The Easiest Jelly Donut Recipe Ever

Our favorite Hanukkah hack.

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Latkes are far more popular during Hanukkah than donuts here in the U.S. While you can find latkes in the freezer section of almost every major supermarket, good quality sufganiyot are much harder to come by, and lots of people I know have a fear of using yeast to make doughs like donut dough.

But there is an easier way to make sufganiyot, and it comes in a can: biscuit dough. What can these doughy babies not do?!

Using canned biscuits, you can either make full-sized sufganiyot, or smaller, donut hole-sized bites. Make sure to let them cool before filling or your jam or pudding will run right out of the hot donuts. I prefer to dust with powdered sugar, but you could also top them with cinnamon sugar if you prefer.

Note: You will need a wooden skewer and a piping bag for this recipe.

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jelly donuts

Easy Jelly Donut Recipe

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5 from 2 reviews

Using premade biscuit dough makes sufganiyot easier than ever to make at home.

  • Total Time: 10 minutes
  • Yield: 24 mini or 8 large

Ingredients

  • 1 package refrigerated biscuit dough
  • vegetable oil, for frying
  • jam, prepared pudding, Nutella or other filling
  • powdered sugar

Instructions

  1. Heat around 3 inches of oil in a large, deep pan over medium-high heat (oil should be 350°F). To see if the oil is hot enough, use a thermometer or place wooden skewer into the oil. If small bubbles appear, it’s ready for frying.
  2. Remove biscuits from the can. To make small donuts, cut into rounds using a soda cap or other small circular device. Or you can fry the biscuits as is.
  3. Drop the small donuts in 5-6 at a time; for full biscuits, 2-3 at a time. Fry for 1-2 minutes on each side, until just golden brown.
  4. Using a spider or slotted spoon, remove from oil and place on a wire rack. Allow to cool completely.
  5. Stick a wooden skewer into one side of each donut and create space inside by wiggling it around gently.
  6. Fill a piping bag with your filling of choice and gently insert into the hole. Gently squeeze filling into each donut.
  7. Dust with powdered sugar.

Notes

You will need a wooden skewer and a piping bag for this recipe.

  • Author: Shannon Sarna
  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Cook Time: 5 minutes
  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: Hanukkah

11 comments

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Recipe rating 5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

  • Susan Siekmann

    I would like to make mini donuts for a HANUKKAH party I am hosting. Can I make these ahead of time and freeze them?






    • Shannon Sarna

      I would not recommend freezing these ahead of time; donuts are best fresh.

    • Shannon Sarna

      We have never tried it this way but if you do let us know!

    • Shannon Sarna

      We have never made it this way, but if you do let us know how they turn out!

  • Gail Klein

    An idea for your Chanukah party: we used to do this when our kids were little. Using small cake donuts with a hole, (not jelly donuts!) hang them from a series of strings and let the kids eat them off the strings without using their hands. Great fun.

  • Ellen Redel

    I did this MANY MANY years ago for parties. They are great but they font hold up well unfortunately.
    DO TRY THEM you wont regret it






    • Shannon Sarna

      We have never tried it this way but if you do let us know!

  • Lida

    I when they are cold freeze filled in an airtight container . Remove from freezer 2 -4 hours before serving . When thawed dust with icing sugar. They are absolutely fresh! I only freeze yeast doughnuts. Been doing this for years.

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