Croatian Fritule Recipe
Simple to make and even easier to eat. Fritule are small balls of doughy goodness, often dusted in powdered sugar as an extra treat.
Knowing how to make fritule is almost mandatory for a Croatian. That way, when your relatives just pop in for a visit, you can quickly whip up a batch. Not that Croatian cooking is difficult, but these are extra easy!
The only tricky thing about making this fritule recipe is learning how to control the oil temperature. Too hot, and the fritule will be charred. Too low, and they’ll be oily-soggy balls – practice making one at a time. Then when you get it, you’ll be good to make the whole batch in less than 30 minutes.

Croatian Fritule Recipe
Easy to make, and even easier to eat. Try this Croatian fritule recipe out and let us know what you think.
Ingredients
- 500 g all-purose flour (3 1/2 cups)
- 20 g fresh yeast (2 tablespoons)
- 2 egg yolks
- 80 g raisins (optional) (1/2 cup)
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 50 g of white sugar (1/4 cup)
- 20 g melted butter (1 1/2 tablespoons)
- 150-200 ml warm milk (2/3 - 1 cup)
- 50 ml rakija or brandy (1/4 cup)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- Approximately 500 ml of frying oil (2 1/3 cups)
- Powdered sugar (optional for dusting)
Instructions
- Sift flour into a bowl
- Combine the egg yolks, raisins, salt, sugar, butter, grated lemon zest and 25 ml of the rakija/brandy in a large bowl
- In a large glass dissolve yeast with 100 ml of warm milk and 2 tablespoons of sugar, cover and let it rise
- Then add the yeast mix to the flour and add enough milk so it forms a soft dough
- Allow it to rest covered for approx 30 minutes
- Heat the oil in a deep frying pan. Take pieces of the dough with a teaspoon and drop into the hot oil
- Fry each ball on all sides until golden. (practicing cooking a few to get the oil temperature correct with your cooktop)
- Take each ball out and rest a paper towel to drain off the excess oil
- Once all of the fritule are ready, pour the rest of rakija over, transfer onto a serving bowl and dust with powdered sugar

Little balls of heaven that’s what Fritule looks like to me and you can bet I’d try to abscond with a bag full. *evil grin*
Teeee heee
Those look delicious! Like little fried dough balls. I’ll have to try to make it.
Please do, and let us know what you think.
Wow, can’t believe how sexist this post is! Because what is the wives purpose if not to feed her man make him happy, and make sure the house is ready for the guests… It’s appalling!!!
I live outside of Croatia for a year now. And I can tell you, things like this is why most of the Europe still see us as a dirty Balkans. Us much as we try to present our self as part of modern western Europe.
You don’t have to publish my comment, but please (please!!) change that par of the post. This way you only embarrass your self, and us Croatians. I am only telling you this because I really like your site. Just keep this kind of an attitude in the past where it belongs and keep up the good work :)
Thanks for stopping by Marino, sorry to make you so upset. I am assuming what offended you was the word ‘wife’ in the sentence. To make sure this post stays about how yummy these balls of goodness are not anything political I removed that word. I never said anything about cleaning the house or making your man happy, so I am not sure where that all came from. I am very glad you like the site and took the time to comment, hope to see you back soon.
OK. . .maybe somewhere on the planet, when its inhabitants read that someone is making tasty food for loved ones and friends, and will go the extra inch to make sure her home projects hospitality to her guests. . .it somehow incites in them the reaction of “You dirty Balkans!”.
In the USA, we just figure it means that the person is caring and hospitable.