Sfenj (Moroccan Yeasted Doughnuts)
Why this recipe works
- Traditional handling: The sticky dough is stretched by hand into rings, giving sfenj their irregular shape and open, chewy crumb.
- Crisp outside, airy centre: Deep-frying at a steady temperature helps the dough puff quickly while the exterior turns golden and lightly crisp.
- Simple dough, strong character: Flour, yeast, salt and water create the base, with flavour coming from fermentation, frying and the final sugar or honey finish.
Get the most out of this recipe
Timing notes
- Judge the dough by look and feel: The dough should be very bubbly, airy and at least doubled; room temperature can make the prove shorter or longer than the suggested time.
- Serve straight away: Sfenj have their best contrast of crisp edge and chewy centre while hot, before the crust softens.
Texture tips
- Keep the dough sticky: Avoid adding extra flour during shaping. Oiled hands make the dough easier to handle without making the doughnuts heavy.
- Maintain steady frying heat: Keeping the oil close to 180°C (355°F) helps the rings puff evenly and colour without absorbing too much oil.
- Drain briefly before finishing: Let excess oil drip back into the pot before adding sugar or honey so the coating stays clean rather than greasy.
Ingredient notes
- Plain flour is right here: A simple plain flour dough gives sfenj their elastic, chewy texture without the richness of an enriched doughnut.
- Use lukewarm water: Lukewarm water helps the yeast activate smoothly; water that is too hot can weaken the rise.
- Sweetness comes at the end: The dough itself is not heavily sweetened, so the finish can be kept light with icing sugar or made stickier with honey.
Authenticity notes
- Hand-shaped, not cut: Sfenj are typically formed from a loose dough by hand, which gives each ring a rustic shape and a distinctive open crumb.
- Simple finishes are typical: They are often served plain, dusted with sugar, or dipped in honey rather than covered with a heavy glaze.
Equipment you'll need
Ingredients
Dough
For frying and finishing
Instructions
- Put the flour, instant yeast and salt in a large bowl and whisk to combine. Pour in the lukewarm water and mix with a spatula until you have a very sticky, rough dough with no dry flour.
- Cover the bowl and leave the dough to prove in a warm place until very airy and bubbly, and at least doubled in size. This usually takes about 60 minutes, depending on room temperature.
- Pour the sunflower oil into a large pot to a depth of about 5 to 6 cm and heat to 180°C (355°F). Set a thermometer in the pot if you have one, and keep the heat steady.
- Lightly oil your hands, then pinch off a portion of dough and gently stretch it into a ring with a hole in the centre. Lower it carefully into the hot oil, then shape the hole a little wider with oiled fingertips if needed.
- Fry 2 to 3 rings at a time for 2 to 3 minutes per side, turning with tongs, until deep golden and puffed. Adjust the heat as needed to keep the oil close to 180°C (355°F).
- Lift the sfenj out with tongs and let excess oil drip back into the pot for a few seconds. Serve hot, dusted with icing sugar, or dip into honey while still warm.
Recipe notes
Tips
- Aim for a very sticky dough; that loose texture is what gives sfenj their light, chewy crumb.
- If the dough feels hard to handle, oil your hands again rather than adding extra flour, which can make the doughnuts heavy.
- Keep the oil temperature steady: too cool and the sfenj will absorb oil, too hot and they will colour before cooking through.
Substitutions
- Replace Honey with Icing sugar for a simpler finish, or use both for a sweet, sticky coating.
- Replace Sunflower oil with Vegetable oil for frying, keeping the temperature the same.
Storage
- Refrigerate up to 1 days
- Sfenj are best eaten straight away. If needed, keep at room temperature for a few hours, then reheat in a 180°C (355°F) oven for 4 to 6 minutes until hot and revived; dust with icing sugar or dip in honey just before serving.
Ratings & reviews
Liked this recipe? Share your feedback to support our cooking community.
Tried this recipe?
Choose 1–5 stars. A comment is optional.
Stay inspired
Discover new recipes, seasonal favourites and cooking inspiration every day. Follow JustRecipes on Pinterest and Spillt.
Recipe overview
- Servings: 12 pieces
- Yield: sfenj doughnuts
- Total time: 1h 45min (35min active)
- Difficulty: Medium
- Cuisine: Moroccan
-
Allergens:
Gluten Wheat
Plan your meals and get a complete grocery list automatically.
Add to meal plannerEquipment you'll need
Got ingredients left?
Find recipes using ingredients from this recipe or what you already have at home.
Find recipes with these ingredients →
Filhoses (Portuguese Fried Christmas Pastries)
Portuguese fried pastries coated in cinnamon sugar
Madeleines (French Shell Cakes with Lemon and Vanilla)
Buttery shell-shaped cakes with lemon zest and vanilla
Cannoli Siciliani (Fried Pastry Tubes Filled with Ricotta)
Fried cannoli filled with sweet ricotta and finished with pistachios
Picarones (Fried Squash and Sweet Potato Doughnuts)
Fried squash and sweet potato ring doughnuts with cinnamon orange syrup
Gorditas de Nata (Griddled Cream Pastries)
Tender griddled pastries made with cream and lightly sweetened dough
Mooncakes (Baked Cakes with Golden Syrup and Red Bean Filling)
Baked mooncakes with golden syrup dough and red bean paste
Yule Log (British Style)
Chocolate Swiss roll filled and coated with chocolate buttercream
Loukoumades (Greek Honey Doughnuts)
Greek honey-soaked doughnuts finished with cinnamon
Klenät (Nordic Fried Christmas Pastries with Cardamom)
Twisted Nordic fried pastries dusted with icing sugar
Pflaumenkuchen (German Yeast Plum Cake)
German yeast plum cake topped with fresh plums and cinnamon sugar
Bakewell Tart
Bakewell tart with raspberry jam and almond frangipane
Topfenstrudel (Quark Strudel with Vanilla and Lemon Zest)
Crisp pastry strudel filled with vanilla quark, lemon and sultanas
Berenjenas Fritas con Miel (Fried Aubergine with Honey)
Crisp fried aubergine batons drizzled with honey
Bayram Lokma (Fried Sweet Dough Bites in Lemon Syrup)
Yeast raised fried dough bites soaked in lemon sugar syrup
Filhoses (Portuguese Fried Christmas Pastries)
Portuguese fried pastries coated in cinnamon sugar
Cornetto al Burro (Italian Butter Croissant)
Italian butter cornetti baked golden and finished with icing sugar
Klenät (Nordic Fried Christmas Pastries with Cardamom)
Twisted Nordic fried pastries dusted with icing sugar
New Year’s Waffles (Gaufres du Nouvel An)
Yeast-raised Belgian waffles dusted with icing sugar
You might also like
Fusion Kroket Bites (Chicken Croquette Snack Bites)
Crisp fried chicken kroket bites with béchamel
Frango de Churrasco Caseiro (Portuguese Grilled Chicken)
Portuguese grilled chicken marinated with piri-piri, garlic and lemon
Mandu (Korean Dumplings)
Pan-fried and steamed Korean dumplings with pork and tofu
Japchae (Glass Noodles with Vegetables)
Glass noodles tossed with stir-fried vegetables and sesame dressing
Piri-Piri Veggie Bowl
Roasted veg and piri-piri chickpeas over brown rice
Sweet Soy Braised Tofu (Hong Shao Tofu)
Pan-fried tofu braised in a glossy sweet soy sauce
Make this recipe easier next time
AdvertisementThese tools help you get better results with less effort.
KitchenAid Stainless Steel Mixing Bowls
- Non-slip base
- Stainless steel
- Not microwave safe
Pyrex Glass Mixing Bowls with Lids
- Microwave safe
- BPA-free lids
- Glass is heavier
OXO Good Grips Stainless Mixing Bowl Set
- Non-slip base
- Comfort grip
- Higher price
Enjoy cooking with JustRecipes?
Add JustRecipes as one of your preferred Google sources to discover our recipes more easily across Google Search.
Add JustRecipes to GoogleEvery recipe on JustRecipes follows the same structured editorial process. Learn how recipes are created, validated, translated, illustrated, and continuously improved across the platform. How we create recipes.
