Vegan Hanukkah Recipe: The Best Sufganiyot

Vegan Sufganiyot

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup water
• 3 - 3 ½  cups all-purpose or bread flour
• 150 grams unsweetened applesauce, room temperature
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 2 tbsp vegan butter, melted and cooled to room temperature
• 1 tsp ground nutmeg
• ½ cup raspberry jelly
• Powdered sugar for dusting

Instructions

1. Please read through all the instructions before beginning.
2. Prep: measure out all ingredients. Grease a medium size bowl, and set aside.
3. Make the Sufganiyot: While the custard is chilling, make the doughnuts.
   1. Activate the yeast: In a microwave-safe bowl, heat the water until it reaches 110F- use a food thermometer to accurately measure the temperature. Any cooler or hotter, and the yeast won't activate properly. Add in 1 tbsp sugar and the extra 1 tbsp flour. Gently whisk together, then sprinkle yeast, mix with a spoon lightly, cover, and let activate for 10 minutes in a warm area.
   2. Make the dough: When activated, pour the mixture into a large bowl or a stand mixer with the dough attachment. Add in the remaining sugar, applesauce, melted vegan butter, and nutmeg. Mix on medium speed until combined. Then add in about half of the flour and mix on medium speed until the flour starts to incorporate into the wet mixture. Add the remaining flour, and mix on medium speed until a shaggy dough forms. Lightly flour a clean surface and place the dough onto the surface, sprinkling some extra flour on top or kneading.
   3. First proof: Knead the dough lightly, for 2-4 minutes, until it forms a smooth dough ball that's not sticky, adding more flour as necessary. Then place the dough into the greased medium bowl, cover with a cloth or wrap, and place into a warm area to let rise for 1 hour. It should be double in size. If it's at least 80F outside, you can place the bowl outside, otherwise you can place it in the oven (which is turned off) and turn on the oven light or start preheating the oven to 350F and place the bowl near or on top of the oven.
   4. Shape the doughnuts: When the dough has doubled in size, lightly punch down the dough, and flour a clean surface. Gently roll out the dough to a large rectangle that is about 1/2" in height. Use a 3" round cookie cutter to cut out the doughnuts or a pizza cutter to slice the sufganiyot into more of a square shape.. Place the cut out sufganiyot onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Continue to re-roll the dough until you  have no more dough left. You can use multiple baking sheets if needed. Cover the sufganiyot and allow them to rest while you heat the coconut oil for frying.
4. Fry the doughnuts: In a large saucepan with tall walls, heat the coconut oil until it reaches 355F. Use a kitchen thermometer to determine the heat safely. Once heated, use a wooden spoon to carefully place 3-4 doughnuts into the oil at a time. Cook on each side until they're lightly golden, then flip. Once cooked, Place them onto a cooling rack or baking sheet. Repeat for the remaining doughnuts, then allow them to cool for 30 minutes before filling.
5. Create pockets in the doughnuts: use a small butter knife or wooden skewer to create one hole in the sides of each of the doughnuts, creating a pocket inside for the custard. You don't need to poke it all the way through, just about 2/3 of the way to create a pocket for the custard.
6. Fill with jelly: Fill a pastry bag with piping tip with the jelly, and gently fill each doughnut with jelly (about 3-4 tbsp). Be careful not to overfill.
7. Serve and enjoy! Once all of your doughnuts are filled, you can serve and enjoy! Dust with powdered sugar if desired. These doughnuts are best the first day of baking, but can be enjoyed for 2-3 days afterwards if kept in the fridge in an airtight container.