I have always loved this time of year, the days leading up to and culminating on March 19th. And do you know why? Because, for a sweet-toothed person like me, it’s the time when Saint Joseph’s zeppole are prepared and enjoyed, and what makes Saint Joseph’s Day special is my boyfriend’s name day. I have always loved zeppole and, over the years, I’ve always tried making them at home rather than buying them. It took several attempts, but in the end I managed to perfect the recipe.
Saint Joseph’s zeppole are an Italian tradition, but each region has its own recipe, which can even vary within the same region. In our area (Teramo) we make them like large cream puffs filled with pastry cream, but move a bit — for example to L’Aquila — and things change: there the zeppole are yeasted doughnuts, fried and sprinkled with sugar.
See the collection:
Saint Joseph’s Zeppole: recipes for Father’s Day
- Difficulty: Medium
- Cost: Economical
- Preparation time: 30 Minutes
- Cooking time: 40 Minutes
- Portions: 20 Pieces
- Cooking methods: Stovetop, Oven
Ingredients
- 7 Eggs
- 1 3/4 cups All-purpose flour
- 2/3 cup Unsalted butter
- 1 1/2 cups Water
- 1 pinch Salt
- as needed Pastry cream
- as needed Powdered sugar
- as needed Whipped cream
- as needed Amarena cherries in syrup
Tools
- Pastry bag set
- Hand whisk
Preparation
To make the zeppole, melt the butter in a double boiler, then pour it into a pot, add the water and a pinch of salt. Place over low heat and bring to a boil.
Add the flour and mix everything until the mixture pulls away from the sides of the pot. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and let it cool to room temperature.
Add the eggs one at a time, waiting for each to be absorbed before adding the next, and mix until you obtain a smooth, creamy dough.
Place the dough into a pastry bag and, on a baking sheet lightly buttered, pipe the zeppole into ring shapes (making 3 or 4 concentric rings).
Preheat the oven to 482°F, put the tray in the oven and reduce to 356°F, baking for 15-20 minutes. Then lower to 248°F and bake for another 20 minutes, without ever opening the oven door.
When baking is complete, leave the zeppole in the turned-off oven with the door slightly ajar for 10 minutes, then remove from the oven and let them cool completely.
Once the zeppole are baked and cooled, slice them in half and fill with pastry cream. Dust with powdered sugar and decorate the surface with whipped cream and amarena cherries (as in the photo). Enjoy!
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