The trick to bomboloni with Nutella isn’t in the dough, it’s getting the filling molten. Warm from the fryer, the pastry tears open to a hazelnut lava that doesn’t happen if you wait. Every Italian bakery knows this: the timing of the fill makes or breaks the whole thing.
I once dropped the dough into oil that was barely 300°F, and they came out looking like sad, greasy sponges instead of light puffs.
00 flour and rapid-rise yeast
The low protein content of 00 flour, around 8, 9%, gives these donuts a tender crumb, nothing like the chew of bread flour. Rapid-rise yeast skips the proofing step before mixing, so you incorporate it directly with the dry ingredients. The combination yields a dough that puffs up soft and soft in the fryer, with an interior that tears apart easily without being gummy.
That’s the texture you’re after: light enough to let the Nutella stand out, but sturdy enough to hold its shape.
Almond extract and orange zest
Almond extract adds a floral, nutty note that lifts the richness of the dough without competing with the hazelnut filling. Orange zest brings a bright citrus contrast right against the chocolate. These two flavors are traditional in Italian pastry; together they keep the bomboloni from tasting one-note.
You’ll smell the orange first, then the almond lingers. It’s a combo that makes the Nutella seem more complex, not sweeter.
Filling while still warm
Fill the bomboloni while they’re still warm from the fryer. The dough is pliable then and won’t tear when you pierce it. Warmth softens the Nutella just enough so it runs into a molten center rather than staying in a cold blob.
Now I always use a thermometer to hold the oil at 345°F and fry only a few at a time to keep the temperature steady. If you let them cool completely first, the Nutella stiffens and you end up with a greasy, congealed pocket instead of that lava-like smear.
The reward is a first bite that oozes.
Total: 2 hr 45 min · Servings: 12
Ingredients That Matter
00 flour (Caputo flour): Look for 00 flour labeled for pizza or pasta, not the all-purpose type. It gives a tender, not tough, crumb.
Rapid-rise yeast: Use one packet (2 1/4 teaspoons) from a fresh jar. Old yeast won’t puff the dough in two hours.
Almond extract: Pure extract, not imitation. A little goes a long way; it’s floral, not candy-like.
Nutella: Stir it well before piping. If it’s too stiff, warm the jar in hot water to loosen it slightly.
Frying and Filling Bomboloni
Mix the dough
Whisk the dry ingredients, dot with butter, then add the wet mix. Run the dough hook on low for 10 minutes, the dough will look shaggy at first, then smooth into a cohesive mass that slaps the bowl’s sides.
First rise
Oil your hands and shape the dough into a ball. Transfer to a greased bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm spot until doubled, about 2 hours. It should jiggle when you tap the bowl.
Cut and second rise
Deflate the dough, roll into a rectangle, and stamp out 3-inch rounds. Place each on a parchment square, cover, and let rise 45 minutes. The rounds should puff up and feel soft when you lightly press a finger.
Fry the bomboloni
Heat oil to 345°F. Fry a few at a time, about 2 minutes per side.
They’ll darken to deep golden brown. If the oil drops below 330°F, they’ll absorb grease rather than puff; keep the heat steady.
Fill while warm
Roll the still-warm bomboloni in sugar. Fit a piping bag with a round tip and Nutella.
Pierce the side and pipe until the donut feels heavy, stop before it bulges. The Nutella should flow easily.
Bomboloni with Nutella
Ingredients
- 4 cups 00 flour (Caputo flour) 500 g
- 1/2 cup sugar, divided 100 g
- 2 1/4 teaspoons rapid-rise yeast 1 packet
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened and cubed 1 stick, 113 g
- 1/2 cup whole milk, warmed to 110°F (45°C) 120 ml
- 3 large eggs
- 1 yolk
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- Zest from 1 orange
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 8 cups vegetable oil, for frying 1.9 L
- 1/2 cup Nutella®, for filling 150 g
Instructions
Mix Dry Ingredients:
In a stand mixer bowl, whisk together flour, 1/2 cup sugar, and rapid-rise yeast. Dot the surface with softened butter cubes.Combine Wet Ingredients:
In a separate bowl, whisk milk, eggs, egg yolk, almond extract, orange zest, and salt until combined.Knead Dough:
Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients. Using the dough hook, mix on low for 10 minutes until a dough forms. Lightly oil your hands and knead the dough into a ball for about 2 minutes.First Rise:
Transfer the dough to a greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap and a towel, and let it rise in a warm spot for roughly 2 hours until doubled.Shape and Second Rise:
Deflate the dough. On a clean surface, knead briefly into a ball, then roll out to a rectangle. Use a 3-inch (7.6 cm) cutter to stamp out rounds. Place each on a parchment square on a baking sheet, cover, and let rise another 45 minutes.Fry Bomboloni:
Meanwhile, pour 8 cups vegetable oil into a large pot and heat to 345°F (175°C). Fry the bomboloni for about 2 minutes per side. Remove with tongs and transfer to a paper towel-lined rack.Fill with Nutella:
While still warm, roll the bomboloni in the remaining sugar. Fit a piping bag with a round tip and fill it with Nutella®. Pierce a small hole in the side of each bomboloni and pipe in the filling. Serve warm for best results.
Storage and Serving
Bomboloni are best eaten within a few hours of frying, while the exterior stays crisp and the interior is soft. If you must store them, keep them unfilled at room temperature in a paper bag for up to one day.
The sugar coating will soften, and the dough will lose its initial crunch. Filled bomboloni don’t hold up; the Nutella seeps into the dough, turning it soggy overnight.
To serve a leftover unfilled bomboloni, refresh it in a 350°F oven for 3 to 4 minutes, then fill and eat immediately. Freezing is not recommended.
The dough’s delicate crumb and the filling’s texture degrade noticeably after thawing.
Tips
- When you stamp out the dough rounds, dip the cutter in flour before each cut to prevent sticking and ensure clean edges that help the bomboloni rise evenly.
- After frying, let the bomboloni drain on a wire rack set over paper towels, not directly on paper towels, to keep the bottoms from steaming and turning soggy.
What to swap in these bomboloni and what to leave alone
Nutella: Any chocolate-hazelnut spread or a fruit jam like raspberry or apricot. Chocolate-hazelnut spreads vary in sweetness and oiliness; you may need to stir in a little warm water if it’s too stiff to pipe. Fruit jam will be thinner and more tart; use a seedless jam to avoid clogging the piping tip, and expect a looser filling that runs rather than stays put.
00 flour: All-purpose flour. The donuts will be slightly denser and chewier, more like a yeast-raised donut from a bakery rather than the delicate, tender Italian bombolone. They’ll still puff and fry, but the crumb won’t be as fine or soft.
Rapid-rise yeast: Active dry yeast. Active dry yeast needs proofing: dissolve it in the warm milk with a pinch of sugar and let it sit 5 to 10 minutes until foamy before adding to the flour. The dough may take longer to rise, add 30 minutes to each rise time, but the final texture will be the same if you adjust.
Unsalted butter: Vegan butter (block-style, at least 80% fat). Vegan butter with lower fat content can make the dough less tender and more prone to absorbing oil during frying. Use a brand like Miyoko’s or Earth Balance buttery sticks; avoid spreads in tubs, which have too much water and will make the dough greasy.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make the dough ahead and refrigerate it overnight?
Not with this recipe. The dough uses rapid-rise yeast and a single warm rise, so refrigerating it overnight would slow the yeast too much and alter the texture.
If you need to prep ahead, fry the bomboloni, leave them unfilled, and store at room temperature in a paper bag for up to one day. Refresh in a 350°F oven for 3 to 4 minutes before filling and serving.
Why did my bomboloni come out greasy instead of light?
Most likely the oil wasn’t hot enough when you added the dough. If the temperature drops below 330°F, the bomboloni absorb oil instead of puffing up.
Keep the oil steady at 345°F and fry only a few at a time. Also, make sure the dough had its full second rise, 45 minutes, so it’s soft before hitting the oil.
How is bomboloni different from a classic jelly doughnut?
Bomboloni use 00 flour, which gives a tender, fine crumb compared to the chewier texture of a standard doughnut made with bread or all-purpose flour. They’re also filled with Nutella instead of jam and get a floral lift from almond extract and orange zest. The dough is enriched with butter and eggs, making it richer and softer than a classic yeast doughnut.
