By OU Kosher Halacha Yomit Team

I am planning on making donuts. The recipe yields a bread-like dough that will be fried in oil. Is there an obligation to take challah?

There is a dispute among rishonim as to whether boiled or fried dough requires separating challah. Shulchan Aruch (Yoreh De’ah 329:3) writes that if one kneads dough with the intent of boiling it, it is exempt from challah. Shach (Yoreh De’ah 329:4) recommends that because this is a matter of dispute, one should separate challah without a bracha. However, Aruch Hashulchan (Yoreh De’ah 329:15) maintains that there is no need to be machmir (stringent).

If one wishes to separate challah with a bracha, there is a way that this can be done. If even a small piece of the dough is baked, even though the great majority will be boiled, then all agree that the dough becomes obligated in hafrashat challah, and one is required to separate challah with a bracha (Shulchan Aruch Yoreh De’ah 329:4).

For further instructions on taking challah, see All About Hafrashat Challah.