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    Home » Cookies » Jelly Doughnut Cookies

    Jelly Doughnut Cookies

    By Wendy Sondov · Published: Dec 7, 2015 · Modified: Nov 11, 2021 · This post may contain affiliate links · As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Fans of jelly doughnuts, with their fried, sugary outsides and gooey, fruity insides, know that jelly doughnuts are definitely not care package material. So, I invented  Jelly Doughnut Cookies.

    These soft, cakey cookies rolled in cinnamon sugar have a surprise jelly center. They look sort of like a jelly doughnut, taste sort of like a jelly doughnut, and stays soft and delicious for over a week.

    Ball shaped cookies coated in cinnamon and some open to show sugar with red jelly centers.

    Why you’ll love this recipe

    For many Jews, jelly doughnuts are a traditional Chanukah food. The Chanukah story involves a miracle with oil, so traditional Chanukah food includes oil or is prepared in oil. Examples are potato pancakes ,latkes, and jelly doughnuts, sufganiot.


    This jelly doughnut look-alike makes a tasty addition to a Chanukah care package (or any care package, really).

    Making a soft pillowy vanilla cookie was the easy part. I adapted my recipe for Soft Italian Cookies into a vanilla version.

    Figuring out the jelly center of each cookie proved a bit trickier. Regular jam was messy and didn’t end up looking like a pocket of jam at the center of the cookie. After much trial and error with jam stand-ins, the winning ingredient is Lifesavers Gummies (I used wild berries flavor).

    I was trying for a molten fruity center. The Lifesavers Gummies melted perfectly. A warm doughnut cookie has a center so gooey it will drip. Once cool, the jelly remains soft but not liquid.

    Instructions

    This is an overview of the instructions. The full instructions are in the recipe card below.

    1. In a small bowl, microwave butter until melted. Set aside to cool slightly.
    2. In a large bowl whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.
    3. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar until combined, about 2-3 minutes. Mix in the eggs, yogurt, milk, and vanilla. Reduce speed of mixer and slowly add dry ingredients until just combined. Chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour-overnight.
    4. When dough is chilled and ready to bake: In a small bowl mix together the granulated sugar and cinnamon for the coating. Set aside.
    5. With a small 1 tablespoon scoop, form golf-ball sized dough balls.
    6. Tear the dough ball in half and place a Life Saver gummy on one of the torn sides. Put the dough ball halves back together with the Life Saver gummy in the middle.
    7. Roll the dough back into a ball shape, enclosing the Life Saver in dough. Roll the dough in the cinnamon-sugar to coat.
    8. Place on a parchment lined baking tray about 2” apart, and bake for 10 minutes.

    Storage

    These donut cookies are soft and cake-like. They will remain soft for at least 1 week if stored at room temperature in an airtight container. Separate layers of cookies with wax paper to prevent sticking together due to exposed “jelly”.

    Tips

    • There may be other brands of gummies that also work, however, I wasn’t successful in finding anything else that melts as well as the Lifesavers.
    • To save you trial and error time, I can tell you that Welch’s Fruit Snacks, Dots, Gumdrops/Spice Drops, and Jelly Belly jelly beans don’t melt. They provide a colorful cookie center that remains solid and very chewy.

    More Hanukkah treats

    Lemon Stars are crunchy, lemon sugar cookies drizzled with a sweet-tart lemon icing. These are a tradition at my house!

    Making your own homemade Chocolate Gelt is an easy project for the whole family!

    Skip the cookie cutters. Dozens of dreidle shaped Chocolate Espresso Spritz Cookies can be made with a cookie press in very little time. Sandwich these cuties with melted chocolate for a special holiday treat!

    These chewy, chocolate Hanukkah Cookies are fudgy and delicious!


    Ready to bake? Join the free membership group to get new recipes and a newsletter delivered to your inbox! You can also stay in touch on Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram. I’d love to stay in touch!


    Jelly Doughnut Cookies

    Jelly Doughnut Cookies

    These jelly doughnuts are really a soft, cake-like doughnut cookie with a melted jelly center. Fun cookies for Hanukkah.
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Rate
    Course: Dessert
    Cuisine: American, Jewish
    Prep Time: 30 minutes
    Cook Time: 10 minutes
    Chill time: 1 hour
    Total Time: 1 hour 40 minutes
    Servings: 30
    Calories: 98kcal
    Author: Wendy Sondov

    Ingredients

    Cookies

    • ½ cup unsalted butter
    • 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
    • 2 ¼ teaspoons baking powder
    • ½ teaspoon baking soda
    • ¾ teaspoon cinnamon
    • ¼ teaspoon salt
    • ¾ cups granulated sugar
    • 1 large eggs plus 1 yolk
    • 1 egg yolk
    • 2 ½ tablespoons plain yogurt
    • 3 tablespoons milk
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • 30 Lifesaver gummies

    Cinnamon Sugar Coating

    • ¼ cup granulated sugar
    • 1 teaspoon cinnamon

    Instructions

    Prepare dough

    • In a small bowl, melt butter in the microwave. Set aside to cool slightly.
    • In a large bowl whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.
    • In the bowl of a stand mixer using the paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar until combined, about 2-3 minutes.
    • Mix in the eggs, yogurt, milk, and vanilla.
    • Reduce speed of mixer and slowly add the flour mixture until just combined.
    • Chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour-overnight.

    When dough is chilled and ready to bake

    • Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
    • In a small mixing bowl mix together the granulated sugar and cinnamon for the coating. Set aside.
    • With a small 1 tablespoon scoop, form golf-ball sized dough balls.
    • Tear the dough ball in half and place a Life Saver gummy on one of the torn sides.
    • Put the dough ball halves back together with the Life Saver gummy in the middle.
    • Roll dough back into a ball shape, enclosing the Life Saver in dough.
    • Roll the dough in the cinnamon-sugar to coat.
    • Place on prepared baking sheets about 2” apart, and bake cookies for 10 minutes.
    • Cool completely on cookie tray before storing.
    • These cookies are soft and cake-like. They will remain soft for at least 1 week if stored at room temperature in an airtight container. Separate layers of cookies with wax paper to prevent sticking together due to exposed “jelly”.

    Notes

    Alternative fillings include a teaspoon of peanut butter or a few chocolate chips.
    Packing tips
    Wrap pairs of cookies, with bottoms together, in plastic wrap. Place in an airtight container or ziplock bag.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 98kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 20mg | Sodium: 74mg | Potassium: 20mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 116IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 27mg | Iron: 1mg
    Tried this Recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @TheMondayBox or tag #themondaybox!

    First Published: December 7, 2015. Last Updated: November 10, 2021. Updated for additional information, improved photographs, and better reader experience.

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    Comments

    1. Ashley

      December 16, 2015 at 11:21 am

      Happy Chanukah Wendy!! These cookies are just SUCH a fun idea! You are so right that the donuts are only really good super fresh – the cookies are so smart! And they of course sound delicious!

      Reply
      • The Monday Box

        December 16, 2015 at 9:53 pm

        Thanks, Ashley! Chanukah was extra special because I had both of my “kids” home plus my son’s girlfriend! We celebrated with cookies! 🙂

        Reply
    2. Petra @ CrumblesAndKale

      December 14, 2015 at 2:21 pm

      What and amazing treat, just love the little surprise in the middle 🙂

      Reply
      • The Monday Box

        December 14, 2015 at 6:34 pm

        Thank you, Petra! It took a while to figure it out, but a faux jelly doughnut wouldn’t be a faux jelly doughnut with out the jelly! 🙂

        Reply
    3. Reeni

      December 12, 2015 at 6:55 pm

      These are so inventive Wendy! A really smart idea! They look delicious – I think I prefer them to a donut! I will happily eat these for a week but I doubt they’d last that long.

      Reply
      • The Monday Box

        December 12, 2015 at 9:23 pm

        Thanks, Reeni! They are faux jelly doughnuts but fun and tasty cookies. 🙂

        Reply
    4. Monica

      December 7, 2015 at 1:20 pm

      This is such a smart creation! It’s so true that donuts are only good same-day and best super fresh and when I read these were cookies that would hold and stay moisture for a week, I was amazed! Love your experimentations that lead to results like this. The Lifesaver Gummies are working some magic here!

      Reply
      • The Monday Box

        December 7, 2015 at 2:11 pm

        Thanks, Monica! I was trying to come up with a Chanukah recipe that was mailable. This sounded like a fun experiment. Little did I know that my original idea (Jelly Belly jelly beans) wouldn’t melt! The hard outer coating keeps those little guys solid. Perhaps that knowledge will come in handy for some future Easter idea!

        Reply
    5. Tricia @ Saving room for dessert

      December 7, 2015 at 11:45 am

      Wow Wendy – these are brilliant! A lifesaver gummy – who knew!!! I love the way it melted and that these cookies are good for a week – thank you are right – this would be great for a gender reveal party! We had cupcakes with blue and pink filling and they were a big hit. I am sad to say that I made onsie cookies but messed up the icing and since it didn’t set up, I had to trash them all. I was in tears since they were going to the party. Anyway – a baker friend made the cupcakes at the last minute for me. I could never do catering! Thanks for the recipe – I love it!

      Reply
      • The Monday Box

        December 7, 2015 at 11:56 am

        Oh, Tricia! I would be in tears too! Actually, I am often in tears even when the icing does work. Decorating cut-out cookies is SO time consuming! I can only imagine how devastating it was after all of the time and love you put into those onsie cookies! Luckily, the party was a SMASH anyway. 🙂 Friends to the rescue!

        Reply

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    I'm Wendy, a baker, care package maker, and smile creator. On The Monday Box you’ll find care package inspiration and recipes for delicious treats that make it easy for you to share home baked love. Let’s spread happiness, one cookie at a time!

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