Zeppole Di San Giuseppe (St. Joseph’s Day Pastries)
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These baked Zeppole Di San Giuseppe (St. Joseph’s Day Pastries) are elegant Italian pastries made with light, airy dough filled with silky pastry cream and topped with a sweet amarena cherry. Traditionally prepared for St. Joseph’s Day, they are beautifully presented and taste just as special as they look, with a delicate pastry shell and luscious creamy center.
You will also love my Bomboloni Recipe (Italian Donuts with Cream Filling) and Chiacchiere di Carnevale.
Quick Look: Zeppole Di San Giuseppe (St. Joseph’s Day Pastries)
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 60 minutes
- Servings: 12 people
- Dietary Info: Vegetarian
- Method: Oven-baked
- Technique: Cook water, butter, and flour to form a choux dough, then mix in eggs until smooth. Pipe the dough into rings, bake until puffed and golden, fill with pastry cream, and finish with powdered sugar and a cherry on top.
- Flavor & Texture: Light and airy pastries with a delicate crisp shell and a rich, silky cream filling, finished with a sweet cherry and dusting of powdered sugar.
What Makes This Recipe Irresistible
Starting in February, you will see these baked zeppole in pastry shops all over Italy. Italian Zeppole di San Giuseppe, St. Joseph’s pastries, bignè di San Giuseppe, or Neapolitan Zeppole (many different names for these delectable treats!) are Italian pastries made to celebrate the Feast of Saint Joseph (March 19th), which is also Father’s Day in Italy.
They are cream puffs made with classic choux pastry dough, filled with traditional Crema Pasticcera, and topped with amarena cherries. The presentation is beautiful, and they taste delightful! My uncle’s name is Giuseppe, and these always remind me of him. You’ve landed on an authentic Italian recipe you can trust and come back to every time you crave these sweet treats.
Try my Zeppole Recipe (Easy Italian Donuts), Italian Cream Filled Pastry, and Authentic Struffoli Recipe (Italian Honey Balls) next.
Made With Amore,
“The zeppole turned out amazing and were a hit at the birthday party! I filled them with the Classic Italian Pastry Cream-recipe linked above-also amazing. If you’ve always wanted to make pastry and have yet to try, give this recipe a go and you won’t be disappointed!”
– Kim Schenk
Table of Contents
- Quick Look: Zeppole Di San Giuseppe (St. Joseph’s Day Pastries)
- What Makes This Recipe Irresistible
- Simple Ingredients
- Variations & Substitutions
- How To Make Zeppole Di San Giuseppe (St. Joseph’s Day Pastries)
- Zeppole Di San Giuseppe (St. Joseph’s Day Pastries) FAQs
- Serving Suggestions
- Recipe Tips
- More Italian Dessert Recipes
- Zeppole Di San Giuseppe Recipe
Simple Ingredients
Here are the key ingredients that come together to create the flavor, texture, and structure of this recipe.
- Unsalted Butter: Adds richness and flavor while helping create the tender, structured dough needed for classic choux pastry.
- Granulated Sugar: Sweetens the pastry and enhances the overall flavor of the finished zeppole.
- 00 Flour or All-Purpose Flour: Provides the structure for the choux dough, allowing the pastries to puff up and hold their shape as they bake.
- Italian Pastry Cream: A silky, rich filling that adds creamy sweetness and is the signature center of traditional zeppole.
- Toppings: Amarena cherries and icing sugar or powdered sugar for dusting.
See recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Variations & Substitutions
- Try Different Fillings: Instead of classic pastry cream, fill the zeppole with pistachio cream, chocolate pastry cream, Nutella, or even jam.
- Fried Instead of Baked: For a more traditional version, the zeppole can be deep-fried instead of baked.
- Cherry Topping Variations: Top the pastries with amarena cherries, sour cherries, sour cherry sauce, or maraschino cherries.
How To Make Zeppole Di San Giuseppe (St. Joseph’s Day Pastries)
These baked Zeppole di San Giuseppe are light, airy, and elegantly filled with creamy pastry, making them a show-stopping Italian dessert that’s as beautiful as it is delicious. Follow the step-by step photos and see the recipe card at the bottom for a printable version.
- Preheat oven to 400℉—place rack in the center of oven. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. Beat the room-temperature eggs in a medium bowl, cover with cling wrap or plastic wrap, and set aside.
- Whisk together flour, salt, and sugar in a large mixing bowl. Set aside.
- In a large, heavy saucepan, combine the water and butter over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil. After boiling for about 30 seconds, remove the saucepan from the heat.
- Add the flour mixture in one addition and stir with a wooden spoon. Stir vigorously with a wooden spoon to combine the wet and dry ingredients.
- Return the saucepan to the stove. Reduce the heat to medium-low and keep stirring until the mixture forms into a smooth ball and comes away from the sides of the pan (5 minutes total). This is KEY to letting some of the water evaporate- skipping this step yields to a runny dough.
- Transfer the choux dough mixture to a large mixing bowl. Let cool for a few minutes.
- Add the beaten eggs, 1/4 cup at a time, mixing well after each addition with a wooden spoon, stand mixer paddle attachment or hand-held beaters.
- It may seem like the dough won’t incorporate, but it does- keep mixing.
- Make Italian pastry cream and set it in the fridge to cool. Make it up to 24 hours ahead of time.
- Spoon dough into a pastry bag fitted with an open star tip. I like to place my pastry bag in a tall cup for easy filling. Pipe dough into 2″ nests on the baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Turn off the oven and open the door slightly.
- The dough resembles a donut’s shape and size with a hole in the middle. Place in preheated oven for 30-35 minutes, until golden brown.
- Let the pastries cool for about 10 minutes in the oven. Remove the pastry shells from the oven and let them cool completely.
- Once cooled, cut the baked zeppole in half with a serrated knife.
- Fill another pastry bag fitted with an open star tip with Italian pastry cream and pipe on one-half of the zeppole shells; you can also use a spoon for the pastry cream.
- Cover with the other half of the baked zeppole and pipe another tablespoon over the top, OR make a small hole and pipe pastry cream directly in the cavity; and top with more pastry cream. You can also leave the tops plain.
- Top the baked zeppole with amarena cherries and a dusting of icing sugar (powdered sugar). Enjoy!
Zeppole Di San Giuseppe (St. Joseph’s Day Pastries) FAQs
The most common reason for the choux pastry to be runny, causing the final pastry to be flat and rubbery, is not cooking the dough in the pot for enough time. Allowing the dough to cook for 5 minutes is critical to let the water evaporate and create a solid dough before adding the eggs. The initial cooking causes the starch in the flour to gelatinize, helping the choux pastry hold onto steam and puff up when baking. This essential step will result in a choux pastry that is light and airy!
Before baking choux pastry, you cook it on the stove. This is essential in achieving a light and airy choux. You will know when the choux pastry is done cooking in the pot when it is glossy, doesn’t stick to the sides of the pan, and forms into a soft cohesive dough ball. Then it is ready to cool, add the eggs, and bake.
Cooling the choux pastries in the oven is recommended. After the recommended baking time- turn off the oven, open the oven door, and let the pastries cool for about 10 minutes. The remaining heat will further crisp the pastry without over-baking them.
Store the non-filled zeppole in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 1 week. Once filled, keep them in the refrigerator and consume them within a couple of days. It is not recommended to store the raw dough. Make the choux pastry fresh before baking the zeppole.
Serving Suggestions
I love serving these baked Zeppole di San Giuseppe as a special dessert after a delicious Italian dinner like Classic Lasagna Bolognese, Chicken Cacciatore (Authentic Italian Chicken Stew), or Creamy Mushroom Pasta. If you want to add another sweet treat to the table, try Crostata di Frutta (Italian Fruit Tart) or Classic Tiramisu for the perfect Italian-style finish to the meal.
My Pro Tips
Recipe Tips
- Use room temperature ingredients: Using eggs and butter at room temperature ensures they incorporate smoothly into the dough, giving the choux a light, airy texture.
- Cook the pastry in the pan: Cooking the dough for 5 minutes allows water to evaporate; skipping this step will result in runny dough and flat, dense pastries.
- Let the mixture cool immediately: Cooling the dough before adding eggs prevents them from cooking prematurely, ensuring the choux rises properly.
- Beat the eggs first, then add gradually: Incorporating eggs gradually helps achieve the right consistency, giving the pastry structure and a tender, airy interior.
More Italian Dessert Recipes
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Zeppole Di San Giuseppe
Equipment
Ingredients
Choux Pastry Dough
- ½ cup unsalted butter, 113g, cut into chunks
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar, 5g
- ¼ teaspoon salt, a pinch of salt
- 1 cup water, 240g
- 1 cup 00 flour , 120gor all-purpose flour
- 4 large eggs, at room temperature
Italian Pastry Cream
- 1 recipe Classic Italian Pastry Cream
Toppings
- Amarena Cherries
- Icing Sugar or powdered sugar for dusting
Instructions
Italian Pastry Cream
- Make the pastry cream first and store it in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours.
Make the Choux Pastry Dough
- Preheat oven to 400℉—place rack in the center of oven. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- Beat the room-temperature eggs in a medium bowl, cover with cling wrap or plastic wrap, and set aside.
- Whisk together flour, salt, and sugar in a large mixing bowl. Set aside.
- In a large, heavy saucepan, combine the water and butter over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil. After boiling for about 30 seconds, remove the saucepan from the heat.
- Add the flour mixture in one addition and stir with a wooden spoon. Stir vigorously with a wooden spoon to combine the wet and dry ingredients. Return the saucepan to the stove. Reduce the heat to medium-low and keep stirring until the mixture forms into a smooth ball and comes away from the sides of the pan (5 minutes total). This is KEY to letting some of the water evaporate- skipping this step yields to a runny dough.
- Transfer the choux dough mixture to a large mixing bowl. Let cool for a few minutes.
- Add the beaten eggs, 1/4 cup at a time, mixing well after each addition with a wooden spoon, stand mixer paddle attachment or hand-held beaters. It may seem like the dough won’t incorporate, but it does- keep mixing!
Shape and Bake the Dough
- Spoon dough into a pastry bag fitted with an open star tip. I like to place my pastry bag in a tall cup for easy filling.
- Pipe dough into 2″ nests on the baking sheet lined with parchment paper. The dough resembles a donut’s shape and size with a hole in the middle.
- Place in preheated oven for 30-35 minutes, until golden brown.
- Turn off the oven and open the door slightly. Let the pastries cool for about 10 minutes in the oven.
- Remove the pastry shells from the oven and let them cool completely.
Assemble the Baked Zeppole
- Once cooled cut the baked zeppole in half with a serrated knife.
- Fill another pastry bag fitted with an open star tip with Italian pastry cream and pipe on one-half of the zeppole shells; you can also use a spoon for the pastry cream. Cover with the other half of the baked zeppole and pipe another tablespoon over the top, OR make a small hole and pipe pastry cream directly in the cavity; and top with more pastry cream. You can also leave the tops plain.
- Top the baked zeppole with amarena cherries and a dusting of icing sugar (powdered sugar). Enjoy!
Notes
- Use room temperature ingredients: Using eggs and butter at room temperature ensures they incorporate smoothly into the dough, giving the choux a light, airy texture.
- Cook the pastry in the pan: Cooking the dough for 5 minutes allows water to evaporate; skipping this step will result in runny dough and flat, dense pastries.
- Let the mixture cool immediately: Cooling the dough before adding eggs prevents them from cooking prematurely, ensuring the choux rises properly.
- Beat the eggs first, then add gradually: Incorporating eggs gradually helps achieve the right consistency, giving the pastry structure and a tender, airy interior.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
These are delicious! The recipe was easy to follow. My family loved them!
Yay! So happy to hear it this. I hope you enjoy time and time again and enjoy many other recipes! Let me know what you try next time.
I have always been intimidated with the idea of making my own pastry, but these detailed instructions gave me the confidence to try. The zeppole turned out amazing and were a hit at the birthday party! I filled them with the Classic Italian Pastry Cream-recipe linked above-also amazing. If you’ve always wanted to make pastry and have yet to try, give this recipe a go and you won’t be disappointed! Now my husband is asking for me to make them again, because he only had one at the party! 😂
I am so happy these were a smashing birthday party hit! Yes, the problem is always that they disappear too fast, ha!
Hi
Going to attempt making these. Just wondering I noticed in other recipes it called for baking powder just wondering if you tested them by adding the BP
Thank you !
This is recipe is great as is and you will find they are perfect made this way :).
This is a new favorite in our house! Very easy to follow and everyone loved it! Tastes better than the bakery.
One of my all time favorite treats! Thank you. I am happy you loved them.
Hi Elena, I was just wondering if you have a recipe for zepoli with anchovies. I’ve tried this sweet recipe which is delicious, but my family want to try the savoury recipe .
Hi Janet, I do not have a savory one! That is a good one to add to my list. Thanks.
I’ve always been afraid to make these, but all your pictures and steps are very clear. I’ll be making them this week. Thanks, Elena!
You are most welcome! They are easier to make than you might think- it just takes a little time, but so worth it!
I am apprehensive about trying new recipes because you don’t know if they have been tested. I was so glad I tried yours.
The pastry is light and fluffy and for my first attempt quite impressive.
Thank you Elena!
Yes! All recipes here are tried and tested! Happy you loved these as much as we do!
I made the St. Joseph pastry last night for the first time. Elena’s recipe was great. My cream came out great but I used the almond extract which was a little strong, I will make again with the vanilla. My pastry looked ok, tasted good but came out very small so I think I need a larger star tip. Make sure you use a pastry bag/large star tip because the filling is thick and breaks through a plastic bag. Elena’s directions are very clear and helpful. Read through everything before you start and you should be fine. I will be making again soon. ❤️
I am thrilled you loved the recipe. They are fun to make and so delicious!
The most authentic Zeppole di San Giuseppe recipe you can make at home! The choux pastry dough is fool proof!