Sometimes it can be really frustrating to be a GFE (Gluten Free Eater). Especially on Chanukah, when everyone and his Bubbie, are eating gorgeously decorated, stuffed with filling, fresh sufganiyot! It can feel so unfair. These Gluten Free Sufganiyot are here to save your Chanukah Holiday!!! They’re soft, delicious and filled with your favorite jelly. They are truly a Chanukah miracle!
Gluten Free Sufganiyot (Jelly Donuts) & The Case for Frying Donuts on Chanukah
Right before Covid, I was in Israel for Chanukah. There were sufganiyot (filled donuts) everywhere. Literally.
Fancy Shmancy ones. Humble jelly ones. However, only one place carried gluten free ones. Coney Island Bakery on Yaffo.
By the time Chanukah was over me and Coney Island had developed a very serious Gluten Free Donut relationship.
This year I’m back in the Chood – the West Rogers Park Neighborhood of Chicago. There are no gluten free bakeries here that sell gluten free sufganiyot. Seriously sad day.
No Kosher Gluten Free Jelly donuts for Chanukah??
Says who???
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Making Gluten Free Sufganiyot
Not me. I pulled out my Cast Iron stock pot, then heated around 4 cups of peanut oil (love it for frying) and got to work.
The recipe I came up with is a variation on one of my gluten free pizza recipes. It’s light enough that when I modified it, it was donut worthy. In the end the sufganiyot were super crispy on the outside and fluffy & jellyish on the inside.
Oozing with Gluten Free Jelly Donut Goodness
The result…
I ate too many of them.
Extra Tips
I use something called “Snow White” instead of powdered sugar. It’s a baker’s trick. Snow White is what bakeries use instead of powdered sugar. Powdered sugar tends to dissolve shortly after being sprinkled on the moist donuts. Snow White won’t do that. Here’s a product from King Arthur that would work:
Not having to reapply the powdered sugar certainly reduces the excess calories that might be added to the donuts.
Here’s the recipe for Gluten Free Sufganiyot (Jelly Donuts)
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Gluten Free Sufganiyot (Jelly Donuts)
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Rise Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 75 minutes
- Yield: 12 Gluten Free Jelly Donuts 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: Gluten Free
- Diet: Kosher
Description
Sometimes it can be really frustrating to be a GFE (Gluten Free Eater). Especially on Chanukah, when everyone and his Bubbie, are eating gorgeously decorated, stuffed with filling, fresh sufganiyot! It can feel so unfair. These Gluten Free Sufganiyot are here to save your Chanukah Holiday!!! They’re soft, delicious and filled with your favorite jelly. They are truly a Chanukah miracle!
These sufganiyot are super crispy on the outside and fluffy & jellyish on the inside.
I originally published this recipe for my Chicago Tribune Chicago Now website everydaygluten-free.com. That site was directed here after Chicago Now shut down.
Ingredients
For the Yeast Mixture
- 1 cup warm apple juice
- 2 1/4 teaspoons yeast
- 1 teaspoon sugar
For the Dough
- 3 cups gluten free one to one flour (with xanthan gum)
- 2 tablespoons baking powder
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup warm water
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- Oil for frying (I like peanut oil, but you can use another high smoke point oil like avocado)
For the filling
- 1 cup strawberry or raspberry preserves
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar, for dusting (you can use Snow White sugar)
Instructions
- Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper, plastic or a silicone mat. Set aside.
- Place several paper towels in a baking pan. Set aside.
For the Yeast Mixture
- Whisk together the apple juice, teaspoon of sugar, and yeast.
- Allow the yeast to proof (bubble/foam) for 5 minutes.
For the Dough
- In a medium bowl, combine the gluten free flour, baking powder, salt, and 2 tablespoons sugar.
- Add in the proofed yeast, the warm water and the olive oil. Gently knead until combined.
- Roll the dough into a 12 inch log.
- Cover the dough pieces with plastic wrap (do not allow for any air holes), and allow the dough to rise in a warm spot for 30 minutes.
- While the dough is rising, place at least 4 cups of peanut (or canola/avocado) oil in a Dutch oven. Heat the oil to approximately 350°F.
- Cut the log into 12 pieces. Carefully roll a piece into a ball then slightly flatten. Place on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining dough pieces.
- Drop several pieces of risen dough into the oil. Fry on both sides, until golden brown – around 2 minutes on each side.
- Remove the donuts from the oil and allow them to cool on the prepared paper towels. Repeat with the remaining dough.
To finish
- Take a long, thin, sharp knife and make a hole/slit into the center of each donut.
- Using a “Bismarck” pastry tip set in a pastry bag (or a large zipper bag with a tip cut off), place the preserves in the pastry bag with the tip. Squeeze some of the preserves into each donut.
- Dust each donut with powdered sugar. Serve fresh donuts to your hungry GFE (Gluten Free Eater) friends and family!
Equipment
Snow White Non-Melting Topping Sugar
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Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour
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Amazon Brand – Happy Belly Peanut Oil, 1 gallon
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6QT Enamel Cast Iron Dutch Oven
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HexClad 8QT Hybrid Stock Pot with Lid
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HexClad 7QT Hybrid Deep Sauté Pan/Chicken Fryer with Lid
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Ateco Disposable Decorating Bags, 21-Inch
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ELECLAND 50Pcs Disposable Piping Bags Extra Large Thicken 21Inch Pastry Bags Icing Piping Bags
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Buy Now → Notes
The Gluten Free Sufganiyot actually stay crispy and delicious for several days when stored in an airtight container and warmed slightly (in a microwave) before eating.
You can fill the donuts with any type of filling you like…be creative!
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 12 Gluten free Sufganiyot
- Calories: 257
- Sugar: 22.3 g
- Sodium: 60.6 mg
- Fat: 1.3 g
- Saturated Fat: 0.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 59.5 g
- Fiber: 1.6 g
- Protein: 2.4 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
The case for Frying Donuts on Chanukah
My original, Chicago Tribune Chicago Now post on Gluten Free Sufganiyot was super popular. Hooray!
I received many comments wondering if it was possible to bake these donuts. The answer?
I have no idea.
It wouldn’t have even occurred to me to bake Chanukah Donuts. Here are the reasons.
The Story of Chanukah
There is an excellent post on aish.com by Danny Lobell on Why We Fry Chanukah Donuts. I strongly suggest reading it.
Basically, it talks about the fact that we fry stuff (read: everything) on Chanukah to commemorate the miracle of the oil for the menorah lasting 8 days instead of 1. It’s one of the basic concepts that we celebrate on Chanukah. It’s why we light the menorah. So…considering that I’m making the donuts to celebrate this miracle, I wouldn’t consider baking them. If you’d like a baked recipe for during the rest of the year, we can talk…but Chanukah? Fried all the way.
The Whole Dessert Nutrition Thing
I’ve had a lot of discussions with many nutritionists. The latest discussion was with my current nutritionist Sarah. We both agreed that “If you’re going to eat a donut…EAT A DONUT”. That doesn’t mean you eat the whole batch. It also doesn’t mean that you should make donuts part of your daily nutritional plan (unless you need to for whatever reason). Eat one donut. Enjoy that donut. Close your eyes. Savor every bite. Adjust the rest of your nutrition for the day to accommodate for the extra fat, sugar and calories that are added by the whole frying process and added sugar. Eat the donut. Then move on.
My donut recipe is awesome when fried
If you make my donut recipe, frying the donuts gives them the perfect crispy exterior and a wonderful soft and moist interior. Using the right oil at the right temperature ensures that the donuts don’t absorb more oil than necessary. Once the oil quickly crisps the outside of the donut, more oil isn’t absorbed. Here’s a great article written by Healthline called The Healthiest Oil for Deep Frying which does a great job explaining the process.
I fried my Sufganiyot (Jelly Donuts).
The recipes actually calls for a lot of oil. The donuts don’t absorb all that oil…in fact they absorb very little. The quantity is used so that the donuts have room to fry completely and evenly in the oil all at once, causing the donuts to absorb the least amount of oil.
If there are healthier recipes that you might be interested in me publishing after Chanukah please let me know. I always love a good challenge!!! I also really really love my readers. It’s a match made in heaven!
More Donuts and Other Fried Things
You can see ALL the amazing Kosher Everyday Chanukah recipes here!
Check out the Kosher Everyday Amazon Chanukah Shop!
Make sure to check out the Kosher Everyday Amazon Chanukah Shop! I’ve curated a bunch of fun Chanukah stuff that is perfect for the Holiday. I recently added a portable, foldable, fit-in-your-pocket travel menorah by Emanuel! My kids in Israel found it there and sent me a picture. It’s super cool and I was able to find it on Amazon… just for you!
See anything you want to add? Let me know!
The Yair Emanuel Folding Travel Hanukkah Chanukah Menorah Hammered Metal Multicolor (HTM-1)
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