Chiacchiere – a quick Italian dessert
Jun 19, 2025
Chiacchiere (pronounced kyákere ) is a traditional Italian dessert , which has its place mainly during the carnival season. Their origins date back to ancient Rome, where similar sweet pancakes were fried. But today you can make them at any time and with this recipe you will have them ready in a few minutes.
This delicacy has a different name in each region of Italy – from bugie to crostoli – but the principle is the same: thin dough, fried until golden brown and dusted with sugar. This makes chiacchiere one of those quick sweet recipes that even a beginner can master.
I know Chiacciere (read: kyákere) from Lombardy and they remind me of pancake dough fried until golden brown, coated in powdered sugar.
Why prepare chiacchiere at home?
✓ The dough is simple and you can make it without a food processor
✓ Thanks to the sourdough, they have a great texture and taste
✓ Light and crispy – they disappear faster than you can fry them
Recipe for Chiacchiere – Italian dessert
Ingredients:
250 g plain flour
35 g sugar
30 g butter at room temperature
20 g grappa or white rum
1 medium egg
1 egg yolk
3 g baking powder
35 g wheat yeast
seeds from 1/2 vanilla pod or 1 teaspoon vanilla sugar
lemon zest from 1/2 lemon
a pinch of salt
rapeseed or sunflower oil for frying
powdered sugar for sprinkling
Procedure:
1) Combine all ingredients into a compact dough. Form into a ball, wrap in foil and let rest for 30 minutes.
2) Roll out the dough really thinly. Cut into different shapes with a rolling pin or knife.
3) Fry in oil at 170–180 °C until golden brown.
4) Remove with a slotted spoon, let drain on a paper towel and sprinkle with powdered sugar.
What to watch out for to make Chiacchiere successful
– Rolling out the dough is key. The thinner it is, the crispier the result. Don’t be afraid to roll it really thoroughly, almost until translucent.
– The oil must be sufficiently hot , but not overheated – 170 to 180 °C is ideal. If you feel that the dough is darkening too quickly while frying, reduce the temperature a little.
– Don't forget to dust the dough thoroughly with any flour before frying so that the oil stays clean and doesn't burn unnecessarily.
Other quick sweet recipes with and without sourdough
If you enjoyed chiacchiere, try other Italian desserts or quick sweet recipes:
– Yogurt donuts
– Banana bread with sourdough
– And if you want to bake or work with sourdough like a professional, sign up for my bread baking course .
Let it smell good at home and let the rising process go smoothly.
