.
- 5
Fry
Fry the doughnuts in oil heated to 175°C (350°F) for about 2 minutes per side until deeply golden.
- 6
Fill and finish
Once cooled slightly, use a piping bag to inject jam into the center of each doughnut through a small hole, then dust generously with powdered sugar.
Did you make this?
Rate it and help other cooks find the recipes that actually work.
One tap to sign in, and we'll save the rating you just picked.
Everything you need to plan your week — free
- Meal calendar
- Grocery list
- AI recipe ideas
Track what you eat
Snap your meal to log calories and macros, run fasting timers and track water in the free SnapCal app.
Pro Tips
- →
Let the dough rise fully at both stages — a properly risen dough is what gives sufganiyot their signature light, airy texture.
- →
Fry at a steady, moderate oil temperature; too hot browns the outside before the center cooks through.
- →
Fill with jam once the doughnuts have cooled slightly, since piping into a very hot doughnut can cause the filling to leak out or the doughnut to collapse.
Variations
- •
Fill with chocolate or caramel custard instead of jam for a modern variation increasingly popular in Israeli bakeries.
- •
Some versions add a dusting of cinnamon sugar instead of plain powdered sugar.
- •
Top with a chocolate glaze and sprinkles for a festive, kid-friendly version.
Storage
Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave with a splash of water or stock to loosen the texture.
History & Origin
Sufganiyot became strongly associated with Hanukkah in the 20th century, in part promoted by Israeli labor organizations to encourage local production of fried foods symbolizing the holiday's oil miracle, and they remain a hugely popular seasonal treat today.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is the center of my doughnut still doughy?
The oil was likely too hot, browning the outside before the inside cooked through — lower the temperature slightly and test one first before frying the full batch.
Can I make these ahead?
They're best fried and filled the same day for the freshest texture, though the dough can be made a day ahead and refrigerated before shaping.
Why is this specifically a Hanukkah treat?
Fried foods symbolize the miracle of the oil central to the Hanukkah story, and sufganiyot became the modern Israeli way of honoring that tradition.
Nutrition Facts
Per serving (80g / 2.8 oz) · 14 servings total
Time Summary
Have Questions?
Ask our AI cooking assistant anything about this recipe — substitutions, techniques, scaling.
Chat with AI Chef →Featured in Guides
This recipe is featured in the following curated guides:
More Israeli Recipes
You Might Also Like
Similar dishes from other cuisines around the world.
Browse by Ingredient
More recipes built around the same core ingredients.
Free Kitchen Tools
Calculators and converters that pair with this page — no signup needed.
Put This Into a Plan
Schedule it, shop for it, and track what you already have.
Read Next
Longer reads that go deeper on the ideas behind this dish.
Community
Join the conversation
Sign in to leave a comment and save your favourite recipes