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Bomboloni are irresistibly light and fluffy Italian donuts filled with decadent pastry cream. These little fried doughnuts are next-level delicious. They are made with a combination of bread flour and all-purpose flour, which creates a light and airy dough. Put a plate of them out and watch them disappear in seconds. These authentic Italian doughnuts are perfect for breakfast or a mid-day treat. There is nothing that compares to a fresh, warm bomboloni!
Make a batch (or two) of bomboloni, traditional Italian doughnuts filled with rich pastry cream. These are the perfect party treats that are insanely yummy and artisanal-looking.
Are you hunting for more Italian desserts and treats? Try my lemon ricotta cookies, this light limoncello panna cotta, or a log of decadent chocolate salami.
Why You’ll Love Them
Fun to make: Making bomboloni is a super-fun and satisfying process. At the end of it, you will feel like a master baker.
Endless flavor combinations: From adding spices to the dough to creating unique custard flavors, tailor them to make them your own.
Party-pleaser: Their soft texture, rich filling, and sweet coating are a hit with kids and adults. They will disappear in a blink.
Authentic and nostalgic treat: Bomboloni scream classic Italian bakery style.
Ingredients for Bomboloni
A complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
Ingredients for Pastry Cream
Egg yolks: The yolks enrich the custard, giving it a smooth, creamy texture and a rich, yellow color. They also help thicken the custard when cooked.
Cornstarch: This is used as a thickening agent for the custard. It ensures the filling sets properly and maintains a silky, smooth consistency.
Whole milk: Whole milk adds creaminess and a richer flavor compared to lower-fat milk.
Vanilla extract: Use high-quality vanilla extract for the best results.
Lemon zest: The zest should be finely grated to distribute the flavor evenly without altering the texture.
Ingredients for Bomboloni Dough
Bread flour: High in protein, it provides the necessary gluten structure, making the bomboloni chewy and able to hold its shape during frying.
All-purpose flour: Gives a balance between structure and tenderness. Combining it with bread flour helps create a sturdy and soft dough.
Granulated sugar: To sweeten the dough and coat the outside of the doughnut.
Fast active yeast: It leavens the dough, making it rise and become light and airy. It speeds up the rising process, reducing overall preparation time.
Butter: Use salted softened butter, it should be at room temperature.
Vegetable oil: Neutral in flavor and has a high smoke point, making it ideal for frying.
How To Make Bomboloni
For more detailed instructions with weights and measurements, jump to the printable recipe card.
Make the pastry cream: Add the egg yolk, sugar, and lemon zest to a large mixing bowl and whisk until combined. Next, add the cornstarch and whisk together to combine well. Heat the milk in a saucepan over medium heat for 4 to 5 minutes or until it steams.
Add warmed milk to the eggs: Remove from the heat, let it sit for 1 minute, and add the vanilla. Slowly pour a ladle or two of the warmed milk into the egg mixture, whisking constantly so the egg mixture doesn’t start to cook.
Cook some more: Pour the warmed egg mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining warmed milk, and on low heat, continue stirring/whisking until it is thick and creamy, about 6 to 8 minutes.
Chill: Once thickened, pour it into a medium bowl and let it come to room temperature for roughly 15 minutes. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, allowing the wrap to touch the top of the cream, and refrigerate for 2 or 3 hours to finish cooling.
Make the bomboloni Italian dough: Place the milk in the microwave and warm for 1 and a half minutes at 60% power. Remove when finished and set aside to cool to 120 degrees F while the dough is started. Sift the bread and flour with the sugar and add the yeast into a stand mixer bowl with a dough hook attachment.
Finish the dough: Add the butter, lemon zest, vanilla, and eggs. Mix on low to combine the flour mixture. Slowly pour in the warm milk while the mixer is running. Mix for 3-5 minutes at a low speed until the dough forms a smooth ball around the hook. The dough will be combined and separated from the sides of the mixing bowl.
Let it rise: Lightly spray a large bowl with nonstick cooking spray. Place the dough in it and cover with plastic wrap. Let the dough rise in a warm location until it has doubled in size, which could take 1-2 hours.
Flatten it out: Place the proofed dough on a lightly floured surface, and, using a rolling pin, flatten it out into a rectangle about 1/3 inch thick.
Cut out the dough: Using a 3” cutter, cut the dough into circles. At the first rolling, you should get 12 doughnuts, and you can make a few more with the dough scraps.
Proof the bomboloni dough: Place the cut-out pieces on a parchment paper lined baking sheet and loosely cover them with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel. Leave plenty of room between each piece for them to rise. Let them proof in a warm location until they increase in size, which could take 1 or 2 hours.
Cook them: Line a cooking sheet with paper towels and set aside. Place a second cooking sheet with a cooling rack on top and set aside. Add granulated sugar to a wide, shallow bowl and set aside. In a deep, heavy-bottomed pan, heat 4 cups of vegetable or canola oil on medium heat until it reaches 325 to 350 degrees F. Carefully place one bomboloni at a time into the hot oil, releasing/dropping the dough away from you. Working in small batches, cook for 1 minute per side, then flip to the other side using long wooden chopsticks or tongs. Cook an additional 1 or 2 minutes until golden brown. Remove from the oil and place on paper towel to drain off excess oil.
Coat the bomboloni in sugar: While warm, roll each bomboloni in the granulated sugar to coat the outside. Place the sugared bomboloni on the cooling rack or baking sheet. Once all the bomboloni are cooked, allow them to cool at room temperature for 30 minutes before filling.
Fill the bomboloni: Fill a pastry bag with the chilled pastry cream fitted with a round piping tip and set aside. Make a small cut on the side of a bomboloni. Then, using the handle end of a wooden spoon, push the handle inside the bomboloni and twist it to make a small hole for the filling. Insert the tip of the piping bag filled with pastry cream and inject 1 to 2 tablespoons of pastry cream into each one.
Substitutions and Variations
Cornstarch: Use an equal amount of arrowroot powder or tapioca starch as a thickener if cornstarch is unavailable.
Whole milk: For a richer custard, substitute half-and-half or heavy cream with water.
Bread flour: If bread flour is unavailable, all-purpose flour can be used entirely, though the texture might be slightly less chewy.
Flavored custard: Add a tablespoon of cocoa powder for chocolate custard, a spoonful of espresso powder for coffee-flavored custard, or a fruit puree, strawberry, or raspberry for a fruity custard filling.
Serving Suggestions
Appetizer: Start your Italian meal with a steaming bowl of classic Italian minestrone or a plate of these cute burrata-stuffed tomatoes. For a crowd, make up a large board of antipasto to start with.
Main: Keeping it Italian, serve penne rosa pasta or this delicious recipe for chicken saltimbocca.
Dessert: End off with a platter of bomboloni Italian donuts!
How to Store Bomboloni Italian Donuts
Store: It is best to refrigerate leftover filled bomboloni in an airtight container and consume it within a day.
Freezer: Freeze the bomboloni unfilled until ready. Take the frozen bomboloni out to defrost while the pastry cream is made and cooled.
Thaw: Defrost them at room temperature and proceed with filling the bomboloni.
Top Tips
Frying oil temperature: Keep the oil temperature under 350 degrees F to prevent the bomboloni from cooking too quickly on the outside before the inside can cook through. The burner temperature may need to be lowered throughout the cooking process.
Filling the donuts: Apply enough pressure to fill the donut; the initial hole created is a starting point for getting the cream inside. You should see the donut expand. Release the filling to avoid causing the side to burst with pastry cream.
Do not overcrowd: Fry a few bomboloni at a time, giving them space to float and cook evenly. Overcrowding the pan drops the oil temperature, leading to uneven cooking.
Drain properly: Use a slotted spoon to remove the bomboloni from the oil and place them on a wire rack or paper towels to drain excess oil. This helps keep them crisp.
Bomboloni Recipe FAQs
The dough should double in size during the first proofing process, which can take up to 2 hours. The poke test can be used if you press gently on the dough; if the indent remains, the dough is ready. When the dough is cut into circles, it will need a second round for proofing, although it might rise more than out.
Yes, you can use fresh yeast for bomboloni. When substituting fresh yeast for active dry yeast, the general rule is to use about three times the amount of fresh yeast.
Bomboloni are lighter and fluffier than traditional doughnuts made in America. Bomboloni can also be filled with sweet fillings, whereas American donuts often have toppings or glazes.
Yes, to make gluten-free bomboloni, switch the all purpose and bread flour for gluten-free flour. The result will not be as light, but it will still be delicious.
Authentic Italian Bomboloni Recipe
Bomboloni
Ingredients
For the Pastry Cream:
- 5 egg yolks
- 2 Cups whole milk
- ¼ Cup cornstarch
- 1/3 Cup granulated sugar
- ½ Teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 Tablespoon lemon zest, about one medium-sized lemon
For the Dough:
- 2 Cups bread flour
- 1 Cup all purpose flour
- 1/3 Cup granulated sugar, plus more for coating the outside of the doughnut
- 2¼ Teaspoons yeast, fast active, one package
- 4 Tablespoons salted butter, at room temperature
- ½ Teaspoon lemon zest, about one medium-sized lemon
- 1 Teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 eggs, at room temperature
- 2/3 Cup whole milk, warmed to around 115 degrees F
- 4 Cups vegetable oil, for frying
Instructions
- Add the egg yolk, sugar, and lemon zest in a large bowl and whisk until combined.
- Add the cornstarch and whisk together well.
- Heat the milk in a saucepan over medium heat for 4 to 5 minutes until it starts to steam. Remove from the heat, let it sit for 1 minute, and add the vanilla.
- Slowly pour a ladle or two of the warmed milk into the egg mixture, whisking constantly so the egg mixture doesn’t start to cook.
- Pour the warmed egg mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining warmed milk, and on a low heat. Continue stirring/whisking until it is thick and creamy – about 6 to 8 minutes.
- Note: Around minutes 3 to 4, the custard will start sticking to the sides of the saucepan. It will thicken very quickly once the cooking time reaches 6 to 7 minutes. Keep whisking to smooth any lumps that may form.
- Once thickened, pour it into a bowl and allow it to come to room temperature for about 15 minutes. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, allowing the wrap to touch the top of the cream (this prevents skin from forming), and place it in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 hours to finish cooling.
Make the Dough:
- Place the milk in the microwave and warm for 90 seconds at 60% power. Remove when finished and set aside to cool to 120 degrees F while the dough is started.
- Sift the bread and flour with the sugar and add the yeast into a mixer bowl with a dough hook.
- Add the butter, lemon zest, vanilla, and eggs. Mix on low to combine the flour mixture.
- Pour in the warm milk slowly while the mixer is running. Mix for 3 to 5 minutes at a low speed until the dough forms a smooth ball around the hook. The dough will be combined and separated from the sides of the mixing bowl.
- Lightly spray a large bowl with nonstick cooking spray. Place the dough in it and cover with plastic wrap. Let the dough proof in a warm location until it has doubled in size, which could take an hour or 2.
- Place the proofed dough on a lightly floured surface, and, using a rolling pin, flatten it out into a rectangle about 1/3 inch thick.
- Using a 3” cutter, cut the dough into circles. At the first rolling, you should get 12 doughnuts, and you can make a few more with the dough scraps.
- Place the cut-out pieces on a parchment-lined baking sheet and loosely cover them with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel. Leave plenty of room between each piece for them to raise.
- Let them proof in a warm location until they increase in size, which could take 1 or 2 hours.
Cook Them:
- Line a cooking sheet with paper towels and set aside. Place a second cooking sheet with a cooling rack on top aside.
- In a wide, shallow bowl, add granulated sugar and set aside.
- In a deep, heavy-bottomed pan, heat 4 cups of vegetable or canola oil on medium heat until it reaches 325 to 350 degrees F.
- Pro tip: Keep the temperature of the oil less than 350 degrees F to keep the bomboloni from cooking too quickly on the outside before the inside has a chance to cook through. The burner temperature might need to be lowered during the cooking process to keep the oil from cooking the bomboloni too quickly.
- Carefully place one bomboloni at a time into the hot oil, releasing/dropping the dough away from you. Working in batches, cook for 1 minute per side, then flip the bomboloni to the other side using long wooden chopsticks or tongs. Cook an additional 1 or 2 minutes until golden brown. Remove from the oil and place on paper towels to drain off excess oil.
- While warm, roll each bomboloni in the granulated sugar to coat the outside. Place the sugared bomboloni on the cooling rack/sheet.
- Once all the bomboloni are cooked, allow them to cool at room temperature for 30 minutes before filling.
Fill Them:
- Fill a pastry bag with the chilled pastry cream fitted with a round piping tip and set aside.
- Make a small cut on the side of a bomboloni. Then, using the handle end of a wooden spoon, push the handle inside the bomboloni and twist it to make a small hole for the filling.
- Insert the tip of the piping bag filled with pastry cream and inject each doughnut with 1 or 2 tablespoons of pastry cream.
- Note: Apply enough pressure to fill the doughnut; the initial hole created is just a starting point to get the cream inside; you should see the doughnut expand. Release the filling to avoid causing the side to burst with pastry cream.
Notes
Filling the donuts: Apply enough pressure to fill the donut; the initial hole created is a starting point for getting the cream inside. You should see the donut expand. Release the filling to avoid causing the side to burst with pastry cream.
Do not overcrowd: Fry a few bomboloni at a time, giving them space to float and cook evenly. Overcrowding the pan drops the oil temperature, leading to uneven cooking.
Drain properly: Use a slotted spoon to remove the bomboloni from the oil and place them on a wire rack or paper towels to drain excess oil. This helps keep them crisp.
Nutrition
Bomboloni are irresistibly light and fluffy Italian donut treats filled with rich, decadent pastry cream. These authentic Italian doughnuts are next-level delicious, the combination of bread flour and all-purpose flour results in a dough that is wonderfully airy and light. Serve a plate of these, and they’ll disappear in no time.
Other Sweet Recipes to Try
- Try these fun mini cone cupcakes – great for kids’ parties.
- Cream cheese brownies: You’ll love the sweet and tangy combination.
- A stack of gingerbread sandwich cookies is the perfect coffee-time treat.
- Make a rustic cranberry galette full of bright flavors.
- Try this funfetti birthday cheesecake at your next birthday occasion.
Bella Bucchiotti
Bella Bucchiotti is a Canadian-based syndicated food, travel, and lifestyle writer, photographer, and creator at xoxoBella. She founded xoxoBella in 2015, where she shares her love for food, dogs, sustainability, fitness, crafts, outdoor adventures, travel, and philanthropy to encourage others to run the extra mile, try new recipes, visit unfamiliar places, and stand for a cause. Bella creates stress-free and family-friendly recipes for weeknight dinners and festive feasts.
Those bombolonis look awesome! I am craving one right now.