Zeppole Recipe - Italian Donuts (2024)

Published: Sep 7, 2020 by Dina

This Zeppole recipe makes the most delicious Italian donuts. Your family will love the airy sweetness of these deep-fried dough balls that can be served for dessert or even a snack.

If you like donuts, you should definitely try our buttery brioche donuts and Russian donut holes (ponchiki).

Zeppole- Italian Donuts

Zeppoles, or Italian donuts, are a yummy dessert that is not that hard to make. With a little time for the dough to rise to get the perfect airiness that these donuts need, you’ll have a plate full of zeppoles to serve in about 90 minutes. These donut balls are truly addictive with their honey-sweetened dough and topped with a snowfall of powdered sugar. Each sweet bite is perfect as a dessert or for a snack to go with your coffee. And since they are small, they make a great family-style dessert for everyone to share.

What is zeppole exactly?

A zeppole is an Italian pastry that is made of deep-fried dough in various sizes. This recipe is for smaller, bite-sized donuts balls, but others are made larger to accommodate pastry creams, jellies, and other mixtures.

Zeppole vs beignet

While these two are both made with fried dough, they most obviously differ by shape. Beignets, a name that comes from a word meaning “lump,” are square and very light. Zeppoles are soft, fried dough balls that are chewy, tender, and round. Both are often served with powdered sugar.

How to make zeppoles

1. Mix the dough ingredients. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the all-purpose flour, honey, salt, yeast, olive oil, and warm water. Using the hook attachment, mix until the dough is no longer sticking to the sides of the bowl. If it’s too sticky, you can add a little more flour, about 1-2 tablespoons extra at a time.
2. Let the dough rise. Transfer the zeppole dough to a bowl that is greased with olive oil and cover it with plastic wrap. Let the dough rise for about 1 hour, or until it doubles in size.

   

3. Prepare the frying oil. In a heavy-bottomed pot, add about 2 inches of corn oil. Bring the heat to medium-high. Make sure the temperature of the oil stays between 350-375 degrees Fahrenheit with an instant-read thermometer.

4. Cut the dough. Using kitchen shears, snip off pieces of the zeppole dough that are about 1 1/2 tablespoons in size. Scrape the dough off with a spoon and into the hot oil.
5. Fry them. Fry the zeppoles for about 2 minutes on each side. Transfer them to a paper towel-lined plate using a slotted spoon when done.
6. Sprinkle the donuts with sugar. Once they are cooled, dust the zeppoles with powdered sugar. Enjoy!

Helpful TIPS

• Use warm water to activate the yeast- Make sure the water is warm, but no more than 110 degrees Fahrenheit, so the yeast will fully activate and your dough will rise and become airy.
• Allow enough time to rise- If your zeppoles don’t have enough time to rise, then they will be less airy and light, and more dense and heavy.
• Proper oil temp is crucial- If your oil temperature is too high, your donuts will be too dark on the outside and raw on the inside. If the temp is too low, they will absorb too much oil and become greasy and rubbery.
• Don’t overcrowd the pot- Too many zeppoles in the pot will mean they are touching each other instead of being surrounded by the hot oil and cooking. Avoid overcrowding for the best zeppole taste and texture.

The best type of oil for frying

The best types of oil for frying are Corn oil, Vegetable oil, and Canola oil, to name a few. These oils all have high smoke points, which means they will not burn while they are holding at high heat to fry your zeppole donuts.

What temperature should my oil be?

Your frying oil should be between 350-375 degrees Fahrenheit. This is hot enough to fully cook the zeppoles without burning them. Use an instant-read thermometer to monitor the oil temperature to avoid fluctuations that could ruin your donuts.

How long do zeppole fry for?

Each zeppole should fry for about 2 minutes on each side. This gives them enough time to cook through and not burn. If your zeppole is larger or smaller than the 1 1/2 tablespoons that this recipe calls for, the dough may need more or less time.

How to serve Italian zeppole

Italian zeppole preparations vary and you can serve them in many different ways. A simple, classical topping would be to dust the tops of them with powdered sugar or granulated sugar. But you could also dress them up and add sauces and creams, like Raspberry sauce, Strawberry jam, or Chocolate ganache. There is no right or wrong way to serve these delicious Italian donuts.

How long do they keep fresh?

Your homemade zeppoles will keep fresh for about 2-3 days. Make sure you place them in an airtight container in the refrigerator to keep them from going stale. You can also freeze them for up to six months in the freezer.

How to reheat them

The best way to reheat these Italian donuts is by wrapping them in aluminum foil and warming them in the oven. Place them on a baking sheet and bake for about 10 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit. This also works if they are frozen.

More Italian desserts to try!

• Tiramisu cake
• Chocolate Samali
• Chewy amaretti cookies
• Chocolate dipped almond biscotti

Full Recipe Instructions