How to Make Sufganiyot
Sufganiyot are pillowy, deep-fried yeast doughnuts traditionally served during Hanukkah, usually filled with jelly and dusted with powdered sugar.
If you want to master how to make sufganiyot at home, the key is understanding the dough, the rise, the fry, and the filling.
What Are Sufganiyot?
Sufganiyot are a beloved Jewish pastry with a round shape, soft interior, and crisp golden exterior.
They are closely associated with the Festival of Lights because fried foods commemorate the Hanukkah miracle, making these doughnuts both symbolic and festive.
While classic versions use strawberry or raspberry jam, modern bakeries often fill them with pastry cream, chocolate, dulce de leche, or fruit curds.
The traditional version remains the most recognizable and is the best place to start if you are learning how to make sufganiyot for the first time.
Ingredients You Need
A good sufganiyot recipe uses pantry-friendly ingredients, but the quality and temperature of those ingredients matter.
Yeast dough needs warmth, balance, and enough time to develop structure without becoming heavy.
For the dough
- All-purpose flour
- Instant yeast or active dry yeast
- Warm milk or water
- Granulated sugar
- Eggs
- Unsalted butter or neutral oil
- Salt
- Vanilla extract, optional
For frying and filling
- Neutral oil with a high smoke point, such as canola, vegetable, or sunflower oil
- Seedless jam or jelly
- Powdered sugar for dusting
If you want a more bakery-style result, use a kitchen scale for accuracy.
Consistent dough weight helps the sufganiyot fry evenly and rise uniformly.
How to Make Sufganiyot Dough
The dough should be soft, enriched, and slightly tacky, but not sticky enough to spread.
This is where many home cooks go wrong: adding too much flour creates dense doughnuts, while too little structure can make them flatten during frying.
Step 1: Activate the yeast
If you are using active dry yeast, combine it with warm liquid and a bit of sugar.
Let it sit until foamy.
Instant yeast can usually be mixed directly with the dry ingredients, but both types need warmth to work efficiently.
Step 2: Mix the dough
Combine flour, sugar, salt, eggs, yeast, and warm liquid, then knead until the dough begins to come together.
Add butter gradually so it incorporates smoothly.
The dough should become elastic and slightly smooth after kneading.
Step 3: Let it rise
Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover it, and let it rise until doubled in size.
Depending on room temperature, this may take 1 to 2 hours.
A longer rise develops better flavor, so do not rush this stage.
Shaping the Doughnuts
Once the dough has risen, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and gently roll it to an even thickness.
For most sufganiyot, a thickness of about 1/2 inch works well because it creates a fluffy center without making the doughnuts too bulky.
Use a round cutter or glass to cut circles, then place them on parchment-lined trays.
Leave space between each piece so they can expand during the second rise.
Cover them lightly and allow them to puff again until noticeably airy.
Why the second rise matters
The second rise helps create the classic light texture associated with sufganiyot.
Skipping it often leads to dense, underexpanded doughnuts that absorb more oil during frying.
How to Fry Sufganiyot Properly
Frying is the most important part of learning how to make sufganiyot.
The oil temperature should stay around 350°F to 365°F, which is hot enough to brown the dough quickly but not so hot that the outside burns before the center cooks.
Frying method
- Heat several inches of oil in a heavy pot or Dutch oven.
- Test the temperature with a thermometer for accuracy.
- Fry a few dough rounds at a time to avoid overcrowding.
- Cook until golden on one side, then flip and cook the other side.
- Transfer to a wire rack or paper towels to drain.
Overcrowding drops the oil temperature and can produce greasy doughnuts.
Keeping the oil steady is essential for a crisp exterior and a tender crumb.
How to Fill Sufganiyot
Traditionally, sufganiyot are filled after frying.
This keeps the jam in the center and prevents leaks during cooking.
Use a piping bag fitted with a small round tip or a pastry bag with a filling nozzle.
Insert the tip into the side of each cooled doughnut and pipe in a modest amount of jam.
Do not overfill, or the doughnut may split.
A small burst of filling in the center is usually enough for a balanced bite.
Best fillings for classic flavor
- Strawberry jam
- Raspberry jam
- Apricot preserves
- Cherry filling
For a more modern variation, try chocolate ganache or vanilla pastry cream, but allow custard-style fillings to cool fully before piping.
Toppings and Serving Ideas
Powdered sugar is the most traditional finish, though some bakers prefer a glaze or colored sprinkles.
A light dusting is enough to give the doughnuts a festive look without overpowering the filling.
Sufganiyot are best served the same day they are made, ideally while the outside is still slightly crisp.
If needed, they can be stored briefly at room temperature, but long storage softens the crust and diminishes the texture.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Even simple doughnuts can go wrong if the process is rushed.
These are the most common issues to watch for when making sufganiyot at home:
- Using oil that is too cool, which causes greasy doughnuts
- Using oil that is too hot, which browns the outside too quickly
- Adding too much flour, which makes the dough heavy
- Skipping the second rise, which reduces fluffiness
- Overfilling the doughnuts, which causes splitting
Patience is one of the main ingredients in successful sufganiyot.
Proper resting time, moderate heat, and careful filling all contribute to the final texture.
Can You Make Sufganiyot Ahead of Time?
You can prepare parts of the recipe in advance, but the best texture comes from frying close to serving time.
The dough can often be mixed and chilled overnight, then brought back to room temperature before shaping and proofing.
Jam filling can also be prepared ahead so assembly goes quickly.
If you need to refresh day-old sufganiyot, a short stay in a warm oven can improve them slightly, but they will still be best when fresh.
How to Make Sufganiyot with Better Texture and Flavor
For more flavorful doughnuts, use rich dairy, avoid excess flour, and let the dough rise fully.
A small amount of vanilla adds warmth, while citrus zest can bring a subtle bright note that works well with berry fillings.
If you want a lighter crumb, keep kneading until the dough becomes elastic and passes a basic windowpane test.
That extra gluten development helps the dough stretch during frying instead of tearing or collapsing.
Once you understand how to make sufganiyot, the recipe becomes flexible enough to adapt to different fillings, toppings, and holiday tables while still keeping the classic Hanukkah character that makes these doughnuts special.