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My Top 5 Hanukkah Foods You Need to Try This Year

My Top 5 Hanukkah Foods You Need to Try This Year

Last updated on: December 20, 2024 at 5:56 am by Kelley Rouland M.A.

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My Top 5 Hanukkah Foods You Need to Try This Year 2024-12-20T05:56:57-07:00 Kelley Rouland M.A.

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On each night of Hanukkah a new candle is lit representing the 8 miraculous days of oil God provided to the Jews/Photo by Sara Rostenne on Unsplash

Oh, how I love the festival of lights, or as it’s more commonly known, Hanukkah. I can’t get enough of the brilliant colors, the warm glow of candle-lit menorahs, the festivities, and, of course, the food. It truly is magical. For eight days straight, Jews throughout the world take part in celebratory merriment while enjoying decadent fried foods and other delicious dishes. It truly is a gift from God. But, before we dive into my top five list of fabulously delicious Hanukkah foods let’s discuss the meaning behind the festival of lights.

The Story of Hannukkah

More than two thousand years ago the Greek King, also known as Antiochus IV Epiphanies outlawed the Jews from practicing their religion and desecrated their temple. Meanwhile, a group called the Maccabees fought back and won. When the Jews returned to the temple they only had enough oil for one day, however, God kept the flame burning 8 days and nights. That’s why, to this day, Jews celebrate for eight days.

Back to those delicious fried foods we eat on Hanukkah, there is meaning behind that practice: it commemorates the small amount of oil that miraculously lasted 8 continuous days and nights in the temple. Now, on to my top 5 favorite Hanukkah foods!

Homemade Donuts

Sufganiyots, a donut-like pastry, was made popular by Ashkenazi Jews/Image by Ri Butov from Pixabay

Really, what’s not to like here? These wonderful jelly-filled pastries, named Sufganiyot, are an Ashkenazi Jewish tradition and are typically filled with jelly, however, if you are like me, jelly donuts are just not your jam (pun intended). So, I prefer making my donuts with Nutella inside. It’s hard to beat hazelnut chocolaty goodness! Are you interested in celebrating Hanukkah with some fabulously delicious Sufganiyots? Here is a link to my favorite recipe by Jenn Segall.

Potato Latkes

Next up is the traditional potato latke, also known as potato pancakes. Just like the donuts, what’s not to like? They are fabulous and easy to make. The basic ingredients are shredded potato, onion, flour, and salt.

These little morsels of potato goodness are often topped with apple sauce or sour cream. The two variations are quite controversial with frequent debates on which are better. I have to admit, I am in the sour cream camp. Wouldn’t you just love to make some latkes this Hanukkah? Here is a link to my favorite recipe by Ari Laing.

Brisket

Brisket is a popular dish for several Jewish Holidays including Hanukkah and it’s my absolute favorite. So how did it gain favor in the Jewish community? According to Mashed.com one of the reasons it’s so popular is that brisket is a cut of meat that can be considered kosher:

“Another reason brisket first caught on with early Jewish immigrants is that it was fairly cheap due to being a large, often tough cut of meat that needed to be cooked low and slow. In fact, the Ashkenazi butchers who settled in Texas first started smoking their brisket as a way to preserve this hard-to-sell meat until they could find any customers who were willing to buy the stuff.”

This year I plan to prepare an awesome slow-cooked sweet and tangy brisket by Lindsay Landis. Do you plan on making this dish? Tell me how it turns out in the comments.

Challah

If you’ve been following this blog, you know how I feel about Challah. This bread is a staple in my house every Shabbat and other Jewish holidays including Hanukkah. Baking challah is a spiritual experience filled with prayer and meditation and is incredibly delicious. I’ve written multiple articles on my love for Challah and it’s importance in the Jewish community. Follow the link below to learn more:

What Makes Challah Bread a Symbol of Jewish Tradition?

Would you like to bake Challah as a part of your Hanukkah celebration? It’s easier than you think. Lately, I’ve enjoyed a recipe by Rebekah Lowin. If you try it, let me know what you think!

Gelt (Chocolate Coins)

Dreidel is a game played during Hanukkah celebrations/Photo by RDNE Stock project.

Last but not least is Gelt. This treat is not only tasty but fun and also serves a purpose. Gelt are chocolate coins wrapped in silver or gold foil and often given to children during Hanukkah. They are also used while playing the popular Hanukkah game Dreidel.

These little chocolate candies won’t change the world, but with chocolate, you can’t go wrong, and what a fun way to enjoy them. Are you interested in playing Dreidel this Hanukkah? Amazon.com has some wonderful dreidel game sets and My Jewish Learning explains how to play the game.

I hope you all are having a festive and joyous holiday season. Thank you so much for reading. If you try out any of these recipes I would love to hear how it goes. Drop me a line in the comments or on social media. Happy Hanukkah and Shalom!

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About Kelley Rouland

Kelley Rouland has a Master’s in communication from the University of Colorado Colorado Springs. She is a freelance writer focusing on inspirational, spiritual, and religious content. You can read more about the author here.

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