Lemon Ricotta Fritters: golden, light and fluffy

These golden, light and fluffy lemon and ricotta fritters are almost like mini donuts! They’re quick to make, and sure to be a hit with the whole family.

The great thing about these fritters is that they’re not too sweet, and they’re heavenly dipped in your favorite preserves or dusted with icing sugar.

Instructions

Heat around 1 inch of oil in a medium heavy-duty pot or deep skillet. Heat over medium-high heat until the oil is about 370 degrees F.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, lemon zest, and salt.

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Step 1

Heat around 1 inch of oil in a medium heavy-duty pot or deep skillet. Heat over medium-high heat until the oil is about 370 degrees F.

In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the ricotta, eggs, sugar, and vanilla until smooth.

Add ricotta mixture to flour mixture and whisk to combine. The dough will thicken and be very sticky.

Working in batches, use a small cookie scoop or a spoon to drop batter into the hot oil. It’s hard to get perfect round fritters, so don’t worry if you end up with some strange-looking shapes – they taste just as good!

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Step 4

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, lemon zest, and salt.

Fry until the fritters are golden brown, about 2-3 minutes, turning once. Don’t be afraid to leave them in until they’re a deep golden brown – the dough must cook through to the center.

Remove cooked fritters from the oil with a spider strainer (or slotted spoon) and place on a paper towel-lined plate. Repeat until all batter has been fried.

Sprinkle the top of the fritters with more lemon zest, and sprinkle with powdered sugar, if using. Serve warm with blackberry preserves.

Tips

If you don't fry the fritters long enough, the center will still be raw. Cook and time a test fritter, then open it up to check if it’s cooked through to the middle. If it is, cook the others for the same length of time. If it’s still raw, add extra cooking time for the others.