Zeppole
intro
Light, pillowy fried choux dough bites, crispy outside and airy inside, dusted with powdered sugar—an iconic Italian festival treat perfect for sharing.
Ingredients
Steps
Heat the dough base
In a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat, combine 1 cup (240ml) water, 4 tbsp (57g) unsalted butter, 2 tbsp (25g) granulated sugar, and 1/4 tsp (1g) fine sea salt. Stir constantly until the butter fully melts and the mixture comes to a rolling gentle boil, about 3-4 minutes. Do not let the mixture simmer long enough to lose more than 1 tablespoon of liquid to evaporation.
Cook the choux paste
Remove the saucepan from heat briefly, add all 1 cup (120g) all-purpose flour at once, and stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until a smooth, thick dough forms. Return the pan to medium-low heat, and cook the dough for 2 full minutes, stirring constantly, until a thin starchy film coats the pan bottom and the dough pulls cleanly away from all pan sides.
Incorporate eggs and vanilla
Transfer the cooked dough to a large mixing bowl and let it cool for 3 minutes to avoid curdling eggs. Add 1 tsp (5ml) vanilla extract, then beat in 1 room-temperature large egg at a time, stirring vigorously to fully incorporate each egg before adding the next. The finished dough will be thick, glossy, and hold a soft 1-inch peak when a spoon is lifted from the bowl.
Heat frying oil
Pour 4 cups (960ml) neutral frying oil into a deep heavy-bottomed Dutch oven, clip a candy thermometer to the pot side, and heat over medium heat until the oil reaches a steady 375°F (190°C), about 8-10 minutes. Adjust the stovetop heat as needed to hold this temperature consistently through frying.
Fry zeppole in batches
Working in small batches of 5-6 bites to prevent oil temperature drops, scoop 1-tablespoon (15ml) portions of dough and carefully lower them into the hot oil. Fry for 3-4 minutes total, turning the bites every 45 seconds with a slotted spoon, until they are deep golden brown all over, fully puffed, and sound hollow when tapped gently.
Drain and dust with sugar
Use the slotted spoon to transfer cooked zeppole to a wire rack lined with 2 layers of paper towels to drain excess oil for 1 minute. While the bites are still warm, dust them generously with 1/2 cup (60g) powdered sugar using a fine-mesh sieve until evenly coated, then serve immediately.
Tips
2.Use room-temperature eggs: cold eggs will not emulsify smoothly into the warm dough, causing the mixture to separate and produce flat, unevenly puffed pastries.
3.Test one trial zeppola first: if it splits open or deflates immediately after frying, the dough is too wet—stir in 1 extra tablespoon (8g) of all-purpose flour to thicken it before cooking remaining batches.
OMG these zeppole were such a hit at our Sunday family dinner! I was a little nervous about frying dough for the first time since I’m usually a cookies-and-brownies baker, but the instructions were so straightforward. My kids begged for seconds before they even cooled all the way, and my nonna said they tasted just like the ones she got at street fairs in Brooklyn growing up. Dusted them with extra powdered sugar and served them with a side of warm Nutella for dipping—chef’s kiss! 10/10 will make again for our next block party potluck.
Taste was absolutely SO good, but I ran into a little trouble getting the oil temp right on my first batch—they got a little too dark on the outside before the inside was fully cooked. Once I dialed my fryer back to 365°F instead of the 375 I initially set it to, the rest came out perfect. Brought the successful batch to my office potluck and they were gone in 10 minutes flat. Would definitely recommend having a candy thermometer handy if you’re a newbie to fried dough!
Game changer! I’ve been buying frozen zeppole from the grocery store for ages because I thought homemade would be way too much work, but this recipe came together so fast even on a busy weeknight. I made a double batch on Sunday, stored the cooled (unpowdered) bites in an airtight container in the fridge, and just popped them in the oven for 3 minutes to crisp up when I wanted a sweet treat during the week. Way better than store bought, no weird preservatives! My roommate is already begging me to make another batch this weekend.
Just finished making these for my kid’s birthday party and they’re a massive hit! I added a tiny bit of orange zest to the dough like my abuela used to do, and it adds such a nice bright note that cuts through the richness of the fried dough. Pro tip: put your powdered sugar in a paper bag, toss 3-4 warm zeppole in at a time, and shake gently for the most even coating with way less mess. No more powdered sugar all over my counter! 😂