Papanași: Romanian Fried Donuts

Papanași are traditional, deep-fried cheese-filled donuts usually served with jam and sour cream. They are super delicious and they are probably the most popular Romanian dessert. You can find them in nearly every traditional Romanian restaurant and they are a must-try when visiting the country.

To the confusion of foreign tourists, but also many Romanians, papanași is also the name of traditional boiled cottage cheese dumplings. These can also be served with jam, but are very different in both taste and texture from the deep-fried version. So when visiting a Romanian restaurant make sure to ask what type of papanași they have on the menu.

Below is a traditional recipe for papanași. Easy and delicious!

Papanași: Romanian Fried Donuts

Diana Oana

These delightful donuts are crispy on the outside, fluffy on the inside, and irresistibly delicious—a true taste of Romanian tradition.

4.91 from 53 votes

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 30 minutes mins

Course Dessert

Cuisine Romanian

Servings 10 pieces

Ingredients

 

US CustomaryMetric

 

1x2x3x

Donuts

• 500 g cottage cheese
• 2 eggs
• 30 g powdered sugar
• 220 g all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder

For assembling:

• sour cream
• blueberry jam (or sour cherry, blackberry or mixed berry jam)
• vanilla-flavored powdered sugar (optional)

Instructions

 

• To prepare the donuts mix all the ingredients in a bowl. Then, using your hands (covered in flour), shape 10 large balls (about the size of a chicken egg) and 10 small balls (about the size of a quail egg).

  The dough will be soft, and that’s how it should be. Resist the temptation to add more flour, as this will make the papanași dense and not fluffy.
• Make a hole in the center of each large ball with the handle of a wooden spoon. Then, carefully transfer the papanași into hot oil.
• Fry the papanași on medium heat for about 3 minutes on one side and another 2 minutes on the other side. The small balls will cook faster.
• Transfer the papanași to a plate lined with paper towels to absorb any excess oil. Assemble them and serve with sour cream and jam while they’re still hot.
• Optional: sprinkle with vanilla powdered sugar and enjoy these delicious, warm papanași!

Notes

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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Diana Oana

As an award winning food blogger, I started my culinary journey in 2010, driven by a fervent commitment to crafting flavorful, tasty meals that defy the stereotype of bland health cuisine. I love to cook anything from appetizers to main courses and desserts from a wide range of cuisines as well as traditional Romanian dishes.