Oliebollen (Dutch New Year Doughnuts)

Nov 3, 2026 · By VanillaGoods

Baking Pastries doughnuts Medium

Soft, airy dough balls with a crisp golden shell, studded with raisins and currants and snowed with powdered sugar. The batter rises once, then fries in minutes. Makes 24 oliebollen in about 2 hr 5 min.

Prep 25 min

Cook 25 min

Cooling 1 hr 15 min

Total 2 hr 5 min

Yield 24 oliebollen

Ingredients

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oliebollen

4 cups (500 g)bread flour
¼ oz (7 g)instant yeast
2 ½ tbsp (30 g)granulated sugar
1 tsp (6 g)salt
1 ⅔ cups (400 ml)whole milk, lukewarm
1 (50 g)egg
2 ½ tsp (5 g)lemon zest
1 cup (150 g)raisins
3 ½ oz (100 g)currants
6 ⅓ cups (1500 ml)neutral oil, for frying
7 tbsp (50 g)powdered sugar

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Instructions

Whisk the flour, yeast, sugar and salt in a large bowl. Add the milk, egg and lemon zest and beat 3 minutes into a thick, sticky batter.
Stir in the raisins and currants. Cover and let rise in a warm place about 60 minutes, until doubled and bubbly.
Heat the oil in a deep pot to 350 F (180 C). Use a thermometer and keep it steady.
Wet two large spoons or an ice cream scoop and drop in golf-ball-size portions, 4 or 5 at a time. Fry 3 to 4 minutes per side, turning once, until deep golden and cooked through (200 F / 93 C inside).
Drain on paper towels, cool 5 minutes, and dust generously with powdered sugar. Serve warm.

Tips

Cut one open to test; the center should be fully cooked.
If they brown too fast, lower the heat.
Wet the spoon each time so the batter slides off.
Keep frying oil at 350 F (180 C) and never leave hot oil unattended; cook doughnuts until 200 F (93 C) inside.

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Recipe FAQ

How long does it take to make oliebollen (dutch new year doughnuts)?

Plan on 25 minutes of prep and 25 minutes of cooking, plus 1 hour 15 minutes to chill. The recipe makes 24 oliebollen.

How should I store oliebollen (dutch new year doughnuts)?

Best eaten the same day; reheat in a 300 F oven 5 minutes.

Can I make oliebollen (dutch new year doughnuts) ahead?

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

A Dutch deep-fried yeast dough ball studded with raisins and dusted with powdered sugar, eaten on New Year's Eve. Serve it with hot chocolate or coffee.

Estimated · per serving

Nutrition

Per serving = 1 of 24 servings this recipe makes.

184 Calories / serving

9.5g Fat

22.7g Carbs

3.1g Protein

11.4g Sugar

Whole recipe (24 servings): ~4416 cal · 228g fat · 545g carbs · 74g protein · 274g sugar

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