Holiday Favorites: 8 Hanukkah Recipes

Let’s commemorate the eight-day Hanukkah celebration with eight traditional and not so traditional Jewish favorites!

Latkes

Is there another Jewish dish more synonymous with the Hanukkah celebration? However you like your latkes — grated or mashed — there is one thing everyone can agree on: the crispier, the better. See this recipe for tips on how to achieve that perfect crisp!

Homemade Lox

Don’t shy away from DIY salmon curing. Check out this recipe to discover how easy it is, and then you can garner bragging rights from friends for your curing capabilities! Bonus points for pickling your own onions. Remember, don’t be stingy with the schmear, capers, and everything seasoning.

Matzah Balls

Check out how this southern twist on a Jewish classic amps up its appeal and puts some south in your mouth with a spicy, aioli dipping sauce. Will your bubbe (grandmother) question your ability to pass down traditional family recipes? Maybe. But all of the matzah balls will be gone before anyone notices they’re not swimming in chicken broth.

Brisket

Simmered in an aromatic blend of pomegranate juice, red wine and chicken broth, this brisket has no choice but to tenderize like buttah. Top it off with a cranberry-and-corn succotash that will put a modern twist on a holiday classic.

Challah

Braided and browned to perfection, this traditional egg twist bread recipe is the perfect start to any Shabbat meal and Jewish celebration.  

Sufganiyot

You might think this is just a jelly-filled doughnut. And you would be right! But it’s Hanukkah, so you have an excuse to make a ton of these deep-fried, tasty Israeli pastries for your mishpacha (family). So indulge a little! Several variations of this sweet treat have been stuffed with chocolate hazelnut spread, peanut butter and jelly, and even bananas with honey. Dare to mix it up!

Rugelach

Of course you could head to your local grocery store and grab a can of bang-on-the-counter-to-open crescent dough. But you’re a dedicated cook, and everyone can tell when rugelach isn’t homemade. No one wants a shanda (shame) on their hands! This flaky, cookie-style rugelach recipe is as easy to make as it is versatile to fill with everything from chocolate to fruit and jam.

Zalabia

A fragrant, orange-blossom or rosewater syrup generously drizzled over these light and pillowy dough balls makes this classic dessert unforgettable during Hanukkah.