Zeppole bring warm memories, simple ingredients, and a crisp bite that’s perfect any time of year. This dessert is a staple in Italian-American kitchens and is often made for celebrations. This vegan version keeps the texture light and the flavor rich, without eggs or dairy. Not familiar with Zeppole? Think pillowy-soft dough, fried to perfection, and dusted with powdered sugar.
Ingredients Needed to Make Vegan Zeppole:
- Warm non-dairy milk – You activate the yeast and create a soft dough.
- Sugar – Helps activate the yeast and lightly sweetens the dough.
- Active dry yeast – Helps create a fluffy, airy dough.Â
- Vanilla extract – Adds a subtle vanilla flavor.
- Salt – Balances sweetness and improves dough structure.
- Olive oil or melted vegan butter – Either works in the recipe. We’ve tested it with both, and you can’t go wrong. For vegan butter, we like to use Country Crock plant butter.Â
- All-purpose flour – Ideal for making light, fluffy zeppole.Â
- Oil for frying – We like to use a neutral oil with a high smoke point, like avocado, vegetable, or canola oil.Â
- Powdered sugar – The perfect topping to finish off your freshly fried zeppole.Â
Find the full printable recipe here: Vegan Zeppole (Italian Donuts)







