Zeppole, also known as ricotta donuts, are Italian pastries that are sweet, pillowy, and shockingly easy to make. These fried pastries are traditionally served at Italian gatherings or festivals, dusted with powdered sugar, but you don’t need a special reason to make them at home!
This zeppole recipe is such an irresistible treat. They are best freshly fried while still warm and crispy as they will practically melt in your mouth! Just like my funnel cake recipe, sopapillas recipe, and apple fritters recipe, they’re beyond addictive, and your family and friends will ask you to make them again and again.
What You Need to Make This Recipe
Flour — you don’t need anything fancy to make zeppole. All you need is regular all-purpose flour.
Ricotta cheese — make sure to buy full-fat ricotta for the best results.
Butter — it’s best to use unsalted butter so you can control how salty the zeppole are. If you only have salted butter, omit the salt from the recipe.
Eggs — the addition of eggs to the batter makes it richer and causes the zeppole to puff up in the hot oil.
Oil — you’ll need to use an oil with a high smoke point to fry as a low smoke point oil can leave your zeppole with an unpleasant taste. I recommend using vegetable oil, peanut oil, or canola oil.
How to Make Zeppole
1. In a medium saucepan, combine water, ricotta, butter, sugar, salt, and then cook over medium heat. Once the butter has melted, stir in flour until the dough comes together in a ball. Continue cooking, stirring constantly, until a film starts to form on the bottom of the pan, about 1 minute.
2. Place dough in the bowl of a stand mixer. Using the paddle attachment, beat the dough on low speed for 1 minute. The dough needs to cool off to 145°F.
3. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until fully incorporated.
4. Continue beating for 2 minutes or until dough reaches a thick ribbon-like consistency.
5. In a large Dutch oven, heat 2 inches of oil to 375°F. In 3 batches, carefully spoon dough by tablespoons into the oil. Cook until golden brown, about 4 to 5 minutes, turning over the ones that have not turned themselves.
6. Using a slotted spoon, remove from oil and drain on a baking sheet lined with paper towels. Sprinkle the zeppole with powdered sugar.
Pro Tips for Making This Recipe
- Make sure to beat the dough for at least a minute before adding eggs. Beating the dough helps it cools off, so the eggs don’t cook as they incorporate.
- If you don’t have a stand mixer, you can use a hand mixer on medium speed to make the zeppole dough.
- Use two spoons to make the dough balls. Scoop the dough with one spoon and use another spoon to help scrape the dough into the oil and help form a ball shape.
- Instead of the spoon method, you can place the dough in a large pastry bag, cut one corner, and pipe out the batter, cutting off snippets of dough into the hot oil, similar to when frying churros. Be careful not to splash the oil as the dough drops in.
- Keep oil temperature above 350°F at all times. Do not add too many balls into the oil, or it’ll decrease the temperature. If the oil is not hot enough, the dough will absorb too much oil, making the zeppole greasy.
- A Dutch oven is ideal for frying. The cast iron will help prevent the oil temperature from fluctuating too much and help keep the cooking even. If you do not have one, use a large heavy-bottomed pot with high sides to avoid splatter.
- Make sure to measure the flour correctly. I recommend using a scale. If you are not using a scale to measure the flour, then be sure to fluff the flour with a spoon and then sprinkle it into the measuring cups before leveling it off with a knife.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this recipe the same as beignets?
While zeppole and beignets seem similar as they’re both deep-fried pastries dusted with powdered sugar, they are not the same. Beignets originally come from France and are usually shaped into squares or rectangles, whereas zeppole are Italian and round. Also, the dough for the two pastries are different as beignets use yeast and zeppole do not.
How do I store leftovers?
It’s best to enjoy zeppole freshly fried. However, you can store them in an airtight container for about two days. Heat them in a single layer in a 300F oven until warmed through when ready to enjoy.
Can I freeze these?
You can freeze zeppole for up to six months in the freezer. Allow them to cool completely before placing them in an airtight freezer-safe container or bag with wax or parchment paper layered between them.
If you love this recipe try these out!
If you’ve tried this Zeppole recipe, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you!
Zeppole
Video
Equipment
- Dutch oven
Ingredients
- ½ cup water (120mL)
- ½ cup whole milk ricotta cheese (124g)
- ½ cup unsalted butter (113g)
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup all-purpose flour (120g)
- 4 large eggs room temperature
- Vegetable oil for frying
- ¼ cup powdered sugar
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan, combine water, ricotta, butter, sugar, and salt. Cook over medium heat until butter melts, stirring constantly. Using a wooden spoon, stir in flour until the dough comes together in a ball. Continue cooking, stirring constantly, until a film starts to form on the bottom of the pan, about 1 minute.
- Place dough in the bowl of a stand mixer. Using the paddle attachment, beat the dough on low speed for 1 minute. (Dough needs to cool off to 145°) Add eggs, one at a time, beating until fully incorporated. Continue beating an additional 2 minutes or until dough reaches a thick ribbon-like consistency.
- In a large Dutch oven, heat 2 inches of oil to 375°. In 3 batches, carefully spoon dough by tablespoons into the oil. Cook until golden brown, about 4 to 5 minutes, turning over the ones that have not turned themselves. Using a slotted spoon, remove from oil and drain on a baking sheet lined with paper towels. Sprinkle with powdered sugar.
Notes
- Make sure to beat the dough for at least a minute before adding eggs. Beating the dough helps it cools off, so the eggs don’t cook as they incorporate.
- If you don’t have a stand mixer, you can use a hand mixer on medium speed to make the dough.
- Use two spoons to make the dough balls. Scoop the dough with one spoon and use another spoon to help scrape the dough into the oil and help form a ball shape.
- Instead of the spoon method, you can place the dough in a large pastry bag, cut one corner, and pipe out the batter, cutting off snippets of dough into the hot oil, similar to when frying churros. Be careful not to splash the oil as the dough drops in.
- Keep oil temperature above 350°F at all times. Do not add too many balls into the oil, or it’ll decrease the temperature. If the oil is not hot enough, the dough will absorb too much oil, making the zeppole greasy.
- A Dutch oven is ideal for frying. The cast iron will help prevent the oil temperature from fluctuating too much and help keep the cooking even. If you do not have one, use a large heavy-bottomed pot with high sides to avoid splatter.
- Make sure to measure the flour correctly. I recommend using a scale. If you are not using a scale to measure the flour, then be sure to fluff the flour with a spoon and then sprinkle it into the measuring cups before leveling it off with a knife.
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