Homemade Italian Zeppole Donuts
These Italian Zeppole donuts are the easiest homemade zeppole without yeast ever! They are crispy on the outside and incredibly fluffy on the inside. They will melt in your mouth! Ready in 30 minutes!
Servings: 6
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup plain yogurt
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 large egg
- Zest of 1/2 lemon
- Oil for frying
- Granulated sugar for coating the donuts
Instructions
- Heat the oil: Pour about 2 inches of oil into a deep skillet or Dutch oven and heat to 350°F (175°C).
- Mix the dry ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
- Make the batter: Add the yogurt, vanilla extract, egg, and lemon zest. Stir just until combined. Do not overmix—the batter should be thick and sticky, similar to pancake batter.
- Fry the donuts: Using a small cookie scoop or two spoons, carefully drop portions of batter into the hot oil. Fry in batches for 2–3 minutes per side, or until puffed and deep golden brown.
- Drain: Transfer the donuts to a wire rack lined with paper towels to drain any excess oil.
- Coat and serve: While still warm, roll the donuts in granulated sugar until evenly coated. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Don't overmix the batter. Stir just until the ingredients are combined. Overmixing can make the donuts dense instead of light and fluffy.
- Maintain the oil temperature. Keep the oil at 350°F (175°C) for even cooking. If the oil is too hot, the outside will brown before the inside is cooked; if it's too cool, the donuts will absorb excess oil.
- Use a cookie scoop. A small cookie scoop helps create evenly sized donuts that cook at the same rate.
- Fry in small batches. Avoid overcrowding the pan, as it lowers the oil temperature and can result in greasy donuts.
- Coat while warm. Roll the donuts in granulated sugar as soon as they're cool enough to handle so the sugar sticks well.
- Enjoy fresh. These yogurt donuts are best served warm on the day they're are made, when they're at their lightest and fluffiest.
Nutrition
Calories: 129kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.003g | Cholesterol: 33mg | Sodium: 365mg | Potassium: 110mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 80IU | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 137mg | Iron: 2mg