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Air Fryer Sufganiyot Jelly Donut Recipe

09/04/2025
Butter
Total time: 35 min
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 20 min
Servings: 12
A plate with different variations of air fryer sufganiyot next to a couple of glasses of milk.
Butter Cream Milk

If you want to use an air fryer to make sufganiyot, this recipe is for you. Sufganiyot, traditional jelly-filled donuts eaten during Hanukkah, is a symbol during the Jewish holiday that commemorates an ancient miracle of oil that burned eight times longer than anyone expected, providing light in a dark time.

This air fryer Hanukkah sufganiyot, also referred to as air fryer jelly donuts, does a lot with a little. You can use just enough olive oil to coat your air fryer basket and still end up with crispy-fried outsides and pillow-soft insides. No risk of splattering hot oil. And it’s faster.

See notes below for delicious variations: Pistachio Glazed Strawberry Sufganiyot and Chocolate Glazed Sufganiyot Filled With Chocolate Whipped Cream.

How To Make Hanukkah Jelly Donuts Using an Air Fryer

To make these air fryer sufganiyot, start by preparing the dough with flour, yeast, salt, sugar, eggs, milk, butter, and vanilla until smooth. Let it rise until doubled, then roll it out and cut into rounds. After a brief rest, coat the air fryer basket with olive oil and cook the donuts in batches until golden-brown. While the dough cooks, whip the heavy cream with cocoa powder and sugar until stiff peaks form. Fill each sufganiyah with the whipped cream or strawberry jam using a piping bag, then dust with powdered sugar. 

For festive variations, try glazing strawberry-filled sufganiyot with lemon and topping with pistachios, or dip chocolate whipped cream-filled sufganiyot in white or dark chocolate glaze, finishing with sprinkles or chopped nuts. These air fryer Hanukkah jelly donuts are quick, easier to make than traditional frying, and capture the light and joy that sufganiyot symbolize.

3 people made this

Ingredients:

Dough Ingredients

  • 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
  • 3 Cups Bread Flour
  • 2 1/4 Teaspoons Active Dry Yeast
  • 2 Teaspoons Kosher Salt
  • 1/4 Cup Sugar
  • 2 Egg , lightly beaten
  • 3/4 Cup Whole Milk , room temperature
  • 1/4 Cup Unsalted Butter , room temperature
  • 1 1/2 Teaspoons Pure Vanilla Extract
See preparation

Filling Ingredients

  • 2 Cups Heavy Cream , kept cold
  • 1/4 Cup Cocoa Powder , sifted
  • 1 Cup Strawberry Jam , for filling
  • 2 Tablespoons Sugar
  • Powdered Sugar , for garnish
See preparation

Directions:

Dough Directions

  1. Combine flour, yeast, salt and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook attachment. Mix on low speed until combined. Add eggs, milk, butter and vanilla, and mix on medium speed until dough is smooth and releases from the bowl, about 3 minutes. Cover with plastic wrap and let rest until doubled in size, about 1 hour. 
  2. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough out to a 3/4-inch-thick circle. Using a 3-inch ring cutter, cut dough into rounds. Transfer to a parchment-paper-lined baking sheet, cover with plastic wrap, and let rest for 30 minutes.
  3. Coat air fryer basket with olive oil and preheat to 320 degrees. Working in batches, arrange two to three donuts in the air fryer and cook until golden-brown, about 8-10 minutes.

Filling Directions

  1. While dough is in the air fryer, beat heavy cream, cocoa powder and sugar together using an electric hand mixer until stiff peaks form.
  2. Fill 2 piping bags separately with whipped cream and strawberry filling and cut off the tips. Make a small hole in the side of each Sufganiyot and fill with the fillings. Dust Sufganiyot with powdered sugar and serve. (For additional filling and topping ideas, see notes.) 

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