National Dish Austria: Wedding Doughnuts (Recipe)
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Step into a slice of Austrian tradition with Wedding Doughnuts, the airy, golden pastries that have long graced celebrations across the country. Tender on the inside and lightly crisp on the outside, these little treats are dusted with icing sugar and often hide a spoonful of jam at their centre. Once reserved for weddings and village festivals, they are surprisingly simple to recreate at home — perfect for special occasions or whenever you fancy a taste of old-world charm.
About Wedding Doughnuts
When it comes to traditional Austrian sweets, Wedding Doughnuts sit right at the top of the list. These delicate fried pastries are a culinary highlight at weddings and a familiar sight at folk festivals up and down the land. Their unmistakable flavour and light, airy crumb have made them a favourite bake for generations. The good news is that you can now prepare this delicious recipe in your own kitchen and savour it whenever you please — a charming example of Austrian Austrian cuisine at its most festive.
Ingredients (serves 1–2)
- 250 g plain flour
- 20 g sugar
- 1 sachet vanilla sugar
- 1 pinch of salt
- 1 egg
- 100 ml milk
- 20 g butter
- 20 g fresh yeast
- Oil for deep-frying
- Icing sugar, for dusting
Shopping for the ingredients
When shopping, it pays to choose fresh yeast and good-quality flour to achieve the best flavour and texture. Organic milk, free-range eggs and a quality butter will lift the taste of the finished pastry even further. You will find all the ingredients easily at your local supermarket or farmers’ market. Take your time selecting the best produce so your wedding doughnuts turn out as delicious as possible.
Preparing the dish
Before you start the actual cooking, measure out all the ingredients and have them ready to hand. Knead the flour, sugar, vanilla sugar, salt, egg and the crumbled yeast together in a large bowl. Gently warm the milk and butter until the butter has melted, then add this to the dry ingredients. Knead everything thoroughly until you have a smooth yeast dough. Leave the dough to rest in a warm spot for about an hour, until it has doubled in size.
Step-by-step instructions
- Knead the dough briefly again on a floured work surface, then roll it out to about 1 cm thick.
- Cut out rounds with a circular cutter and place them on a floured cloth.
- Leave the cut-out doughnuts to rest for a further 15 minutes.
- Heat the oil in a pan to roughly 170°C.
- Deep-fry the doughnuts in batches until golden brown on both sides (about 2–3 minutes per side).
- Drain the finished doughnuts on kitchen paper.
- Dust with icing sugar and serve warm.
Gluten-free / lactose-free version
For a gluten-free version you can use gluten-free flour in place of the wheat flour. The texture may differ a little, but the flavour stays just as delicious. For a lactose-free version, simply swap the cow’s milk for a plant-based alternative such as almond or soya milk. The butter can be replaced with lactose-free margarine to achieve the same rich enjoyment.
Tips for vegans and vegetarians
To make the wedding doughnuts vegan, replace the cow’s milk with a plant-based milk such as oat or almond milk. The egg can be swapped for 3 tablespoons of apple purée or a mashed banana to provide the necessary binding. Be sure to use a vegan margarine instead of butter. That way, vegans too can enjoy this traditional treat.
More tips and tricks
For an especially light result, knead the dough really well and stick to the resting times. Don’t fry too many doughnuts at once, or the temperature of the oil will drop sharply and the doughnuts will turn out oily rather than crisp. Keep the oil at the right temperature throughout. If the doughnuts brown too quickly in the oil, it is too hot.
Adapting the recipe to your taste
You can vary the recipe however you like — for example, by adding a little cinnamon or some grated lemon zest to the dough. For a fruitier version, you could also place a spoonful of jam in the centre of the cut-out doughnuts before frying, much as you would for Faschingskrapfen. Experiment with different flavours and find your perfect variation.
Ingredient substitutions
If you don’t have fresh yeast to hand, you can use dried yeast instead. One sachet of dried yeast generally corresponds to about 20 g of fresh yeast. If you are not keen on icing sugar, you can roll the doughnuts in cinnamon sugar instead. For a particularly luxurious touch, you could also drizzle the doughnuts with a little melted chocolate before serving — a trick that works beautifully for Bauernkrapfen too.
Drink pairing ideas
Wedding doughnuts taste especially good with a hot drink such as coffee or tea. In the colder months, a hot chocolate is also a wonderful match. For a more refreshing note, you can serve the doughnuts with a glass of homemade lemonade. If you prefer something more traditional, a glass of milk or a milky coffee will round off the experience nicely.
Serving and presentation ideas
For a particularly attractive presentation, stack the finished doughnuts on top of one another and decorate them with fresh berries or edible flowers. Serve the doughnuts on a pretty cake stand or a decorative serving tray. Scatter fresh icing sugar over the doughnuts just before serving for an extra-appetising look. Arranging them on a rustic wooden board can also underline the charm of this traditional pastry.
A bit of history
Wedding doughnuts have a long tradition in Austria and are especially popular in rural areas. They were originally baked for weddings to delight the bride and groom and their guests. The exact origin of the doughnuts is unknown, but they date back at least to the Middle Ages. Today they are served not only at weddings but also at Christmas, Easter and other festive occasions — placing them in fine company alongside Austrian classics such as the Kaiserschmarrn.
More recipe ideas
Summary: Wedding Doughnuts
Making Wedding Doughnuts is admittedly a little time-consuming, but the result is more than worth it. With the right ingredients and a touch of patience, you can prepare these traditional Austrian treats yourself at home. The recipe offers plenty of room for adaptation, whether to suit your own tastes or to accommodate particular dietary needs. Give it a go and bring a piece of Austrian pastry craft into your own kitchen.
