by Struffoli Italian Honey Balls are a specialty treat during the Christmas holidays. They’re deep fried morsels of dough which are then dipped in a citrus scented honey syrup and topped with festive sprinkles.
What are Struffoli
Struffoli are teeny tiny puffs of dough the size of a hazelnut and are deep fried till golden brown in colour. Then, they’re tossed in a warm honey and orange syrup which the fritters lovingly soak up.
There’s a small amount of sugar in the dough itself and gets most of its sweetness from the warmed honey. So do choose a good quality one!
I’ve made a few tweaks to this recipe since it was last posted a few years back.
This time around, I’ve added Grand Marnier liquor to the dough mixture. But there are other great alternatives. You can use limoncello as I’ve always done and which would greatly compliment a lemon honey syrup. Rum, brandy or grappa are also wonderful choices.
I’ve also added an extra egg and substituted the oil with melted butter. And with these few tweaks, a smaller amount of flour worked best.
Overall, this yielded a softer, plump struffoli ball and was gobbled up in a flash.
How to Make Italian Honey Balls
- In the bowl of stand mixer, whisk together the eggs, sugar, melted butter, vanilla extract and your liquor of choice.
- Switch to the paddle attachment and stir in the flour, baking powder and salt.
- Once you’ve achieved a soft malleable dough, transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface .
- Knead the dough for about 1 minute while adding just enough flour on the work surface and hands to form a slightly tacky dough.
- Cover the dough and allow to rest for about 1/2 hour.
- Cut off small pieces dough and at a time and roll into 1/2 inch ropes. If slightly sticky just dust your hands with a little bit of flour.
- Cut the ropes into small pieces the size of a hazelnut and using your hands, shape the dough into small balls.
- Transfer onto a parchment lined baking sheet and repeat with the remaining dough.
- Deep fry the dough balls until golden brown in colour and transfer onto a paper lined cookie sheet to absorb any excess oil.
- In a separate stove top pan, heat the honey and zest together just until it reaches a gentle simmer and then remove from the heat.
- Stir in the deep fried dough balls while turning to coat all over with a rubber spatula.
If you don’t have a large stovetop pot, you can warm the honey in a smaller pot and transfer the warm honey to a large mixing bowl. And, then simply toss in the fried balls.
How To Serve Struffoli, Italian Honey Balls
There are many ways you can be creative when serving up these morsels!
Dust off your favourite holiday platter and pile them up high. Add a generous sprinkle of some festive nonpareils and you’ll have the appearance of a Christmas tree.
Or shape into a Christmas wreath. Simply grease a tall glass and place it in the centre of your serving plater and spoon handfuls of the honey balls around the glass.
Decorate with candied red and green cherries, sprinkles and allow to set an hour or so then remove the glass.
The Many Names of Struffoli
Struffoli are deep fried, honey drenched little morsels from Naples and are a typical Christmas time treat. Its history dates back to the 8th century when the Greeks colonized the southern Italian peninsula.
As with most Italian foods, these Struffoli are similar to other treats from different regions in Italy and go by different names.
In Abbruzzo, Le Marche and in Umbria they’re called Cicerchiata. In Basilica…Cicirata and in Calabria they’re known by Turtiddi.
And, as a reader kindly pointed out, in Sicily they are known as Pignoccata or even Pignolata!
Whatever name you may call them we can certainly agree that they’re fun to make, yummy and extremely addictive!
Other Holiday Cookies You’ll Love:
Italian Mostaccioli Cookie Recipe
Happy Baking!
If you make this recipe remember to tag @marisasitaliankitchen on Instagram so I can see your creation!
Struffoli Italian Honey Balls
Ingredients
- 4 large eggs
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 1/4 cup melted butter
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons Grand Marnier liquor (limoncello, grappa or rum are also good choices)
- zest from 1 whole lemon (you can also use orange zest)
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 ½ cups all purpose flour (plus approximately 2 to 3 tablespoons for kneading)
- vegetable oil (for deep frying)
Honey Mixture
- 1 cup honey
- grated zest of one orange
- sprinkles (of your choice)
Instructions
- In a medium sized bowl whisk together the eggs, sugar, melted butter, vanilla extract, liquor and zest.
- Stir in the salt, baking powder, 2 ½ cups of the flour, just until you achieve a soft malleable dough.
- Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface and with floured hands knead lightly for a minute, while adding in only enough flour to achieve a slightly tacky dough.
- Cover the dough with plastic wrap and allow to rest for a 1/2 hour.
- Cut off small pieces of dough at a time and roll out into 1/2 inch thick ropes. If the dough feels sticky, dust your hands lightly with flour.
- Cut the ropes into small pieces the size of a hazelnut and shape into round balls with your hands.
- Transfer the shaped balls to parchment lined cookie sheets and repeat with the remaining dough. (you’ll need 2 parchment lined cookie sheets)
- Fill a large and heavy deep sauce pot with oil, reaching about 2 inches high in the pot.
- Heat the oil over medium high heat to about 350 degrees F. Use a candy thermometer for accuracy.
- Fill a spider ladle or skimmer ladle with the pieces of dough and then using the ladle gently lower it into the hot oil.
- Fry until golden brown for about 1 1/2 to 2 minutes, then transfer onto a paper towel lined tray to drain.
- Repeat with the remaining pieces of dough. I fried the tiny balls in 3 batches)
- In a separate large frying pan, heat the honey and orange zest to a gentle simmer over low heat.
- Remove the warmed honey from the heat.
- Add all the fried struffoli to the warmed honey and gently stir till the fried balls are evenly coated.
- Arrange the honey balls on a serving plater and pour any remaining honey mixture over the struffoli.
- Top with sprinkles of your choice and serve slightly warm or cooled off.
We have these in Greece—they’re called ‘loukoumades’. Delicious 😋
Yes I’ve heard of loukoumades but I’ve never tried them. I’m sure their delicious…I love all Greek sweets!
Wow! They look so delicious Marisa! Yum… 🙂
Thanks Lili, I thoroughly enjoy making these and they’re so addictive too!
Wow! Gorgeous honey balls!! These photos have stirred my cravings. 🙂
Thanks Megala! We’ve thoroughly enjoyed ourselves gorging on these sweet treats.
I’ve made these for Christmas before. Very yummy.
Yes very yummy and quite fun to make as well!
Oh. My. Gosh. I want to try some right now! Almost lunch time and I could start by dessert 🙂
Melanie I’ve been known to start with dessert on quite a few occasions…these would test anyone’s willpower!
Wow! Have never had these, but they look stunning. I am addicted to honey so it’s nice that you’re offering a way to make it into a lovely treat. Thx for sharing – and the clear instructions!
Thanks Diane! Honey treats are synonymous with Christmas on my husbands side of the family…my mother-in-law made the best fritters with honey! I so wish I had her recipes!
These little morsels look just amazing, Marissa! What a perfect festive treat, and I also love those pans!
Thanks Colleen! These pans were such a wonderful find at Homesense and just perfect to showcase these festive honey balls. Makes eating the struffoli that much more enjoyable!
How cute are these Struffoli, Marissa and your serving plates are adorable, too. I can imagine that these little morsels are fun to make. Thanks for sharing – it looks like a winner.
Half the fun of making these is plating them in various different shapes and these pans were certainly put to good use. Thanks so much Denise!
These look amazing! Just like my gram used to make!! Wonderful!
Grandmothers make the very best treats don’t they? And especially around the holidays…thanks so much Annie!
Oh yum! It’s time for struffoli. Your photos have me drooling for them.
Yes it’s definitely that special time of the year when platters of these are served and devoured! I’m glad the photos did them justice. Thanks Linda!
These sound like a perfect decadent treat for the holidays! And I know I said this on Instagram, but I love those little cast iron pans! Great recipe Marisa!
I loving these cast iron pans as well! I’m thinking they’ll make cute holiday pancakes and they double up as a serving tray for yummy struffoli. Thanks Leanne!
They are the most traditional Christmas dessert on an Italian table. I love them, their fragrance, texture and mild sweetness. Plus, they look so so pretty any way you want to shape them. Love your presentation, Marisa!!
Thanks so much! I so love these sweet traditions during Christmas time and find it extremely important to continue them as they bring about so many fond memories! Delicious ones!
Can you fry the balls two days before and then do the honey and other garnishes later?
So I would definitely fry a day before serving and toss with honey mixture. Then day of serving toss again to redistribute the honey and top with sprinkles.
Can you make these in steps. I prepared the dough and would like to fry the same day and let cool and wrap in plastic or covered bowl and then do the honey and rest of the steps 1 or 2 days later. Would that be ok?
Diane I would suggest you honey coat them soon after you fry them because the warmth of the fried dough will soak up the honey mixture much better. If serving the following day you’ll notice some of the honey will settle at the bottom of the plate…I simply scoop it up with a spoon and pour it back over the struffoli and then add the sprinkles at this point. Keep in mind that if you sprinkle the tops too soon like a day ahead, your struffoli might have coloured stains from the sprinkles. Hope this helps!
My family is from Sicily. We called them Pignoccata.
Family favorite.
Hi Marty! Pignoccata name is new to me but does bring to mind the Sicilian pignolata which I imagine is the same. I must say that Sicily has some of the very best desserts to come out of Italy!
Thanks so much for dropping by and commenting!
I would like to know where you got the serving pieces. Their adorable & great for gift giving.
Hey Marty! I got them at Homesense which is a bed, bath and kitchen supply store here in Montreal. They’re holiday themed cast iron skillets and yes they would indeed make lovely gifts. I’m looking forward to making festive pancakes in them…hope you find some in your area!
thinking of trying this but in my air fryer ….. it has a rotating drum like a hamster wheel so i would imagine it would work out fine…..
have you tried air frying them?
Unfortunately no I’ve never tried an air fryer. If you give it a go do let me know.
Do they increase in size once they are cooked or can you make them larger than hazelnut size?
Yes they do puff up in size and you can make them slightly bigger if you wish! The smaller size are the traditional way they’re made!
I absolutely love your blog and read every bit of it! The struffoli is something I grew up with! Every Christmas we would have tray after tray! I cannot wait to make your recipe, and treat my family to them as well! Thank you for such a wonderful blog with so many wonderful and delicious recipes!
I’m so happy you’re enjoying the blog! Enjoy the recipes and happy baking!
Hi Marisa, love your receipt, easy to follow… my question is can I make. Strffoli with gluten free flour? Thanks.
Hi Silvana, I get this question asked a lot with desserts!
Although I have not tested it out with a gluten free flour and you want to try it, look for a “cup for cup” gluten free sub flour!
I myself hope to try it soon and will post my findings here!
Feel free to let me know how yours turns out if you give it a go. Hope this helps!
We make them every year from a recipe passed down from my husband’s italian grandmothers. This sounds better since theirs doesn’t have sugar or any other flavoring (except the honey). But I do have to share our shortcut that we’ve been doing for 20 years and they come out perfectly round. We flour our board and roll the dough out to a thin 1/8″ thick “patty” and use a pizza cutter to cut them into 1/2″ strips and then cross cut to make 1/2″ squares. Once you drop them into the oil they puff up to perfect balls!
Barb, thank you so much for the tip! I’ll definitely be trying that as it sounds like a time saver especially when making large batches! Thanks for taking the time to comment Barb and happy holidays!
Can you makr these with out the liqors? Do you have a replacement extract?
Sue, you sure can. Replace with a teaspoon of pure vanilla extract. And you can also add orange zest along with lemon zest in the dough for extra flavour.