Oliebollen — Dutch New Year's yeasted doughnuts

i. Origin & history

Oliebollen reportedly date back to Germanic mid-winter traditions of frying dough to ward off the goddess Perchta. By the 17th century they were a fixture of Dutch winter celebrations and have remained so. The Netherlands consumes about 100 million oliebollen each New Year's Eve.

ii. Ingredients

Makes 24 servings · scroll the side panel to adjust

• 500 g plain flour
• 7 g instant yeast
• 60 g sugar
• Pinch salt
• 350 ml warm milk
• 2 eggs
• 100 g raisins
• 100 g currants
• 1 apple, peeled and finely chopped
• Zest of 1 lemon
• 1 litre oil for frying
• Icing sugar to dust

iii. Method

1. Mix flour, yeast, sugar and salt. Beat in eggs and warm milk to a thick batter. Cover; prove 60 min until doubled.
2. Soak raisins and currants in warm water 30 min; drain. Stir into batter with apple and zest.
3. Heat oil to 170 °C. Using two wet tablespoons, scoop balls of batter into the oil. Fry 5-6 min, turning, until evenly deep golden.
4. Drain on paper. Dust generously with icing sugar.

iv. Tips & common mistakes

• Use the freshest ingredients you can. The recipe relies on them.
• Read the method through first. Several steps must be ready in advance.
• Season patiently. Sweetness and salt are tuned at the end, not the start.

v. Variations

Plain oliebollen have no fruit. Oliebollen with appelstukjes emphasise apple. Modern oliebollen include chocolate, banana, or champagne flavours.

vii. More from Austrian & German

• Berliner — German jam doughnuts
• Luqaimat — Arabic honey fritters
• Klejner — Danish twisted biscuits
• Smultring — Norwegian doughnut rings
• Krapfen — Austrian doughnut
• Aebleskiver — Danish filled pancakes