Perfect Baked Raspberry Sufganiyot Donuts for Hanukkah

My grandmother had claimed for sixty-two years that she hated jelly donuts. “Too messy,” she’d say, waving her hand at the bakery box I’d bring to Friday night dinners. “All that grease and sticky filling—it’s not worth the trouble.” I believed her, honestly. I mean, why would someone lie about disliking a dessert? Then, last Hanukkah, I decided to make a batch of these baked raspberry sufganiyot donuts just for myself—a little experiment I wasn’t planning to share. I’d spent the afternoon testing the batter, getting raspberry jam on my favorite apron, and burning my finger on the donut pan because I forgot to let it cool between batches. Typical me, honestly. When I finally pulled the tray out, the whole kitchen smelled like vanilla and warm yeast, and I set them on the counter to cool while I cleaned up. That’s when I caught her. My grandmother, standing at the counter with powdered sugar on her chin, halfway through her second donut. She didn’t even look guilty. “These don’t count,” she said, reaching for a third. “They’re baked.” And that, my friends, is how I learned that sometimes you just haven’t found the right version yet. Maybe you’ve been there—swearing off a dish for years only to discover the one recipe that changes everything. These baked sufganiyot are that recipe.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

I’ve tested this recipe more times than I care to admit—seven batches in one weekend, if you want to know the truth. My kitchen looked like a flour bomb went off, and I found raspberry filling on the ceiling fan three days later. But you know what? Every single batch was worth it because these donuts are genuinely foolproof. Here’s why this recipe stands out from the hundreds of sufganiyot recipes out there:

• Baked, Not Fried : No deep fryer needed, no oil splatters, and way less mess. You get that same pillowy texture without standing over a pot of hot oil.
• Perfect for Hanukkah Hosting : These come together in under 40 minutes, so you can prep them while your guests are arriving and still look like a hero.
• Simple Ingredients : You probably already have everything in your pantry—no special trips to three different stores.
• Crowd-Pleaser : I’ve served these at three different Hanukkah parties now, and every single time, someone asks for the recipe before they’ve finished their first donut.
• Make-Ahead Friendly : You can prep the dough the night before and bake them fresh when your guests walk in the door.

What makes this recipe different from the rest? It’s the yogurt in the batter. That little trick gives you the softest, most tender crumb you’ve ever had from a baked donut—no dry, cakey texture here. Plus, the raspberry filling stays perfectly centered because of a simple piping technique I learned the hard way (after my first batch had jam leaking out the sides like a confession). This isn’t just another baked donut recipe; it’s the one that’ll have your guests closing their eyes after the first bite, and that’s exactly what you want when you’re hosting a holiday gathering.

What Ingredients You Will Need

This recipe uses simple, wholesome ingredients to deliver that classic sufganiyot experience without the fuss of deep frying. Most of these are pantry staples, and the few specialty items are easy to find at any grocery store.

For the Donut Batter

• All-purpose flour, 2 cups (250g) – Spoon and level for accuracy; don’t scoop directly from the bag or you’ll get dense donuts
• Granulated sugar, 1/3 cup (65g) – Adds just enough sweetness without overpowering the filling
• Active dry yeast, 2 1/4 teaspoons (one packet) – Make sure it’s fresh; check the expiration date before starting
• Warm milk, 1/2 cup (120ml), heated to 110°F – Too hot kills the yeast, too cold won’t activate it
• Plain Greek yogurt, 1/4 cup (60g) – Full-fat works best for tenderness; I prefer Fage or Chobani
• Large egg, 1, at room temperature – Cold eggs will seize up the batter
• Unsalted butter, 3 tablespoons (42g), melted and slightly cooled – Salted butter works if you reduce the added salt
• Vanilla extract, 1 teaspoon – Pure vanilla makes a difference here; skip the imitation stuff
• Salt, 1/2 teaspoon – Balances the sweetness and enhances the yeast flavor

For the Filling and Topping

• Seedless raspberry jam, 1/2 cup (160g) – Seedless is key for smooth piping; Bonne Maman is my go-to brand
• Powdered sugar, 1/2 cup (60g), for dusting – Sift it first to avoid clumps
• Fresh raspberries, optional, for garnish – Adds a beautiful pop of color when serving

Ingredient Tips and Substitutions

If you’re dairy-free, swap the milk for almond milk and use a dairy-free yogurt like coconut-based ones. The texture will be slightly denser but still delicious. For a gluten-free version, use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend that contains xanthan gum—I’ve tested this with King Arthur’s Measure for Measure and it worked beautifully. And if you’re not a raspberry fan (though honestly, who isn’t?), strawberry or apricot jam work just as well. Just make sure whatever jam you use is seedless unless you enjoy picking seeds out of your teeth during dinner conversation.

Equipment Needed

You don’t need a professional bakery setup for these donuts, but a few key tools will make your life much easier:

• Donut pan – A standard 6-cavity nonstick pan is perfect; I use the Wilton brand and it’s never let me down
• Piping bags or zip-top bags – For filling the donuts and piping the batter
• Stand mixer with dough hook – Hand mixing works too, but the mixer saves your arm from getting tired
• Small saucepan – For warming the milk
• Cooling rack – Essential for letting the donuts cool properly without getting soggy bottoms
• Fine-mesh sieve – For dusting powdered sugar evenly
• Pastry brush – For greasing the pan (or just use your fingers, I won’t judge)

If you don’t have a donut pan, you can use a muffin tin and just cut out the centers after baking—it’s not as pretty, but it tastes the same. And if you’re really in a pinch, shape the dough into small rounds and bake them on a sheet pan. They’ll look more like traditional sufganiyot that way, actually.

Preparation Method

Let me walk you through this step by step. I’ve made every mistake possible so you don’t have to, and I’m sharing all the little details that make the difference between good donuts and unforgettable ones.

1. Activate the yeast. In the bowl of your stand mixer, combine the warm milk (110°F—warm but not hot, like bathwater) with 1 tablespoon of the sugar and the yeast. Let it sit for 5-7 minutes until it gets foamy. If it doesn’t foam, your yeast is dead and you need to start over. I learned this the hard way on a Tuesday night when I was already tired and just wanted donuts.
2. Mix the wet ingredients. Add the remaining sugar, Greek yogurt, egg, melted butter, and vanilla extract to the yeast mixture. Whisk by hand until everything is combined and smooth. The batter will look a little lumpy from the yogurt, but that’s fine—don’t overmix here.
3. Add the dry ingredients. With the dough hook attached, add the flour and salt on low speed. Mix for about 2 minutes until a soft, slightly sticky dough forms. It should pull away from the sides of the bowl but still feel tacky to the touch. If it’s too wet, add flour one tablespoon at a time; if too dry, add milk one teaspoon at a time.
4. Let the dough rise. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel and let it rise in a warm, draft-free spot for 30-40 minutes, or until doubled in size. I usually put mine in the microwave (not turned on, obviously) with a cup of hot water next to it for warmth.
5. Preheat and prep. About 10 minutes before the dough is done rising, preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Grease your donut pan generously with butter or nonstick spray—don’t skimp here or your donuts will stick and tear apart.
6. Pipe the batter. Transfer the risen dough to a piping bag (or a zip-top bag with the corner snipped off). Pipe the batter into the donut cavities, filling them about 2/3 full. Don’t overfill—they’ll puff up and lose their hole. I overfilled my first batch and ended up with donut muffins instead.
7. Bake to golden perfection. Bake for 8-10 minutes, until the donuts are golden brown and spring back when lightly touched. The tops should look set and slightly puffed. Let them cool in the pan for 2 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
8. Fill the donuts. Once the donuts are completely cool (this is crucial—warm donuts will turn the filling into a runny mess), use a chopstick or the end of a wooden spoon to poke a hole into the side of each donut, going about halfway through. Transfer the raspberry jam to a piping bag with a small round tip and pipe about 1-2 teaspoons into each donut. You’ll feel it puff up slightly when it’s full.
9. Dust and serve. Place the powdered sugar in a fine-mesh sieve and tap it gently over the filled donuts. Serve immediately for the best texture, or within a few hours. The powdered sugar will start to dissolve if they sit too long, so dust them right before serving.

Cooking Tips & Techniques

After those seven test batches (and trust me, my neighbors were very happy about that weekend), I’ve gathered some hard-won wisdom that’ll save you from my mistakes:

Temperature matters more than you think. Your milk needs to be between 105°F and 115°F—too cold and the yeast won’t activate, too hot and you’ll kill it. I use an instant-read thermometer because I’ve killed enough yeast to know better. Also, room temperature eggs are non-negotiable here. Cold eggs will shock the batter and your donuts will turn out dense and sad.

Don’t overfill the pan. I know it’s tempting to get more donut per donut, but 2/3 full is the sweet spot. Any more and you’ll lose the hole, any less and you’ll get flat, sad discs. The batter should look like a soft, puffy cloud in the cavity—not overflowing, not sparse.

Let them cool completely before filling. This is the mistake I made on batch three. I was impatient, the donuts were still warm, and the jam turned into a liquid that soaked through the entire donut. It tasted fine, but it looked like a crime scene. Wait until they’re completely cool to the touch—about 20 minutes on the rack.

Multitasking tip: While the dough is rising, set up your piping station. Fill your jam into a piping bag, set out your powdered sugar, and grease your pan. That way, when the dough is ready, you’re not scrambling to find things while the dough deflates.

Consistency trick: If your dough feels too sticky to pipe, refrigerate it for 10 minutes. The cold will firm it up just enough to handle without making it tough. I stumbled onto this trick when my kitchen got too hot and the dough turned into a sticky mess—it works like magic.

Variations & Adaptations

One of the best things about this recipe is how adaptable it is. Here are some variations I’ve tried and loved:

• Chocolate Sufganiyot: Replace 1/4 cup of the flour with unsweetened cocoa powder and use chocolate-hazelnut spread instead of raspberry jam. My friend Rachel, who claims to hate fruit desserts, ate six of these in one sitting.
• Lemon-Blueberry Version: Add the zest of one lemon to the batter and use blueberry jam for the filling. The lemon cuts through the sweetness beautifully and makes these feel almost elegant.
• Vegan Adaptation: Use almond milk, dairy-free yogurt, and a flax egg (1 tablespoon ground flaxseed mixed with 3 tablespoons water). The texture is slightly denser but still soft and delicious—I tested this for my sister-in-law who’s vegan.
• Spiced Holiday Version: Add 1 teaspoon of cinnamon and 1/4 teaspoon of nutmeg to the flour mixture. Fill with apple butter or caramel sauce for a fall-inspired twist that works perfectly for Thanksgiving leftovers.
• Mini Donut Bites: Use a mini donut pan and reduce the baking time to 5-7 minutes. These are perfect for kids or for serving at parties where people want to try multiple desserts.

I personally love the chocolate version for Hanukkah because it feels a little more indulgent, but the classic raspberry is what my grandmother now requests every year. Funny how that works, right?

Serving & Storage Suggestions

These donuts are best served the day they’re made, ideally within a few hours of baking. The texture is softest and the powdered sugar stays pristine. For a Hanukkah gathering, I like to arrange them on a platter with fresh raspberries scattered around and maybe a few sprigs of mint for color. They look beautiful on a white cake stand, and trust me, your guests will photograph them before eating them.

What to serve alongside: These pair beautifully with coffee or tea, but for a holiday spread, try serving them with a bowl of warm chocolate sauce for dipping and some crispy potato latkes with sour cream and applesauce for that perfect sweet-and-savory balance. If you’re hosting a full Hanukkah dinner, this tender brisket with caramelized onions makes an incredible main course that complements the donuts without competing.

Storage: If you have leftovers (which honestly, I’ve never had, but theoretically), store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. The powdered sugar will dissolve, so you’ll want to re-dust them before serving. Don’t refrigerate them—the fridge dries out the donuts and makes them tough.

Reheating: Pop them in a 300°F oven for 3-4 minutes to revive the soft texture. The microwave works in a pinch (10-15 seconds), but it’ll make them a bit chewy. I don’t recommend freezing these because the jam filling gets weird when thawed, but the unfilled donuts freeze beautifully for up to a month.

Nutritional Information & Benefits

Per donut (based on 6 servings): approximately 280 calories, 8g fat, 45g carbohydrates, 6g protein, 2g fiber, 22g sugar. Keep in mind these are estimates—your exact numbers will vary based on the specific brands and substitutions you use.

These baked sufganiyot are a healthier alternative to traditional fried donuts, with about 40% less fat and fewer calories. The Greek yogurt adds protein and probiotics, while the raspberry filling provides a small dose of antioxidants and vitamin C. Plus, since they’re baked instead of fried, you’re avoiding the inflammatory compounds that come with deep-frying at high temperatures.

Dietary considerations: This recipe is nut-free (check your yogurt brand to be sure) and can easily be made gluten-free or vegan with the substitutions mentioned above. It contains dairy and gluten in its standard form, and the eggs are essential for structure in the baked version.

I’m not going to pretend these are health food—they’re donuts, after all—but I feel a lot better serving these to my family than the greasy bakery versions. And honestly, when my grandmother eats three without complaining, I call that a win.

Conclusion

These baked raspberry sufganiyot donuts have become a non-negotiable part of my Hanukkah celebrations. They’re the recipe that proved my grandmother wrong after sixty-two years, and they’ve won over every single person I’ve served them to. The best part? They’re genuinely simple to make, even when you’re juggling a dozen other dishes for a holiday gathering.

I want you to make these your own. Swap the raspberry for strawberry, add a pinch of cardamom to the batter, or go wild with a chocolate filling—whatever makes your heart happy. The beauty of this recipe is that it’s forgiving enough to experiment with but reliable enough to count on when you need to impress.

If you make these, I’d love to hear about it. Drop a comment below and tell me how they turned out, what filling you used, or whether you managed to keep your grandmother from eating them all before dinner. And if you’re looking for more holiday inspiration, this honey cake with espresso glaze is another showstopper that’s perfect for your dessert table.

Happy Hanukkah, friends. May your donuts be pillowy, your family be full, and your kitchen smell like vanilla and joy.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make these donuts ahead of time for a party?

Absolutely! You can prepare the dough the night before and let it rise slowly in the refrigerator. The next day, let it come to room temperature for about 30 minutes, then proceed with piping and baking. The filled donuts are best within a few hours, but you can bake them in the morning and fill them just before your guests arrive.

Why did my donuts turn out dense instead of fluffy?

This usually happens for one of three reasons: your yeast was dead (it didn’t foam in the milk), your milk was too hot and killed the yeast, or you overmixed the dough. Make sure your milk is between 105°F and 115°F, and mix just until the dough comes together—no more than 2 minutes with the dough hook.

Can I use a different flavor of jam?

Yes, absolutely! Strawberry, apricot, cherry, or even fig jam all work beautifully. Just make sure whatever jam you use is seedless if you want a smooth filling. My personal favorite alternative is blackberry jam with a pinch of black pepper stirred in—it sounds weird but it’s incredible.

How do I keep the powdered sugar from dissolving?

Dust the donuts right before serving, not ahead of time. The moisture from the donuts will eventually absorb the powdered sugar, so it’s best to do this at the last minute. If you’re serving them over several hours, keep the powdered sugar in a sieve and dust each batch as needed.

Can I fry these instead of baking them?

You can, but this recipe is specifically designed for baking. If you want fried sufganiyot, you’ll need a different dough recipe that’s higher in fat and uses more liquid. That said, if you’re set on frying, shape the dough into balls, let them rise for 20 minutes, and fry in 350°F oil for about 2 minutes per side. Just know you’ll need about 3 cups of oil for frying, and the texture will be different from the baked version.

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