As the holidays approach, those of us that celebrate Christmas may picture glittery sugar cookies or gingerbread houses. However, what you might not picture are classic Jewish desserts like jelly donuts or latkes that are served during Hanukkah.
There are over 30 holidays during the winter holiday season, and each one comes with its own traditions and foods. So, in a change from candy canes and fruitcake, consider trying some of these delicious Jewish holiday foods this winter season.
1. Jelly Donuts
Jelly donuts (also called sufganiyot) are popular sweets served during Hanukkah. The tradition around these donuts comes from the way they are cooked: the oil they are fried in represents the oil that burned in the temple for eight nights, the miracle that is celebrated during Hanukkah.
2. Latkes
Although latkes aren't technically a dessert, these potato pancakes are still popular, and are sweet when served with applesauce. Similar to the jelly donuts, latkes are cooked in oil for Hanukkah.
3. Macaroons
Not to be confused with the French sandwich cookies called macarons, coconut macaroons are often served during Passover, a spring holiday which commemorates Israeli liberation. These treats were originally made with crushed nuts, but the coconut version was later popularized by the Italian Jewish community.
4. Black and White Cookies
These classic cookies originated in New York and were inspired by a trend that combined light and dark elements in food, as well as the emergence of cake-like cookies that were a welcome change to thin, crispy cookies. Although this dessert doesn't technically have a Jewish origin, they have become closely tied to the Jewish community in New York.
5. Rugelach
Yiddish for "little twists", rugelach are crescent-shaped pastries filled with jam, poppy seed paste, or nuts. Since their arrival to the United States many variations of rugelach have been made, including this recipe for rugelach filled with cinnamon and chocolate.
6. Apples and Honey
Apples and honey is a dessert typically served during Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year. Simple yet delicious, the sweetness of the apples and honey symbolize the sweetness of another year.
7. Chocolate-Covered Matzah
In a sweeter twist on this classic Jewish food, chocolate-covered matzah is an easy dessert to make. Matzah represents selfless humanity, symbolized in the unleavened quality of the bread.
8. Babka
Babka is a dense bread swirled with flavors of cinnamon, chocolate, and streusel. Babka, which means "little grandmother", originated from Jewish grandmothers combining scraps of Challah with seeds and nuts. Today, babka is much sweeter, such as this recipe for nutella babka.
Whether you are enjoying jelly donuts or gingerbread this holiday season, happy baking!