Noshin’ Recipe: Easy Sufganiyot

Baby donuts!

The holiday season is upon us. In one short week, Hanukkah and its eight nights of fried food madness commence.

Now, I may be a purist with many things — and often that includes baking — but I have a nifty trick I think you’re going to like: jelly-filled donuts, or sufganiyot, in roughly 15 minutes, with no frying. Is it blasphemy to serve a baked version of a traditionally fried food during the holiday centered around oil? Probably — but I’m doing it anyway.

I honestly don’t know if these could get easier. Maybe if you bought them pre-made? But that’s just downright cheating. If you’re going to do that, you should heed the advice of the air freshener people and buy one of their fresh baked apple pie-scented candles, too.

All you need

An ingredient list with a scant 3 items, two of which you probably already have on hand, make this even better. In the interest of full disclosure, these are not light and airy, and certainly nothing like the jelly-filled donuts at your local grocer; however, they are dense and satisfying, and you can make them with any filling you like.  All in all, a pretty good deal by my account.

Easy Sufganiyot
Ingredients:
Pillsbury (or any store brand) ready-to-bake dinner rolls (*not biscuits)
A jar of your favorite jam or favorite pie filling
About a cup of powdered sugar

Directions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
  2. Pop open the tube of dough. For large donuts, simply place the rolls two inches apart on an ungreased baking sheet. For small donuts (like donut hole-size), cut each roll in half and re-form it into a ball by rolling it between your hands; place them at least one inch apart on an ungreased baking sheet.
  3. Bake for 9-10 minutes, or until golden brown at the edges.
  4. While the rolls are baking, fill a sandwich-sized ziplock baggie with the jam or pie filling of your choice and cut off a small tip of the corner.
  5. Put the powdered sugar in a medium bowl.
  6. As soon as the rolls are cool enough to handle, use a paring knife to make a slit in the side of the roll, then gently (so as not to poke a hole out the other side) cut in both directions to create a pocket inside (the opening should stay the same size, but the pocket inside should be bigger).
  7. Insert the tip of the jam baggie into the donut, and squeeze the jam inside, until just full.
  8. Roll the filled donut in the powdered sugar to coat (it may take a couple of passes.
  9. Eat! Light candles! Enjoy!

Mama and Papa Donuts