Homemade Struffoli, or Italian Honey Balls, is a classic Italian Christmas dessert made of little fried dough covered in honey and then topped with sprinkles.
Add flour, lemon zest, granulated sugar, salt, and baking powder in a stand-up mixer bowl. Mix until combined
Add eggs, butter, Disaronno, and vanilla extract. Mix until combined, it will be a sticky dough.
Cover your hands with flour and transfer the dough to a plastic bag or wrap it in plastic wrap.
Chill in the fridge for 30-45 minutes.
Line a plate with a paper towel. Set aside. This is where you will put the balls once they are fried.
MAKE HONEY COATING:
In a large pot, add the honey, granulated sugar, and lemon juice.
Mix and warm over medium heat until the sugar is all dissolved.
HEAT OIL:
Pour the canola oil into a Dutch oven. Heat the oil to 350 degrees F. Keep a close eye on the heat.
FORM DOUGH BALLS:
On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into a rectangle that is ¼ inch thick.
Cut the dough into slices that are 1 inch wide. Then, cut each slice into 1 inch squares.
Roll each dough piece into a ball. Set aside.
FRY DOUGH BALLS:
Once your oil has reached 350 degrees F, Fry the dough balls in batches until they are nice and golden, approximately 2 minutes.
Take them out and put them on a paper towel lined plate.
Repeat until all balls are fried.
TO FINISH:
Once all the balls are fried, make sure the honey mixture is nice and hot and the granulated sugar is dissolved.
Add all the fried balls into the honey mixture and mix until they are all coated.
Place the dough balls on a plate in a circle shape. If the mixture is too hot, use spoons to help shape.
Sprinkle with sprinkles or powdered sugar.
Notes
You will have some honey mixture leftover, I like to fill the middle of the ring with honey, and folks can dip their Struffoli in more of the honey mixture.
When frying, it’s essential for the oil to be at the right temperature. Too hot, and it will burn the dough; not hot enough, and the dough balls will absorb the oil.
Make sure you gently put the balls in the oil, so it doesn’t splatter.