12 Indulgent Hanukkah Recipes

These are my top 12 favorite Hanukkah recipes. They are perfect for hosting a celebration or having a quiet commemoration with family. Of course, the crispy potato latkes are the star of the show!

Four Hannukah foods including sufganiyot, chocolate gelt, latkes, and brisket.

Hannukah foods are known to be indulgent. You’ll find tons of fried food, cooked in oil, as a way to honor the miracle associated with Hanukkah – how the oil in the Temple’s menorah lasted for eight days, even though there was only enough oil for one day. Chag Sameach! (Happy holidays!)

Latkes are often eaten as well as fried doughnuts (called sufganiyot). Gelt is also popular at Hanukkah – these are small chocolate coins. You’ll find these recipes and more below. Although matzo ball soup isn’t traditional for Hannukah, I’ve seen more and more families making it for this holiday.

🍽️ Hanukkah Mains

Here are some hearty main dishes to consider for your Hannukah celebration this year.

Cast-Iron Potato Kugel

Potato kugel is a hearty potato casserole dish with a crispy baked top, like a hash brown cake. It's delicious on its own or as a side.

Check out this recipe

Red Wine and Honey Braised Brisket

A tender and juicy brisket braised in red wine and honey. Not just a Passover and Rosh Hashanah staple, but great for all year round!

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Sliced brisket on a serving plate with chopped vegetables.

Fried Salmon Baja Style Fish Tacos

These salmon Baja style fish tacos will have you craving them every single taco Tuesday. The perfect bar-food at home, inspired by my favorite San Diego taco restaurant.

Check out this recipe

Fried Tofu in Dashi Broth

Deep fried tofu in a dashi base broth. This katsuobushi dashi is the perfect bath for my perfectly fried, fluffy tofu.

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Agedashi tofu in a bowl with brown dashi liquid.

🥔 Hanukkah Latkes

Hanukkah is ALL about the latkes! I promise my latke recipes will be the best you’ve ever tried – they’re always a hit at my celebrations!

Crispy Potato Latkes

Make these perfectly crispy latkes easily at home, and they'll be the food EVERYONE is talking about at your Hanukkah celebration.

Check out this recipe

Potato latkes on a platter surrounding a bowl of applesauce.

Mashed Potato Latkes

Pan-fried Potato Latkes use mashed potatoes instead of grated potatoes for the perfect crispy-outside soft-inside Chanukah treat.

Check out this recipe

⭐ Pro Tip for Latkes ⭐

Always serve your latkes with plenty of sour cream and apple sauce for dipping

🍩 Hanukkah Desserts and Sweets

Hanukkah sweets have a special place in my heart, especially Sufganiyot. They’re the vest version of doughnuts, and my recipe with Nutella filling is to die for!

Nutella Sufganiyot

Nutella Sufganiyot have a delicious, no-fuss filling inside warm fried doughnuts. Perfect for Chanukah with dairy-free and nut-free options!

Check out this recipe

Cast-Iron Noodle Kugel

Noodle kugel is a sweet, baked noodle casserole with egg noodles, cream cheese, sugar, apples, and cinnamon.

Check out this recipe

Baked noodle casserole with cinnamon topping in a cast iron pan.

Lime Curd Sufganiyot (Dairy-Free)

Lime Curd Sufganiyot are sweet & tart with a delicious key lime curd filling inside warm fried doughnuts. Perfect for Channukah & dairy-free!

Check out this recipe

⭐ Pro Tip for Sufganiyot ⭐

If none of these fillings are quite your cup of tea, you can also just fill the sufganiyot the classic way, with your favorite flavored jelly like strawberry, raspberry, or mixed berry.

10.

Lemon Brûlée Sufganiyot

These incredible lemon-pastry-cream-filled sufganiyot can be made with either regular or Meyer lemons, and both versions are delicious. Plus, I'm giving you all the advice you need for perfectly fried sufganiyot. Happy Hannukah!

Check out this recipe

11.

Homemade Dark Chocolate Gelt (with optional filling!)

The taste of dark chocolate and light matcha work like magic for these chocolate gelt sandwich cookies. They are perfect as a sweet treat with tea or coffee, or an after-dinner dessert.

Check out this recipe

12.

Fried Apples

These tempura-fried apples are what would happen if a churro, funnel cake, and apple pie got together and made a baby. Anytime I know I am going to fry something for dinner, I make sure to also pick up a couple of apples and make this DELICIOUS dessert. Serve with your favorite ice cream!

Check out this recipe