Healthy Sufganiyot: Lighter Hanukkah Doughnuts, Baked or Air-Fried

Active time: ~1 hour | Total time: ~3 hours (including two rises) | Serves: 9 (about 18 doughnuts, 2 per serving) | Difficulty: Moderate

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Quick Overview

1. Make a soft yeast dough with half whole wheat flour and a little oil instead of butter
2. Let it double, shape 18 small balls and let them rise again
3. Air-fry at 190°C (375°F) for 7–8 minutes instead of deep-frying
4. Fill each doughnut with about a teaspoon of jam
5. Dust lightly with powdered sugar just before serving

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What This Version Changes — and What It Keeps

The dough and its two rises are those of our traditional sufganiyot recipe: yeast bloomed in warm milk, eggs, a little sugar and lemon zest, kneaded until soft and elastic. What changes is the cooking. The doughnuts go into an air fryer, as in a published recipe for air-fried sufganiyot, instead of a pot of hot oil.⁵

Four smaller swaps go with it: half the flour becomes white whole wheat, oil takes the place of butter in the dough, the dough gets less sugar and each doughnut about a teaspoon of jam. The amounts are Heritage Healthy Kitchen’s estimates, except where a published recipe is cited.

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Why These Swaps Work

Most of the fat in a traditional sufganiyah comes from the oil it takes up in the fryer. By our estimate, that oil accounts for about 13g of the 21g of fat in a two-doughnut serving. A Cleveland Clinic dietitian calls air frying a healthier option because it “essentially eliminates added oils”; an air fryer needs about a tablespoon of oil and may cut the calories you would get from deep frying by up to 80%.⁶ A published recipe for air-fried sufganiyot calls itself a lighter version of the Hanukkah staple and cooks them at 190°C (375°F) for 7–8 minutes.⁵ The crust won’t match a deep-fried one exactly; that is the trade-off.⁶

Half the flour becomes whole wheat. Refining wheat strips away more than half of its B vitamins, 90 percent of its vitamin E and virtually all of its fiber, and fiber slows the breakdown of starch into glucose.⁷ Per 100g, whole wheat flour has 10.7g of fiber against 2.7g for all-purpose,⁹ so the fiber per serving roughly doubles, from about 2g to about 4g.

Oil takes the place of butter in the dough. Butter is mostly saturated fat: per 100g it has 81g of fat, about 50g of it saturated, while sunflower oil has about 10g of saturated fat in 100g.⁹ The American Heart Association recommends limiting saturated fat to no more than 7 percent of calories, and Harvard’s Nutrition Source cites evidence that polyunsaturated fat in place of saturated fat can lower the risk of heart disease.⁸ Oil in sufganiyot dough is nothing new: one of the published traditional recipes uses canola oil.²

Sugar goes in three times: in the dough, in the jam and on top. The American Heart Association suggests no more than about 24g of added sugar a day for most women and 36g for most men.¹⁰ By our estimate, a traditional two-doughnut serving has about 30g. Here the sugar in the dough is cut to 2½ tablespoons, the jam comes down to about a teaspoon per doughnut, the amount used in published recipes,^1,5 and the powdered sugar is a light dusting. That brings added sugar down to about 12g per serving. It is still a sweet holiday doughnut.

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Healthy Sufganiyot Recipe

This recipe was compiled by Heritage Healthy Kitchen from published recipes and the sources for the swaps, all listed at the end of this article. Figures that are Heritage Healthy Kitchen’s own estimates rather than taken from a published source are marked as such.

The base follows the published traditional recipes behind our traditional sufganiyot: about 440g (3½ cups) to about 580g of flour, one to three eggs, a few tablespoons of sugar, one rise until doubled and a second after shaping.^1,2,3,4 The air-fryer method, the shape, the temperature and the timing follow a published air-fryer recipe.⁵ The amounts of whole wheat flour, oil, sugar and jam, the oven method and the number of doughnuts are Heritage Healthy Kitchen’s estimates.

Ingredients (makes about 18 doughnuts, serves 9)

For the dough

• 250g (2 cups) all-purpose flour, plus more for shaping
• 250g (2 cups) white whole wheat flour
• 30g (2½ tablespoons) granulated sugar, divided
• 7g (2¼ teaspoons) active dry yeast
• 4g (¾ teaspoon) fine salt
• 180ml (¾ cup) whole milk, warmed to about 43°C (110°F), plus a little more if needed
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 40g (3 tablespoons) neutral oil, such as sunflower or canola
• Finely grated zest of 1 lemon (optional)

For cooking and finishing

• About 15ml (1 tablespoon) neutral oil, for brushing
• About 125g (6 tablespoons) strawberry jam, for filling
• 16g (2 tablespoons) powdered sugar, for dusting

Instructions

1. Bloom the yeast. Stir the warm milk with the yeast and 1 tablespoon of the sugar and leave it for about 10 minutes, until foamy.²
2. Mix and knead. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs with the remaining sugar, the salt and the lemon zest. Add the yeast mixture and the oil, then both flours a little at a time. Knead for 8–10 minutes, by hand or with a dough hook, until smooth and elastic. If the dough feels dry, add a little more milk, a tablespoon at a time.^3,2
3. First rise. Put the dough in a greased bowl, cover and leave it in a warm place until doubled, 1–2 hours.^1,3,2
4. Shape. Divide the dough into 18 pieces of about 50g each (Heritage Healthy Kitchen’s estimate), roll each into a smooth ball and set them on a parchment-lined tray, well apart.⁵
5. Second rise. Cover loosely and leave until puffy, 30–45 minutes.⁵
6. Air-fry. Brush the balls lightly with the oil; about a tablespoon covers the whole batch. Set 4 or 5 in the air-fryer basket, not touching, and cook at 190°C (375°F) for 7–8 minutes, until golden brown. Repeat with the rest.^5,6
7. Or bake. Without an air fryer, heat the oven to 190°C (375°F), set the brushed balls on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for 12–15 minutes, until golden. These oven times are Heritage Healthy Kitchen’s estimates.
8. Fill. Let the doughnuts cool until barely warm. Push a narrow piping tip or the nozzle of a squeeze bottle into each one and pipe in about 1 teaspoon of jam.^5,1
9. Finish. Dust lightly with the powdered sugar just before serving.²

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Kitchen Tips

Leave space between the doughnuts in the basket and cook them in batches.⁵

Wait before filling. If the doughnuts are still hot, the filling squirts back out.⁴

Leave the powdered sugar until just before serving: it soaks into the doughnuts over time and they start to look soggy.²

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The Traditional Version

For sufganiyot fried the classic way, with butter in the dough and a tablespoon of jam in each, and for the story of how they became Israel’s Hanukkah doughnut, see our Traditional Sufganiyot recipe.

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Nutritional Comparison

Per serving (2 doughnuts, one of 9 servings):

Nutrient	Traditional sufganiyot	This version
Calories	495–600 kcal	305–370 kcal
Protein	7.5–9g	8–10g
Total fat	19–23g	8–9.5g
Saturated fat	5–6g	about 1.5g
Carbohydrates	74–90g	52–63g
Dietary fiber	about 2g	about 4g
Sodium	190–230mg	180–225mg
Added sugar	about 30g	about 12g

The salt is the same in both versions, so sodium barely changes.

Nutritional values are estimates based on standard ingredient databases (USDA FoodData Central). The oil a traditional doughnut takes up in frying and the oil used for brushing here are Heritage Healthy Kitchen’s estimates; the figures also vary with the jam and the size of the doughnuts.

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Storage and Reheating

Like the fried kind, these are best the day they are made.^4,2 To get ahead, use the method for fried sufganiyot: freeze the doughnuts after cooking and before filling, thaw them completely, then fill and dust just before serving.²

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Frequently Asked Questions

Do air-fried sufganiyot taste like deep-fried ones?
Close, but not the same. An air fryer browns the outside and keeps the inside soft, but it won’t perfectly copy the texture of food deep-fried in hot fat.⁶

Why only half whole wheat flour?
Refined flour is what makes light, airy pastries; whole wheat brings back the fiber that refining strips out.⁷ Half and half is Heritage Healthy Kitchen’s compromise between a light doughnut and more fiber.

Can I use a different jam?
Yes. Apricot jam is used in published recipes,¹ and so are strawberry and grape jelly.⁵ Keep to about a teaspoon per doughnut.

Are these dairy or pareve?
With milk in the dough they are dairy. The dough already uses oil instead of butter; use water instead of the milk and they become pareve.²

If they aren’t deep-fried, are they still a Hanukkah food?
The custom is to eat food fried in oil on Hanukkah, in memory of the oil in the Temple.⁵ This version uses only a tablespoon of oil for the whole batch, and the published recipe it follows presents air-fried sufganiyot as a lighter Hanukkah option.⁵ For the doughnut fried the classic way, see our Traditional Sufganiyot recipe.

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Further Reading & Sources

The recipe is a compilation based on the published recipes and the sources for the swaps listed here; these links are provided for readers who want to explore further.

The traditional base

1. Joan Nathan. Sufganiyot (Israeli Jelly Doughnuts). Food52. Published recipe: 3½ cups flour, 1 egg and 1 yolk, 3½ tablespoons butter, 3 tablespoons sugar, 1 packet yeast, lemon zest; rise at least 1 hour or overnight in the refrigerator; rolled ½ inch thick, 2-inch rounds, 30 minutes’ second rise; at least 2 inches of oil at about 375°F, 4 to 5 at a time, about 3 minutes a side; a teaspoon of jam in each.
2. Tori Avey. (5 December 2019). Sufganiyot. toriavey.com. Published recipe: 500g flour, 2 eggs, ¼ cup sugar, ¼ cup canola oil, 1 packet yeast, water or milk (water to make it pareve); yeast foamy after 10 minutes; 10 minutes’ kneading; rise about 2 hours; rolled ½ inch thick, 45 minutes’ second rise; oil at 325°F, hotter oil browns the outside before the inside cooks; about 90 seconds a side; powdered sugar just before serving, as it soaks in over time; freeze after frying, before filling.
3. The Nosher (no author named). (4 December 2015). How to Make Perfect Sufganiyot. My Jewish Learning. Published recipe: 3½ cups flour, 1 egg, 3½ tablespoons butter, ¼ cup sugar, 1 tablespoon instant yeast; kneaded 8 to 10 minutes; rise 1½ to 2 hours; rolled ¾ inch thick, 2-inch rounds, 20 minutes’ second rise; oil at 350°F, 2 to 3 minutes a side.
4. Caroline Schiff. Hanukkah Sufganiyot. Food Network. Published recipe: 583g flour, 3 eggs and 2 yolks, 170g butter, 85g sugar, 17g yeast; dough can be made a day ahead; rolled ½ inch thick, 2½-inch rounds, 16 to 18 doughnuts; oil at 350°F, about 5 at a time, 3 minutes a side; filled only when fully cool; best the day they are made.

The swaps

5. Micah Siva. (5 December 2022). How to Make Air Fryer Jelly Donuts for Hanukkah. The Nosher, My Jewish Learning. Published air-fryer recipe, described as a lighter version of the Hanukkah staple: dough shaped into balls, second rise 30 to 45 minutes; 4 to 5 at a time, not touching, at 375°F for 7 to 8 minutes; about 1 teaspoon of jam in each; the custom of eating food fried in oil on Hanukkah.
6. Cleveland Clinic Health Essentials. (22 January 2024). Are Air Fryers Healthy? Registered dietitian Julia Zumpano: air frying “essentially eliminates added oils”; an air fryer needs about a tablespoon of oil and may cut the calories from deep frying by up to 80%; it won’t perfectly copy the texture of food deep-fried in hot fat.
7. The Nutrition Source. Whole Grains. Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. Refining wheat makes fluffy flour for light breads and pastries but strips away more than half of its B vitamins, 90 percent of the vitamin E and virtually all of the fiber; bran and fiber slow the breakdown of starch into glucose.
8. The Nutrition Source. Types of Fat. Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. The American Heart Association recommends limiting saturated fat to no more than 7 percent of calories; evidence that polyunsaturated fat in place of saturated fat can lower heart disease risk, and no benefit if saturated fat is replaced with refined carbohydrates.
9. U.S. Department of Agriculture. FoodData Central, SR Legacy: unsalted butter (FDC 173430), sunflower oil (FDC 171025), whole wheat flour (FDC 168893), all-purpose flour (FDC 169761). Per 100g: butter 81g fat, of which about 50g saturated; sunflower oil 100g fat, of which about 10g saturated; whole wheat flour 10.7g fiber against 2.7g for all-purpose.
10. The Nutrition Source. Added Sugar. Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. The American Heart Association’s suggested limit of added sugar: about 24g a day for most women and 36g for most men.

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Disclaimer

The information in this article is provided for educational and informational purposes only. Heritage Healthy Kitchen makes no representations or warranties regarding the accuracy or completeness of any content on this site. Nutritional values are estimates only and will vary depending on the specific ingredients, brands, and measurements used. This content is not intended as dietary, medical, or professional nutritional advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider regarding any dietary needs or health conditions. Heritage Healthy Kitchen is not responsible for any outcomes resulting from the use of recipes or information published on this site.

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