8 Classic Hanukkah Treats and Easy Dessert Recipes
I’m lucky that my husband and I get to share and celebrate two holidays in our home with our kids: Hanukkah and Christmas. Ever since we first started dating years ago, we have enjoyed taking part in each other’s holiday traditions. Sure, he freaked out that first year when he came home from work late one night and found a huge evergreen tree in his living room adorned with ornaments and twinkling lights by yours truly... but now he loves it!
Related: Celebrate the Festival of Lights With the 25 Catchiest Hanukkah Songs
I have had fun learning his traditions and making his favorite traditional foods. For Hanukkah this year, I thought it would be fun to have a special treat each night of the celebration. Some of the most classic Hanukkah treats are latkes, rugelach, rice pudding and noodle kugel and I've included recipes for them all, plus more, below. Happy Hanukkah!
Best Hanukkah Treat Recipes
1. Poppy Seed Sugar Cookies. We cut our sugar cookies into all kinds of fun Hanukkah shapes like Stars of David, dreidles, menorahs and more. You can obviously choose whatever shapes and natural dye colors you and your little chemists prefer, because these cookies taste just as delicious no matter what they look like!
2. Sweet Latkes with Brown Sugar Syrup. Drizzled with a simple brown-sugar syrup and sprinkled with cayenne candied pecans (recipes below). Prepare to swoon. The candied nuts have a touch of heat, and the syrup brings out the spices in the latkes. It’s a really special flavor combination.
Related: What's the Secret to Perfectly Crispy Latkes?
3. Fried Fruit Pies. Pie dough plus any fruit filling you love becomes these decadent little pockets of crispy hand pie! Dust them with some powdered sugar and you have the perfect little sweet treat.
4. Sufganiyot. Traditional Jewish doughnuts are filled with quince or sweet cranberry sauce for the perfect combination of flavors to adorn your holiday dessert table.
5. Pumpkin Chocolate Hazelnut Rugelach. Rugelach isn’t exactly a cookie; it’s more of a pastry. But it certainly looks right at home on a cookie plate, and my hubby is addicted to them. This recipe combines pumpkin and chocolate for flavors that complement one another wonderfully.
6. Maple Ginger Rice Pudding. Okay, maybe this isn't a typical Hanukkah dessert, but it is so creamy and delicious that I just couldn't leave it off of this list. So throw in something new for Hanukkah this year and enjoy a big bowl of rice pudding after your daily celebrations.
7. Noodle Kugel. Noodle kugel is usually served with the main course at dinner. The balance of sweet and savory a playful delight to the taste buds. Every year though, I sneak an extra piece after dinner for my own little dessert. This year I'm breaking tradition and serving this special kugel to my kids as a just dessert.
8. Matzo Crisp. The fruits of the season—pears, apples, and cranberries—combine to make this crisp that you won't be able to get enough of!
