Israeli Sufganiyot with Apricot Preserves and Powdered Sugar

Name: Israeli Sufganiyot with Apricot Preserves and Powdered Sugar
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 12 servings
Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Ingredients: 2½ cups (310 g) all-purpose flour; 1½ teaspoons (7 g) baking powder; ½ teaspoon (3 g) fine sea salt; 3 tablespoons (38 g) granulated sugar; 2 large eggs, at room temperature, at room temperature, beaten; ¾ cup (180 ml) plain yogurt (Greek or full-fat), at room temperature, at room temperature; ½ teaspoon (2 ml) vanilla extract; ¾ cup (240 g) apricot preserves or jam; 3 cups (720 ml) vegetable oil or neutral oil for deep-frying; 1 cup (120 g) powdered sugar for dusting

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Fluffy, pillowy fried donuts filled with tart-sweet apricot preserves and dusted with powdered sugar. Sufganiyot are a beloved Israeli pastry traditionally served during Hanukkah, but these golden, oil-fried pockets are delicious year-round. The dough relies on yogurt for tender crumb and a subtle tang. Homemade or store-bought apricot jam fills each one with bright fruit flavor.

Prep: 30 min
Cook: 20 min
Wait: 1 hr 10 min
Total: 2 hr
Makes: 12 sufganiyot

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Ingredients

12 servings

2½ cups (310 g) all-purpose flour
1½ teaspoons (7 g) baking powder
½ teaspoon (3 g) fine sea salt
3 tablespoons (38 g) granulated sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature, at room temperature, beaten
¾ cup (180 ml) plain yogurt (Greek or full-fat), at room temperature, at room temperature
½ teaspoon (2 ml) vanilla extract
¾ cup (240 g) apricot preserves or jam
3 cups (720 ml) vegetable oil or neutral oil for deep-frying
1 cup (120 g) powdered sugar for dusting

Equipment (13)

Large mixing bowl
Medium mixing bowl
Whisk
Wooden spoon or mixer
Digital scale or measuring cups/spoons
2½-inch (6 cm) round cutter or cookie cutter
Piping bag with small round tip (¼-inch or 6 mm opening)
Large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven (5 to 6 quart capacity)
Deep-fry or candy thermometer
Slotted spoon or skimmer
Paper towels
Shallow dish for powdered sugar coating
Baking sheet

Steps

Before you start

Gather all ingredients and bring eggs and yogurt to room temperature (about 1 hour)
Set up a piping bag with a small round tip for filling
Line a baking sheet with paper towels for draining fried sufganiyot
Use a deep-fry or candy thermometer to monitor oil temperature

1
Combine dry ingredients
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour (310 g), baking powder (7 g), and fine sea salt (3 g).
- Set aside.
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Ready when: Dry ingredients are evenly combined with no lumps of baking powder
Tip: Whisk the baking powder into the flour to distribute it evenly and avoid streaks in the dough
2
Mix wet ingredients
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the beaten eggs (2 large), plain yogurt (180 ml), granulated sugar (38 g), and vanilla extract (2 ml) until smooth and combined.
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Ready when: Mixture is smooth with no streaks of egg white visible
Tip: Room-temperature eggs and yogurt incorporate more smoothly and create a more tender crumb
3
Combine dough
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and fold together gently with a wooden spoon or mixer on low speed until just combined.
- The dough will be sticky and slightly lumpy—do not overmix.
- Stop as soon as you see no dry flour streaks.
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Ready when: No visible streaks of dry flour remain; dough is cohesive but still very soft
Tip: Overmixing develops gluten and can make sufganiyot tough; mix just until the dry ingredients disappear
4
First rise
- Cover the bowl loosely with plastic wrap or a damp kitchen towel.
- Let the dough rest at room temperature (68–72°F / 20–22°C) for 40 minutes.
- It should become visibly puffy but does not need to double in size.
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Ready when: Dough is noticeably puffier and soft to the touch
Tip: A 40-minute rise is sufficient; longer rests can make the dough overly sticky and hard to handle
5
Chill and ready dough
- Refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes.
- This makes it much easier to cut and shape.
- While the dough chills, prepare your workspace: lightly dust a work surface and rolling pin with flour, have your 2½-inch (6 cm) round cutter ready, and set out a piping bag fitted with a small round tip (¼-inch / 6 mm opening).
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Ready when: Dough is cold to the touch and holds its shape when handled
Tip: Cold dough is much easier to cut cleanly; warm sticky dough will tear and stick to the cutter
6
Roll and cut dough
- Turn the chilled dough onto a lightly floured work surface.
- Using a lightly floured rolling pin, roll the dough to a thickness of about ¼ inch (6 mm).
- Using the 2½-inch (6 cm) round cutter, cut out 24 disks, re-rolling scraps as needed.
- Arrange the disks on a parchment-lined baking sheet without overlapping.
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Ready when: 24 evenly-sized disks are cut and arranged on the sheet
Tip: Use a straight downward push with the cutter (do not twist) to get clean, even edges that puff up better when fried
7
Heat oil to frying temperatureOven 350°F / 175°C
- Fill a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven with 3 cups (720 ml) of vegetable oil.
- Insert a deep-fry or candy thermometer.
- Heat the oil over medium-high heat until it reaches 350°F (175°C).
- This usually takes 10–12 minutes.
- Maintain a steady temperature by adjusting the heat as needed.
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Ready when: Oil reaches 350°F (175°C) on a thermometer and shimmers but does not smoke
Tip: Use a thermometer—guessing by look or droplet tests is unreliable and leads to greasy or burnt sufganiyot
8
Fill half the dough circles
- While the oil heats, fill the piping bag with about one-third of the apricot preserves (80 g).
- Pipe approximately ½ teaspoon (3 ml) of jam into the center of 12 of the dough disks.
- Be careful not to overfill—excess jam can burst through the sides during frying.
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Ready when: 12 disks have a small mound of jam in the center
Tip: Less jam means more reliable sealing; you can add extra jam after frying if desired
9
Seal and assemble sufganiyot
- Place an unfilled dough disk on top of each jam-filled disk, pressing the edges firmly together with your fingertips to seal.
- Work around the perimeter, pressing to ensure no jam leaks out.
- You should now have 12 stuffed dough sandwiches.
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Ready when: All 12 sandwich pairs are pressed together with sealed edges
Tip: A good seal prevents jam from leaking into the oil; if an edge opens slightly, pinch it again
10
Fry first batchOven 350°F / 175°C
- Once the oil reaches 350°F (175°C), carefully place 6 sufganiyot into the hot oil, one at a time, using a slotted spoon or skimmer.
- Do not crowd the pot.
- Fry for 90 seconds on the first side until deep golden brown, then using a slotted spoon, flip each pastry and fry for another 60–75 seconds on the second side until evenly golden.
- The entire frying time per batch is about 2.5–3 minutes.
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Ready when: Sufganiyot are a deep golden-brown color on both sides and puffed slightly
Tip: Keep the oil temperature steady at 350°F (175°C); if it drops, they will absorb too much oil and become greasy
11
Drain and cool first batch
- Remove the fried sufganiyot with a slotted spoon and transfer them to a paper-towel-lined baking sheet to drain for 1–2 minutes.
- While they are still warm, place them in a shallow dish with the powdered sugar (about ⅓ cup / 40 g per batch) and toss gently to coat all sides.
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Ready when: Sufganiyot are warm, no longer dripping oil, and fully coated in powdered sugar
Tip: Coat them with sugar while they are still warm; the heat helps the sugar adhere and partially dissolve for a glaze-like finish
12
Fry and coat second batchOven 350°F / 175°C
- Bring the oil back to 350°F (175°C), then fry the remaining 6 sufganiyot following the same process as the first batch: 90 seconds on one side, 60–75 seconds on the other, drain on paper towels, and toss with powdered sugar (about ⅓ cup / 40 g).
- Let the oil cool slightly (to about 320°F / 160°C) between batches to avoid over-browning.
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Ready when: Second batch is golden brown, drained, and coated with powdered sugar
Tip: Monitor the oil temperature carefully; if it climbs above 360°F (182°C), the outside will burn before the inside cooks through
13
Finish with extra filling (optional)
- If desired, use a small knife to make a tiny slit on the side of each cooled sufganiyah and pipe an additional small dollop of apricot jam into the center.
- This adds extra jam flavor and is traditional for some Israeli versions.
- Transfer all sufganiyot to a serving platter.
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Ready when: Each sufganiyah has a small opening filled with jam
Tip: Use a small round piping tip or the corner of a ziplock bag for precise jam injection

Good to know

Tips

Allow eggs and yogurt to sit at room temperature for about 1 hour before starting. Cold dairy and eggs make the dough denser and less fluffy.
A deep-fry thermometer is essential. Oil that is too cool (below 340°F / 170°C) will yield greasy, soggy sufganiyot; oil that is too hot (above 365°F / 185°C) will burn the outside before the inside cooks through.
Do not skip the second rise or chilling step. The baking powder needs time to activate, and the chill makes the dough much easier to handle and cut cleanly.
Customize the filling: pipe the jam inside before sealing, or inject it afterward through a small slit, or skip the filling entirely and dust with cinnamon sugar instead of powdered sugar for a sweeter, spicier variation.

Make ahead

Dough can be prepared up to 8 hours ahead. After combining wet and dry ingredients (step 3), cover and refrigerate instead of rising at room temperature. The cold dough can rest in the fridge overnight; bring it to room temperature for 15–20 minutes before proceeding to the chill step (step 5). Fried sufganiyot are best enjoyed within 2–3 hours of frying but can be rewarmed.

Storage & reheating

Store at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 2 days. Sufganiyot are best eaten the day they are fried, as they gradually lose their crispness. To reheat, warm gently in a low oven (300°F / 150°C) for 5–10 minutes or microwave for 15–20 seconds (microwaving may soften the exterior slightly). Do not freeze; the fried pastry texture does not recover well after thawing.

Substitutions

apricot preserves or jam → raspberry, strawberry, or cherry jam. Use any jam you prefer; the tartness of berry jams pairs beautifully with the fried dough. Cherry jam is particularly traditional in some Israeli recipes.
plain yogurt (Greek or full-fat), at room temperature → sour cream or full-fat Greek yogurt (strained sour cream works well). Both provide the same tang and moisture. Use the same volume or adjust slightly if sour cream is much thicker. Consistency should be creamy and pourable.
vegetable oil or neutral oil for deep-frying → canola oil, peanut oil, or sunflower oil. Any neutral oil with a high smoke point (above 350°F / 175°C) works. Avoid olive oil or coconut oil.
all-purpose flour → cake flour (reduce amount by 2 tablespoons to 2¼ cups / 280 g). Cake flour is softer and will yield an even more tender crumb, though all-purpose flour is traditional. Do not substitute self-rising flour without adjusting the baking powder.