Hanukkah is around the corner, and so are the donuts! Every year brings different spins on the classic sufganiyot. They may not all be what you think of when it comes to the traditional format. But they are delicious nonetheless.

Trisha Pérez Kennealy includes Puerto Rican flavors into all of her holiday dishes.

“I fill my sufganiyot with guava as a tribute to my heritage,” Kennealy, culinary educator and owner of the Inn at Hasting Park, told the Journal. Kosher guava jelly or paste is available from many online retailers.

“Jews have lived in the diaspora for centuries,” she said. “This has required resilience which I choose to celebrate by honoring the different cultures that make me who I am today: a Puerto Rican Jew.”

Guava Sufganiyot

Prep Time: 60 minutes

Cook Time: 3 hours

Makes 16 Sufganiyot

Ingredients:

2 1/4 tsp. active dry yeast (6.75 g)

3-4 cups all-purpose flour (480 g)

1 tablespoon plus 1/4 cup sugar (62 g)

2 large egg yolks

1 large egg

1/2 cup warm whole milk (4 oz)

1/2 teaspoon finely grated orange zest

2 tablespoons fresh orange juice (32 g)

1 1/2 tablespoon vanilla (63 g)

1 teaspoon salt (4.67 g)

1 1/2 cups guava jam (381 g)

Powdered sugar

Directions:

Combine yeast, 1 Tbsp. flour, 1 Tbsp. sugar and 2 Tbsp. warm water (between 100-110°) in the bowl of a stand mixer. Allow the mixture to sit for about 5 minutes until yeast starts to foam.

Whisk in egg yolks, whole egg, milk, orange zest, orange juice, salt, vanilla, 2 cups flour and remaining 1/4 cup sugar. Mix on low speed with a dough hook until combined, about 2 minutes.

Add 1 tablespoon of butter at a time, mixing well between additions. Gradually add remaining 2 cups flour mixing until mostly combined between additions, until dough is soft, smooth and shiny. When the dough reaches this stage the dough will begin to pull away from the sides of the bowl and climb up the dough hook.

Turn the dough onto a floured work surface. I use a large silpat mat. Knead for about 5 minutes, adding flour as needed, until the dough is no longer sticky.

Transfer to a buttered bowl, turn dough to coat, and cover with a clean kitchen towel. Proof dough in a warm draft place for about an hour. It should double in size.

Roll the dough out on the lightly floured surface until it is 3/4 inch thick. Use a cutter or round glass to cut out rounds of dough.

Transfer rounds onto a silpat or parchment lined baking sheet. Cover with another kitchen towel and allow to rise for another 40-50 minutes, until doubled in size.

Heat a large container of vegetable oil in a large sauce pan on medium-high heat until it reaches 350°. Working in batches, fry until golden brown, about 1 minute per side. Transfer to a paper towel-lined baking sheet. Allow sufganiyot to cool slightly before filling with jam.

Use a jelly roll tip to fill sufganiyot with guava jelly.

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As someone living with celiac disease, Carolyn Haeler knows firsthand how hard it can be to enjoy traditional holiday treats.

“Creating a gluten-free donut hole recipe for Hanukkah is especially meaningful to me,” Haeler, founder and CEO of Mightylicious, told the Journal. “It lets families savor a beloved tradition without worry or compromise.”

Mightylicious products are certified gluten-free, non-GMO and kosher.

“Everyone deserves to feel included in the joy and flavor of the holiday, and that’s what Mightylicious is all about,” she said.

Quick Gluten-Free Hanukkah Donut Holes

Ingredients:

2 cups Mightylicious all-purpose GF flour

1 tsp pumpkin pie spice

¾ cup buttermilk (or dairy free/ pareve milk substitute)

¼ cup canola oil

1 egg

Directions:

Combine flour and spice. Mix buttermilk with oil and egg and pour into the dry ingredients. Mix well.

In a frying pan, heat oil until hot. Drop batter by the teaspoonful into hot oil and fry for 3-5minutes or until balls puff and turn golden brown.

Drain on paper towels. Roll in cinnamon sugar or powdered sugar and serve warm.

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Want something a little less messy? How does jelly doughnut cookies sound?

“My family is a big fan of cookies over doughnuts,” Archie Gottesman, co-founder of JewBelong, told the Journal. “They can be made ahead, it takes longer for them to go stale, and you’re not waiting in line at the baker on Erev Hanukkah when you’d rather be home setting the table.”

She adds, “This recipe will ensure that tiny fingers don’t track powdered sugar all over your home, which is another bonus.”

Jelly Doughnut Cookies

Yield: 30 filled cookies

Total Time: ~1 hour 45 minutes

Ingredients:

1.5 cups unsalted butter or butter substitute if you’re serving meat

1 cup + 2 cups of confectioners sugar, kept separate

4 large egg yolks

2 tsp vanilla

3 cups flour

Pinch of salt

2 cups jam(s) of choice (keep it a smooth one though, we’re not looking for chunks of fruit)

4 tbsp, + extra any type of milk (plant-based works here!)

Instructions:

Cream the butter and sugar until smooth with an electric mixer

Add the egg yolks and vanilla, and beat until fluffy

Mix together the flour and salt and slowly add it to the mixer until a dough forms

Shape dough into 2 balls and flatten slightly. Put in the fridge covered for 1 hour

Pre-heat the oven to 325 degrees

Roll out each disc on a floured surface until about ¼” thick.

Cut 2” diameter circles, rework the dough to get the most circles out of it. Place circles on a baking sheet lined with foil (no extra grease needed)

On half the circles, add about ½ tsp of fruit jam. Place the no-jam circles on top and seal with a fork (or any way you see fit!)

Bake for 15 minutes. They should just start browning

Mix together the 2 cups of sugar with the milk, adding the milk slowly until you get to a smooth consistency that coats the back of the spoon

Once the cookies are cool, use a spoon to gently spread about a teaspoon of icing on the top of each cookie. Let it dry.

Happy Hanukkah!