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!
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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
Tried and loved this recipe? Please leave a 5-star review below! Your reviews mean a lot to me, so if you've got any questions, please let me know in a comment.
Oreo Sufganiyot
Ingredients
- Sufganiyot Dough:
- 1 kg of white flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 100 g ½ cup sugar
- 20 g 5 tsps active dry yeast
- 240 ml 1 cup cold milk
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon rum extract
- 1 teaspoon brandy
- 90 grams of soft butter
- Oreo Cream Filling:
- 250 ml 1 cup whipping cream
- 2 TBs vanilla pudding
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 60 g ½cup finely ground Oreo crumbles
- White Chocolate Glaze:
- 200 g white chocolate
- 20 g oil
- Topping:
- 100 g crumbled oreos
- Half an oreo
Instructions
- Activate yeast - mix 5 teaspoons of active dry yeast into ½ cup of warm water. Add 2 teaspoons of sugar. Let stand for 10 mins.
- Put flour, salt, sugar and moist yeast in a mixer bowl. Mix lightly with a kneading hook. Add milk, eggs, extracts and brandy and mix 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.
- Heat canola oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Fry the donuts 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.
- Make the filling: Whip cream, sugar and pudding until firm peaks are maintained. Fold in Oreo crumbles. Chill in freezer for 30 minutes.
- Make the glaze: Melt chocolate and oil in microwave and mix until fully combined.
- Fill and coat the donuts: Inject about 15 grams (about a tablespoon) of the selected filling for each donut. Dip the top of each donut in the glaze. Pipe another round of filling on top. Sprinkle with Oreo crumbles and decorate with half an Oreo.
Bernice says
What a special treat!! They sure are a step up from the usual jam filled sufganiyot.
Allyssa says
This tasted so amazing! Thanks a lot for sharing this super easy to make oreo recipe! Fam really loves it! Will surely have this again! Highly recommended!
Liz says
These sound amazing! I have all the ingredients listed, so will be making these this weekend!
Kayla DiMaggio says
Yum! I love all the flavors of these oreo sufganiyot! So easy and delicious!
veenaazmanov says
Love your recipe and love the dessert too. Kids to love it. Oreo sounds exciting.
Sharon says
These sweet donuts get a tasty Oreo upgrade. I love how thorough this recipe is walking through every step.
Heather says
Wow - these oreo doughnuts are perfect for a brunch item or even a birthday party - the best of both worlds!
Jessica says
Wowza, these look amazing! I'm thinking they might be perfect for Christmas morning breakfast. My kids will love them!
susan | the wimpy vegetarian says
My husband is Jewish, and I think he'd love me to make these for him! Thanks for this great Hanukkah idea!!
Gwynn Galvin says
These are so delicious and my family absolutely loved them! I'll definitely be making them again.
Heidy says
I loved the flavor of these, and so did all my coworkers. I am happy I found your recipe on Pinterest because it has become a fast favorite for the Holidays. Have a great weekend!
Annie says
I love the oreo filling, it truly elevates these donuts!
Lori | The Kitchen Whisperer says
Just WOW! These are outstanding and perfect for the holiday season (or because it’s a Tuesday!). Definitely a must make!
Katie Crenshaw says
These donuts are INCREDIBLE! I can't quit eating them. They are my new favorite treat.