Ciambelle Recipe: Classic Italian Ring Cookies (Fried Or Baked)

I still remember my first batch of ciambelle: the dough felt too soft, the oil ran a little hot, and the kitchen smelled like lemon peel and warm sugar. Then I tasted one. It had that crisp outer shell and a tender, cake-like bite, which means you get comfort-food satisfaction without needing fancy ingredients.

This ciambelle recipe gives you two reliable paths, fried or baked, which means you can match your time, your equipment, and your mood. I’ll show you the exact dough cues I use, the ring-shaping tricks that prevent blowouts, and the temperatures that keep them light instead of greasy.

What Ciambelle Are And How They Differ By Region

You bite into a ring cookie, and the aroma hits first. The citrus and vanilla smell like a holiday kitchen, which means the recipe feels special even on a random Tuesday.

Ciambelle are Italian ring-shaped sweets that can be fried or baked, which means the same idea shows up as breakfast pastry in one town and as a dunking cookie in another. In many families, “ciambelle” is a flexible word, which means you should expect regional differences.

A useful anchor point: many ciambelle sit between a donut and a cookie. They often use eggs, sugar, flour, and a gentle leavening, which means the crumb can stay tender without yeast.

“Ciambella” can describe several ring-shaped cakes or cookies across Italy, which means the name tells you the shape more than the method.

Ciambelle Vs. Donuts Vs. Taralli

The first surprise is that ciambelle are not always donuts, which means you should not assume a yeast rise.

Here is the clean comparison I use when I test recipes:

Item	Typical texture	Typical leavening	Sweet vs. savory	Common use	What it means for you
Ciambelle (sweet)	Tender, cake-like: crisp outside if fried	Baking powder or yeast (varies)	Mostly sweet	Snack, breakfast, holidays	You can make them fast if you use baking powder, which means less waiting.
American donuts	Fluffy yeast or cakey	Yeast or baking powder	Sweet	Breakfast pastry	They often need proofing or special handling, which means more time and temperature control.
Taralli	Crunchy, dry, snappy	Usually none: sometimes wine-driven structure	Often savory	Aperitivo snack	They bake up hard and dunk well, which means they store longer but feel less “soft.”

Common Regional Variations (Anise, Lemon, Wine, Potato)

I learned quickly that you can walk 30 minutes in Italy and meet a new ciambelle tradition, which means “authentic” has more than one face.

Common variations you will run into:

• Anise (semi or anise seed), which means you get a licorice note that reads “old-school bakery.”
• Lemon zest (sometimes orange), which means the sugar coating tastes brighter, not just sweet.
• Wine-based dough (often white wine), which means the crumb can bake crisper and drier like a dunking cookie.
• Potato-enriched dough, which means the interior stays moist longer because starch holds water.

A concrete reference point: the USDA reports one large egg has about 6 grams of protein, which means eggs in the dough add structure without needing bread flour. You can verify that on the USDA FoodData Central database, which means you can adjust confidently if you scale the recipe.

Ingredients And Tools You’ll Need

The best moment in this recipe happens before you cook anything. You rub lemon zest into sugar, and the bowl smells like fresh lemonade, which means your ciambelle will taste fragrant even with simple pantry staples.

I test ciambelle with a “one-bowl” goal first. Then I add tools only if they improve consistency, which means you can keep this practical.

Core Ingredients And Smart Substitutions

These amounts target about 18 small ciambelle (2.5–3 inches wide), which means you can finish a batch in one session.

Base dough (fried or baked):

• All-purpose flour: 360 g (3 cups), which means the dough stays tender without needing specialty flour.
• Granulated sugar: 120 g (1/2 cup + 2 tbsp), which means you get sweetness in the crumb, not only on the outside.
• Baking powder: 10 g (2 tsp), which means you get lift without yeast.
• Fine salt: 3 g (1/2 tsp), which means the flavor tastes round instead of flat.
• Eggs: 2 large (about 100 g without shell), which means the rings hold their shape.
• Whole milk: 90 g (6 tbsp), which means the dough hydrates without turning runny.
• Unsalted butter (melted, cooled): 70 g (5 tbsp), which means the crumb stays rich but not greasy.
• Lemon zest: from 1 large lemon (or orange), which means the aroma reads “Italian bakery.”
• Vanilla extract: 5 g (1 tsp), which means the sugar coating tastes warmer.

Optional flavor add-ins:

• Anise extract: 2–3 g (1/2 tsp), which means you get that classic licorice edge.
• Cinnamon: 1 g (1/2 tsp), which means the finish tastes like a spiced donut.
• Liqueur (Strega, Sambuca, limoncello): 15 g (1 tbsp), which means the aroma carries through after cooking.

Smart substitutions I’ve tested:

• Replace milk with buttermilk 1:1, which means you get a softer bite and a slight tang.
• Replace butter with neutral oil (same grams), which means you skip melting and cooling.
• Replace 60 g of flour with potato starch or use 60 g mashed potato, which means you extend softness into day 2.

Essential Equipment For Frying Or Baking

A few tools change your results more than people admit, which means you can buy less and still cook better.

For both methods:

• Digital scale, which means your dough hydration stays consistent.
• Microplane zester, which means you get zest without bitter pith.
• Bench scraper, which means portioning goes fast and clean.

For frying:

• Heavy pot or Dutch oven (at least 5 quarts), which means oil temperature swings less.
• Thermometer, which means you avoid greasy ciambelle from low heat.
• Spider strainer or slotted spoon, which means you lift rings without tearing them.

For baking:

• Two sheet pans and parchment, which means the bottoms brown evenly.
• Oven thermometer (optional), which means you catch a 25°F oven error before it ruins a batch.

If you also love ring-shaped sweets, I keep a separate guide for yeast-style donuts like these in my favorite best-ever old-fashioned donut recipe, which means you can compare cake vs. yeast results without guessing.

How To Make Ciambelle Dough

The transformation happens in about 90 seconds. The mixture goes from sandy flour to a soft dough that smells like citrus, which means you can tell you are on track without any fancy technique.

This is my no-yeast, baking-powder ciambelle dough, which means you can mix and cook the same day.

Mixing Method And Dough Texture Cues

I use a simple order that protects tenderness, which means you reduce tough rings.

Step-by-step (one bowl):

1. I whisk flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt, which means the leavening spreads evenly.
2. I rub the lemon zest into the sugar with my fingertips for 20 seconds, which means the zest oils perfume the dough.
3. I whisk eggs, milk, melted butter, and vanilla in a cup, which means liquids blend before they hit flour.
4. I pour wet into dry and mix with a fork until shaggy, which means I avoid overworking.
5. I knead in the bowl for 30–45 seconds until smooth, which means the dough holds together but stays soft.

Dough cue I trust: the dough should feel like soft play-dough. It should not stick to clean fingers for more than a second, which means shaping will not turn into a mess.

If the dough feels dry, I add 1 teaspoon milk at a time (up to 1 tablespoon), which means I fix hydration without making batter. If it feels sticky, I dust in 1 tablespoon flour, which means I regain control without toughening fast.

Resting, Hydration, And Flavor Development

Resting looks optional. It is not, which means you should treat it like a step, not a suggestion.

I cover the bowl and rest the dough for 20 minutes at room temperature, which means flour absorbs liquid and the surface smooths out.

This rest also reduces cracks during shaping, which means your rings stay round instead of splitting.

A useful data point: baking powder starts reacting as soon as it gets wet, which means you should not rest for hours. I keep the rest under 30 minutes, which means you keep lift for frying or baking.

If you want a longer hold, I chill the dough for up to 12 hours, then I let it sit at room temp for 15 minutes before shaping, which means the dough rolls without tearing.

Shaping Ciambelle Rings Like A Pro

This is the part that usually frustrates people. Then the first ring clicks into shape, and your hands start moving on autopilot, which means your batch time drops fast.

I aim for small, even rings because they cook predictably, which means fewer raw centers.

Portioning, Rolling, And Sealing The Ring

I use weight for consistency, which means every ciambella finishes at the same time.

My sizing method:

1. I divide dough into 18 pieces of 35–40 g each, which means I get 18 rings that cook in about the same window.
2. I roll each piece into a rope about 7–8 inches long and 1/2 inch thick, which means the ring has enough mass to stay tender.
3. I overlap the ends by 1 inch, then I pinch firmly and roll the seam once on the counter, which means the seal holds in hot oil.

If the rope fights back, I pause for 60 seconds, which means gluten relaxes and the dough stretches without snapping.

Preventing Cracks, Blowouts, And Uneven Sizes

A cracked ring feels minor until it hits oil. The crack opens like a mouth, which means the ring can warp and cook unevenly.

Here are the fixes that actually work in my kitchen:

• Cracks while rolling: the dough is dry, which means you should add 1–2 teaspoons milk and rest 5 minutes.
• Blowouts at the seam: the seal is weak, which means you should overlap longer and pinch harder.
• Uneven sizes: you eyeballed portions, which means you should use a scale for the first 2 batches.

I also keep a small bowl of flour nearby. I use it sparingly, which means I avoid dusty dough that dries out the surface.

If you enjoy shaping ring dough, you might also like the approach in my potato donuts recipe, which means you can compare how potato changes stretch and softness.

Cooking Methods: Fried Vs. Baked

The big surprise is how different the same dough can taste. Fried ciambelle crackle when you bite them. Baked ciambelle smell like warm cake, which means you can pick texture, not just convenience.

I test both methods with the same ring size and the same finish, which means the comparison stays fair.

How To Fry Ciambelle (Oil Choice, Temperature, Timing)

Frying gives you the classic thin crisp shell, which means the sugar coating sticks like a glaze.

Oil choice: I use peanut, canola, or sunflower oil, which means the flavor stays clean at higher heat.

Temperature: I hold oil at 350°F (177°C), which means the outside browns before the inside dries.

The USDA lists 350°F as a common frying temperature range for many foods, which means this number sits in a proven zone for fast browning without soaking. You can cross-check frying guidance on USDA food safety resources, which means you avoid guesswork.

Step-by-step frying:

1. I pour oil to a depth of 2 inches in a heavy pot, which means rings float and cook evenly.
2. I heat oil to 350°F and adjust flame to hold 340–360°F, which means I prevent greasy cookies.
3. I fry 3–4 rings at a time for 60–75 seconds per side, which means the oil temp stays stable.
4. I lift with a spider and drain for 45 seconds on a rack, which means steam escapes and the crust stays crisp.

Warning from experience: if oil sits at 325°F, the rings absorb oil fast, which means they turn heavy and slick. If oil climbs above 375°F, the outside darkens before the center sets, which means you get a raw line near the seam.

How To Bake Ciambelle (Oven Setup, Doneness Signs)

Baking gives you a cleaner finish and less mess, which means you can make ciambelle on a weeknight.

Oven setup: I bake at 375°F (190°C) on parchment-lined trays, which means the bottoms do not scorch.

Step-by-step baking:

1. I heat the oven for 20 minutes, which means the walls store heat for stable rise.
2. I place rings 2 inches apart, which means hot air can circulate.
3. I brush lightly with milk or beaten egg, which means the surface browns evenly.
4. I bake for 14–16 minutes, rotating once, which means both trays finish evenly.

Doneness signs: the rings look pale gold with a dry surface. The bottom shows light browning, which means the center has set.

Honest assessment: baked ciambelle taste less crisp than fried. They read more like a ring cookie-cake hybrid, which means you should lean into glazes and aromatics for impact.

If you love crisp glazes on baked treats, my bundt cake glaze recipe uses the same “thin pour, quick set” idea, which means you can borrow the technique here.

Finishes And Flavors: Sugar, Glazes, And Aromatics

You finish a warm ring in sugar, and it makes a soft sand sound. That little crunch is the payoff, which means you get bakery texture at home.

I finish ciambelle while they are still slightly warm, which means coatings stick without turning wet.

Classic Granulated Sugar Coating

This is the standard finish in many families, which means it is the best place to start.

How I do it:

1. I put 150 g (3/4 cup) granulated sugar in a shallow bowl, which means I can roll without spilling.
2. I coat rings after 2–3 minutes of cooling, which means the surface is not oily but still warm.
3. I shake off excess and rest on a rack, which means the crust stays crisp.

For extra fragrance, I mix sugar with 1 teaspoon lemon zest rubbed in, which means the coating smells bright before you even bite.

Simple Glaze Options (Lemon, Vanilla, Coffee)

A glaze changes the whole personality. It turns a simple ring into a dessert plate item, which means you can serve it at a party without apology.

I keep glazes thin enough to set in 10 minutes, which means you do not end up with sticky fingers all day.

Glaze	Mix	Dip timing	What it means for you
Lemon	120 g powdered sugar + 20 g lemon juice + zest	Dip when cool	You get sharp citrus that cuts sweetness, which means the second one tastes as good as the first.
Vanilla	120 g powdered sugar + 18 g milk + 1 tsp vanilla	Dip when cool	You get a classic bakery note, which means kids usually prefer it.
Coffee	120 g powdered sugar + 18 g strong coffee	Dip when cool	You get bitter-sweet depth, which means the cookie pairs well with espresso.

Warning: glaze on hot ciambelle melts and runs. That looks pretty at first, which means it can also turn the crust soft.

Flavor Add-Ins (Citrus Zest, Anise, Cinnamon, Liqueur)

One drop of anise can time-travel you. It tastes like a grandparent’s kitchen, which means small changes carry big emotion.

My tested add-in ranges (per batch):

• Citrus zest: up to 2 lemons worth, which means stronger aroma without changing texture.
• Anise extract: 1/4 to 1/2 tsp, which means you avoid a “medicine” taste.
• Ground cinnamon: 1/2 tsp, which means you add warmth without turning the dough brown.
• Liqueur: 1 tbsp, which means you get perfume without thinning the dough too much.

If you want a holiday-style sugar crunch bar for comparison, my graham cracker Christmas crack recipe uses fast set sugar-and-butter chemistry, which means you can see how sugar behaves across desserts.

Troubleshooting And Make-Ahead Tips

Nothing stings like spending an hour and getting a dense ring. I have done it. The fix usually takes 30 seconds, which means you can save most batches.

I troubleshoot by looking at oil temp, dough hydration, and mixing time, which means I target the cause instead of blaming the recipe.

Common Problems And Fixes (Dense, Greasy, Dry, Bland)

Each problem leaves a clue. You just need to notice it, which means you can correct fast.

Problem	Likely cause	Fix I use	What it means for you
Dense	Too much flour or overmixing	Add 1–2 tsp milk: mix less next time	You get lighter rings, which means sugar coating feels crisp instead of heavy.
Greasy	Oil too cool: crowding the pot	Hold 350°F: fry 3–4 at a time	You reduce oil absorption, which means cleaner flavor and lighter mouthfeel.
Dry	Overbaked or too much flour	Bake 14–16 min: weigh flour at 360 g	You keep moisture, which means day-2 ciambelle still taste good.
Bland	No salt or weak aromatics	Add 1/2 tsp salt: rub zest into sugar	You boost flavor without extra sugar, which means you want fewer toppings.
Cracked seams	Dough dry or poor sealing	Rest 20 min: overlap 1 inch	You get neat rings, which means even cooking and better look.

A specific measurement that matters: I see the most “dense” reports when home bakers scoop flour and end up at 420–450 g instead of 360 g, which means the dough turns stiff before it even rests.

Storage, Freezing, And Reheating For Best Texture

Fresh ciambelle taste best in the first 6 hours. That is the truth, which means you should plan the cook time close to serving.

Room temperature: I store plain (unglazed) ciambelle in a container with the lid slightly cracked for 1 day, which means the crust stays less soft.

Freezing: I freeze fully cooled rings in a zip bag for up to 6 weeks, which means you can batch-cook for holidays. I separate layers with parchment, which means they do not stick.

Reheating:

• Fried: I warm at 325°F for 6 minutes, which means the crust re-crisps without burning sugar.
• Baked: I warm at 300°F for 8 minutes, which means the crumb softens without drying.

Glaze timing: I glaze after reheating, which means the finish looks clean and sets well.

One more honest note: sugar-coated fried ciambelle soften in sealed plastic. That happens fast, which means you should use a rack and airflow if you want crunch.

Conclusion

Ciambelle look humble. Then you cook a batch and your kitchen smells like lemon sugar and warm butter, which means the recipe gives you comfort you can actually taste.

I use this ciambelle recipe when I want predictable results: soft dough, even rings, and a choice between frying for crisp or baking for ease, which means you control the outcome instead of hoping.

If you make one change, make it this: weigh the flour and hold 350°F oil. Those two numbers solve most failures, which means your first batch can feel like your fifth.

When you try your version, write down the ring weight and cook time that worked in your kitchen, which means the recipe becomes yours and gets better every time.

Frequently Asked Questions About Ciambelle Recipe

What is a ciambelle recipe, and how is ciambelle different from donuts?

A ciambelle recipe makes Italian ring-shaped sweets that often land between a donut and a cookie. Many versions use baking powder instead of yeast, so there’s no long proof. Fried ciambelle turn crisp outside and tender inside, while American donuts are typically yeast-fluffy or fully cakey.

Can I bake this ciambelle recipe instead of frying it?

Yes—this ciambelle recipe is designed for both baked and fried methods. Bake the rings at 375°F (190°C) on parchment-lined pans for about 14–16 minutes, rotating once. Expect a paler-gold, cake-like ring that’s less crisp than fried, but still fragrant and tender.

What oil temperature is best for frying ciambelle so they’re not greasy?

Hold your frying oil around 350°F (177°C), staying in a 340–360°F window. Frying too cool (around 325°F) makes ciambelle absorb oil and taste heavy, while oil above 375°F can brown the outside before the center sets. Fry 3–4 rings per batch to stabilize temperature.

Why is my ciambelle dough cracking or blowing out at the seam?

Cracks usually mean the dough is too dry or didn’t rest long enough—add 1–2 teaspoons milk and rest about 5 minutes. Blowouts typically come from a weak seal. Overlap the ends by about 1 inch, pinch firmly, and roll the seam once on the counter to lock it.

How do I keep ciambelle soft and fresh, and can I freeze them?

Ciambelle taste best within 6 hours. Store unglazed rings at room temperature for up to 1 day with the container lid slightly cracked to avoid trapping steam. Freeze fully cooled ciambelle up to 6 weeks with parchment between layers. Reheat, then glaze or sugar-coat for best texture.

What are common ciambelle flavor variations (like anise, wine, or potato), and what do they change?

Popular variations include anise for a classic licorice bakery note, extra lemon/orange zest for brighter aroma, and wine-based dough for a crisper, drier “dunking” style. Potato-enriched ciambelle stay moist longer because starch holds water, helping the rings remain softer into day two.