Air Fryer Sufganiyot (Jam-Filled Doughnuts) Recipe

By
Leah Maroney
Leah Maroney
Leah Maroney
A recipe developer and food photographer, Leah Maroney is an ardent home cook and food blogger who has written over 300 recipes for The Spruce Eats.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 05/22/22
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The Spruce Eats / Leah Maroney

Prep: 35 mins
Cook: 18 mins
Total: 53 mins
Servings: 15 servings
Yield: 15 doughnuts

A traditional dessert eaten during Hanukkah, sufganiyot are light and fluffy doughnuts filled with jam. They're usually deep fried to honor the oil that miraculously burned in the ancient temple of Jerusalem. If you're looking to make them with less oil and less mess, this recipe will help you do so. Thanks to the air fryer, they have all of the flavor and texture of the traditional Hanukkah treat with fewer calories and grams of fat. While these aren’t fried in oil, they are brushed with some before being cooked in the air fryer, so you can continue to honor the tradition.

Ingredients

For the Doughnut:

  • 2 teaspoons yeast

  • 1/2 cup milk, scalded

  • 1/3 cup sugar

  • 2 large eggs

  • 1 teaspoon salt

  • 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

  • 3 cups flour

  • 3 ounces (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature

For the Filling:

  • Strawberry jam

  • Confectioners' sugar

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

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     The Spruce Eats / Leah Maroney

  2. Combine the yeast, milk, and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer. Stir until the sugar has dissolved. 

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     The Spruce Eats / Leah Maroney

  3. Whisk in the eggs, salt, and vanilla. 

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     The Spruce Eats / Leah Maroney

  4. Add in about 2 cups of the flour with a whisk.

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     The Spruce Eats / Leah Maroney

  5. Cut the butter into pieces and add a piece at a time to the dough, mixing using a dough hook and thoroughly between additions. 

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     The Spruce Eats / Leah Maroney

  6. Gradually add the rest of the flour; you may need less than the three cups. Mix until the dough is combined and is shiny and soft. 

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     The Spruce Eats / Leah Maroney

  7. Scrape the sides of the bowl and mix again if necessary. Continue to knead with the dough hook attachment until the dough is smooth and soft. Add more flour if it is too sticky. 

  8. Cover and let rise in a warm place for about 1 hour or until doubled in size, then roll out the dough to 1/2-inch thickness on a floured surface.

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     The Spruce Eats / Leah Maroney

  9. Lightly flour a large surface. Roll out the dough to a 3/4-inch thickness. Using a biscuit cutter, cut out rounds of the dough. Twist the cutter as you cut to release the round. You can re-roll scraps one more time. Too many re-rolls will result in tough dough. 

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     The Spruce Eats / Leah Maroney

  10. Transfer the dough to a parchment-lined baking sheet and cover with a clean towel. Let rise for another 30 minutes or until almost doubled in size. Make sure to leave space between each round to allow for rising and expansion. 

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     The Spruce Eats / Leah Maroney

  11. Grease the basket of your air fryer generously with canola oil. Add 3 to 5 rounds of dough to the basket depending on the size of your rounds and the size of your air fryer. Brush the top of each doughnut with canola oil as well. 

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    The Spruce Eats / Leah Maroney 

  12. Fry at 350 F for 5 to 6 minutes, flipping halfway through cooking. 

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     The Spruce Eats / Leah Maroney

  13. Set the completed doughnuts aside and fry the remaining dough. 

  14. Pulse the strawberry jam in a food processor to make it easier to pipe.

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    The Spruce Eats / Leah Maroney 

  15. Add a 1/4-inch round tip to your piping bag. Fill the bag with the strawberry jam. Insert the tip of the piping bag into the top of the doughnut. Gently push down until about half way through the doughnut. Squeeze and fill until the jam just pokes out of the top. 

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     The Spruce Eats / Leah Maroney

  16. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve immediately!

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     The Spruce Eats / Leah Maroney

     

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
231 Calories
6g Fat
41g Carbs
4g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 15
Amount per serving
Calories 231
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 6g 7%
Saturated Fat 3g 16%
Cholesterol 38mg 13%
Sodium 163mg 7%
Total Carbohydrate 41g 15%
Dietary Fiber 1g 4%
Total Sugars 17g
Protein 4g
Vitamin C 2mg 9%
Calcium 23mg 2%
Iron 1mg 8%
Potassium 71mg 2%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)