Recipes › Dessert › Bomboloni Recipe

Bomboloni Recipe

Recipe by Pedro M. A. Neves

Bomboloni are Italian fried dough pastries filled with pastry cream, jam, or chocolate—a beloved carnival and street food treat. These pillowy, golden-brown spheres are dusted with sugar and deliver a delightful contrast between crispy exterior and creamy, indulgent filling. Perfect for special occasions or weekend indulgence, homemade bomboloni rival any bakery version.

Ingredients

• 500g (3¾ cups) all-purpose flour
• 7g (2¼ teaspoons) instant yeast
• 100g (½ cup) granulated sugar
• 120ml (½ cup) whole milk, warmed
• 3 large eggs
• 50g (3½ tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened
• 5g (1 teaspoon) fine sea salt
• 2ml (½ teaspoon) vanilla extract
• 1 liter (4 cups) vegetable oil for frying
• 300ml (1¼ cups) pastry cream filling
• 150g (5 oz) jam or chocolate filling
• 100g (½ cup) granulated sugar for coating

Instructions

1. In a large bowl, combine flour, yeast, and 100g sugar. Make a well in the center and pour in warm milk and vanilla extract. Mix until a shaggy dough forms.

2. Add eggs one at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition until fully incorporated. The dough will be sticky.

3. Add softened butter and salt, continuing to mix or knead for 10 minutes until the dough becomes smooth, elastic, and slightly tacky but not sticky.

4. Transfer dough to an oiled bowl, cover with a damp cloth, and let rise in a warm place for 45 minutes until doubled in volume.

Substitutions

• Use butter or neutral oil in the dough instead of vegetable oil for frying to reduce saturated fat
• Substitute half the all-purpose flour with whole wheat flour for added fiber and nuttier flavor
• Replace dairy pastry cream with vegan pastry cream made from coconut milk and cornstarch
• Use fruit compote or Nutella as filling alternatives

Tips

• Heat oil to 170°C (340°F) and maintain steady temperature; if too hot, bomboloni will brown quickly outside while remaining doughy inside
• Use a damp piping bag or pastry bag fitted with a round tip to gently inject filling after frying while pastries are still warm
• Do not overfill each bombolone—use approximately 15ml (1 tablespoon) filling to prevent bursting during frying
• Dust with sugar immediately after removing from oil while still warm so it adheres properly

Bomboloni are a quintessential Italian carnival treat, especially popular during Carnevale celebrations in regions like Tuscany and Emilia-Romagna. Traditionally enjoyed as street food or from pasticcerie (bakeries), they represent the festive indulgence and culinary craftsmanship central to Italian celebrations.

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