Zeppole Recipe: How to Make Italian Doughnuts at Home

Zeppole (singular: zeppola) are Italian fritters known for their crispy, golden-brown crust and light, airy texture, which lands somewhere between a beignet and a doughnut. A street food classic, you can easily recreate zeppole at home, thanks to their freeform shape.

Pasquale Pintauro, a nineteenth-century Neapolitan baker, often receives credit for the invention of this beloved Italian confection. Today, zeppole continue to be served across Italy—particularly in Naples, Rome, and Sicily in celebration of St. Joseph’s Day and in telltale grease-soaked paper bags at Italian street fairs across the globe.

This classic zeppole recipe features creamy ricotta cheese, which helps create a deliciously airy doughnut perfect for breakfast or dessert.

If this is your first time deep-frying the Italian treat, note that zeppole are extremely forgiving. Here are some tips to consider before making your first batch:

1. 1. Use a thermometer. Whether you’re frying your zeppole in a skillet or deep fryer, use a thermometer to ensure the oil reaches the proper temperature before frying your dough. Oil that’s too cool will result in soggy doughnuts, while oil that’s too hot will burn the exteriors before the interiors have had a chance to cook—the sweet spot is about 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. 2. Give the dough ample room in the fryer. When frying your balls of dough, avoid cooking more than three zeppole at a time. Although it can be tempting to cut down on your overall frying time, adding too many doughnuts to the pan at once will bring down the temperature of the oil, resulting in a soggy batch.
3. 3. Experiment with toppings and fillings. These Italian doughnut holes are delicious on their own or dressed up with a variety of toppings. Drizzle the top of the zeppole with chocolate ganache or caramel sauce, or toss the hot doughnuts in cinnamon sugar immediately after frying. To make filled doughnuts, poke a small hole in the bottom of each zeppole and use a piping bag to fill the center with jelly, chocolate sauce, whipped cream, or even pastry cream for cream puff-like “zeppole di San Giuseppe.”
4. 4. Make ahead and freeze. To prepare this Italian pastry recipe in advance, form the raw dough balls and store them in an airtight container in the freezer for up to three months. When you’re ready to fry the zeppole, thaw the dough to room temperature before frying. Avoid storing fully cooked zeppole in the freezer.