The eight days of Hanukkah are observed with the lighting of a menorah after sundown and meals featuring holiday favorites like challah bread, kugel, potato latkes, and jelly doughnuts, plus festive drinks. Fried foods recall the miracle at the Temple of Jerusalem, when a day’s worth of oil lasted eight nights. From crispy, savory latkes and hearty brisket to spiced sufganiyot and celebratory cocktails, these Hanukkah recipes are perfect for celebrating the Jewish Festival of Lights.

Best-Ever Potato Latkes

Diana Chistruga

Niki Russ Federman of Russ & Daughters says these are the tastiest, crispiest latkes. She mixes the shredded potatoes with both scallions and onion, but the starchy paste released from the potatoes is the secret to these golden fried treats. Serve them with the classic combo of sour cream and applesauce, along with smoked salmon and salmon roe.

Cinnamon-Cardamom Sufganiyot

Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Ali Ramee / Prop Styling by Christina Daley

A cream-centered take on sufganiyot, this classic Hanukkah dessert from chef Eitan Bernath is fried before it’s tossed in cinnamon sugar and filled with cardamom pastry cream.

Cranberry-Onion Hanukkah Brisket

Justin Walker

This low-lift brisket from F&W’s Justin Chapple gets a festive garnet glaze from cranberries; their tart sweetness cuts through the super-savory onion soup mix and hearty beef with ease. Double-roasting the meat makes it incredibly tender, perfect for soaking up the concentrated sauce.

Poppy Seed–Chocolate Rugelach Pinwheels

Eva Kolenko

In these showstopping rugelach from cookbook author Zoë François, a cream cheese–based dough is rolled around a swirled filling of citrusy poppy seeds and shaved bittersweet chocolate, then sliced into pinwheels for an unexpected shape that delivers the same tender, flaky texture. A sprinkle of crunchy golden sugar before baking gives the cookies plenty of sparkly holiday glitz.

Whiskey Shamash

Food & Wine / Photo by Antonis Achilleos / Food Styling by Emily Nabors Hall / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen

Naomi Levy created this sweet and savory fig cocktail for her Hanukkah-themed pop-up bar in Somerville, Massachusetts. The drink pairs pre-made fig syrup with bourbon for a seasonal twist on a classic Whiskey Smash. A half-dried fig and fresh mint top this silky sipper dedicated to the Festival of Lights.

Challah Bread

Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Emily Nabors Hall / Prop Styling by Shell Royster

Golden brown and honey-kissed, this tender challah bread from the Food & Wine Test Kitchen is ideal for a big meal. The recipe gives you one large or two small loaves, and you can stash an extra challah in the freezer for up to three months.

Cornish Hens with Challah Stuffing

Food & Wine / Photo by Brie Goldman / Food Styling by Shannon Goforth / Prop Styling by Breanna Ghazali

Adapted from a dish featured on Jewish Cooking in America with Joan Nathan, these richly seasoned Cornish hens are brushed with spiced oil and roasted until the skin turns crisp and golden, while a savory challah stuffing tucked inside and under the breast skin keeps the meat exceptionally moist.

Pomegranate-Lacquered Salmon

Dan Perez / Food Styling and Prop Styling by Nurit Kariv

Cookbook author Adeena Sussman glazes a whole side of salmon with a sweet mix of pomegranate molasses, date syrup, and warm spices as it roasts, creating a gorgeous bronzed exterior. Serve with chicories and tender greens for a bountiful presentation.

Sweet Noodle Kugel with Dried Cherries

Food & Wine / Photo by Morgan Hunt Glaze / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Josh Hoggle

A classic for good reason, this custardy and comforting sweet noodle kugel is studded with dried cherries and topped with crunchy pecans and cornflakes.

Za’atar Roast Chicken

Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Christina Daley

This zesty herb‑crusted roast chicken from chef Zachary Engel features fragrant za’atar seasoning, crisped skin, tangy sumac‑pickled onions, and rich black garlic tahini for a modern Hanukkah meal. 

Mandelbrot

Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen

Meaning “almond bread” in Yiddish, mandelbrot is a cousin of Italian biscotti and a traditional cookie offered during Hanukkah. Baked into an almond, dried fruit, and coconut-studded loaf and then sliced and toasted until crisp, this cookie — from cookbook author Joan Nathan — is perfect for serving with coffee or tea.

Scallion Potato Pancakes

Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Christine Keely

These crispy, savory fritters from chef Evan Bloom of Wise Sons Jewish Delicatessen in San Francisco combine traditional Jewish latkes with crispy Chinese scallion pancakes to create the perfect festive fried food. 

Roasted Vegetables with Fresh Herbs

Food & Wine / Photo by Kelsey Hansen / Food Styling by Kelsey Moylan / Prop Styling by Addelyn Evans

A medley of winter vegetables — carrots, parsnips, cauliflower, butternut squash, and brussels sprouts — is roasted until golden and tender, then tossed with fragrant sage, thyme, and rosemary for a vibrant, holiday-ready side dish.

Cinnamon-Apple Babka

Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Ali Ramee / Prop Styling by Christina Daley

This incredible apple babka is like a giant cinnamon bun stuffed with apple pie and baked in a cast-iron skillet, complete with caramelized edges and a snow-white glaze.

Hanukkah Brisket

Antonis Achilleos / Food Styling by Ruth Blackburn / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen

Chef Andrew Zimmern’s Hanukkah brisket is slow‑braised with aromatic thyme, sage, and paprika, then surrounded by sweet caramelized fennel and onions for a tender, celebratory main course perfectly suited to the holiday table.

Latke Breakfast Hash

Anna Stockwell

Pastry chef Caroline Schiff uses a dash of smoky Spanish paprika to give extra depth to this savory breakfast dish that’s easily made with leftover latkes.

Aperol Schvitz

Antonis Achilleos / Food Styling by Emily Nabors Hall / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen

An ideal companion to crispy fried latkes on the Hanukkah table, the Aperol Schvitz is a bitter, tart, and sweet cocktail from bartender Naomi Levy. It’s made with sparkling wine, Aperol, lime juice, and Manischewitz Concord grape wine.

Date and Walnut Rugelach with Tahini Glaze

Frederick Hardy II / Food Styling by Torie Cox / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen

These pretty rugelach from cookbook author Faith Kramer feature a cinnamon and cardamom-spiced date-walnut filling wrapped in buttery cream cheese dough. To finish, the cookies are drizzled with a sweetened tahini glaze.

Potato Pancakes

Matt Taylor-Gross / Food Styling by Amelia Rampe

The key to a crispy potato pancake that holds together well is to use starchy russet potatoes. Grate them on a box grater, or employ a food processor to make this recipe especially quick and easy.

Brisket with Sweet-and-Sour Onions

David Cicconi

This slow-braised brisket from Jessamyn Waldman Rodriguez, founder and CEO of the New York City nonprofit Hot Bread Kitchen, is layered over a bed of silky onion rings and finished in a tangy sweet-and-sour sauce made with tomato paste, brown sugar, and garlic for a richly comforting main.

Banana Challah Fritters With Sweet Tahini Sauce

Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Ali Ramee / Prop Styling by Christina Daley

Use overripe bananas to make these crispy-on-the-outside, tender-on-the-inside challah fritters from cookbook author Faith Kramer. Served with a creamy tahini sauce, they’re reminiscent of fried banana pudding.

Potato Kugel with Fried Shallots

Lucy Schaeffer

Shredded potatoes and grated onion are baked into a golden-crisp kugel, finished with crunchy fried shallots for a decadent side dish that’s creamy inside and crackly at the edges. 

Sababa

Antonis Achilleos / Food Styling by Emily Nabors Hall / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen

Bartender Naomi Levi’s Hanukkah-inspired Sababa cocktail leans on a secret ingredient — tahini — for a balanced flavor and round, creamy mouthfeel.

Hanukkah Doughnuts

John Kernick

Chef Andrew Zimmern’s traditional Hanukkah doughnuts, or sufganiyot in Hebrew, are coated in cinnamon sugar and filled with strawberry jam.

Jessamyn’s Sephardic Challah

Zubin Schroff

In contrast to the eggy braided challahs made by Eastern European Ashkenazi Jews, Hot Bread Kitchen’s Jessamyn Waldman Rodriguez shares a recipe for a round, turban-shaped version that originated with the Sephardic Jews of the Mediterranean, who flavored their bread with caraway and anise.

Brisket with Melted Onions

Chris Simpson / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Audrey Davis

When chef and cookbook author Bruce Aidells was growing up, his family’s Hanukkah-Christmas celebration always meant brisket, and this was one of their favorite ways to prepare it. It cooks low and slow for about four hours until the meat is fork-tender and nearly shreddable.

Herb-Roasted Spatchcock Chicken

Fredrika Stjärne

To maximize crispiness, star chef Tyler Florence spatchcocks a whole chicken, then rubs it with olive oil, oregano, thyme, and rosemary before roasting. The herbaceous bird is ready in an hour.

Sweet Potato and Feta Bourekas

Greg DuPree

Frozen puff pastry sheets make easy work of these crisp and savory little parcels. Inspired by his grandmother’s recipe, chef Michael Solomonov’s version is stuffed with sweet potato, Bulgarian feta, dill, and olives.

The Zimmern Family’s Chopped Chicken Liver

Stephanie Meyer

A fixture on his family’s holiday table, chef Andrew Zimmern cooks onions and chicken livers in chicken fat, then pulses them in a food processor with chopped eggs, parsley, and more chicken fat.