Struffoli for Christmas
Struffoli are a Southern Italian favorite
Struffoli, puffy little balls of fried dough drenched in honey, are the quintessential Christmas sweet in Naples and other places in Italy, especially the Central and Southern regions. When I was a little girl in Brooklyn, other kids would be helping their mothers to make gingerbread and spritz cookies, but in our house, it was always struffoli. Mom would start with a 5-pound bag of flour and a couple of dozen eggs. She would mix and knead the ingredients together until a smooth dough formed. Then the dough was left to rest under a clean kitchen towel and she would fill a big pot with oil. Then we would start slicing, rolling and cutting the dough until little bits.
Rolling out struffoli
Once the oil was hot enough, she would carefully slip the pieces of dough into the hot oil, making sure all the while that we kids stayed far away from the hot pot. But I loved to watch as the struffoli turned from little pillow shaped pellets into crisp, brown puffs. When she judged them sufficiently browned, she would scoop out the puffs and drain them on paper towels. They were eggy and toasty tasting, but they really wouldn’t be at their best until they were thoroughly drenched in good honey. My mom didn’t think much of the supermarket brands, preferring instead to drive to a private home on Staten Island where the owner kept bees and gathered several different types of honey. My mom would ask for a blend of the light and dark honeys for a perfectly mellow flavor.
Frying Struffoli
After tossing the struffoli with the warm honey came the fun part — piling the sticky balls into heaps on platters and disposable pie plates to be given as gifts to friends and family. But before they could be given away, the struffoli needed to be decorated. We used little multicolored confetti and by the time we kids were done with the task, there were sticky finger marks and confetti all over the kitchen table and floor. Sometimes we added candied red and green cherries, or sliced almonds, or strips of candied orange and citron. Of course, we couldn’t resist tasting them to make sure they were as good as last year’s.
The big platter would go on the sideboard where we could pick off a few whenever we passed by throughout the holiday season. The pie plates were wrapped in cellophane and tied with ribbons to bring to friends and family. Of course, they would give us plates of their own struffoli, but in my house, we all knew that mom’s were superior. They were crisp and light and never dense and hard like others we had tasted.
A lot of Italian Americans have forgotten, or maybe they never knew, how to make struffoli, so I put them on the holiday entertaining menu I prepared at the cooking class I did at De Gustibus Cooking School at Macy’s on Thursday. Sure enough, while I was getting ready for the class, I heard one of the assistants enter and exclaim, “Struffoli! Hurray, we’re making struffoli!” I felt just like a kid again, making struffoli with my mom.
Here’s my recipe for struffoli which I published in my book 1,000 Italian Recipes. It makes a plateful, enough for 8 to 10. If you want to make a big batch to give away, the recipe can easily be doubled.
STRUFFOLI
Makes 8 servings
1 cup all-purpose flour plus more for kneading the dough
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs, beaten
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon or orange zest
Vegetable oil for frying
1 cup honey (about 6 ounces)
Possible garnishes: multicolored sprinkles, chopped candied orange peel, citron or cherries, toasted sliced almonds
1. In a large bowl, combine 1 cup flour and the salt. Add the eggs and lemon zest and stir until well blended.
2. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured board and knead until smooth, about 5 minutes. Add a little more flour if the dough seems sticky. Shape the dough into a ball. Cover the dough with an overturned bowl. Let the dough rest 30 minutes.
3. Cut the dough into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Roll one slice between your palms into a 1/2-inch-thick rope. Cut the rope into 1/2-inch nuggets. If the dough feels sticky, use a tiny bit of flour to dust the board or your hands. (Excess flour will cause the oil to foam up when you fry the struffoli.)
4. Line a tray with paper towels. Pour about 2 inches of oil into a wide heavy saucepan. Heat the oil to 370°F on a frying thermometer, or until a small bit of the dough dropped into the oil sizzles and turns brown in 1 minute.
5. Being careful not to splash the oil, slip just enough struffoli into the pan to fit without crowding. Cook, stirring once or twice with a slotted spoon, until the struffoli are crisp and evenly golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove the struffoli with a slotted spoon or skimmer and drain on paper towels. Repeat with the remaining dough.
6. When all of the struffoli are fried, gently heat the honey just to a simmer in a large shallow saucepan. Remove from the heat. Add the drained struffoli and toss well. Pile the struffoli onto a serving plate. Decorate with the multicolored sprinkles, candied fruits, or nuts.
7. To serve, break off a portion of the struffoli with two large spoons or a salad server. Store covered with an overturned bowl at room temperature up to 3 days.
Copyright 2004 1,000 ITALIAN RECIPES by Michele Scicolone
If you have any questions or comments about this recipe, or others, I would love to hear from you at mailto:michelescicolone@gmail.com.
36 comments
Hi
I have a problem with the honey.
After boiling the honey and placing the struffoli in the pot,
the honey is very very hard and it is difficult to seperate to eat.
Then honey is too hard.
How can i solve the problem.
Thanks
Carmine
Dear Carmine,
Sounds like the honey may have overcooked. It really just needs to be heated until it comes to a simmer (not a boil) and liquefies. I’d suggest you let the struffoli warm up a little before serving them, maybe near the stove, or in a warm turned off oven. This should soften the honey a little and make them easier to separate. Also, the honey will be absorbed into the struffoli as they set for a few days and that should help too.
But you know, struffoli are always sticky and messy to eat, which is part of the fun.
Buon Natale!
Michele
i made the strufolli alittle bigger and it took longer to cook in the inside well then the outside was too brown .still yummy but not pretty. so what did I do wrong . I think I put cinnamon in the dough and cocoa powder once .I did not butn them because I would of tasted the burnt flavor. my question is should I ever use cinnamon or cocoa in the recipe because they came out looking like puppy chow .They were still delicious. But I didnt have a name and my neighbor thought I was not following the recipe while I was just adding different things at different times .once I added orange zest into the honey but first I fryed it and then rolled the honey balls into the orange zest again they were dark but delicious.
Hi, Samie, I think you pretty much answered all your questions! They took longer to cook because they were bigger, so they get browner. They were browner to begin with since you added 2 brown ingredients to the dough.
All the best in 2011! Michele
It’s the same as Taiglach! Fried balls dipped in honey with nuts and candied fruits, a traditional Jewish treat for the New Year and for Passover. Yes, Italians and Jews share so much!
i have a problem with the honey it does not stick to honey balls. the honey goes to the bottom of the tin. what did i do wrong.
i have a problem with the honey on the honey balls . the honey goes to the bottom of the tin. what can i do to make the honey stick to the honey balls.
Hi, Carol, Make sure you start with a good quality honey, one that is nice and thick. Heat it in a wide saucepan but do not let it boil. Add the struffoli and stir them gently until the honey cools off. It should thicken and coat the balls as it cools. Then transfer the struffoli to a serving plate. Some of the honey will settle to the bottom, but most of it should stick. Store the struffoli at room temperature.
Happy Holidays!
Finally a no-nonsense recipe, other ones I have looked at have so much useless ingredients in them, I as well have a basic recipe, I do add lemon juice instead of lemon zest, and always a little of vanilla,
and if dough is kinda dry, just a pinch of milk or water. Thanks for sharing. Marina
Glad to share, Marina. Have a wonderful holiday!
Great article Michele! I grew up on struffoli and have continued making them since I was in my 20′s. We also shaped them as a wreath in a dish for the Christmas season! Good tip about the honey and letting it cool.
Thanks!
They do look nice in a wreath shape, Frank. You are welcome and Buon natale!
Michele, love the recipe! I’m planning to make these for Christmas eve. Is there anything I can do hours or even days before to prepare? Can the dough be made and frozen? Or if I make them the day before, will they still be tasty/as good the following night if I warm them? I have a big meal planned, and I don’t think I’ll be able to be rolling dough amidst the big meal. Any help would be greatly appreciated! Grazie!
Hi, John, Thanks! You can certainly make these a couple of days in advance. As they sit (at room temperature) they soften slightly. The texture will be different from when they are freshly made and still really crunchy, but they will still be delicious and good to eat.
Don’t put the sprinkles on top until you are ready to serve them since they sometimes melt from the moisture in the honey. I have never tried freezing the dough. After they are made keep the struffoli at room temperature or the honey will get too hard to serve. I just keep them in a cool spot covered with a big bowl since plastic wrap would stick to the surface.
Buon Natale! Michele
Michele, grazie mille! I’ll try making them the evening before or maybe even morning of Christmas Eve if I can. Love the blog, btw! Buon Natale! -John
michele, i was just thinking of these today and found your recipe. i am going to attempt them this week. vegetable oil…would olive oil be ok?
Sure, olive oil would be fine. Enjoy them Jackie!
Thanks, John!
Just made them and they came out great. Thanks for an easy and simple recipe.
My pleasure, Hugo. So glad you like them.
Merry Christmas!
To Michele, from Michele!
My grandmother would never tell us how to make the dough! She always made it in advance, and then we’d help her roll and cut and fry. “How big to cut, Grandma?” “As fat as your finger.” She’s been gone a few years, now, and I’ll be glad to make this in her honor this Christmas!
Hi, Michele, That’s so funny! Grandmas liked to keep their recipes secret. But I was lucky and watched my mom make these every year. It’s really a simple dough. I hope you enjoy them and have a wonderful Christmas! Michele
After sitting over night the honey all settled to the bottom of the tin , can I recoat them? and how ?
My great grandmother died before I could ever get her recipe and I really wanted to restart this tradition for my kids this year. I enjoyed growing up with these! Thanks for the recipe, can’t wait to try it.
Ciao, Mario, This seems to be the big question. I recommend that next time you make them, you turn the struffoli in the honey until it has cooled. It will thicken and stick better. But there will always be some settling. Try to find a thick and viscous honey next time. I think some brands have been “watered down” and aren’t as effective as others. Since yours are in a tin, why not put the cover on and turn it upside down. This will recoat the struffoli. Your can turn it right side up shortly before serving. Open carefully, you don’t want the honey to spill out. Also be sure to store them in a cool spot. Buon Natale!
I hope you enjoy them Tiffany! this is an old recipe and it should be similar to your grandmother’s.
Thanks for the recipe and the memories. I am going to try these this week. I have memories much like yours – growing up in Brooklyn as well. I can remember there would be a tray at everyone’s house we visited and yes, my grandmother’s were the best too. She passed 3 yrs ago a few days before Christmas. I miss her and the honey balls. I tried a different recipe last year and they weren’t the same. Hopefully, this one is… I wish I could have gotten her recipes written down .
Hi, Debbie, Aren’t we fortunate to have such great memories! One of the best ways to remember the people we loved is to make again the foods we once enjoyed together. I hope this recipe is like your grandmother’s. Wouldn’t she be pleased to know that you are thinking of her? Best wishes for a very happy Christmas!
Michele
They way i make struffoli is from an old italian recipe which has been past down. Use about a teaspoon and another quarter teaspoon of baking powder..add that to the flower and mix well together..in another bowl add the eggs, A FULL STICK OF BUTTER and a TEASPOON OF VANILLA EXTRACT AS WELL AS 3/4′s of a cup of SUGAR..blend that all together well then add the flour mix ..it gives it extra flavor when cooked..no need for salt..and i agree with a comment above..only heat the honey slightly and do not let get to a boil
So in one bowl 4 cups of flower, 1 and a quarter teaspoons of baking powder..mix together..im a separate bowl blend together an entire stick of butter, teaspoon of vanilla extract, 2 eggs and 3/4 cup of sugar..blend that all well and in a mixer if you have one (this works best) add a half of cup of flower at a time and it will form the dough well..then follow any of the directions about rolling them into about 1/4 in strips and then cut them up..what i do different is then i actually take each piece i cut up and roll them into balls as i believe they fry better and family has done this for generations..they then go into a fryer and are lightly browned..try that recipe with the butter and sugar and vanilla extract and you are guaranteed to be satisfied
Hi Michele.
My mom was famous for her struffoli and I haven’t had them since she passed. Her recipe has been lost, so I tried yours and they came out wonderful. I did add orange juice to the honey because I remember Mom doing that to hers. Thanks for sharing the recipe and have a Merry Christmas.
—>Susan
P.S. Mom also made fried cookies called “Bow Ties” that were rolled dough cut into rectangles with a slit in the middle and then twisted inside out. Do you happen to know of these cookies and if so, do you have a recipe for them?
My Nanny made them for years for us, no one can find her recipe, i am sure she used anisette, but everyone says no way? have you ever made with anisette?
Hi, Susan, I’m so glad you liked my struffoli recipe! I included a Bow Tie recipe like your Mom’s in my book 1,000 Italian Recipes. I will put it on my website when I have the time. Buon Natale! Michele
Thanks so much for sharing your recipe, Rob. It sounds great and I will have to give it a try. I have enjoyed hearing from so many readers about their families’ special ways of making struffoli!
Wishing you a very Merry Christma!
Help. I made the struffoli this year from a family that my husbands grandmother used for years. It is from . the Art of Italian Cooking by maria Lo pinto and milo Miloradovich Published in 1948. 2 eggs-4eggs as needed 2 cups-3 cups flour as needed 2 cups peanut oil 1/4 tsp salt 1/2 cup honey 1/2 cup sugar Colored Candied Confetti and pjne nuts if you like them. I did something wrong. This is an old receipe, now I tryed to make it in my mixer. I do not know what happened, but the balls fell apart in the Olive Oil. A couple of years ago My mother in law change the oil from veg to olive oil so that it would be easier to use, she didn’t buy peanut oil. Whe I put in th honey it all fell apart and the balls tasted dry. What am i doing wrong? I can not use citris, my neice is allergic. i can not use any liquor or wine, my son just had a Liver Transplant. My husband went to the nearest bakery and bought me some. he was trying to be supportive, since i was in the kitchen all day cooking Pignolata-Strufoli. I just ate on of the bakery strufoli and I HATE IT. I will return it tomorrow. Why would it taste like a chemical? I need your help. How can I make Strufoli that my husbands family and mine have eaten every christmas for over 30 yrs. I really need you HELP!!!
merry Christmas and a Healthy New Year to you and yo9u family.
Sincerely ,Randy
Hi Randy, Since they fell apart when you fried them, could it be that there were not enough eggs to hold the dough together? You say 2 to 4 eggs for 2 to 3 cups flour — that is a wide range. Using the mixer should not be a problem, and the switch from vegetable to olive oil is fine, too. I have never made that recipe, so I can’t tell you exactly what went wrong. Is there anyone that has made the recipe before that you can ask? If you want to try it again, be very careful when you mix the dough that it comes together smoothly without being dry or crumbly. Don’t give up!
As to the bakery version tasting so bad, unfortunately, that is often the case with store bought cakes and pastries. They use a lot of stabilizers, flavorings, artificial ingredients and preservatives.
Good luck with your struffoli and I wish you a wonderful holiday!
Michele
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