Krista Gambacorta
May 1, 2026
Difficulty Level: easy
30 min Prep
20 min Cook
50 min Total
8 Servings
Whenever struffoli is served up, it’s gone within minutes. What can I say? People love honey-covered fried dough. It’s a simple dessert or sweet snack, and can be rolled out for special occasions or simply because someone has a sweet tooth.
The outside of the fried dough is golden and crispy, the inside is soft, and the honey gives it a shine and irresistible sweetness. Add a little lemon zest for freshness and sprinkles for fun, and it’s good to go.
Better yet, once it’s done, it looks fantastic on a sharing platter. Check out the ingredients and cooking steps below.
Struffoli Ingredients
- 2 cups of all-purpose flour
- 3 large eggs
- 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon of salt
- 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon of unsalted butter, softened
- Zest of 1 lemon
- Vegetable oil, for frying
- 1 cup of honey
- Sprinkles, for garnish
Struffoli Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, and salt. Whisk them together until evenly mixed.
- Make a space in the middle of the dry ingredients. Add the eggs, vanilla extract, softened butter, and lemon zest to the center.
- Mix everything together with your hands until a dough forms. If the dough feels too sticky, add a little extra flour, one tablespoon at a time.
- Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead it for 5 minutes, until it becomes smooth and elastic. Cover it with a kitchen towel and let it rest for 30 minutes.
- After resting, divide the dough into four equal pieces. Roll each piece into a rope about 1/2 inch thick.
- Cut each rope into small pieces about the size of a hazelnut, then roll each piece into a small ball.
- Pour 2 inches of vegetable oil into a deep frying pan and heat it to 350°F.
- Fry the dough balls in small batches for 4 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove them with a slotted spoon and place them on paper towels to drain.
- In a saucepan, heat the honey over low heat until it becomes loose and easy to pour. Add the fried dough balls and stir gently so they are coated well.
- Arrange the honey-coated struffoli on a serving plate and add sprinkles over the top. Let them cool before serving.
Nutrition
Calories: 250cal
Carbohydrate: 35g
Protein: 3g
Fat: 10g
Cholesterol: – -mg
Sodium: – -mg