National Dish Switzerland: Zigerkrapfen (Recipe)
In this article
Meet Zigerkrapfen, a golden little pastry that carries all the charm of the Swiss Alps. Thin sheets of dough are wrapped around a sweet, fragrant ziger filling studded with plump sultanas, then folded into neat half-moons and fried until crisp and deep gold. Rolled while still warm in spiced sugar, these fritters are pure alpine comfort — the kind of treat you might once have found cooling on a farmhouse windowsill in the canton of Glarus. Simple, nostalgic and utterly moreish.
About Zigerkrapfen
Zigerkrapfen are a traditional Swiss deep-fried pastry. They are made from a thinly rolled dough that is filled with a sweet ziger filling, sealed into a half-moon shape and fried in hot fat until golden brown. Importantly, there is no savoury seasoning here — no pepper, no nutmeg and certainly no garlic sauces. The classic direction is firmly sweet, complete with sultanas and the characteristic Glarus spiced sugar (cinnamon sugar works just as well as an alternative). It is a rustic speciality that belongs to the wider tradition of sweet fried pastries found across Swiss cuisine.
Ingredients (serves 1–2)
- Dough: 250 g plain flour
- 1 pinch of salt
- 30 g sugar
- 1 egg
- 30–40 g soft butter
- 80–120 ml milk (as needed, until a smooth dough forms)
- Filling: 200 g ziger (Schabziger / Glarus ziger)
- 40–60 g sugar (to taste)
- 1 handful of sultanas (about 40–60 g)
- Glarus spiced sugar or cinnamon sugar (for the filling and for coating)
- For frying: neutral oil or fat for deep-frying
- To finish: extra Glarus spiced sugar or cinnamon sugar for rolling
Shopping for the ingredients
The most important item is the ziger itself. If you are shopping in Germany or elsewhere outside Switzerland, look in Swiss delis, fine-food shops or online for Schabziger or Glarus ziger. Sultanas, flour, milk, butter and sugar are all everyday staples. If Glarus spiced sugar is hard to find, cinnamon sugar makes a practical stand-in, both for the filling and for the outer coating.
Preparing the dish
- Soak the sultanas (optional) for 10 minutes in warm water, then drain.
- Mix the filling: beat the ziger with sugar until creamy, fold in the sultanas and season with spiced sugar or cinnamon sugar.
- Prepare the dough and let it rest for 20–30 minutes (important for rolling it out thinly).
Step-by-step instructions
- Dough: combine the flour, salt and sugar. Add the egg and butter, then work in the milk a little at a time until you have a smooth, elastic dough.
- Cover the dough and let it rest for 20–30 minutes.
- Roll the dough out thinly on a lightly floured surface (about 1–2 mm).
- Cut out circles (roughly 8–10 cm). Place 1 teaspoon to 1 tablespoon of filling in the centre of each.
- Fold into half-moons and press the edges firmly together (a fork helps). Make sure they are properly sealed.
- Heat the oil or fat to about 170–180 °C. Fry the pastries in batches for 2–3 minutes until golden brown, turning once.
- Drain, then immediately roll them while still warm in Glarus spiced sugar or cinnamon sugar.
Gluten-free / lactose-free version
For a gluten-free version, use a gluten-free flour blend suited to sweet baking (the dough may be a little more delicate to roll out). For a lactose-free version, use lactose-free milk and butter. With the ziger, check whether a suitable alternative is available — otherwise this step can be tricky depending on the product you find.
Tips for vegans and vegetarians
The original is vegetarian. A truly vegan version is not possible in the classic sense, since ziger is a dairy product; as an approximation, a sweet plant-based “cheese” alternative (for example almond- or cashew-based) together with sultanas and cinnamon sugar can work — though it remains an adaptation rather than the authentic recipe.
More tips and tricks
- Roll it thin: dough that is too thick turns out “bready” rather than delicate.
- Oil temperature: too cool and the pastries turn greasy; too hot and they darken outside while staying raw within.
- Coat straight away: rolling in spiced sugar or cinnamon sugar should follow the frying immediately, while they are still warm.
Adapting the recipe to your taste
For a more dessert-like result, add a little extra sugar and a few more sultanas. For a spicier note, add more spiced sugar or cinnamon — but never pepper, nutmeg or garlic.
Ingredient substitutions
- No Glarus spiced sugar: use cinnamon sugar (for both the filling and the coating).
- No sultanas: ordinary raisins or currants work just as well.
Drink pairing ideas
Coffee, black tea or a herbal tea are all classic choices. Hot milk (or a plant-based milk alternative) also pairs beautifully with sweet fried pastries.
Serving and presentation ideas
Arrange the pastries on a platter and dust them lightly with a little extra spiced sugar or cinnamon sugar. A small spoonful of apple sauce or plum compote alongside makes a lovely optional accompaniment. They look especially inviting piled up warm, much like a plate of freshly fried Fasnachtschueechli or Aepfelchueechli.
A bit of history
Zigerkrapfen are a regional Swiss speciality rooted in the tradition of sweet fried pastry. Their defining features are the sweet ziger filling with dried fruit and the characteristic outer coating of spiced sugar or cinnamon sugar — a hallmark of the mountain baking so beloved in the canton of Glarus, home also to the well-known Birnbrot.
More recipe ideas
Summary: Zigerkrapfen
Authentic Swiss Zigerkrapfen are sweet, filled, deep-fried pastries: the filling is flavoured with sultanas and Glarus spiced sugar or cinnamon sugar, and after frying the pastries are always rolled in spiced sugar or cinnamon sugar on the outside. Savoury spices and garlic sauces have no place here. Crisp, golden and gently spiced, they are a nostalgic taste of alpine Switzerland well worth making at home.
