"Struffoli (honey balls) are perhaps the most famous Neapolitan Christmas sweets that are never lacking in Southern Italy during the holidays and can be found in many homes and pastry shops, especially in the Campania region. I grew up eating these delicious little gems during Christmas and, the more honey they have the happier you are! Here is the gluten-free version!"
Gluten-Free Struffoli Napoletani - An Italian Traditional Christmas Dessert!
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Prep time: 1hr 10mins
Cook time: 2mins
Serves or Makes: 4
Recipe Card
ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose gluten-free flour
- 1/2 cup finely ground almond flour
- 1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum (omit if gluten-free flour contains it)
- 2 room temperature eggs
- 1 room temperature egg yolk
- 1 tablespoon superfine baker's sugar
- 1 tablespoon melted and cooled butter
- 2 tablespoons oat milk (or milk of your choice)
- 1 tablespoon anice liquor (can sub with limoncello or rum)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/2 zest and juice orange
- 1/2 zest and juice lemon
- pinch of sea salt
- 3 cups cold pressed canola oil or sunflower oil for frying
- 1/2 cup honey (wildflower is best)
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1/2 Zest lemon for honey mixture
Method
Step 1
For the Dough: In a mixing bowl, sift together the gluten-free flour, almond flour, xanthan gum and mix well. Create a well in the center and add the eggs, sugar, butter, milk, anise liquor, vanilla, zest of orange and lemon, and salt. Begin mixing with a fork then knead with hands for about 5 minutes, adding additional flour if needed, until you get a homogenous soft round dough. Cover the dough with a clean kitchen cloth and let dough rest for 30 to 45 minutes.
Step 2
Place dough on a floured surface and using a rolling pin, roll out dough to a disk about 1/4 inch thick. Using a knife, cut rolled out dough into long strips, about 1/4 inch wide, then roll each strip into a cylinder with the palm of your hands and cut into small dices (about 1/4 inch). Add flour to dices as you cut and gently mix them so that they don’t stick together or to the surface.
Step 3
For Frying: Heat about 1 to 1 1/2 inches of oil in a high-sided non-stick frying pan. Place a baking sheet lined with paper towels next to the pan. When oil is hot, add struffoli a little at a time with a spider strainer so that you don’t burn yourself and cook on medium flame until golden brown (about 2 minutes), while continually stirring with a wooden spoon. Place them in the prepared baking sheet.
Step 4
For Honey Mixture: Place honey, sugar, and lemon zest in a high-sided nonstick sauce pan and bring mixture to a boil over moderate heat. When a light foam begins to form, add struffoli and mix gently to evenly coat them. Turn heat off, continue to gently mix struffoli and honey and once well combined, place them in a serving platter of your choice or even in decorative baking cups.
Step 5
Garnish with colored sprinkles.
Step 6
Notes: *You can bake the struffoli instead of frying. Preheat oven to 355 degrees F (180 degrees C) and arrange cut struffoli slightly spaced on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Let them rest for 10 minutes then bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown.