Italian Honey Balls, Struffoli

Italian Honey Balls, or Struffoli are tiny bites of golden, pillowy dough drenched in a sweet honey glaze. Traditionally served during Easter and Christmas, these festive treats are a beloved staple in Italian homes and bakeries alike. Trust us, once you make them from scratch, you'll never buy a tray again!

A tray of struffoli (aka pignolata) never lasted long around our family. But we have to admit- we weren't big fans of the mass-produced ones from Italian bakeries. Our grandmother always made her own for Christmas, but sadly, we never got the recipe before she passed.

It wasn't until a friend of ours shared her struffoli recipe with us that everything changed. Our mom and we gave it a try, and we were instantly hooked- it was the best struffoli we ever tasted! Over the years, we've tweaked and perfected the recipe, and now we're excited to share that version with you.

Key ingredients and substitutions

Our struffoli are a little different than traditional Italian honey balls. In fact, our recipe shares some DNA with Turdilli, a similar fried dough originating in Calabria, Italy.

Turdilii dough is made with a fortified or sweet wine (we use vermouth), while struffoli dough is usually made with a sweet liquor such as anisette or limoncello. So we like to think of our struffoli as a marriage of the 2 fried treats!

• Baking powder and eggs Helps the dough puff up when frying.
• Vermouth We use dry vermouth (white), but we have also tried it with red vermouth and even experimented with apricot brandy! Vermouth keeps the dough tender.
• Oil for frying Choose a neutral oil such as vegetable or canola oil. Peanut oil is another good choice, but it can be pricey.
• Honey A mild honey, such as clover or wildflower, pairs well with the dough.
• Cinnamon Traditionally, we use whole cinnamon sticks (then use them to decorate the struffoli trays), but ground cinnamon is fine.
• Sprinkles Our family uses the tiny dot sprinkles known as nonpareils but you can also use traditional sprinkles or "jimmies". We often matched the color to the holiday (pastel for Easter or red and green for Christmas).

Full ingredient list can be found in the recipe card below.

Step-by-step instructions

Below you'll find the steps to help make these Italian honey balls a success. Grab a friend or family member to help roll and cut the dough while the other person fries. It makes the process much easier and way more fun!

Step 1. Cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Step 2. Add the eggs and mix until combined. Step 3. Add the dry ingredients in batches, followed by the vermouth, then mix on low until a soft dough forms. Step 4. Remove the dough to a floured surface, and knead a few times until you have a smooth ball. Cover and rest for 30 minutes.

Step 5. Divide the dough into small pieces. Step 6. Roll the dough into long ropes (length doesn't matter, make sure it's easy to work with). Steps 7-8. Using a sharp knife, cut the dough into "pillows," then toss in flour so they don't stick. Continue with the remaining dough, keeping the dough covered as you work so it doesn't dry out.

Steps 9-12. Using an electric deep fryer or large pot with a candy thermometer, heat the oil to 350°F. Place a handful of the cut dough in the oil to fry (don't overcrowd). Fry until golden brown and puffed up. Remove with a fry basket or strainer to a paper towel-lined tray to cool. Continue to fry in batches.

Step 13-16. Gently warm the honey on the stove. Toss the fried struffoli in the honey, turning to coat evenly. Divide the honey-coated struffoli onto plates or trays. Top with the colored sprinkles. Serve immediately or store for later.

*These are abbreviated instructions. The full list of directions can be found in the recipe card below.

Expert tips

• Cover the dough. To prevent the dough from drying out when rolling and cutting, cover the dough with a towel.
• Oil temperature is key. Keep your oil temp at 350°F to prevent the struffoli from burning or becoming too oily. If you're frying the struffoli in a pot on the stove, use a deep fry or instant-read thermometer to ensure the oil is at the correct temperature.

Swaps

Italian struffoli recipes differ from family to family, and vary from region to region (depending on where they are made). You're bound to come across different tastes and textures, so feel free to mix it up to suit your own style.

• Citrus. Some versions add lemon or orange zest to the dough for a bright finish.
• Liqueur. Instead of dry vermouth, try anisette, limoncello, rum, or Marsala. We've made them with sweet (red vermouth), and even apricot brandy!
• Honey syrup. Infuse the honey syrup with anisette or lemon oil (for a more intense lemon flavor). Try using other warm spices such as ginger or cloves.

Serving suggestions

Traditionally, Italian honey balls are enjoyed during the Christmas season, but they're also a popular dessert for Easter. You'll often find them on a holiday table filled with other festive favorites such as pizzellelemon drops or pignoli cookies.

During the holidays, we often give trays of struffoli as hostess gifts. To dress them up, we tuck a cinnamon stick on top for decoration and wrap the tray in plastic wrap or clear cellophane, finishing it with a festive bow. If a little honey settles at the bottom, give the struffoli a gentle stir to coat everything again.

Make-ahead and storage

Stroffoili can be safely stored in an air-tight container for up to one week, although they taste best the day they are made (they will maintain their crispiness). To be honest, we've made them 2 weeks before Christmas many times, and they kept fine (they only needed a stir as most of the honey sank to the bottom).

You can also fry the struffoli in advance and freeze them without the honey. When ready to serve, defrost the balls, melt the honey, mix, and serve.

Kitchen questions

What do struffoli taste like?

Struffoli tastes primarily like honey, as the glaze is the most prominent flavor. They may also have a citrusy undertone if it's used in the recipe. The texture is crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside, especially when first removed from the fryer. As they sit, they take on a cake-like texture, which is as good and preferred in our opinion.

More Italian desserts

Visit our Italian brunch category for even more ideas!

Ingredients

Makes 4 trays (16-20 servings)

• 5 cups all-purpose flour, plus more as needed
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp kosher or fine sea salt
• ½ cup (4 ounces or 1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 cup white granulated sugar
• 5 large eggs, room temperature
• ⅓ cup dry (white) vermouth, plus more if needed
• oil for frying ((i.e., peanut, vegetable, canola))
• 2 cups (24 ounces) mild honey
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• ¼ tsp ground cinnamon or 1 whole cinnamon stick
• 1-2 tsp freshly grated lemon zest (I like to use a splash of pure lemon oil (for baking); *see notes)

Equipment

• stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment
• large heavy-bottomed pot with tall sides or an electric deep fryer
• deep fry or instant read thermometer
• large trays or baking sheets lined with paper towels
• slotted spoon or strainer
• sharp knife or bench scraper

Method

Make the Dough

1. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and baking soda. Set aside.

2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar on medium speed until light and creamy, about 2–3 minutes.

3. Add the eggs, 1-2 at a time, mixing well after each addition.

4. With the mixer on low, add the flour in 4-5 batches, mixing well after each addition. Add ⅓ cup of vermouth, and mix until a soft, but workable dough forms (it will be sticky). If the dough is too sticky, add a little more flour, ½ tablespoon at a time. If the dough seems too dry, add a splash more vermouth.

5. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and knead briefly until smooth. Cover with plastic wrap or a clean towel and let rest for 30–60 minutes at room temperature. This helps relax the dough so it rolls more easily.

Roll and Cut the Dough

1. Divide the dough into smaller, manageable portions. On a lightly floured surface, roll each piece into a long rope, roughly ½ inch thick. C over the remaining dough with a towel while you continue to roll and cut so it doesn't dry out.

2. Using a knife or bench scraper, cut the ropes into ½-inch pieces. Lightly toss the pieces with a small sprinkle of flour so they don't stick together while you finish cutting the remaining dough. They will look like tiny pillows, but they will puff up and become round when fried.

Frying the Dough

1. Pour 2–3 inches of oil into a heavy pot and heat to 350°F (175°C). If using an electric deep fryer, fill and preheat according to the manufacturer's directions.

2. Working in small batches, fry the dough pieces for2–3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until puffed and golden brown. Remove the struffoli with a slotted spoon (or the fryer basket if using a deep fryer), and transfer to a paper towel–lined tray to drain. Continue frying the remaining pieces, adjusting the temperature of the oil as needed to maintain it at 350℉.

Honey Topping

1. In a large saucepan, combine the honey, vanilla, 1 cinnamon stick (or ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon), and the lemon zest (or a small splash of lemon oil). Warm over low heat, stirring occasionally, until the honey islooseand fragrant. Do not boil.

2. Add thewarm fried struffolito the pot with the honey and gently toss until evenly coated.

Arrange and Decorate

1. Transfer the coated struffoli to serving trays and shape as desired. Add the sprinkles while the honey is still warm so they stick. Serve immediately or store at room temperature for later.

Kitchen notes

• The dough should be soft but not sticky. We prefer adding any extra flour while kneading so we can get a feel for it, rather than adding it to the mixer.
• Work with small portions of dough at a time when rolling and cutting.
• Keep the remaining dough covered so it doesn't dry out.
• Don't overcrowd the fryer. This ensures the dough cooks evenly.
• Keep the oil temperature steady at 350℉. If the oil is too hot, the struffoli will brown too quickly before puffing; if it's too cool, they will absorb excess oil.
• Warm the honey over low heat only. Do not bring it to a boil.
• We like to use lemon oil in the honey, as it has a more concentrated lemon flavor.