I love using key lime in desserts, and these delicious warm Lime Curd Sufganiyot are filled with the most amazing key lime curd. You can make the curd up to one week in advance. Perfect for serving as a dessert or a sweet treat - they taste the absolute best when they are just freshly made.
Plus these Lime Curd Sufganiyot are dairy-free for kosher and dairy-free diet enjoyment. Happy Channukah!
Why this Recipe Works
Sufganiyot are traditionally filled with pureed jam, and curd is an unlikely filling because it can run. I'm adding a thickener in the curd so it sets wonderfully. Key lime is such a fresh, tart flavor that works well for dessert recipes, as it complements and cuts through the fried dough.
The technique of filling the Sufganiyot with the curd rather than using it as a sauce or glaze means that with every bite you get an even taste of the dough with the curd.
This recipe is dairy-free so if you keep kosher or have a dairy-free diet, you can enjoy these anytime and after any meal!
Ingredients You Need
coconut milk - use full-fat coconut milk for this recipe. If you are looking for a substitute, whole milk works, but the recipe will no longer be dairy-free.
arrowroot powder - the thickener for the curd so it doesn't ooze out of the lime curd sufganiyot. You can substitute with cornstarch.
limes - the recipe calls for key limes, but you can also use regular limes. Key limes are a little more tart, which I love, but they are both wonderful for this recipe.
yeast - I personally do not like using wet yeast, but if you have good experience with it, go ahead. After I open my bag of dry yeast, I store it in a sealed container in the refrigerator to extend shelf life.
How to Make this Recipe
Combine the yeast, 1.5 teaspoons sugar, and 2 tablespoons of warm water to the bowl of a stand mixer. Let it stand until the yeast foams, ~5 minutes. If it doesn't foam, start over.
Add 2 tablespoon of sugar, 2 egg yolks, coconut milk, lime juice and zest, salt, vanilla extract, and 1 cup of flour into the yeast mixture. Mix on low with the dough hook for about 2 minutes until combined.
Add the vegetable oil slowly with the mixer running. Mix well. Gradually add UP TO 1 more cup of flour. Start with ½ a cup, you might not need it all. If too sticky, a tablespoon more of flour at a time flour. You want the dough to be soft, smooth, and pull away from the sides of the bowl. Knead the dough for 3 minutes to make sure it isn't sticky. If it is, add a little more flour until it isn't.
Lightly oil a medium bowl. Place the dough in the oiled bowl and cover with a kitchen towel. Let it rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1-1.5 hours.
In the meantime, make the curd. Whisk all the ingredients in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk constantly until thick enough to coat a spoon, 5-8 minutes. Transfer to a bowl, cover, and chill 2 hours minimum.
Flour your surface to roll out the dough. Roll it out to ¾ inch thick. Cut into 8 squares or use a 2.5-3-inch cookie cutter. Transfer the 8-pieces to a parchment-lined baking sheet, cover with a kitchen towel, and let rise for 45-50 minutes, until ALMOST doubled in size.
Note: This recipe makes 8 lime curd sufganiyot. Do not try to make larger ones or the inside will not cook completely.
Heat 3-4 inches of vegetable oil to 350F. Fry 45 seconds per side. Work in small batches and make sure your temperature is stable around 350F.
Drain on paper towels. There shouldn't be much or any excess oil if you are keeping it at 350F. Let them cool slightly before filling.
With a toothpick or skewer, make a hole in the side of each doughnut. With a piping bag fill the doughnuts with the curd. Sprinkle with powdered sugar.
Note: If you don't have a piping back, you can cut a ¼-inch hole in the corner of a Ziploc bag.
Sufganiyot FAQs
In Israel, doughnuts are called sufganiyot. These are a dairy-free version enjoyed during the Jewish holiday Chanukah.
For this batch of sufganiyot, I used a 3-inch round cookie cutter to cut circles. However, you can also use a knife to cut the dough into squares. Then, you can re-roll the dough. Do not use cookie cutters larger than 3-inches or the sufganiyot won't cook all the way through.
Traditional Chanukah foods include everything fried. The traditional came from the Chanukah story, celebrating the miracle that they only had enough oil for light for 1 night, but it ended up lasting for 8 days. Since fried foods are cooked in oil, it is one way we like to celebrate the miracle.
I have personally been trying to reduce the amount of dairy in my diet for health and social reasons. Also, for those who keep kosher, this opens up the possibilities of what else you can serve for dinner.
Looking for More Jewish Recipes?
Happy Chanukah!
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Lime Curd Sufganiyot (Dairy-Free)
Equipment
Ingredients
Curd:
- 3 large eggs
- ½ cup sugar
- 2 teaspoon lime zest
- ½ cup fresh key lime juice or sub. with lime juice
- 1.5 teaspoon arrowroot powder
Donuts:
- 1 ¼ teaspoon yeast
- 2 tablespoon warm water
- 2.5 tablespoon sugar
- 2 egg yolks
- ¼ cup coconut milk full fat, lukewarm (100-105F)
- ¼ lime zest
- 1 tablespoon key lime juice or lime juice
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1.5-2 cups flour
- 3 tablespoon vegetable oil or melted margarine
- Vegetable oil for deep-frying
- Powdered sugar for dusting
Instructions
- Combine the yeast, 1.5 teaspoons sugar, and 2 tablespoons of warm water to the bowl of a stand mixer. Let it stand until the yeast foams, ~5 minutes. If it doesn't foam, start over.
- Add 2 tablespoon of sugar, 2 egg yolks, coconut milk, lime juice and zest, salt, vanilla extract, and 1 cup of flour into the yeast mixture. Mix on low with the dough hook for about 2 minutes until combined.
- Add the vegetable oil slowly with the mixer running. Mix well. Gradually add UP TO 1 more cup of flour. Start with ½ a cup, you might not need it all. If too sticky, a tablespoon more of flour at a time flour. You want the dough to be soft, smooth, and pull away from the sides of the bowl. Knead the dough for 3 minues to make sure it isn't sticky. If it is, add a little more flour until it isn't.
- Lightly oil a medium bowl. Place the dough in the oiled bowl and cover with a kitchen towel. Let it rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1-1.5 hours.
- In the meantime, make the curd. Whisk all the ingredients in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk constantly until thick enough to coat a spoon, 5-8 minutes. Transfer to a bowl, cover, and chill 2 hours minimum.
- Flour your surface to roll out the dough. Roll it out to ¾ inch thick. Cut into 8 squares or use a 2.5-3-inch cookie cutter*. Transfer the 8-pieces to a parchment lined baking sheet, cover with a kitchen towel, and let rise for 45-50 minutes, until ALMOST doubled in size.
- Heat 3-4 inches of vegetable oil to 350F. Fry 45 seconds per side. Work in small batches and make sure your temperature is stable around 350F.
- Drain on paper towels. There shouldn't be much or any excess oil if you are keeping it at 350F. Let them cool slightly before filling.
- With a toothpick or skewer, make a hole in the side of each doughnut. With a piping bag** fill the doughnuts with the curd. Sprinkle with powdered sugar.
Notes
Nutrition
This post was originally published in December of 2018 but was republished with new photos, step by step instructions, FAQs, and tips in November of 2020.
These Lime curd Sufganiyots are amazing and I needed them in my life ASAP !! At first glance I thought it was a creme filled doughnut so I am so glad you explained what these little gems are . This was a fabulous recipe and I will be making it again soon .. I adore anything key lime.
That makes me so happy to hear, Debbie... enjoy!
Love this dairy-free option and the detailed instructions and info about sufganiyot. You definitely want to make this one!
Glad to hear it, Moop!
WOW, these dairy-free lime sufganiyot are to die for! they are super fluffy and the amount of creme filled inside is just the perfect amount. Thank you for sharing this recipe.
You're so welcome, Ramona... I'm glad to hear you liked them!
I love that I have learned something new today! I knew nothing about Jewish doughnuts, and the lime filling is totally delicious and the doughnuts are easy to make! I was a bit intimidated by the frying procedure, but turned out to be easier than I thought.
I'm so glad to hear it, Eva... enjoy!
I had never tried sufganiyot, but now I want to make them all the time! They are delicious and that lime curd was AMAZING!
That makes me so happy to hear, Denise...enjoy!
I am drooling over these right now! This is now one of my favorite things to make!
I'm so glad to hear that, Dennis... thank you for sharing!!
I can't believe this is made without any dairy! They tasted so good. I will be making the curd just to eat with a spoon next time because it was so good!
That makes me so happy to hear, Valerie... that's how hubby eats it, too!
These donuts are SO good. I was looking for a dairy free dessert to bring to my sisters ( who is dairy free 😉 ) and these are perfect! She's going to flip when I bring these over!
I'm so glad to hear it... would love to hear what she thinks!!
I had never made lime curd, but I do LOVE lemon curd, so this was a must-make for me. I LOVE these key lime sufganiyot...so they were a hit. There is always room in the day for a delicious treat. Especially this time of year.
I'm so glad you liked them with the lime curd, Gloria!
Loved reading about sufganiyot, Candice! They look amazing, and love how they're dairy-free too!
Thank you so much, Michelle!