Fritillas are thin rounds of soft, lemon-scented yeast dough that puff and blister in hot olive oil, then get a generous coat of sugar. They are crisp at the edges and tender in the middle, close cousins of buñuelos and tortas fritas. Makes 20 pieces in about 3 hr.
Prep25 min
Cook25 min
Cooling10 min
Total
3 hr
Yield
20 pieces
Ingredients
Adjust yield
pieces
Scales from a half to a double batch; give a bigger batch a little more time.
½ cup (120 ml)whole milk, lukewarm, 100°F (38°C)
1(50 g)egg, large, room temperature
2 cups (250 g)all-purpose flour
1 ½ tbsp (20 g)granulated sugar, for the dough
¼ oz (4 g)instant yeast
1 ½ tsp (3 g)lemon zest, finely grated
1 pinchsalt
4 ¼ cups (1000 ml)olive oil, mild or light, for frying
Whisk the whole milk and egg together in a large bowl. Add the all-purpose flour, 20 g granulated sugar, instant yeast, lemon zest, and salt, and stir into a shaggy dough.
Knead on a lightly floured counter until smooth, soft, and elastic, about 10 minutes. Return to the bowl, cover, and let rise at warm room temperature until doubled, 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
Divide the dough into 20 pieces (about 20 g each) and roll each into a ball. Cover with a towel and let rest 10 minutes so the dough relaxes.
Heat the olive oil in a deep pan (at least 2 inches / 5 cm of oil) to 350°F (175°C). Spread the 120 g granulated sugar for finishing in a wide dish.
Roll a few balls at a time into very thin rounds about 4 inches (10 cm) across, roughly 1/16 inch (2 mm) thick.
Slide 2 or 3 rounds into the oil and fry until they puff and turn golden, 30 to 45 seconds per side, turning once with tongs. Drain briefly on paper towels.
While still hot, press each fritilla into the sugar on both sides. Repeat with the remaining dough, keeping the oil at 345 to 355°F (174 to 180°C). Serve warm.
Tips
Roll the rounds just before frying; if they sit, they start to rise again and fry up bready instead of crisp.
Prick each round two or three times with a fork if you want flatter fritillas with fewer big bubbles.
Keep the frying oil at 345 to 355°F (174 to 180°C) with a thermometer and never leave hot oil unattended.
Good with thick Spanish hot chocolate or café con leche.
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How long does it take to make fritillas (spanish sugared fried dough rounds)?
Plan on 25 minutes of prep and 25 minutes of cooking, plus 2 hours 10 minutes to rise and rest. The recipe makes 20 pieces.
How should I store fritillas (spanish sugared fried dough rounds)?
Best the day they are made; keep leftovers in a paper-lined container at room temperature up to 1 day and rewarm 3 minutes in a 350°F (175°C) oven.
Can I make fritillas (spanish sugared fried dough rounds) ahead?
It is at its best the day it is made; prepare it a few hours before serving.
Fritillas are a traditional Carnival sweet in Castilla-La Mancha, where thin rounds of yeasted dough are fried in olive oil and rolled in sugar while warm. Serve it with thick Spanish hot chocolate or café con leche.
Variations
Bite-size fritillas: divide the dough into 40 balls of 10 g and roll to 2 1/2-inch (6 cm) rounds; fry 20 to 30 seconds per side.
Orange-zest version: replace the lemon zest with 4 g (2 tsp) finely grated orange zest.
Cinnamon sugar: stir 1 tsp (2 g) ground cinnamon into the finishing sugar.
Honey finish: skip the sugar coat and drizzle with 150 g (1/2 cup) honey warmed with 2 tbsp (30 ml) water.
Estimated · per serving
Nutrition
Per serving = 1 of 20 servings this recipe makes.
151Calories / serving
8.6gFat
16.9gCarbs
1.8gProtein
7.4gSugar
Whole recipe (20 servings):
~3020 cal ·
172g fat ·
338g carbs ·
36g protein ·
148g sugar
Estimated values per serving, calculated from standard ingredient data. Not verified Nutrition Facts; actual values vary with brands, measurements, and preparation.
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