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Vegan Chanukah Donuts (Sfinj)

Vegan, light and fluffy Hanukah donuts (sufganiot).
Prep Time10 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Jewish
Diet: Vegan
Keyword: Hanukah, Holiday, Vegan
Servings: 25
Author: Shelly

Ingredients

  • 8 cups 1 kg unbleached all-purpose flour
  • 1.8 oz. 50 g fresh baker’s yeast or 4 teaspoons dry active yeast
  • cups coconut sugar - or cane sugar
  • 3⅓ cups 800 ml. lukewarm water
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup canola oil in a small bowl – for dipping hands while working with the dough
  • 1 bottle canola or another vegetable oil

Serve with:

  • maple syrup, honey, jam

Instructions

  • Put the flour, yeast, sugar and salt in a large bowl. Whisk the ingredients. Pour the water in and stir with your hand for 5 - 10 minutes. The dough should be very soft and sticky, so DON'T be tempted to add flour.
  • Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a moist kitchen towel and place it somewhere fairly warm – just over room temperature – but not too warm. Don’t leave it near a radiator! Let it proof until it doubles its size – about 1 ½ hours. Take a picture of the dough so you can see later if it doubled in size.
  • Give the proofed dough a quick stir with a wooden spoon dipped in oil, then cover it and let it rest until it doubles in size – about 30 minutes.
  • Cover a large flat plate with paper towel and place it near your frying station. Put also the bowl with oil near by.
  • Put enough oil for deep frying in a wide deep skillet (about 3" deep). Put the skillet over medium high heat.
    To check if the oil is hot, put a small piece of carrot or a small peace of dough. If there are no bubbles around the carrot, then the oil is not hot enough. If the carrot turns brown in less than 15 seconds, then the oil is too hot.
  • When you're ready to fry the sfinj, put the dough bowl near the skillet. Grease your hands then grab a handful-size dough with one hand, pull it away and with the other hand pinch off the piece. (See illustration.)
    Hold the dough with two hands and punch a hole in the middle of it with your fingers. It only sounds complicated. Stretch the dough to create a ring and then gently place the ring in the hot oil. Fill the skillet with as many rings as you can fit BUT without crowding it. The sfinj would huff and puff tremendously so make sure you have enough space.
  • Cook until the bottom is golden brown then using a stainless steel tongs or slotted spoon, carefully flip them. Cook each side for about 2 minutes.
  • Remove from the skillet and place on the paper towel plate. Repeat until no more dough left.
  • Serve immediately. Eat them warm. Don't wait. Drizzle or dip in maple syrup, honey, jam... or honey.