Easy Sugar Free Low Carb Keto Italian Zeppole Recipe
This sugar free, low carb keto zeppola recipe is an easy, gluten free keto dessert that has just 2 grams of carbs per serving! No keto flours needed!
What is a Zeppola?
The Italian zeppole recipe were created in Naples in 1840 to celebrate the Feast of St. Joseph which is March 19th, two days after St.Patrick’s Day.
Unstuffed Zeppole are essentially fried Italian doughnuts. Basically a cream puff that is often stuffed with ricotta cream and sometimes chocolate and topped with a candied cherry.
It’s a common Italian dessert that are still a treasured tradition for both Italians and Italian-Americans.
These have been on my foodie bucket list for a long time and finally I’ve got a keto recipe for you that I’m thrilled with!
I adapted from my cream puff recipe from my cookbook, Naturally Keto.
Of course, they will never taste exactly like an authentic gluten flour zeppole, but they are a pretty fantastic dessert for anyone watching their sugar intake or on a keto diet or low carb diet.
The more time you are following this low carb lifestyle, the easier it gets to adjust your taste buds to foods that are not as sweet or don’t have gluten in them and that’s a pretty great food freedom, in my opinion.
Carbs in Traditional Zeppole
According to myfooddiary.com, for one order from the restaurant, Olive Garden, there are 810 calories, and 119 grams of carbs and 25 grams of sugar.
This is crazy high and would not be something to include on a ketogenic diet or even a low carb diet as this will spike blood sugar and cause serious cravings.
Carbs in our Keto Zeppole
Our keto donut recipe makes 9 zeppole.
One serving which includes the ricotta pastry cream has 2 total grams of carbs and 6 grams of protein which is pretty great for a keto dessert.
All the rest of the nutritional information with all macros is listed below on the bottom of this page on the printable recipe card.
Fried or Baked Keto Donuts
Typically zeppole are a fried doughnut but many are also baked.
Obviously for our sugar free donuts and being that the dry ingredients used don’t use gluten or wheat, so cooking them in oil wouldn’t work as well as traditional zeppole with white refined flour.
Since I also don’t use any keto flours, they are delicate and would probably soak up too much oil if fried in a pan.
I haven’t yet tried these in an air fryer but I would think it could work, just keep it on a low temperature.
Do I need to use a Silicone Muffin Pan?
Yes I do think a silicone muffin pan is better to use than a standard metal muffin pan. Using silicone does seem to keep them softer and they will need to cook a bit longer.
I baked mine for 25 minutes then carefully flipped them out to be upside down on a baking sheet pan and baked another 5 minutes.
Low Carb Sweetener Swaps
The first time I made this keto zeppole dough, it was not sweet enough for my family. I had used just 1 teaspoon of vanilla liquid stevia.
So upping it and also including some low carb confectioners made it sweeter.
The ricotta pastry cream was sweet enough for me using 2 teaspoons of the vanilla stevia, but feel free to add any low carb sweetener you like and taste and adjust as needed.
I would not recommend using any low carb granulated sweetener in the pastry cream because it will be grainy in texture and not smooth at all.
Here’s my Sweetener Guide & Conversion Chart to show you the correct amount to use compared to granulated, confectioner and liquid sweeteners.
Can I swap the egg white protein powder?
I do not recommend swapping the egg white protein powder as that is the main ingredient needed to create the light and fluffy texture.
I tested this recipe replacing the egg white protein powder with the a 1/4 cup of coconut flour and that didn’t yield any rise and lift like I wanted.
I have not tested this with replacing the egg white protein powder with whey protein powder, though that may work.
Can I replace the cream cheese?
I have not tested this recipe replacing the cream cheese. I do have other low carb breads that use sour cream, but without testing this myself, I can’t say for sure how the zeppole would hold up. Sour cream isn’t has thick and dense as using cream cheese.
Mascarpone cheese could be used to replace cream cheese. Mascarpone would not need to be softened as it is softer in texture to traditional cream cheese.
More Italian Keto Desserts
My cookbook Naturally Keto has some classic Italian favorites like Pizzelle, Tiramisu and Amaretti cookies to name just a few. I also have a serving for just two of Tiramisu in my 30 Day Sugar Elimination diet book.
I also have some of these keto Italian recipes you might like:
Tiramisu Ninja Creami Ice Cream
More Keto Donut Recipes
Chocolate Glazed Almond Flour Donuts
Apple Cider Coconut Flour Donuts
Vanilla Frosted Protein Donuts
Easy Sugar Free Low Carb Keto Italian Zeppola Recipe
Ingredients
Zeppole
- 4 large eggs separated
- 1/2 tsp cream of tartar
- 4 ounces cream cheese softened
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup egg white protein powder unflavored or vanilla can be used
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 2 tsp vanilla liquid stevia or liquid monk fruit
- 1/4 cup Monk Fruit Allulose confectioners sweetener
Ricotta Pastry Cream
- 3/4 cup Ricotta cheese
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- pinch salt
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 2 tsp vanilla liquid stevia or your favorite low carb sweetener to taste
Instructions
Zeppole
- Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Place a standard silicone muffin pan onto a baking sheet pan.
- Place the egg whites into a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer and add the cream of tartar. Use the whisk attachment or an electric hand mixer and beat the egg whites until stiff peaks.
- Place the egg yolks, softened cream cheese, vanilla extract and vanilla stevia, whisk together. Stir in the egg white protein powder, baking powder, baking soda and monk fruit allulose confectioners. Once well combined, fold a small amount into the whipped egg whites. Continue until all incorporated.
- Grease a 12 capacity standard silicone muffin pan. Fill 9 muffin cups.
- Bake 23-25 minutes. Check the center with a toothpick, if it comes out clean, it's done. If not, remove them carefully from the muffin pan and flip upside down onto the baking sheet pan and bake 5 more minutes until golden brown. Allow to cool completely before slicing in half and filling with pastry cream.
Ricotta Pastry Cream
- Place the ricotta cheese, vanilla extract, heavy cream and vanilla stevia in a large bowl or stand mixer and using the whisk attachment, or hand mixer, mix until whipped and thickened. Taste for sweetness, if not sweet enough add more sweetener. You can refrigerate this until ready to serve.
- Once ready, slice the zeppole in half. I kept them upside down since the tops were larger than the bottoms and look more like a zeppole. Add pastry cream to a pastry bag and pipe once around on the bottom of each zeppole.
- Place the tops over the cream and pipe more pastry cream. I added the tip of strawberries, you could also use a raspberry or fresh pitted cherry.
Storage: Place in the fridge covered until ready to serve for up to 2 days.
Notes
Nutrition
About Brenda
Brenda Bennett is a certified Nutritional Therapy Practitioner, certified Sugar Detox Coach, certified Keto Coach and certified Life Coach. She has been Sugar Free & Refined carb free for 17 years and has written 2 cookbooks, Sugar-Free Mom, and Naturally Keto and her 3rd book The 30-Day Sugar Elimination Diet, is a four part program to help you detox from sugar, eliminate cravings, balance blood sugar and lose weight all while eating a delicious, nutrient dense whole foods. Meal plan offers two tracks to follow, low carb or keto. She is the founder of the Sugar Free Fresh Start course and Sugar Free Tribe weight loss membership. Learn more.
