Zeppole di San Giuseppe are the typical Neapolitan dessert prepared on March 19 to celebrate St. Joseph and Father’s Day. They smell of tradition, homemade cooking, and those special moments shared with family.
At my house, they are a must. Every year I make them for my husband Giuseppe to celebrate his name day and Father’s Day. He is a wonderful dad, and these fried zeppole, with their velvety pastry cream and cherry on top, are the sweetest way to say thank you.
Zeppole di San Giuseppe are made with a soft choux pastry, traditionally fried, filled with homemade pastry cream and decorated with the classic syrupy cherry. Crunchy on the outside, soft inside, delicious and irresistible.
If you love traditional desserts, also try my homemade jam tart and the mimosa cake with chocolate chips, perfect for celebrating special occasions.
See you soon
Susy 💛
Here are some other recipes you might like, already available on the blog.
- Difficulty: Medium
- Cost: Medium
- Preparation time: 40 Minutes
- Portions: 6
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Energy 378.83 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 39.23 (g) of which sugars 20.58 (g)
- Proteins 9.58 (g)
- Fat 21.37 (g) of which saturated 12.56 (g)of which unsaturated 8.71 (g)
- Fibers 0.81 (g)
- Sodium 182.24 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 110 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients for Zeppole di San Giuseppe
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup water
- 7 tbsp butter
- 4 large eggs (4 medium eggs)
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 cup milk
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 3 large egg yolks (3 large egg yolks)
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- Half lemon zest (untreated lemon)
- 6 syrupy cherries
- 2 tbsp powdered sugar
You’ll Need
- Pan – non-stick
- Piping bag + star tip
- Hand whisk
- Parchment paper
Prepare the Zeppole di San Giuseppe
To fill the Zeppole di San Giuseppe, I prepare my homemade pastry cream, which must be completely cold before use. I prepare it in advance and store it in the refrigerator covered with plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming on the surface.
In a pan, I pour the water, add the butter in pieces, and the salt. I bring everything to a boil over medium heat, ensuring that the butter is completely melted.
I remove the pan from the heat and add the flour all at once, stirring vigorously with a wooden spoon until a compact mixture is obtained.
I put it back on the fire and continue stirring until the dough dries well and detaches from the sides of the pan forming a smooth ball. This step is crucial: the dough must lose some moisture to allow the zeppole to puff correctly during frying.
I transfer the dough to a bowl and let it cool for a few minutes. I add the eggs one at a time, mixing well each time before adding the next. The final dough should be smooth, shiny, and creamy but firm: when lifting the spatula, it should fall slowly forming a compact ribbon.I transfer the dough into a piping bag with a star tip. On squares of parchment paper, I form a first circle and then a second layer on top of the first, leaving a small central hole. The shape should resemble a double-layered doughnut.
I heat plenty of peanut oil in a large pan and bring the temperature to 340°F. The temperature is crucial: if the oil is too hot, the zeppole will color quickly on the outside but remain raw inside; if it is too low, they will absorb too much oil.
I immerse the zeppole along with the paper square in the hot oil. After a few seconds, the paper will easily detach and can be removed with tongs.
I fry a few zeppole at a time for about 5–6 minutes, turning them gently until they achieve uniform golden color. They should be puffy, light, and well-dried.
I drain them on paper towels and let them cool completely.When they are cold, I fill the Zeppole di San Giuseppe with a generous tuft of pastry cream in the center, add the classic syrupy cherry, and finish with a light dusting of powdered sugar.
Crispy outside, soft and hollow inside, with a creamy heart: that’s how the real traditional fried Zeppole di San Giuseppe should be 💛
Storage and Useful Tips
Zeppole di San Giuseppe are best freshly made, when they are still crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. I recommend filling them just before serving so they remain lighter and drier.
If necessary, you can store them for one day in the refrigerator, well covered, but without filling. The pastry cream should always be added at the moment of serving.
To get perfect zeppole, remember some fundamental tips:
Dry the dough well on the heat. It should detach from the sides of the pan forming a compact ball; if it remains too moist, the zeppole will not puff correctly.
Add the eggs one by one. Each egg should be completely absorbed before adding the next, so the dough will be smooth and of the right consistency.
Check the oil temperature. It should be around 340°F: too hot darkens them outside leaving them raw inside, too low makes them greasy.
Fry a few at a time. Too many zeppole together lower the oil temperature.
Fill them only when they are cold. The pastry cream should remain compact and well-defined.
For a gluten-free variant, you can use a gluten-free mix specific for choux pastry, keeping the same proportions.
FAQs about Zeppole di San Giuseppe
Why don’t the Zeppole di San Giuseppe puff up?
If the Zeppole di San Giuseppe do not puff during frying, the problem is almost always the dough or the oil temperature.
The most common cause is too moist dough. After adding the flour, the choux pastry must dry well on the heat until it detaches from the pan sides, forming a compact ball. If this step is done too quickly, the zeppole will remain flat and underdeveloped.
Another common mistake is adding the eggs all at once. Eggs should be incorporated one at a time, mixing well before adding the next. The final dough should be smooth, shiny, and firm.
The oil temperature is also crucial. The Zeppole di San Giuseppe should fry at about 340°F: if the oil is too hot, they will color quickly outside but not have time to puff; if it is too cold, they absorb oil and remain heavy.
Following these tips, you’ll get puffed, light, and perfectly hollow zeppole inside, ready to be filled with pastry cream.Why do the zeppole remain raw inside?
If the Zeppole di San Giuseppe remain raw inside, the problem is almost always the oil temperature being too high. When the oil exceeds 175–180°C, the zeppole color quickly outside but do not have time to cook well inside.
It is important to fry the Zeppole di San Giuseppe at about 340°F, maintaining a constant temperature and turning them several times for even browning.
Another cause could be too soft dough or not dried properly on the heat before adding the eggs. The choux pastry must be compact and well worked, otherwise, it will not develop correctly during frying.
Following these tips, you’ll get puffed, light, and perfectly cooked zeppole even inside.Can I prepare the Zeppole di San Giuseppe the day before?
Zeppole di San Giuseppe are best freshly made, especially when fried, because they remain crispy outside and soft inside. However, you can plan ahead by preparing the pastry cream the day before and storing it in the refrigerator, covered with plastic wrap.
You can also prepare the dough and fry the zeppole a few hours beforehand, but I recommend filling them only just before serving, so they maintain the right consistency and do not become soggy.
If you want to get ahead even more, you can fry the zeppole and store them without filling in the refrigerator for a day, then lightly reheat them in the oven for a few minutes before decorating with cream and cherry.
