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On the first night of every Hanukkah, my mom carefully mixed, kneaded, proofed, shaped and fried doughnuts. While they were still piping hot, she filled them with jams and jellies.
My sister and I then stuffed our faces with as many as we could manage.
My mom’s recipe was made with fresh orange juice and zest, a sprinkle of cinnamon and a generous pour of vanilla extract. I can still taste them fresh out of the oil and dusted with confectioners’ sugar. The fresh sufganiyot tradition has continued at my Hanukkah table (save for the year I gave birth to my son, Ari, right before Hanukkah, and I relinquished the frying duty to my Noe Valley doughnut shop).
This year, I’ll have a full guest list almost every night of Hanukkah. With gluten-free and dairy-free guests coming, I wanted to offer something special that every guest will love and, more importantly, that allows me to spend more of my time with my friends and family. I decided to rethink my dessert table by creating a make-ahead treat that everyone can eat over a game of dreidel.
Not all gluten-free flours are created equal. I like to use a one-to-one gluten-free baking flour, meaning it can be substituted for regular flour in the same amount. And I want it to contain xanthan gum, a stabilizer that helps give gluten-free baked goods a springy texture. I typically use Bob’s Red Mill or King Arthur Flour blends.
To ensure my doughnuts are fluffy and tender, I also like to include ground flaxseed, which helps bind the batter and help doughnuts better keep their shape.
While not traditional sufganiyot (Israeli-style jelly-filled doughnuts), these are gluten-free, dairy-free, make-ahead delights. They’re ready in just 30 minutes! I like to use a silicone or nonstick doughnut pan. Be sure to grease it liberally to ensure your doughnuts come out clean.
Inspired by my mother’s recipe, I’ve added orange juice and zest, a little cinnamon and strawberry jelly in both the batter and glaze for my Hanukkah treat.
Gluten-Free Baked Doughnuts with Strawberry Jelly Glaze
Makes 12
30 minutes
Doughnuts:
- 1½ cups one-to-one gluten-free flour (Bob’s Red Mill or King Arthur)
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 Tbs. flaxseed meal
- 2 tsp. baking powder
- ½ tsp. kosher salt
- ¼ tsp. cinnamon
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tsp. gluten-free vanilla extract
- ½ cup almond milk, unsweetened
- ¼ cup orange juice
- ½ cup avocado oil
- 2 Tbs. strawberry jam (seedless)
- ½ tsp. orange zest
- Freeze-dried strawberries, to garnish (optional)
Glaze:
- 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
- 2 Tbs. strawberry jam
- 1 Tbs. almond milk, unsweetened
- 1 tsp. lemon juice
For doughnuts: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Generously grease doughnut pan with oil.
In a medium bowl, combine gluten-free flour, sugar, flaxseed meal, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Set aside.
In large bowl, combine eggs, vanilla extract, almond milk, orange juice, avocado oil, strawberry jam and orange zest, whisking until well combined.
Add dry ingredients to egg mixture, stirring until well incorporated. Pour batter into large plastic storage bag and use scissors to cut a ½-inch hole in one corner. Pipe batter into prepared pan, about ¾ of the way into each doughnut cavity.
Bake for 10 to 12 minutes until lightly golden. Let cool for 5 minutes in pan before turning onto cooling rack. Let them cool to room temperature before glazing.
For glaze: In medium bowl, whisk together confectioners’ sugar, strawberry jam, almond milk and lemon juice until smooth. Transfer glaze to a piping bag or a large plastic storage bag with small hole cut in one corner.
When doughnuts have cooled to room temperature, drizzle tops with the strawberry glaze and top with optional freeze-dried strawberries.
Store for up to three days in an airtight container at room temperature, or freeze in an airtight bag or container for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature before eating.