What’s happening:

Jerusalem’s streets were scoured by reporters in pursuit of the most delectable Hanukkah sufganiyot (jelly doughnuts) the city has to offer. A rigorous taste test was conducted using eight unique criteria corresponding with the eight nights of Hanukkah.

Why it matters:

As a festive staple, the quality of sufganiyot is a matter of serious business in Jerusalem. With the city’s bakeries competing for the title of the best sufganiyot, this ranking not only guides locals and tourists to the finest treats but also shines a spotlight on local businesses during challenging economic times.

By the numbers:

Eight traditional jelly doughnuts were chosen for the evaluation. The contenders were judged on metrics including packaging, presentation, sugar quantity, oiliness, freshness, texture, jelly-to-dough ratio, jelly quality, and value for money.

Gagou de Paris/Yehuda Takes the Crown

The French-themed bakery Gagou de Paris/Yehuda outshone the competition with near-perfect scores, despite the slightly wanting packaging. Their sufganiyot (NIS 7 each) were highly praised for freshness, texture, and a generous jelly-to-dough ratio, landing them the top spot with a final score of 8.5/10.

Other Notable Contenders

Duvshanit and Roladin both delivered impressive sufganiyot, scoring 8/10 each, with high marks for freshness and texture. Angel’s Bakery and English Cake followed closely behind, both with a final score of 7.5/10, offering solid choices for sufganiyot enthusiasts.

Room for Improvement

While Yolo Bakery’s sufganiyot fell short, scoring only 4.5/10 due to issues with packaging, presentation, and an unconventional blueberry jelly, it remains a beloved bakery for other confections. Ne’eman and Pe’er also lagged behind with scores of 6/10 and 6.5/10, respectively, due to freshness issues and lackluster jelly quality.

Bottom line:

With the ongoing war impacting local businesses, purchasing these Hanukkah treats goes beyond indulgence; it’s a gesture of support for Jerusalem’s bakeries. This year, buying and savoring Jerusalem sufganiyot is as much about community solidarity as it is about holiday celebration.

Special Mention: Gluten-Free Options

For those avoiding gluten, Baked by Judith and Kazze offer excellent gluten-free sufganiyot alternatives, ensuring everyone can partake in the Hanukkah joy.

Note on Exclusions:

Marzipan and Kadosh, two well-known bakeries, were not included in the ranking due to their sufganiyot being unavailable or not fitting the traditional category this year.

In Memoriam:

This sufganiyah round-up honors the memory of Phillip Brieff, a devoted sweets enthusiast and a loyal reader of The Jerusalem Post, who passed away during the writing of this article.

This story was first published on jpost.com.