Hanukkah—the Jewish festival of lights—has finally arrived. For eight days, Jews everywhere will light Hanukkah candles, eat a little too much chocolate gelt, and, of course, fry up lots of potato latkes. Dessert-lovers can indulge in plenty of sweet treats to celebrate Hanukkah. Start with these eight Hanukkah desserts, which are sure to satisfy your sweet tooth on every night of Hanukkah.
1. Classic Sufganiyot
You’ve gotta have this classic dessert at least once during Hanukkah. These sufganiyot are crispy and sugary on the outside and bursting with fruity jelly in the middle. In other words: perfection.
2. Rugelach
Rugelach is another Hanukkah must-have. These golden-brown rollups are filled with cream cheese, cinnamon sugar, raisins, and jam. Plus, they’re super portable, so you can snack on them the next day.
3. Chocolate Babka
Chocolate babka is a chocolate-lover’s dream. This swirly pastry is time-consuming but definitely worth the effort. This version is filled with milk chocolate, bittersweet chocolate, and ground-up chocolate wafer cookies, then topped with a decadent chocolate glaze for good measure. You might need a glass of milk to wash this rich dessert down.
4. Hanukkah Cookies
Who can resist a delicious holiday cookie? These colorful Hanukkah sugar cookies are almost too pretty to eat. But with their buttery, golden dough and sweet royal icing tops, they’ll disappear in no time.
5. Dunked Dulce de Leche Doughnuts
These gluten-free doughnuts are baked instead of fried, so they’re less messy to make than sufganiyot. Plus, with dulce de leche in the batter and a thick dulce de leche glaze, these doughnuts are a decadent treat that everyone will love.
6. Peanut Butter Fudge Dreidels
These edible dreidels are a creative Hanukkah treat. Made from chocolate-coated peanut butter fudge, chocolate kisses, and pretzel “handles,” these guys are not only adorable, but they also deliver a perfect balance of sweet and salty flavors.
7. Coconut Macaroons
Coconut macaroons are another Jewish classic, but they’re usually eaten during Passover. Why not spread the love and enjoy them at Hanukkah, too? These simple, five-ingredient macaroons are packed with sweet, shredded coconut and flavored with vanilla. Plus, they’re dipped in a dark chocolate glaze for extra indulgence.
8. Hanukkah Gelt Toll House Cookies
Chocolate Hanukkah Gelt is delicious eaten on its own, but it’s even better inside a classic Toll House-style chocolate chip cookie. With buttery dough and melted chocolate chunks, these cookies are best eaten right out of the oven (you’ll never be able to wait for them to cool, anyway).
No matter which recipe you decide to make, these eight desserts will sweeten every night of Hanukkah. You might as well take advantage of a holiday that lasts for eight whole days, right? Let the dessert-eating begin. Happy Hanukkah!