Zeppole
My zeppole are crispy on the outside but so light and fluffy on the inside. You can make them in just under 20 minutes too. Can you guess what secret ingredient makes them so irresistible?
My Italian Grandma's Zeppole Recipe
I love making doughnuts at home so I can stay in my pajamas! I've previously shared Copycat Krispy Kremes and Cronuts. These easy Italian Zeppole (singular: zeppola) are my new favorite If these don't make you want to wake up in the morning, I don't know what will! Can you guess the secret ingredient that makes these light and fluffy? It's the ricotta cheese! Yes, that's right, our favorite lasagna ingredient gives these an airy melt-in-your-mouth texture.
These are wonderful for holiday brunches or just as a special morning treat with a cinnamon coffee, ham and cheese breakfast quesadilla, or a tea latte.They are also traditionally eaten on Carnival (Mardi Gras) and March 19: Saint Joseph's feast day. I grew up eating these for Christmas and St. Joseph's Day. I love them with powdered sugar. Cinnamon sugar or a drizzle of chocolate sauce would also be yummy.
Ingredient Notes and Shopping Tips
- Eggs: Set your eggs out on the counter for 10-20 minutes to allow them to come to room temperature. This will help them incorporate smoothly into the batter.
- All-Purpose Flour: Measure your flour by spooning it into your measuring cup and leveling it off with a knife. Do not dip your cup into the flour, or you'll use too much, leading to a dry, dense doughnut.
- Baking Powder: Replace your baking powdered every 6-12 months as it does lose its potency over time.
- Ricotta Cheese: This makes them so light and fluffy. Be sure to use full-fat ricotta.
- There is no substitute for this. Do not use cottage cheese or mascarpone instead.
- Oil: Choose a neutral oil with a high smoke point, such as peanut, canola, or vegetable oil. Avoid olive oil which has a low smoke point.
Unsure If Your Baking Powder Is Still Good?
Try pouring boiling water over 1 teaspoon of baking powder. If it bubbles, it's still fresh and okay to use for baking.
How To Make Zeppole
- Beat eggs and stir in dry ingredients.
- Sit in vanilla and fold in ricotta.
- Fry until golden brown.
- Dust with powdered sugar.
Leftovers
These are best enjoyed fresh out of the fryer the day they are made.
FAQs
No, this recipe is designed to be deep-fried.
No, wet batters like this do not hold up well in the air fryer.
My Nonna's Tips
- Do Not Overmix: This can lead to a tough doughnut.
- Use a Deep Fry Thermometer: Aim to keep the oil at around 375 degrees. If it it's too hot the donuts will burn on the outside but be raw on the inside. If its too cold they can absorb too much oil and become greasy.
- Use a Cookie Scoop: This gives you a uniform size that will all cook at the same time.
- Add To Oil Carefully: Add them into the pot away from you to avoid any oil splashes. I've learned the hard way, those hurt!
- Keep Warm: Keep warm in a 200 degree oven while you fry the reamaining batches.
- Dust With Sugar While Still Warm: This will help it stick.
Shake Shake Shake
You can also place the hot doughnuts and powdered sugar into a paper bag and shake them until well coated.
More Breakfast Treats I Love
📖 Recipe
Zeppole
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Ingredients
- 2 Eggs
- 1 Cup All Purpose Flour
- 2 ¼ Teaspoons Baking Powder
- Pinch Salt To Taste
- ¼ Cup White Sugar
- 1 Cup Ricotta Cheese
- 2 Teaspoons Vanilla Extract
- Vegetable Oil For Frying
- Confectioners Sugar or Cinnamon Sugar If Desired
Instructions
- In a large bowl, beat eggs until foamy,
- Stir in flour, baking powder, salt, vanilla, and sugar until just combined. Do not overmix!
- Fold in ricotta.
- In a large skillet, heat ~2 inches of oil to 375 degrees F. ,inches high.
- Spray a small cookie scoop with non sticky spray. Carefully drop batter scoop by scoop into the hot oil a few at a time.
- Cook for ~3-4 minutes turning frequently.
- Drain on paper towels, and immediately dust with powdered sugar if desired
Notes
-
- Eggs: Set your eggs out on the counter for 10-20 minutes to allow them to come to room temperature.
- All-Purpose Flour: Measure your flour by spooning it into your measuring cup and leveling it off with a knife. Do not dip your cup into the flour, or you'll use too much, leading to a dry, dense doughnut.
- Baking Powder: Replace your baking powdered every 6-12 months as it does lose its potency over time.
- Ricotta Cheese: This makes them so light and fluffy. Be sure to use full-fat ricotta. Do NOT sure cottage cheese or mascarpone.
- Oil: Choose a neutral oil with a high smoke point, such as peanut, canola, or vegetable oil. Avoid olive oil which has a low smoke point.
- Do Not Overmix: This can lead to a tough doughnut.
- Use a Deep Fry Thermometer: Aim to keep the oil at around 375 degrees. If it it's too hot the donuts will burn on the outside but be raw on the inside. If its too cold they can absorb too much oil and become greasy.
- Use a Cookie Scoop: This gives you a uniform size that will all cook at the same time.
- Add To Oil Carefully: Add them into the pot away from you to avoid any oil splashes. I've learned the hard way, those hurt!
- Keep Warm: Keep warm in a 200 degree oven while you fry the reamaining batches.
- Dust With Sugar While Still Warm: This will help it stick. You can also place the hot doughnuts and powdered sugar into a paper bag and shake them until well coated.
Nutrition
I love zeppoles but my favorite Italian pizzeria/restaurant doesn’t make them anymore. Was looking for an easy recipe for them and found yours. Absolutely fabulous, even better than the pizzeria!!!! Needless to say everyone loved them and I will be making these again and again. Thank you!
Heavenly!
These are so light, airy, fluffy and delicious!
As if that’s not enough, they are extremely quick and easy.
Thanks for sharing!
Yay so glad you enjoyed them!
I rolled them in powdered sugar and cinnamon sugar, and WOW - were they ever delicious!
I have tried zeppole with your recipe, it turned out perfect. My kids enjoyed it.
My family loved this!
These zeppoles are so tasty! I am a big fan of donut holes and they were perfect for our movie night!
The Bomb! I’ve been looking for something like this, that I could do quickly some mornings, without having to wait on a yeast dough. They were exactly as I’d hoped, following the recipe almost exactly… I added a touch more sugar. We have a commercial fryer, so the only caution- I discovered when I dropped the dough right into the oil (that was exactly at 375 degrees) they sunk to the bottom. Instead, I used two big spoons, submerging the dough on one spoon for about 10 seconds, then scraping it off the spoon into the oil with the other spoon. That kept them from sinking . I’m going to try filling them with jam and whipped mascarpone next time.
Hi Dayna! Yay so glad these worked well for you. Thanks for sharing your tips with us!
Yummy! My teens and husband love having these for breakfast or a snack! Such a crispy and very yummy recipe! I love making these with my daughter!
These were so good! Such a great day starter!
Mmmmm.... how inviting these zeppole look! A must try for sure!
This Zeppole needs to happen at my house very soon!!
So fluffy and yet it melts in my mouth! My family and I loved this yummy dessert
Wow, tried this recipe and it turned out amazing! My kids also loved them, they wanted more so I need to make more when I do the next batch.
This looks delicious! I am so excited to try it!