Description
Imagine biting into a golden, pillowy doughnut with a light, airy texture that practically melts in your mouth. That’s the magic of Bomboloni! These Italian filled doughnuts are light, fluffy, and absolutely customizable with rich fillings like pastry cream, Nutella, or jam. Perfect for sharing and surprisingly easy to make, they’re guaranteed to be a hit at your next gathering.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup whole milk, warmed to 110°F (43°C)
- 2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast (1 packet)
- 3 1/2–4 cups all-purpose flour, divided
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp salt
- Vegetable oil or shortening, for deep frying
- 1 cup pastry cream, custard, Nutella, or jam (your choice!)
- Powdered sugar, for dusting
- Optional: Melted chocolate or glaze for drizzling
Instructions
- In a small bowl, combine 1 cup warmed milk with 2 1/4 tsp yeast. Let sit 5–10 minutes until frothy.
- In a large bowl, whisk 3 1/2 cups flour and 1/2 cup sugar.
- Add yeast mixture, 2 eggs, 1/2 cup softened butter, 1 tsp vanilla, and 1/2 tsp salt to dry mix. Stir to form a sticky dough.
- Knead dough by hand or with stand mixer for 8–10 minutes until smooth and elastic, adding flour as needed.
- Transfer dough to a lightly oiled bowl. Cover and let rise for 1–1.5 hours until doubled in size.
- Punch down dough and turn onto floured surface. Divide into 12–15 equal pieces and roll into balls.
- Place on parchment-lined tray. Cover and rise another 30–45 minutes until puffy.
- Heat 2–3 inches of oil in deep skillet to 350°F (175°C).
- Fry dough balls in batches for 2–3 minutes per side until golden brown.
- Transfer to paper towel-lined plate to drain excess oil.
- Cool slightly, then cut a hole in each using knife or piping tip.
- Fill piping bag with filling of choice and pipe into each doughnut.
- Dust with powdered sugar or drizzle with melted chocolate/glaze.
- Prep Time: PT1H45M
- Cook Time: PT20M
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: Italian
Keywords: Bomboloni, Italian Doughnuts, Filled Donuts, Pastry Cream, Nutella, Dessert