Italian Zeppole Donuts (Edit recipe)

Zeppole are fried pieces of dough, made from scratch with 8 simple ingredients. These Italian donuts have just a hint of fresh lemon and are perfect for breakfast, a snack or to celebrate St. Joseph’s day.

20 minutes

15 minutes

Difficulty:

Intermediate

Show nutritional information

This is our estimate based on online research.
Calories:	1036
Fat:	91 g
Carbohydrates:	52 g
Protein:	8 g
Cholesterol:	18 g
Sodium:	301 mg
Fiber:	1 g
Sugars:	19 g
Calculated per serving.

by scarlatifamilykitchen

View original recipe

Serves: 8

Ingredients

1 cup Whole Milk
2 tsp Active Dry Yeast
2 Tbsp Granulated White Sugar
4 Tbsp Unsalted Butter, room temperature
4 whole Eggs, room temperature
2.5 cups All Purpose Flour
1 tsp Sea Salt
1 whole Lemon, zest only
3-5 cups Vegetable Oil, for frying
1 cup Powdered Sugar, for serving

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Process

Cook Mode

Note, these instructions are written assuming the standard serving size, since you have modified the number of servings, these steps may need to be modified for best results

Heat the milk in the microwave for 30 seconds to warm or on the stovetop. The temperature of the milk should not be more than 115˚.
Sprinkle the yeast and sugar into the milk and stir to combine. Let the mixture sit for 10 minutes to activate the yeast.
Pour the yeast mixture into a medium-sized mixing bowl and add the butter, eggs, flour, salt, and lemon zest. Stir the mixture together slowly with a wooden spoon until all of the flour is incorporated and then beat well to ensure everything is mixed into a thick sticky dough.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it sit at room temperature for 2 hours. The dough should double in size in this time frame.
Add enough oil in a heavy-bottomed pot or dutch oven so it is about 3-4 inches deep. Heat over medium heat on the stovetop to 350˚.
Use a small cookie scoop or spoon to drop about 2 Tablespoons of dough per zeppole into the hot oil. Depending on the size of the pot, about 6-8 pieces can be fried at a time; be careful not to overcrowd the pot or they won't cook properly.
Let the zeppole fry for about 3-4 minutes, gently rolling them around so they brown on all sides. Check to see if they are done by removing one from the oil and cutting it in half to make sure it's cooked through.
Once the zeppole are cooked through, remove them with a slotted spoon and place them on a paper towel lined plate to drain of excess oil.
Repeat with the remaining dough until all the zeppole have been fried.
Sprinkle the fresh zeppole with powdered sugar and serve immediately.

Notes

Flavor - Omit or substitute the lemon zest with orange zest or do a 50/50 mix. Flour - All-purpose flour gives a slightly crispy texture on the outside and a soft, fluffy texture inside. For a more dense and chewy zeppole, use bread flour. For a crispier zeppole with a lighter middle, use 00 flour. Oil - Use neutral-flavored, high-temperature oil like vegetable, canola, or peanut oil. Monitor the temperature with an infrared thermometer. If the oil gets too hot they will burn and the middles won’t cook. If the oil cools down, they will take too long to cook and be too oily. Scoop - Use a size #40 or #50 cookie scoop to drop the dough into the oil. It’s MUCH easier than a spoon and will give you about 2 Tablespoons of dough. Serving - Sprinkle with powdered sugar or roll in granulated sugar or a mix of granulated sugar and cinnamon. Zeppole can be served with jam, Nutella, cannoli filling, or butter and honey to spread on them. They are also great dipped in coffee, Italian hot chocolate, or mascarpone frosting. Leftovers - Best made and eaten same day. Leftovers (if any!) can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 2 days. Zeppole can then be crisped and reheated in a 350˚ oven for 3-5 minutes.