Make the Best Hanukkah Oreo Sufganiyot Recipe (2024)

These Oreo sufganiyot make for a Hanukkah doughnut recipe unlike no other - filled with a luscious cream interspersed with Oreo cookie crumbles, and topped with a sweet white chocolate topping. These make for a killer Hanukkah dessert!

A special Hanukkah doughnut recipe

I still remember the first time I tried sufganiyot. At first, the powdered sugar would enter your nose, tickling the membranes and bringing a huge sneeze into the world.

Then, you would bite into the crispy exterior of the fried dough, revealing a soft, pillowy center.

And finally, the warm strawberry jam would come bursting into your mouth, tantalizing the taste buds with sweetness and tartness alike.

A great experience, no doubt about it. But what if it could be made better?

Hanukkah Doughnuts, With a Cookie Twist

Every Jewish child knows the ubiquitous Hanukkah sufganiyot - jelly doughnuts topped with a heavy dusting of powdered sugar. But what if you want to have a fancier doughnut recipe?

These fluffy balls of goodness are a staple at the holiday table and responsible for many debates. Do you go with strawberry jelly or raspberry? And what if your family has a love affair with chocolate?

This is where this Oreo sufganiyot recipe comes in to settle all previous debates.

The truth is when it comes to kids you can’t go wrong with an Oreo doughnut.

What are sufganiyot?

Sufganiyot are doughnuts. More specifically they are the Jewish version of a deep-fried pastry filled with jelly. Just like most fried dough desserts around the world (think zeppole and St. Joseph’s Feast Day in Italy or pączki during Mardi Gras in Poland) sufganiyot are intricately tied to culture and the celebration of religious holidays.

Also known as Hanukkah doughnuts, fried oil desserts are an apt choice for a holiday that commemorates the miracle of one day's worth of oil lasting for more than eight in Jerusalem’s temple some 2,000 years ago.

When to serve sufganiyot?

You can make sufganiyot any time you feel like a sweet treat but they are traditionally served and consumed on the days leading up to Hannukah. In countries with a large Jewish population, you will even find sufganiyot offered in local bakeries and patisserie shops.

While the strawberry filling is most common, expect to find anything from cream custard, pumpkin, or caramel in modern-day sufganiyot.

But if you ask me, there is no reason not to experiment with this Oreo sufganiyot recipe version year-round.

Why you should try this Oreo Doughnut recipe

Oreo sufganiyot are essentially Oreo doughnuts, filled with whipped cream and Oreo crumbles, and topped with a white chocolate ganache. This recipe is luscious and fancy, and so decadent!

You need to try these oreo doughnuts because they are:

• Easy
• Fun to make with children
• Delicious and fluffy
• Traditional and homey
• Can be made vegan
• Can be made gluten-free- follow my gluten-free sufganiyot recipe for best results.

Ingredients

These are the ingredients that you will need to make this sufganiyot recipe:

For Sufganiyot Doughnut Dough

• white flour
• salt
• sugar
• dry yeast
• milk
• eggs
• vanilla extract
• rum extract
• brandy
• butter

For Sufganiyot Oreo Cream Filling:

• whipping cream
• vanilla pudding
• powdered sugar
• finely ground Oreo crumbles

For White Chocolate Glaze:

• white chocolate
• oil

For Toppings:

• crumbled Oreos
• Half an oreo (for each doughnut)

See recipe card for quantities.

Equipment

• Mixing bowls
• Spatulas
• Standing mixer (or hand-held mixer)
• Deep Fryer or Dutch Oven (this Lodge one is on sale now!) or heavy-bottomed pot

Instructions

Making the Oreo Doughnut batter

Start by mixing the dry yeast into half a cup of warm water to activate it. Then add the sugar and let it stand for about 10 minutes.

Continue by placing the flour, salt, sugar and yeast mixture into a mixer bowl. Use the kneading hook to combine lightly. Add milk, eggs, extracts and brandy and mix for about 3 minutes on low speed. Increase the mixer speed to medium and set for another 3 minutes. Gradually add butter and mix for another 4 minutes on high speed until a soft and pliable dough is obtained.

Form the dough into balls weighing about 30 grams (the size of a ping pong ball) and place on a tray smeared with a little oil at intervals of 5-4 cm. Cover the tray with cling film and a towel and let it rise for one to two hours until doubled in volume.

Frying the Oreo Doughnuts

Heat canola oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Fry the doughnuts for 3-2 minutes on each side until golden brown. It is important to maintain a medium flame, so as not to burn them. Remove to a plate lined with absorbent paper.

Making the filling

Whip cream, sugar and pudding until firm peaks are maintained. Fold in Oreo crumbles. Chill in the freezer for 30 minutes.

Making the glaze:

Melt chocolate and oil in the microwave and mix until fully combined.

Oreo Doughnuts Assembly

To fill your Hanukkah doughnuts, inject about 15 grams (about a tablespoon) of the selected filling for each one. Then you can dip the top of each doughnut in the glaze. Pipe another round of filling on top. To finish, sprinkle with Oreo crumbles and decorate with half an Oreo.

Storage and Making in Advance

Like most doughnuts, Oreo sufganiyot are best eaten fresh shortly after they are made. Do not be tempted to make the doughnuts and attempt to pipe them later - they will harden and be very hard to fill.

Any leftover sufganiyot can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Substitutions

Gluten Free Oreo Doughnuts

To make these into gluten-free Oreo doughnuts, follow my gluten-free sufganiyot recipe for best results. You can also substitute the flour for your favorite all-purpose gluten free flour replacement. Use gluten free Oreo cookies in place of regular oreos.

Vegan Oreo Doughnuts

As Oreos are already vegan, you are halfway there! To make these sufganiyot vegan, substitute the eggs for an egg replacement product. Use coconut cream in place of the whipping cream, and vegan dark chocolate in place of the white chocolate.

Variations

Oreo Sufganiyot with a Dark Chocolate ganache - A simple substitution for those that prefer dark chocolate to white. Use 200 grams of dark chocolate in place of the white chocolate and you have yourself a chocolate lover's dream.

Other chocolate bars or cookies - No Oreos around the house? Try this recipe with one of your other favourite chocolate bars or cookies. Anything from Ginger Snaps to Snickers bars will work!

Specialty Oreos - There are more than 85 different flavours of Oreos around the world, including peanut butter, caramel coconut, lemon and coconut. While I haven't attempted to make this Oreo Sufganiyot Recipe with a different flavour filling yet, these are all fun options that you can experiment with. Try looking online for speciality stores if you can't find stuffed Oreos in your grocery store.

Keep it simple - If you would rather skip the extra calories, embrace the simplicity of the dough and the flavour of vanilla coming through. Just dust with icing sugar and enjoy while they are hot!

Top Tips

• It is best to fry these Hanukkah doughnuts in small batches of 2-3 to monitor their progress. It will also give you more room in the pan. Remember to only turn the sufganiyot over once. After removing them from the pan, make sure you drain the excess oil by placing it in a paper towel.
• You can make a small cut in the centre of the doughnut with a knife before filling. It is best to let them cool down slightly (but not too much because they will get hard) so that the filling doesn’t melt and ooze out too fast.
• Consume straight away! The magic of the ganache topping and pillowy dough goes away after a few hours and is definitely gone the day after. Do yourself a favour and eat these as soon as possible.

Accompanying Dishes

This Oreo sufganiyot recipe is the perfect accompaniment to hot beverages like tea or coffee for a sweet breakfast or afternoon break.

For maximum enjoyment, pair your chocolate covered doughnuts with a cup of dark roasted coffee that complements the bitter notes of chocolate.

For a more delicate flavour profile, reach for a floral and delicate tea that enhances the vanilla extract found in these Oreo doughnuts.

For more Hanukkah recipes:

Recipe