Feeling adventurous this Chanukah? Give these traditional jelly doughnuts a try. I've broken down the process with step-by-step pictures to help you along.



Before you start:

  • Always check that you have all your ingredients before you begin cooking.
  • Wash your hands.
  • Make sure your work space is clean. Move any papers or things that might be lying around out of the way so they don't get dirty or ruined.
  • Ask an adult to help you with the frying.

For this recipe you will need:

Ingredients:

  • 4½ tsp. dry yeast
  • ¼ cup warm water
  • 1½ cups milk (or soy or almond milk)
  • ¾ cup sugar
  • 1 tsp. kosher salt
  • 2 eggs
  • 6 tbsp. butter or margarine, melted
  • 6+ cups flour
  • Oil for frying
  • ½ cup confectioners’ sugar for dusting
  • ½ cup Jam/jelly in the flavor of your choice

Tools:

  • 1 small bowl
  • 1 large mixing bowl
  • 1 rolling pin
  • 1 round cookie cutter or a cup
  • 1 Ziploc bag
  • 1 fine mesh strainer
  • 1 pointy spatula or sharp knife

Recipe yields approximately 30 small doughnuts


Step 1: Proofing the yeast

Place the yeast, warm water and 1 teaspoon of sugar in a bowl. Let it sit for 10–15 minutes until the mixture bubbles up like this:



Step 2: Making the dough

You can do this part by hand, or with a mixer.

Take the yeast mixture and combine it with the sugar, melted butter/margarine, eggs, salt, sugar and soy/almond milk, with 2 cups of flour. Mix.

Slowly add in the rest of the flour until dough is no longer sticky. It should look similar to this:


Knead the dough for 5 minutes.


Step 3: Let the dough rise

Cover the bowl with a damp cloth (or saran wrap) and let rise for approximately 1 hour, until the dough has doubled in size. As you can see, mine rose right to the brim of the bowl!



Step 4: Shape the doughnuts

When it's finished rising, tip the dough out of the bowl and let it rest for a couple of minutes.

Divide the dough into 3 or 4 pieces.

Roll each piece out approximately ½ inch thick, and cut circles with a round cookie cutter or with the mouth of a glass.


Let the circles rise for about 30 minutes.


Step 5: Frying the doughnuts

VERY IMPORTANT: Hot oil is extremely dangerous. Ask an adult to help you with this step.

Heat oil in a deep fryer, a pot or a deep frying pan. Aim for low-medium heat. If the oil is too hot, the outside of your doughnuts will start to burn before the centers are properly cooked through.

Drop in a few doughnuts at a time. Flip each doughnut so both sides can brown. With a slotted spatula, remove each doughnut and place them on a paper towel to absorb the excess oil.



Step 6: Filling the doughnuts

Let the doughnuts cool fully before you fill them with the jelly.

To assemble the doughnuts, you’ll need a sharp knife or pointed spatula and a Ziploc bag.


Use the sharp knife or pointed spatula to poke a small hole in the side of each doughnut. Fill the bag with ½ cup of the jam/jelly, and cut a small hole at the corner. Stick the Ziploc corner into the hole and give a quick squirt.



Step 7: Dusting the doughnuts

Using a fine-mesh strainer, sprinkle confectioners’ sugar over the top of each doughnut. Put the confectioners' sugar in the strainer and gently shake it until the doughnuts are evenly covered.



Step 8: Eating

Well done! You've mastered the art of making jelly doughnuts. Ready to taste your creation?

Say this blessing...and take a bite!

Baruch atah A-donay, Elo-heinu Melech Ha’Olam borei minei mezonot.

Blessed are you L-rd our G‑d, King of the Universe, Who creates various kinds of sustenance.

Listen to the blessing

Share them with your friends and family, and help them say the blessing too.


Step 9: Clean up

Part of being a good cook is being a clean cook. Don't forget to wash the dishes and clean down the table or counter you've been working on.


Step 10: Save the recipe

If you enjoyed these doughnuts, save the recipe for next time. Bookmark it, or print it. It will save you time in the future.

NOTE: To print the recipe without the images, click on the print icon and select "print without images."

Happy Chanukah!