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How to Make Struffoli

For as long as I can remember, one of our family traditions was gathering around the dining room table to roll out long snakes of Struffoli dough. Struffoli are delightful fried dough balls coated in honey, nonpareils, and bright red candied cherries. While the Italian nuns in the convents of Southern Italy added green candied cherries, cinnamon, orange rind, and almonds, our family stuck to the basics: nonpareils and red cherries. Why? Because we hated the green ones.
One year, my mother came home from the supermarket with only green candied cherries—the red ones were sold out. My father didn’t speak to her for three days. You’d have thought she canceled Christmas.
My dad led the charge every year, inspecting the circumference of our dough snakes to ensure they were uniform. Consistency was key: each little ball had to be the same size. At night, he’d fry the balls in a saucepan brimming with oil, which inevitably boiled over after the third batch. Oil would spill everywhere—on the stove, on the floor—and without fail, he’d yell for someone to get a towel. This happened every single year. And every single year, I loved it.
On Christmas Eve, we’d proudly bring a plate of Struffoli to my aunt and uncle’s house, where our extended family would gather. The inevitable Struffoli smackdown followed, with recipes compared and playful insults flying:
“How many eggs are in yours? They’re dense enough to anchor a boat.”
“I think I just cracked a tooth on one of these!”
“Green cherries? No wonder they taste awful.”
As an adult, I now make and sell Struffoli in my virtual bakery, using a slightly modified version of my father’s recipe. At one recent market, a customer said, “I never understood why people liked those.” I just smiled, not bothering to explain. For me, Struffoli is so much more than a sweet treat. It’s a portal to my childhood—a connection to moments spent with my dad, laughing through the chaos and savoring the tradition.
Every batch I make is infused with those stories, those memories. Each little fried dough ball carries a lifetime of joy and the lesson my dad unknowingly passed down: the key to good Struffoli is simple—never use green cherries.
Prep Time1 hour
Active Time30 minutes
Yield: 1 Mound
Calories: 180kcal
Author: Jim Serpico

Materials

  • 2 Cups AP Flour
  • 4 Tbls. Granulated Sugar
  • 1/2 Tspn. Salt
  • 1/4 Tspn. Baking Powder
  • 1/2 Stick Butter
  • 3 Large Eggs
  • 1 Tspn. Vanilla Extract
  • Non-Pareils To Taste and Visual Appeal
  • Candied Cherries To Taste and Visual Appeal
  • Canola Oil for frying

Instructions

  • Add eggs. butter and vanilla extract into mixing bowl.
  • Using the paddle attachment, whisk togther for one minute.
  • Add the sugar, mix for 30 seconds.
  • Add AP Flour, mix until for 60 seconds.
  • Remove paddle attachment and change to a dough hook. Mix until a smooth yellowing ball forms. About 5 minutes.
  • Refridgerate the dough ball for at least 30 minutes.
  • Divide dough and roll into 1/4" in diameter logs.
  • Cut into 1/4" pieces. Don't worry that they are not round. They will become round by frying them.
  • Heat Canola Oil in a sauce pan or use a deep fryer, to 350 degrees.
  • Divide balls into 8 even batches. Carefully place one batch of balls in heated oil.
  • Remove the balls from oil with a slotted spoon when the balls become golden brown. Repeat until finished.
  • In a new sauce pan, heat Honey until thinned, about 3 minutes.
  • Pour all of your doughballs into thinned honey, stirring to cover all the balls.
  • With a slotted spoon, remove your honey covered doughballs and start to plate a mound.
  • After about a one inch layer, sprinkle nonpareils and red candied cherries. Continue until all the balls are plated.