Frittelle Veneziane (Venetian Carnival Fritters)

Nov 3, 2026 · By VanillaGoods

Baking Pastries doughnuts Medium

Frittelle Veneziane (Venetian Carnival Fritters)

Soft, airy Venetian Carnival fritters made from a yeasted dough studded with raisins and pine nuts, scented with lemon and rolled in sugar. This version is the plain, unfilled classic. Makes 20 fritters in about 2 hr 15 min.

Prep 25 min

Cook 20 min

Cooling 1 hr 30 min

Total 2 hr 15 min

Yield 20 fritters

Ingredients

Adjust yield

fritters

2 ⅓ cups (300 g)all-purpose flour
¼ oz (7 g)instant yeast
¼ cup (50 g)granulated sugar, for the batter
½ tsp (3 g)fine salt
1 cup (220 ml)whole milk, lukewarm
1 (50 g)egg
2 tbsp (30 g)unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1lemon zest, finely grated
½ cup (70 g)raisins, soaked 20 minutes in warm water or rum, drained
⅓ cup (40 g)pine nuts, lightly toasted
5 cups (1200 ml)vegetable oil, for deep frying
6 tbsp (80 g)granulated sugar, for the to finish

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Instructions

Whisk the flour, yeast, sugar and salt. Beat in the milk, egg, melted butter and lemon zest to make a thick, sticky batter, about 3 minutes.
Stir in the drained raisins and toasted pine nuts.
Cover and let rise 1 hour at room temperature, until doubled and bubbly.
Heat the oil in a heavy pot to 350 F (175 C).
Using two oiled spoons, drop walnut-sized scoops of batter into the oil, 5 or 6 at a time.
Fry 3 to 4 minutes, turning once, until deep golden and puffed. Cut one open to check that the center is cooked through.
Drain on paper towels, roll in sugar while warm and serve at once.

Tips

Keep the oil at 350 F (175 C); a cooler pot makes heavy, greasy fritters.
Oil the spoons so the sticky batter slides off.
They are best eaten the same day, still warm.
Good with sweet dessert wine.

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Recipe FAQ

How long does it take to make frittelle veneziane (venetian carnival fritters)?

Plan on 25 minutes of prep and 20 minutes of cooking, plus 1 hour 30 minutes to chill. The recipe makes 20 fritters.

How should I store frittelle veneziane (venetian carnival fritters)?

Best eaten within a few hours; keep uncovered at room temperature and refresh in a 300 F (150 C) oven for 5 minutes.

Can I make frittelle veneziane (venetian carnival fritters) ahead?

Yes. It needs time to chill and set, so it is a good one to make the day before you serve it.

Fried fritters with raisins and pine nuts are a Venetian Carnival tradition. Serve it with sweet dessert wine.

Estimated · per serving

Nutrition

Per serving = 1 of 20 servings this recipe makes.

194 Calories / serving

11.1g Fat

19.6g Carbs

2.8g Protein

7.6g Sugar

Whole recipe (20 servings): ~3880 cal · 222g fat · 392g carbs · 56g protein · 152g sugar

Estimated values per serving, calculated from standard ingredient data. Not verified Nutrition Facts; actual values vary with brands, measurements, and preparation.