Which Israeli doughnut is traditionally eaten during Hanukkah?

The Israeli doughnut traditionally eaten during Hanukkah is called a sufganiyah.

A sufganiyah is a round, deep-fried doughnut usually injected with jelly or jam and dusted with powdered sugar. The plural is sufganiyot. Its connection to Hanukkah comes from the holiday’s traditional emphasis on foods fried in oil, recalling the story of the Temple oil that lasted for eight days.

The pastry has European and broader Jewish culinary connections. Filled fried doughnuts appeared in Central Europe under names such as Berliner and Krapfen, while Polish Jews made related ponchki. Jewish immigrants brought these traditions to the Land of Israel, where the modern sufganiyah became a highly visible Hanukkah food.

The name is linked to Hebrew words describing something spongy. Traditional fillings are red jelly or jam, but Israeli bakeries now sell versions with custard, chocolate, dulce de leche, and other creams. A sufganiyah is therefore a doughnut, not a latke, challah, or hamantash.