Fluffy, golden, sugar-dusted, and filled with creamy delight. These Italian-style donuts are the kind you find in pastry shop windows in Rome or Florence — now you can make them at home!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Super fluffy and soft dough
- Endlessly customizable fillings — pastry cream, Nutella, jam, lemon curd…
- No hole in the middle — just pure, golden fried bliss
- Perfect for breakfast, brunch, or dessert
Ingredients
For the Dough:
- 3 ¼ cups (400g) all-purpose flour
- 2 ¼ tsp (7g) active dry yeast
- ¼ cup (50g) sugar
- ¾ cup (180ml) warm milk (about 110°F/43°C)
- 2 eggs
- 2 tbsp (30g) unsalted butter, softened
- Zest of 1 lemon or orange (optional but very Italian)
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
For Frying:
- Neutral oil (canola or sunflower), for deep frying
For Coating:
- ½ cup (100g) sugar
- Optional: cinnamon mixed in
Fillings (choose one or more!):
- Pastry cream (vanilla or chocolate)
- Nutella
- Jam (raspberry, strawberry, apricot)
- Lemon curd
- Whipped ricotta & honey