Light, pillowy Italian doughnuts made from enriched dough, fried until golden, rolled in sugar, and optionally filled. A classic and indulgent treat perfect with coffee.

Why You Will Love This Recipe

• Feels special and artisanal—something you might get at a café.

• Soft, airy inside with a crisp, sugared exterior.

• Versatile—serve plain or fill with jam, custard, or cream.

• Great for breakfast, brunch, or dessert.

• Rewarding to make from scratch and perfect for sharing.

Bomboloni (Italian doughnuts)

Bomboloni are Italian doughnuts that feel like a love letter to classic pastry: rich, delicate, and satisfying. The dough is an enriched combination of bread flour, all-purpose flour, sugar, butter, eggs, and optional flavorings like orange zest and vanilla. It’s kneaded until smooth and elastic, then left to rise in a warm space until tripled in size. This fermentation is what gives bomboloni their airy, soft structure.

After the first rise, you gently degas and roll the dough to about 1.5 cm thickness, then cut rounds (a regular glass works great). Placed on baking sheets, those rounds rest under a covering for another rise to puff further. Meanwhile, you heat oil in a deep pan to ~170–180 °C (about 338–356 °F). Carefully you fry a few at a time, turning after about 3 minutes per side, until golden brown. As they fry, the interior remains pillowy while exterior crisps just enough to hold a sugar coating.

As soon as the bomboloni come off the heat, you roll them in granulated sugar while still hot so the sugar adheres. Some prefer to fill them with chantilly cream, jam, or custard, turning them into filled donuts, though even unfilled they shine. The contrast of soft interior and sugary shell is delightful. Serve warm—with coffee, espresso, or even gelato—and let the aromas of orange, yeast, and fried dough transport you to an Italian café.

Because they are best eaten fresh, bomboloni shine when made the same day. The dough process takes time (rising, shaping, resting), but the hands-on time is manageable. The result is bakery-level doughnuts you made yourself—luxuriously soft and sweet.

Servings

About 20–25 bomboloni, depending on size

Time

Ingredients

• 250 g bread flour

• 250 g all‑purpose flour

• 75 g granulated sugar

• 100 g unsalted butter (room temperature)

• 20 g fresh cake yeast (or 7 g dry instant yeast)

• 7 g salt

• 150 g whole eggs (≈ 3 large eggs)

• 40 g egg yolks (≈ 2 yolks)

• 110 g lukewarm water

• Zest of 1 orange

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• Granulated sugar (for coating)

Instructions

1. Dissolve yeast in the lukewarm water; allow it to bloom (bubble).

2. In a stand mixer with dough hook, combine flours, sugar, butter, eggs (except one), salt, orange zest, and vanilla. Mix on medium 5 minutes, then high 5 more minutes until smooth elastic dough.

3. Add the final egg; continue mixing to incorporate and adjust flour if sticky.

4. Turn dough onto lightly floured surface, knead briefly, then transfer to large oiled bowl. Cover and let rise in warm place ~2 hours until tripled.

5. Punch down gently, roll dough to 1.5 cm (½ inch) thickness. Cut rounds using glass or cutter.

6. Place rounds on lined baking sheets, cover lightly, and allow second rise ~1.5 hours until puffy.

7. Heat vegetable oil to 170–180 °C (~338–356 °F).

8. Fry bomboloni in batches for ~3 minutes per side, until golden. Remove and drain on rack.

9. While still warm, roll in granulated sugar until coated.

10. Optionally fill with jam, custard, or cream. Serve warm.

Tips

• Ensure dough rises in draft‑free, warm environment.

• Don’t overcrowd fry pan—oil temperature drops too much.

• Maintain steady oil temp to ensure proper fry.

• Roll sugar coating while warm for best adhesion.

• Eat fresh; texture softens over time.