As any good doughnut connoisseur, I have made it my personal mission to recreate as many traditional wheat-based doughnut recipes as possible, gluten free. Which brings me to gluten free Italian Zeppole doughnuts on today, Festa di San Giuseppe (St. Joseph’s Day).
This gluten free Italian Zeppole Doughnuts recipe is exactly like it’s supposed to be: light and airy, pillowy soft and dusted with sugar, ready to for any celebration! In fact, it’s a lot like another doughnut you might recognize — beignets! Check out my gluten free Beignets recipe sometime if you’re looking for a French (and square) doughnut. My version is also yeasted.
If you look into Zeppole history, the doughnut has a lot of different iterations. Some look like mine and are super easy (just wait until you make this 10 minute recipe! every day is a holiday!). Others are quite the pâte à choux, cream-filled, cherry-topped production, and are also called Zeppoles!
By the way, I have loads of those fancy sorts of recipes on my site already — just use the search bar! Gluten free croissants, gluten free puff pastry, gluten free Danish … you get the idea.
And in my gfJules Gluten Free Recipe Share Group on Facebook, there are many folks who have used my gfJules Flour to make profiteroles and pâte à choux successfully at home, so it can be done!
Whatever your fancy, good thing you can make any recipe gluten free just by subbing in my award-winning gfJules Flour. Yes you can.
Just be sure to measure the flour according to this article (1 cup of my gfJules Flour = 135 grams) and if it’s a yeasted recipe, treat the dough like gluten-free dough, not like gluten-dough.
There are bakeries all over the country using my gfJules Gluten Free All Purpose Flour to bake favorite gluten free treats, whether you know it or not, because it bakes up just like fine pastry flour. You’ll see when you try it for yourself!
So if you’d rather make a fancy pâte à choux Zeppole today, go for it! Or if you’d rather make a simpler, unassuming, but no less delicious Zeppole, try my recipe below. (Note: this recipe is also vegan!)
And if filling these Zeppoles with jam is your, well … jam … check out my filled gluten free doughnut holes recipe for the technique!
So grab your candy thermometer and go! These delicious balls of joy will be ready in a jiffy, as my grandmother always used to say.
Start with only one or two to be sure you have the oil temperature right. If the oil is too hot, the outside will get too dark too fast and the inside will not fully cook; if the oil is too cool, the doughnuts will absorb the oil instead of getting crispy. That’s why the sweet spot for these gluten free doughnuts is 325-350F, and why I find using a thermometer so handy.
It will only take 3-4 minutes to cook when the temperature is just right, and then you’ll really get into the flow. And you’ll wonder why you don’t make these babies more often!
Gluten Free Zeppole Doughnuts
Light & airy gluten free doughnut holes in minutes!
Ingredients
- 6 Tablespoons aquafaba (or 2 large eggs)
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla paste (or 2 tsp. pure vanilla extract)
- 1 1/4 cups (169 gr) gfJules Gluten Free All Purpose Flour
- 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 cup yogurt, vegan or dairy (vanilla flavor preferred)
- confectioner's sugar for dusting
- 32 ounces high heat oil for frying (like sunflower, safflower, non-GMO canola, avocado, etc.)
Instructions
- Pour oil into a deep pan for frying and heat oil to medium. I used at 2.5 qt. pan and was able to fry 4-5 doughnuts at a time and keep them from touching. For best results, have a candy thermometer available to test the temperature of the oil so you can fry the the doughnuts at 325-350F.
- In mixing bowl, beat aquafaba or eggs until foamy. Mix in sugar and vanilla paste.
- In a separate bowl, whisk dry ingredients, then slowly stir into the mixing bowl together with the yogurt, beating until all lumps are smoothed. The batter will be thick but not dry.
- Turn heat up to raise temperature to 325-350F.
- Using a small cookie scoop or tablespoon sprayed with oil, scoop balls of dough into hot oil -- carefully -- one at at time so that they do not not touch. Turn with a slotted spoon during the boil until all sides are light golden brown, cooking 3-4 minutes.
- Remove to drain on paper towels and sprinkle with confectioner's sugar. Repeat until all dough is used.
- Follow steps in this recipe if filling doughnuts with jam or cream. As with all fried doughnuts, they are best enjoyed the day they are made.
Nutrition Information
Yield 24 Serving Size 1Amount Per Serving Calories 15Total Fat 0gSaturated Fat 0gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 0gCholesterol 1mgSodium 79mgCarbohydrates 3gFiber 0gSugar 3gProtein 1g
Please keep in mind that nutrition information provided is per serving, which may vary. While we have taken care to provide you with the most accurate nutritional values possible, please note that this information may differ significantly depending on the exact ingredients and brands that you choose to use to make this recipe. Additionally, where options are given for ingredients, the resulting calculation may include all ingredient options instead of only one per line, skewing the totals significantly.
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Made the zeppoles this evening. Can I just say amazing! GF for 10+ years and have missed doughnuts for so long. I can’t believe how light and airy!
I’m thrilled that you made this gluten free zeppoles recipe and loved them so much!! No more waiting for delicious doughnuts for you!!! YAY!!!
~jules
I made the GF Zeppole Doughnuts! Soooo yummy & easy to make!
Yes!! So excited that you tried this new gluten free zeppole recipe right away, Janet! They look fabulous!
~jules
Can these doughnuts be baked instead of fried?
Hi CJ, I haven’t yet tried this recipe in my air fryer, but check out my article on using air fryers for baking gluten free foods like gluten free doughnut holes! Use the times and techniques outlined and give this recipe a try in your air fryer and see how it goes! (and then let me know — lol!)
~jules