Bomboloni (Italian Filled Donuts)
Indulge your sweet tooth with these irresistible Bomboloni—fluffy Italian donuts bursting with your favorite fillings! Made with simple ingredients like rich ricotta and fragrant vanilla, these delightful treats are a breeze to whip up and guaranteed to impress at any gathering. Get ready to savor the perfect blend of crispy exterior and soft, pillowy goodness!
Prep
15
min
Cook
30
min
Serves
4
people
Level
intermediate
📝 Ingredients
Serves 4🥬Fresh Produce(1)
- Jam (strawberry, apricot, raspberry)optional
🥛Dairy & Eggs(4)
- 1 large eggs (room temperature)
- Whipped cream 2 cups heavy, whipping cream, 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract, 2 tablespoons of sugar mix with hand mixer or stand mixer until thick. (480 ml)optional
- 1/2 cup warm milk (120 ml)
- Pastry creamoptional
🫙Pantry Staples(7)
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour (312 g)
- Oil for frying (vegetable or canola)
- 2 tablespoons sugar (30 ml)
- Granulated sugar (for rolling)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract (5 ml)
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil (30 ml)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons yeast (7.5 ml)
🧂Spices & Seasonings(1)
- Dash of salt
📦Other(1)
- hazelnut spreadoptional
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Activate yeast: In a small bowl, mix warm milk, sugar, and yeast. Let it sit 5–10 minutes until foamy.
- 2
Make dough: In a large bowl (or stand mixer with dough hook), combine flour, oil, and salt. Add eggs, vanilla, and the yeast mixture. Mix until combined.
- 3
You can use a stand mixer or you can use a bowl using your hand and knead the dough until smooth and elastic (about 8–10 minutes by hand, 5–6 minutes in mixer).
- 4
First rise: Place dough in a greased bowl, cover, and let rise 1–2 hours, until doubled.
- 5
Shape donuts: Punch down the dough. Roll out to about ½ inch thick. Cut circles with a round cutter (about 3 inches). Place on a parchment-lined tray, cover lightly, and let rise again for 30–45 minutes.
- 6
Fry: Heat oil to 335°F (165°C). Fry donuts 2–3 minutes per side, until golden brown. Drain on paper towels.
- 7
Coat: While warm, roll in granulated sugar.
- 8
Fill: Using a piping bag with a round tip, poke a hole in the side and pipe in your filling of choice until plump.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Warm milk for the yeast mixture should be 105-110°F (40-43°C) — hotter than 120°F kills yeast cells, while cooler temps slow activation and extend proofing time significantly.ingredient105-110°F
- ✓Maintain fry oil at a strict 335°F (165°C) using a probe thermometer, since drops below 325°F cause the dough to absorb excess oil (raising fat content by up to 30%) before the crust sets, while temps above 350°F burn the exterior before the interior cooks through.equipment335°F (165°C)
- ✓Cut your dough circles with a sharp-edged cutter dipped in flour rather than pressing down and twisting, because twisting seals the edges and prevents the even oven-spring-like rise needed during the 30-45 minute second proof.technique30-45 minutes
- ✓Roll warm bomboloni in sugar within 60 seconds of removing from the fryer, since the residual surface oil acts as an adhesive—once the donut drops below 100°F (38°C) the sugar won't stick evenly.timingunder 100°F
- ✓Let filled donuts cool to room temperature before piping custard or cream fillings, as fillings introduced into dough above 90°F (32°C) will thin out and weep through the crumb structure rather than staying plump.techniquebelow 90°F
Share this recipe
Prep
15
min
Cook
30
min
Serves
4
people
Level
intermediate
Share this recipe
Bomboloni (Italian Filled Donuts)
Indulge your sweet tooth with these irresistible Bomboloni—fluffy Italian donuts bursting with your favorite fillings! Made with simple ingredients like rich ricotta and fragrant vanilla, these delightful treats are a breeze to whip up and guaranteed to impress at any gathering. Get ready to savor the perfect blend of crispy exterior and soft, pillowy goodness!
📝 Ingredients
Serves 4🥬Fresh Produce(1)
- Jam (strawberry, apricot, raspberry)optional
🥛Dairy & Eggs(4)
- 1 large eggs (room temperature)
- Whipped cream 2 cups heavy, whipping cream, 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract, 2 tablespoons of sugar mix with hand mixer or stand mixer until thick. (480 ml)optional
- 1/2 cup warm milk (120 ml)
- Pastry creamoptional
🫙Pantry Staples(7)
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour (312 g)
- Oil for frying (vegetable or canola)
- 2 tablespoons sugar (30 ml)
- Granulated sugar (for rolling)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract (5 ml)
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil (30 ml)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons yeast (7.5 ml)
🧂Spices & Seasonings(1)
- Dash of salt
📦Other(1)
- hazelnut spreadoptional
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Activate yeast: In a small bowl, mix warm milk, sugar, and yeast. Let it sit 5–10 minutes until foamy.
- 2
Make dough: In a large bowl (or stand mixer with dough hook), combine flour, oil, and salt. Add eggs, vanilla, and the yeast mixture. Mix until combined.
- 3
You can use a stand mixer or you can use a bowl using your hand and knead the dough until smooth and elastic (about 8–10 minutes by hand, 5–6 minutes in mixer).
- 4
First rise: Place dough in a greased bowl, cover, and let rise 1–2 hours, until doubled.
- 5
Shape donuts: Punch down the dough. Roll out to about ½ inch thick. Cut circles with a round cutter (about 3 inches). Place on a parchment-lined tray, cover lightly, and let rise again for 30–45 minutes.
- 6
Fry: Heat oil to 335°F (165°C). Fry donuts 2–3 minutes per side, until golden brown. Drain on paper towels.
- 7
Coat: While warm, roll in granulated sugar.
- 8
Fill: Using a piping bag with a round tip, poke a hole in the side and pipe in your filling of choice until plump.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Warm milk for the yeast mixture should be 105-110°F (40-43°C) — hotter than 120°F kills yeast cells, while cooler temps slow activation and extend proofing time significantly.ingredient105-110°F
- ✓Maintain fry oil at a strict 335°F (165°C) using a probe thermometer, since drops below 325°F cause the dough to absorb excess oil (raising fat content by up to 30%) before the crust sets, while temps above 350°F burn the exterior before the interior cooks through.equipment335°F (165°C)
- ✓Cut your dough circles with a sharp-edged cutter dipped in flour rather than pressing down and twisting, because twisting seals the edges and prevents the even oven-spring-like rise needed during the 30-45 minute second proof.technique30-45 minutes
- ✓Roll warm bomboloni in sugar within 60 seconds of removing from the fryer, since the residual surface oil acts as an adhesive—once the donut drops below 100°F (38°C) the sugar won't stick evenly.timingunder 100°F
- ✓Let filled donuts cool to room temperature before piping custard or cream fillings, as fillings introduced into dough above 90°F (32°C) will thin out and weep through the crumb structure rather than staying plump.techniquebelow 90°F