Celebrate with ease using these Hanukkah Treats You Can Make Tonight—quick, festive recipes like sufganiyot, rugelach, and more for a sweet, stress-free holiday.

Whether you’re lighting the menorah or just craving something sweet, these Hanukkah Treats You Can Make Tonight bring instant joy to your kitchen. Simple, festive, and absolutely delicious, these treats are proof that you can make something magical in just one evening.

Hanukkah Treats You Can Make Tonight

1) Skillet Sufganiyot Bites (Jelly Doughnut Poppers)

All the joy of sufganiyot without the hours. Ricotta gives you instant lift, and a quick stovetop jam-warmup means gooey centers in minutes.

Ingredients (Makes ~30 bites)

• Batter: 1 cup (240 g) whole-milk ricotta (well stirred), 2 large eggs, ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar, 1 tsp vanilla extract, zest of 1 lemon, 1 cup (120 g) all-purpose flour, 1½ tsp baking powder, ¼ tsp fine sea salt
• For Frying: Neutral oil (canola/peanut) to 2 inches deep in a heavy pot
• Finish: ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar mixed with 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• Fill (optional but glorious): ¾ cup seedless raspberry jam, warmed until loose; small piping bag with Bismarck tip or zip-top bag with tiny corner snipped

Cue The Joy (Your Game Plan)

• Pour 2 inches of oil into a Dutch oven. Clip a thermometer and bring to 350°F over medium-high heat. Stable oil temp equals even cook and zero greasiness.
• In a bowl, whisk ricotta, eggs, sugar, vanilla, and lemon zest until glossy and smooth—30 seconds. Sprinkle flour, baking powder, and salt over the surface; fold just until combined. The batter stays thick, spoonable, and slightly tacky.
• Using a lightly oiled #60 scoop or two spoons, ease walnut-sized dollops into the oil. Fry 2–2½ minutes total, turning once, until deep golden and the centers spring back to a gentle poke. Keep oil at 340–355°F—adjust heat between batches.
• Lift bites with a spider, rest 30 seconds on paper towels, then roll warm in cinnamon sugar so it clings in a sparkling coat.

Jam Kiss (Optional): Slide the tip into each bite and squeeze a teaspoon of warm jam inside. The doughnut will feel slightly heavier—perfect.
Serve Tonight Tip: Pile high on a plate and dust with extra cinnamon sugar. If any linger (unlikely), rewarm 5 minutes at 325°F.

2) Glossy Chocolate Gelt Bark With Pistachio, Tahini & Orange

Five ingredients, five minutes of hands-on work, museum-worthy swirls, and that citrus-sesame snap.

Ingredients (Makes one 9×13 slab; ~18 shards)

• 12 oz (340 g) good dark chocolate, chopped (or chips)
• 2 tbsp well-stirred tahini
• ¼ cup (30 g) shelled roasted pistachios, roughly chopped
• Finely grated zest of 1 orange
• Pinch flaky sea salt

Shatteringly Simple (Your Game Plan)

• Microwave chocolate in a dry bowl 30-second bursts, stirring between, until just melted and shiny; or set over barely simmering water. Smooth is the goal—no steam, no splashes.
• Line a baking sheet with parchment. Pour the chocolate and spread to a ¼-inch layer. Dollop tahini in 6–8 small puddles; drag a skewer through to marble.
• Shower pistachios, orange zest, and a whisper of flaky salt over the top. Press lightly so they set into the surface.
• Slide into the fridge 15–20 minutes until firm to the touch—edges won’t smudge.

Snap & Serve: Lift the parchment, crack into shards, and stack on a platter. Keep chilled if your kitchen runs warm; the snap is everything.
Dairy-Free Note: This is naturally parve—no swaps needed.

3) Rugelach The Easy Way (Apricot–Walnut–Cinnamon)

Classic bakery flavor without fuss. A cream-cheese dough folds like silk; a quick roll-up gives you spirals of jammy, nutty joy.

Ingredients (Makes 32 cookies)

• Dough: 1 cup (225 g) unsalted butter, room temp; 8 oz (225 g) cream cheese, room temp; ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar; 1 tsp vanilla; 2 cups (240 g) all-purpose flour; ½ tsp fine sea salt
• Fill & Finish: ¾ cup apricot preserves (warmed), ¾ cup very finely chopped toasted walnuts, ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar mixed with 2 tsp ground cinnamon, 1 egg beaten with 1 tsp water (egg wash)

Spiral Into Happiness (Your Game Plan)

• Beat butter, cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla until fluffy—90 seconds. Sprinkle in flour and salt; mix on low until it just comes together. Divide into 4 discs, wrap, and chill 30 minutes for easy rolling.
• Work with 1 disc at a time on a lightly floured surface. Roll to a 10-inch circle (about ⅛-inch thick). Brush a thin veil of apricot over the surface—leave a ½-inch bare rim.
• Sprinkle with walnuts and 1–2 tablespoons cinnamon sugar per circle. Press gently so the filling adheres.
• Cut the circle into 8 wedges (like pizza). Starting at the wide end, roll each wedge snugly toward the tip. Curve into little crescents and place tip-side down on a parchment-lined sheet.
• Chill the sheet 15 minutes (prevents leaks). Brush with egg wash, sprinkle more cinnamon sugar, and bake at 350°F for 20–24 minutes until deep golden with caramelized edges. Cool 10 minutes before moving—this sets the flaky layers.

Storage: Keeps 5 days airtight; they also freeze beautifully.

4) Cinnamon-Sugar Latke Waffles With Warm Apple Topping

All the crisp of latkes with the ease (and speed) of a waffle iron. A cinnamon-sugar shower and skillet apples make them dessert-worthy.

Ingredients (Serves 4–6; makes ~6 waffles)

• Latke Batter: 2 lbs russet potatoes, peeled; 1 small yellow onion; 2 large eggs; ⅓ cup matzo meal (or ¼ cup flour); 1½ tsp fine sea salt; ½ tsp black pepper; ¼ tsp baking powder
• For Iron: Neutral oil or spray
• Cinnamon Sugar: ½ cup (100 g) sugar + 2 tsp cinnamon
• Apple Topping: 3 firm apples (Honeycrisp/Granny), peeled and sliced; 1 tbsp vegan butter or butter; 2 tbsp maple syrup; ½ tsp cinnamon; pinch salt; squeeze lemon

Waffle Your Latkes (Your Game Plan)

• Grate potatoes and onion on the large holes. Wrap in a clean towel and squeeze hard over the sink—moisture should really pour out. This is the difference between crisp and soggy.
• In a bowl, whisk eggs, matzo meal, salt, pepper, baking powder. Stir in the shredded, squeezed potatoes/onion. The mixture should hold a scoop shape.
• Preheat waffle iron to high. Lightly oil both plates.
• Mound heaping ½ cup batter in the center, close firmly, and cook 5–7 minutes until the edges are deeply browned and the waffle releases easily. Transfer to a rack and shower immediately with cinnamon sugar. Repeat.
• While waffles cook, sauté apple slices in butter over medium heat 4–5 minutes to tender-crisp. Stir in maple, cinnamon, salt, and a squeeze of lemon to brighten.

Serve: Stack waffles, spoon warm apples over the top, and bring napkins. These go fast.

5) Tahini-Swirl Halva Blondies (Parve)

One bowl, hypnotic swirls, fudgy-chewy center. The sesame-vanilla thing is pure Hanukkah dessert elegance.

Ingredients (Makes 16 squares; 8-inch pan)

• Blondie Base: ½ cup (115 g) neutral oil, ¾ cup (150 g) light brown sugar (packed), ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar, 1 large egg + 1 egg yolk (room temp), 1 tbsp vanilla extract, 1 cup (120 g) all-purpose flour, ½ tsp baking powder, ½ tsp fine sea salt
• Swirl: ¼ cup well-stirred tahini, 1 tbsp maple syrup, pinch salt
• Fold-Ins (optional): ½ cup chopped halva or toasted sesame seeds

Bake, Swirl, Swoon (Your Game Plan)

• Heat oven to 350°F. Line an 8-inch square pan with parchment (overhang for lifting).
• In a bowl, whisk oil, brown sugar, granulated sugar until sandy and cohesive. Whisk in egg, yolk, and vanilla until satiny.
• Sprinkle in flour, baking powder, salt; fold just until no flour streaks remain. Fold in halva or sesame if using. Spread batter evenly in pan.
• Stir tahini with maple and a pinch of salt until loosened. Dollop over batter and drag a skewer to marble.
• Bake 20–24 minutes until edges are set, the center still has a soft wobble, and a tester comes out with a few moist crumbs. Cool 30 minutes, lift out, and slice clean squares.

Serving Whisper: A tiny sprinkle of flaky salt on each square makes the tahini sing.

I told you we’d make the holiday sparkle. Between the sugared doughnut poppers, the marbled chocolate, and those cinnamon-kissed waffles, your table just became the happiest place in the house. Light the candles, pass the plates, and soak up the smiles—this is exactly how we celebrate Hanukkah with Hanukkah Treats You Can Make Tonight!