Zeppole di San Giuseppe (St. Joseph’s Day Traditional Italian Pastries)
Zeppole di San Giuseppe are traditional Italian cream filled pastries which are made for the Feast of St Joseph. Use this step by step Zeppole di San Giuseppe recipe for perfect results every time.
Originally published on March 18, 2016.
You know that Italians have particular dishes and recipes for every special day, event, holiday, celebration, etc., right?
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St. Joseph’s Day is no exception. March 19th is dedicated to St. Joseph and you may recall that last year, I posted these delicious rice fritters for the occasion.
While not as well celebrated in the US as St Patrick’s Day, just two days earlier on March 17th, there are still many Italians and descendant who carry on the traditions of food and holidays.
I’m so excited to add these pistachio cream zeppole for you to try! (Directions below.)
This year, I’d like to introduce you to an Italian pastry with cream filling that’s made especially for St. Joseph’s Feast Day. They are named after him: zeppole di San Giuseppe. Giuseppe is Italian for Joseph. Although there will be a zeppole di San Giuseppe recipe that varies from Italian to Italian, they are mostly all very similar. They are usually baked, but some like to fry the dough.
There are Christmas Eve zeppole, too! They are also called frittelle (Italian doughnuts).
However, I will remind you that all of my recipes are honest to goodness, tried and tested in my kitchen. I just found a photo of my zeppole with another recipe–its so wrong! You will not get these results with a different recipe. Why are they using (stealing) my photo? Obviously, theirs is either not a tested recipe or they didn’t turn out well, right? Sadly, this happens a lot.
What are Zeppole di San Giuseppe?
Zeppole di San Giuseppe are made from a very slightly sweetened choux pastry. They are filled and topped with pastry cream (crema pasticcera), dusted with powdered sugar and crowned with a syrupy Italian cherry. Nothing super fancy, and overall, zeppole are quite simple to make.
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How do I Make Zeppole di San Giuseppe?
First, make the pastry dough, pipe it out on a cookie sheet and bake. While they’re baking, you’ll make the pastry cream filling and fill the baked zeppole when they’re cool. Dust with powdered sugar and top with an Italian cherry! Follow my step by step directions for the pastry, filling and assembly below for perfect results every time. Let’s get right to the zeppole recipe.
Use almost the exact same recipe to make profiteroles!
Can I Make Zeppole di San Giuseppe in Advance?
While it’s not recommended, there are ways to get around not making and baking them just before serving. First of all, the dough can be made and kept refrigerated with no adverse affects, for up to two days. Secondly, once baked, there is a way to “revive the zeppole puffs.
Ever had the real-deal, original tiramisù? You can make it at home with this authentic tiramisù recipe.
If perchance, you have leftover shells the next day, I have discovered that popping them in an air fryer for a minute or two will bring them back to (almost) perfection. Just check them to make sure you don’t dry them out too much as you just want a non-soggy shell, not crispy. Oh, and don’t forget to check out my maritozzi (just like they make in Rome), too!
Zeppole di San Giuseppe Recipe
(St. Joseph’s Day Traditional Italian Pastries)
Adapted from my cream puff recipe. Makes 16 zeppole.
FULL PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW.
Ingredients
- butter
- sugar
- flour
- eggs
TO FILL and DECORATE
- egg yolks
- sugar
- potato/corn starch
- salt
- milk
- vanilla
Directions
Heat oven to 400ºF (200ºC)
Begin preparing the choux pastry by placing the butter, sugar and water in a medium sized saucepan over medium heat. Bring it to a rolling boil.
Next, add the flour all at once, and stir vigorously with a wooden spoon for about a minute until the mixture forms a ball.
Remove from heat, keep stirring to cool the dough. When cooled slightly, add an egg and beat well until well incorporated, before adding the next. Repeat with remaining eggs until the batter is smooth and satiny.
Next, place the mixture in a piping bag with a 2D or other tip, or spoon onto a baking tray lined with a silicone sheet or parchment paper. Pipe or shape into small puffs, about 3″ apart.
If piping, shape the upper part of the pastry so there is a small hole in the center, or make one with the back of a teaspoon.
Bake for about 30 minutes. Turn off oven, and leave for 10 minutes, then remove from the oven and place on a cooling rack.
While the cream puffs are baking, make the filling.
How to Make Crema Pasticcera
Place the egg yolks into a medium sized pot OFF THE HEAT.
Add the sugar, potato starch, salt and vanilla and whisk together.
Begin pouring in the warm milk, then turn the burner on a low heat.
Continue whisking and pouring, and gradually increase the heat. Cook until the mixture thickens and is cooked (it will be a few minutes). Cool the pastry cream stirring occasionally.
How to Assemble Zeppole di San Giuseppe
Make a hole with a skewer into the side of the choux pastry bun and fill with pastry cream using a piping bag.
Now, pipe more filling onto the indentation on top and dust with powdered sugar.
(PISTACHIO VERSION: If making the pistachio cream version, instead of topping with more of the pastry cream and a cherry, simply pipe the pistachio cream on top and sprinkle with chopped pistachios. I love this version, maybe even more than the original!)
Finally, top with a cherry, or whatever you’d like to use.
Repeat with the rest of the pastries.
Serve Your Lovely Creations!
These are lovely in the morning with a cappuccino or espresso coffee. They’re also perfect in the afternoon, or as dessert, after dinner!
I’m adding the option for these pistachio cream zeppole, as inspired by Gran Caffè Gambrinus in Naples.
Please let me know what you think of my zeppole di San Giuseppe recipe if you make them. I love to hear from you!
Zeppole di San Giuseppe (St. Joseph's Day Traditional Italian Pastries)
Special Equipment
Ingredients
Ingredients for pastry
- 4 oz butter unsalted
- 1 tsp sugar
- 8 oz water
- 1 cup flour
- 4 eggs at room temperature
To decorate
- 1 recipe crema pasticcera RECIPE BELOW
- ¼ cup powdered sugar to sprinkle
- 16 Fabbri cherries optional use an organic maraschino or omit
Instructions
Heat oven to 400ºF.Make the Choux Buns
- First prepare the choux pastry, by placing the butter, sugar and water in a medium sized saucepan over medium heat, until it comes to a rolling boil.
- Add the flour, all at once, and stir vigorously with a wooden spoon for about a minute until the mixture forms a ball.
- Remove from heat, keep stirring to cool the dough. When cooled slightly, add an egg and beat well until well incorporated, before adding the next. Repeat with remaining eggs until the batter is smooth and satiny.
- Place in piping bag or spoon onto a baking tray lined with a silicone sheet or parchment paper into small puffs, about 3" apart.
- Pipe the upper part of the pastry so there is a small hole in the center, or make one with the back of a teaspoon.
- Bake for about 30 minutes. Turn off oven, and leave for 10 minutes, then place on cooling rack.
Crema Pasticcera
- While the cream puffs are baking, make the pastry cream.
- (See recipe card below).
Decorate
- Make a hole with a skewer, into the side of the choux pastry and fill with pastry cream using a piping bag. Pipe more filling into the indentation on top and dust with powdered sugar.
- Top with a cherry, or whatever you want to use. Repeat with remaining pastries.
Notes
- If you like a lighter filling, fold in 2 or 3 heaped tablespoonfuls of stiffly beaten whipped cream. Even better, add 1 Tbsp Grand Marnier to the cream before folding in the cream.
- These are definitely best consumed the same day (see next tip for reviving instructions). Even better, fill them, decorate and serve immediately, if you can, for the best flavor and presentation.
- If perchance, you have leftover shells the next day, I discovered that popping them in an air fryer for a minute or two will bring them back to (almost) perfection. Just check them to make sure you don't dry them out too much as you just want a non-soggy shell, not crispy.
Nutrition
Pastry Cream Recipe (Crema Pasticcera)
Ingredients
- 4 egg yolks organic
- ⅓ cup sugar
- 3 Tbsp potato starch (if using corn starch add 1 extra tsp)
- 1 pinch salt
- 14 oz milk
- 1 tsp vanilla or ½ tsp pure vanilla powder or paste
Instructions
- Place the egg yolks into a medium sized pot (off the heat).
- Add the sugar and potato or corn starch and whisk together until uniform.
- When the mixture is smooth, place the pot on the stovetop. Begin pouring in the warm milk whilst whisking. Turn the heat on to medium.
- Continue whisking and gradually increase the heat. The pastry cream will thicken as it heats up.
- When the mixture comes to a boil, let it cook for about 3 minutes then remove from the heat. Add the vanilla and keep stirring as it cools so that it doesn't form a skin. Move into a large bowl and set the bowl into a larger bowl with ice water (if you need to cool it quickly), then refrigerate covered until completely chilled.
- Use as desired.
Notes
- If you want a lighter version of this pastry cream, whip 4 oz (120 ml) of heavy whipping cream until stiff and then fold into the chilled pastry cream.
- You can add more or less cream to your liking, and also add a little sugar to the cream when whipping (I prefer it without).
- Adding a tablespoonful of Grand Marnier (at the end) makes a lovely addition, too.
- Pastry cream can be kept refrigerated for 1 or 2 days, but must be consumed promptly once the pastries are filled.
Nutrition
Pistachio Cream (Lighter Pastry Cream Recipe)
Special Equipment
- 1 2D tip
Ingredients
- ½ recipe of the prepared crema pasticcera chilled, see recipe below
- 1 Tbsp cream of pistachio heaping, see notes
- 8 oz good quality heavy whipping cream the highest fat you can find
- 1 Tbsp powdered/confectioner's sugar
- 1 pistachios unsalted, chopped (or more if desired)
- 2 drops green food coloring (OPTIONAL)
Instructions
- Mix one half of the pastry cream recipe with 1 large tablespoon of pistachio cream. Add the food coloring if using, and fold gently.
- Whip the cream and confectioner's sugar until very stiff.
Fold the cream into the pastry cream mixture until uniform in color. - Prepare the zeppole by filling the center with the plain pastry cream, as in the original recipe, but pipe the top with the pistachio cream, then sprinkle with chopped pistachios.
Notes
- Only add food coloring if you need the green color to be more prominent.
- Cream of Pistachio (use code CHRISTINASCUCINA10 for 10% discount on your entire order).
Nutrition
Getting ready for an Italian Easter? I have recipes for that, too. Try these wonderful Individual Italian Easter Bread Rings (they double as a great table decoration.)
Columba di Pasqua is a traditional Italian sweet dove bread. Plan ahead and buy the proper paper mold for this one or you’ll have to improvise like me.
And how about putting Welsh Cakes for St. David’s Day on the calendar for next year? (March 1st)
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Help please! I made and loved the cream but I found that I had to triple the recipe to get enough cream for 12 regular size zeppole. Am I doing something wrong? I’ve come across other recipes with very similar ingredients except they use close to 1L of milk and so maybe that’s how it yields a lot more. Any suggestions to get more cream out of the recipe without multiplying the eggs? Can I add more milk and keep other ingredients the same? Thanks!
Hi Teresa, I just think you’re adding more cream to the zeppole than the rest of us, maybe? You can add more milk, but it will be less thick. Without testing it myself, it’s hard to give advice. Good luck!
How cool does the cream need to be before piping? Room temperature? Or refrigerator cold?
Room temperature is fine, but you can also keep it in the fridge if you need to. Enjoy, Amanda!
In the spirit of the Solemnity of Saint Joseph, I made this dessert and they were a total hit. Your instruction are clear and very easy to follow. I will be making this again and sharing the recipe with friends and family.
Thanks for the great share Christina, I am glad I bumped into this recipe.
Cheers!
Oh thank you, Monica. Good to hear, and I’m glad you liked it and hope you find other recipes to enjoy on my site! :)
Hi. The 1st time I made these they were perfect. I had issues with the pastry bag (it broke) but I managed with a plastic bag.
The cream puffs were light and rose beautifully.
I just made them again with my new piping set.
They didn’t rise. Any thoughts as to what might have gone wrong?
Would the size of the piping tip make a difference?
No, the tip wouldn’t make a difference, but someone else had this issue and I think you might be adding the eggs while the dough isn’t cool enough. Do you remember if you cooled it more the first time?
I don’t remember if I cooled the dough more the 1st time. I’ll make sure it’s cool before adding eggs next time. Thank you so much!
Made these today – my first time making choux pastry and creme patissiere. A triumph!!! Thank you so much for sharing this wonderful recipe
That makes me so happy, Sue! Hope it encourages you to try more of my recipes :)
Don’t know if it’s a misprint or not but you say 5 ounces of flour and then in brackets 1 cup of flour which is it. Thank you I appreciate a response as I’m making him right now for my son and my grandson who are both Joseph thank you and happy Saint Joseph
Not a misprint, Catherine. Once cup of flour is about 5 oz (I think you mistakenly think it’s 8 oz?) It’s the difference between weight and volume and another reason I always advise using a scale as it’s so much more accurate for baking. Enjoy and Happy St Joseph to you and your Josephs! :)
Thank you Christina for your quick response . I had everything ready I did use one cup and they are just beautiful. I will post pictures when finished filling. Thank you again .
Fantastico! So glad to hear it!
Hi, It is the same recipe as Cream puffs, it calls for 1 cup of flour, and sifted after measuring. Easy filling is 1 package of instant french vanilla pudding, and 1 package of Dream Whip. Delish!
Sorry, the filling won’t cut it for the flavor of real crema pasticcera. Also, count how many ingredients are listed in the package of pudding and dream whip. This is one of the reasons I share real food recipes: they are not only better tasting, but better for you.
Any way these can be made gluten free?
Hi Dawn, I haven’t tried to make them gluten free, so unfortunately, I have no idea if switching out the flour will work or not. I can suggest maybe give it a try (just make half the recipe in case they don’t turn out well). Let me know if you do!
I made them gluten free on Sunday. Substitute one cup gluten free flour for the regular flour. My sister is celiac and LOVED them! I’ll be making them again for Easter :)
Thanks!
Oh that’s wonderful! Thanks for letting us know, Teresa! :)
do you use cake and pastry flour or just regular flour?
I just use regular flour, Juliana! :) ENjoy!