Get ready for a timely classic for Hanukkah celebrations. If you haven’t tried sufganiyot, you are in for a treat. I created a gluten free version of my dear friend’s family recipe, and I hope you enjoy these gluten free sufganiyot as much as we do!
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One bite of these fried jelly donuts, and you will be hooked. If you love donuts as much as we do, check out all of my delicious Gluten Free Donut Recipes on the blog :-).
My kids said you should also check out these gluten free vanilla donuts!
What is sufganiyot?
Sufganiyot sounds like such a fancy name for a jelly donut. And even funnier sounding is talking about just one sufaniyah! It is pretty easy to tell the difference. Deep-fried jelly donuts, aka sufganiyot (plural), or if you can eat just one, are called sufaniyah.
These Jewish jelly donuts symbolize the oil only enough to last one night. Lasted for 8 nights. It was considered a miracle, and the sufganiyot have been made to celebrate it ever since. If you want to read more about the history of these wildly popular jelly donuts, you can read more here.
My kids have been begging me to make this gluten-free recipe for years. I am not sure why I haven’t…perhaps it was the whole mom guilt thing because these gluten free jelly donuts are fried and calorie-laden.
These were amazing!!!! I have missed jelly doughnuts since I met my boyfriend, who has celiac. I always feel guilty saying that I miss things and look for ways to bring them back into our life but with the best gluten free recipe. These were awesome!!!!
Tara M., Blog comment
Allergen Information:
This fried jelly donut recipe is gluten-free, soy-free, nut-free, and oat-free. You can make these donuts dairy-free using plant-based butter.
If you want to try another delicious traditional Jewish recipe, I converted my Grandma’s Cheese Blintzes recipe to gluten free. I have a lot of great gluten-free Hanukkah recipes for you to make!
My bloopers centered around the yeast and the dough rising in this recipe. It took four tries to get it right. Hopefully, the tips below will help you so you don’t have these struggles.
If you feel comfortable rising yeast dough, try this Gluten Free Focaccia Bread recipe, too!
How do you get gluten free dough to rise?
One of my biggest struggles in gluten free baking (and making these gluten free jelly donuts) is getting my dough to rise. Have you had this issue as well? I am not sure if it is gluten free flour or if it is just a user error!
I recommend letting the dough rise in a warm place for this recipe. Rising in the refrigerator can work, but for me, it hasn’t. Preheat your oven to 200º F and then turn it off. Cover the donut dough with plastic wrap loosely, then put your dough into the oven to rise.
I’ve been wanting Krispy Kreme donuts for 7 years, since going GF. I can’t thank you enough.”
Becky N.
Ingredient Notes:
For the full list of ingredients and amounts, please go to the recipe card below.
- Gluten Free Flour Blend – I tested this recipe using Bob’s Red Mill 1 to 1 Gluten Free Flour Blend and Cup4Cup Blend. That doesn’t mean others will not work, I just have not tested other flours. Note, the Bob’s 1:1 did not rise much or get that fluffy. This 1:1 blend doesn’t work well with yeast. I wanted to try it because it does work well in my sourdough bread recipe.
- Baking Powder – Use aluminum-free.
- Yeast – I used active dry yeast. Note that Red Star “Platinum” yeast is not gluten free.
- Xanthan Gum – If your gluten free flour blend doesn’t contain xanthan gum or guar gum, please add 3/4 teaspoon.
- Butter – Use unsalted butter.
- Eggs – Use size large.
- Milk or Non-Dairy Milk – I used almond milk in this recipe; any plant-based milk or regular milk will work.
- Jelly – You can fill these donuts with jelly, jam, frosting, pudding, Nutella, etc. The sky is the limit!
- Oil – Use a light oil that can tolerate high heat. I recommend canola, coconut, or avocado oil. If using Canola, be sure to check Is Canola Gluten Free.
Step-By-Step Photos and Directions:
Step 1: Add your yeast to the warm milk, and two tablespoons of sugar, and let it sit for 5 minutes until it gets really bubbly.
Step 2: Preheat your oven to 200º F. When it is warm, turn off the oven. In a large
Step 3: Whisk the wet ingredients and add the yeast mixture to a separate bowl. Pour the mixture into the dry ingredients and mix into a dough.
📢 Sandi says: Every gluten-free flour blend has a different starch-to-grain ratio. The brand of gluten-free flour you use will affect the moisture of the batter. If your cake batter is too runny, add more flour, and if it is too thick, add more liquids.
Read Why Gluten-Free Flour Blends Vary to learn more about this.
Step 4: You only get one good rise, so you must shape your donuts before raising them!
Your donut dough will be somewhat wet. That is normal and one of the things you need when working with dough. Put a little flour onto wax paper and add your dough. Press your dough flat to about 1 inch thick.
The secret is to use enough gluten-free flour in the dough so you can cut out the dough circles without it sticking all over the place. However, if you use too much flour, your sufganiyot will be dry and dense.
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Step 6: Use a biscuit cutter or large round cookie cutter to cut out your donuts.
Ready to try? The circles may be distorted a bit, but that happens when you have to have your dough softer in gluten-free baking.
Step 7: Cover the donuts loosely with plastic wrap and allow them to rise for 45 minutes until they are puffy and almost double in size.
Step 8: If you have a fryer, use that…otherwise, heat oil in a large 12-inch cast-iron skillet to 375º F.
What oil is best for frying donuts?
The kind of oil you use for frying is important. You must use an oil that is good for high heat. Some oils, like olive oil, go rancid in high heat, so you need to use one of these:
- Canola oil
- Coconut oil
- Avocado oil
Step 8: Use a slotted spoon to remove the donuts from the hot oil and place them on a paper towel. The paper towels help absorb the extra oil.
Step 9: Roll your sufganiyot in powdered or regular sugar.
Step 10: Use a squirt bottle or pastry bag and a long frosting tip to squirt the strawberry jelly into each donut.
You will end up with a big plate of gluten free jelly donuts just screaming to be eaten!!
Frequently Asked Questions:
If this happened to you, my first guess is the oil was too hot, and the outsides cooked so fast that your insides were raw dough. You don’t want the oil hotter than this, or your donuts will cook on the outside too fast, and the inside will not cook.
Traditionally, people fill their jelly donuts with strawberry or raspberry jelly. You can use any flavor you like!
For this jelly donut recipe, you can use jam instead of jelly. One main difference is that your donuts will have chunks of fruit.
You likely have a yeast-rising failure if your donuts don’t puff up. I encourage you to raise your dough in a warm oven, as I described above.
If you love to fry desserts, try these Gluten Free Funnel Cakes, Fried Gluten Free Donut Holes, and Gluten Free Fried Donuts.
Delicious! Made dairy free by using oat milk and DF butter.”
Lydia, Pinterest User
More Gluten Free Donut Recipes:
Love This Recipe?
If you made and enjoyed this recipe, I would be incredibly grateful if you could leave a comment below. Please include which flour blend you used. This will help others know this recipe is delicious. Thank you!
Gluten Free Sufganiyot (aka Fried Jelly Donuts!)
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Warm 3/4 cups warm milkto 105º F and add 2 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast and 2 tablespoons of the sugar. Allow sitting for 5 minutes until frothy.
- In a large mixing bowl, add 2 1/2 cups gluten free flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 cup cane sugar. Whisk to blend.
- Add the warm milk mixture, partially melted 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, and 2 large eggs. Mix well.
- Preheat the oven to 200º F. Turn off the oven.
- Place a piece of wax paper down on the counter. Dust with gluten free flour blend.
- Add the dough and sprinkle a little flour over it. Press down a little then top with another piece of wax paper.
- Use a rolling pin to roll the dough to one-inch thickness.
- Cut out circle shapes with biscuit cutters. Place on a plate
- Cover the donuts loosely with plastic wrap. Place in the preheated warm oven and keep the door cracked open. Let the dough rise for 45 minutes.
- While rising, heat light oil in a cast-iron skillet or fryer. You want the oil to be around 375º F.
- When the oil is hot, add some of the dough circles.
- Cook about 4-5 minutes on each side. Let the donuts get golden brown on each side.
- Remove and place on a paper towel covered plate to absorb extra oil.
- Optional: roll in powdered sugar to coat each donut.
- Fill a squirt bottle with jelly or jam. Squeeze jam into each donut.
- Enjoy!
Nutrition
Notes
- I have tested this recipe with Cup4Cup, Bob’s Red Mill 1 to 1 GF blend, and Authentic Foods Multi Blend in this recipe. That doesn’t mean others will not work, I just have not tested other flours.
- If your gluten free flour blend doesn’t contain Xanthan Gum or Guar Gum, please add 3/4 teaspoon.
- Make sure the oil you use for frying can handle high heat. I like to use coconut oil, canola, or avocado oil for frying.
- These gluten free fried jelly donuts will keep up to 4 days in an airtight container, or up to 4 months in the freezer.
Nutritional Disclaimer
Nutritional information is an estimate provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the actual nutritional information with the products and brands you are using with your preferred nutritional calculator.
Tried this recipe?
Let us know how it was!
Something went wrong cause the end product tasted like yeast and I had to through it away :(. Had to add more flour to the dough, maybe cause of the height (I live in MX).
Hi Mijal, What flour blend did you use? It sounds like you used a gluten free flour blend that was very starch heavy. I don’t have access to gluten free flour blends in Mexico, but my rule of thumb is if your batter or dough is too runny, add more flour, and if it is too thick, add more liquids.
Followed everything exactly and the dough was pure mush. Had to add more flour then after letting them raise fried them and they were very dense and bread like. Not sure what happened
Hi Heather, I am happy to troubleshoot. What gluten free flour blend did you use? My guess is you used a 1:1 blend that doesn’t work well in yeast recipe. Most gluten free flour blends don’t list their blends don’t work in yeast recipes on the bag, but they do say this on their website. It is frustrating and I do wish they put the info on the back of the bag of flour.
Hello there! I noticed in the step by step instructions with pictures it is mentioned that the yeast be added to the water, milk, and sugar mixture. In the Recipe instructions under the ingredient list it only lists the milk and sugar. Just wanted to see if the mention of water was just an error, or if the yeast should be added to warm water and warm milk to rise. Thank you! Looking forward to trying this recipe 🙂
Hi Elisha, you can add the water to the mixture or add it after the yeast is bubbly. As long as both are added when you add the wet ingredients, you are fine.
Thanks so much for the reply!
You are very welcome.
Hi, how much water though? it’s not listed amongst ingredients nor in the instructions.
Hi Ren, There is no water as listed in the recipe card. I ended up moving just to warm milk a couple of years ago, and I forgot to remove the mention from the step by step directions…I fixed it. Thank you!!
Can these be baked instead of fried in oil?
Hi Pat, I haven’t tested baking these donuts, so I am not sure. If you try it, please come back to let us know how they turn out.
Do you have a recipe for cream to fill these instead of jelly?
Hi Amie, I don’t have a cream recipe for these.
Hi Sandi,
Same question as a recent one since I haven’t before fried dough in oil…. how much oil is needed? Enough to submerge the donuts? Just so they’re floating? 2″? 4″?
Thank you.
Hi Janet, it will depend on the size and depth of your pan. I like to use at least 2 1/2 to 3 inches of oil in the pan.
Hi, I am wondering if I can fast acting yeast?
I haven’t tested a rapid yeast…it should be okay, but without trying it I can’t guarantee.
Sandi, I am wanting to make these but I am unsure of what light oil is…I have avacado oil does that work? Also, How much oil are you using to fry the donut?
Hi Kate, avocado oil is great for high heat, but can be expensive for frying. I tend to use canola oil for frying as it is a lot less expensive than avocado oil.
How do you think the gluten free caputo flour will work.
Hi Lisa, I react to wheat starch, so I will not be testing that in my recipes. If you try it, please let me know how it turns out.
I am confused about the yeast. It says “1 package dry yeast roughly 1 tablespoon”. I purchased the 3-packets of Fleischmann’s ActiveDry Yeast Original. But I’m sitting here looking at the packets… each one is 1/4 oz = approximately 2-1/4 teaspoons. Looks like 1/4 oz is half of a tablespoon, so… do I need 2 packets of yeast? But you said 1 packet, and I thought this size of packaged yeast was standard, so I’m worried I’ll add the wrong amount of yeast.
Could you clarify? Thanks!
Hi Sharon, it is fine to use the whole packet. Many use a container of yeast and one TBSP is fine. I have made these with both packet and container yeast. I hope this helps.
Okay, I will only use one packet. Thank you so much Sandi for responding! Looking forward to making these!
Thank you for sharing this recipe! I made these tonight (subbed oat milk) and they turned out great.
The only thing I changed was deep frying time (1 minute per side in 2 inches of 375 degree oil). I inserted cranberry jelly (left from thanksgiving). Happy Hanukkah!
I am so glad you enjoyed them Mika. Happy Hanukkah!!
Any chance these can be made egg free?
Hi Ingrid, I have not tested this recipe with any egg replacements so I am not sure how to advise you. If you do try to make this egg-free, can you please come let us know how they turned out?
Can you bake these or make them smaller, such as donut hole size? I plan on making some for little kids.
Hi Monique, I have not tried baking them so I am not sure how to advise you. I have tons of donut recipes on the blog that are baked and would work well for donut holes.
Sandi, I was looking for this recipe tonight in preparation for Chanukah. My partner and I will attempt to replicate your beautiful sufganiots. Question: can we fill them with pastry cream as well and if so how much for each sufgania?
Hi Dominique, you can definitely fill them with a custard or cream. I would say 2 or so TBSP of filling per donut, but it will depend on the size of the donuts you make.
Your explanation above says to add warm water and milk to the yeast. But the recipe itself doesn’t say anything about water. Can you clarify if water is added to the milk and yeast?
I added some extra text. Thank you so much for the feedback.
I’m so excited to make these! Just waiting for target to get the flour back in stock! I do have a question before I start though! Can I use a normal frying pan, or does it have to be cast iron?
Hi Jessee, I think it would depend on the pan. If the pan can handle high heat, it should be fine for frying.
So I took a stab at these today and the recipe confused me- I hope I did it right and they turn out okay!
In the official ingredients list for the dough, it states 1/2 cup of sugar is required.
In the directions, it says to use 2 Tablespoons of the sugar to the yeast. But then it never mentions in the instructions when to add the rest of the 1/2 cup of sugar. I assumed that “add the dry ingredients (not the powdered sugar) and whisk to blend”, included the rest of the 1/2 cup of sugar, so I added it to the dough. It was so dry and crumbly that I had to add a splash of water in order to form a ball.. Hopefully I did it the correct way and added the sugar properly! The dough is rising (hopefully) now so fingers crossed.
I’ll keep you posted!
Hi Courtney, you did it right…I clarified the directions more. Thank you so much!
Thanks so much! I think I just read it too many times and I lost myself haha, you did great. These were fun to make and turned out fairly well- I think I will try them again now that I’ve practiced ? Thank you so much for sharing!
Looks so good. Celiac and autoimmune Senior
Do you think it would work in an air fryer?
Hi Mendi, I have no idea if it would work in an air fryer. If you try it, please let me know how it turns out.
Can I decrease the amount of sugar or use an alternative sweetener such as stevia or even honey?
Again, thanks for sharing Sandi!
From: lexibites.com
Hi Lexi, you can skip rolling it in the powdered sugar, and cut down the sugar by 3 tablespoons. Is that enough? I honestly haven’t baked with stevia. Maybe honey but you would need to add more flour.
They look amazing!!! What GF flour blend did you use??? Thanks!
Hi Angie, I used King Arthur gluten free measure for measure for this recipe 🙂