German Krapfen Recipe... Traditional Fried Dough Treats for New Year and Fasching! (2024)

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One of my father’s favorite food memories is his Mother’s GermanKrapfen Recipe that she would make every year on New Year’s Eve . These are Rheinische ÖlKrapfen, which means they are a fried yeast dough filled with raisins… sort of like a donut, but not (so don’t make these expecting them to taste like Krispy Kremes, Winchell’s, Dunkin Donuts, or even Zombie Donuts). Maybe the closest relative is a deep fried raisin bun.

When I was growing up, my mother would make them from time to time… and I loved standing there by the stove, eating the hot fried dough after it was rolled in a coating of sugar.

mmmmm

Note- EAT RHEINISCHE KRAPFEN WARM!

Seriously, these taste yummy warm from the fryer… but as they sit… they get hard, and a bit tasteless. Sort of like funnel cakes… you have to eat them right away.

Rheinische Öl Krapfen History

Why do we eat Rheinische Öl Krapfen at New Year?

You didn’t think you’d come away without learning something, did you?

Krapfen go back to the 2nd century BC! The Romans ate them covered in honey… which actually sounds pretty good right now…. (truth is, if you leave Krapfen out on the counter overnight, they taste a bit like they’ve been around since the 2nd century…so eat them WARM and FRESH).

They are mentioned again in the 12th century in Monastery cooking instructions as Craphun…to be made as celebration food before a time of fasting.

This German Krapfen Recipe is a from the Rhineland… Rheinische Krapfen are traditionally made by cutting the dough off from the main blob with a spoon, there are hooks of dough left… it is though that this is where the name Krapfen came from… krapfen are little hooks…

Fattening up before the Fast

Fried Food… like Krapfen and Berliner… as well as treats like Donuts or Beignets.. are traditional celebratory foods, especially in times before a fast. The word Karneval has it’s roots in Latin Carne (meat) vale (goodbye or farewell). Basically, people wanted to eat the last remaining meat, butter and fat before Lent, so that it didn’t go bad while they were fasting. (And I imagine a lot of people wanted to fatten up a bit before they had to restrict their diet). Faschingdienstag or Karnevel Dienstag is the last hurrah before Ash Wednesday, and the beginning of Lent. Oma made these on Silvester, because after the New Year celebrations, everyone tightened their belts a bit to get through Winter.

(If you are looking for the Jelly filled Krapfen or Berliner, here are two recipes- Berliner filled before Frying and Berliner filled after Frying)

German Krapfen Recipe

German Krapfen Recipe for New Year

You can make Rheinische Krapfen traditional way... with raisins, both regular and golden. Or you can toss in Dried Cranberries (which I very much prefer to raisins). Some traditional recipes will call for those dried orange bits that go into fruitcake.Or...You can make them without any fruit (my kids love them plain).... and roll them in cinnamon sugar.

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Total Time 2 hours hrs

Servings 18 - 20 Krapfen

Ingredients

4 tsp 25 gram Yeast
2 Tbl Sugar
1/2 cup 125 ml LukeWarm Milk
3 cups 375 gram Flour
3 Eggs
1/2 to 3/4 cup Raisins
Dried Currents or Dried Cranberries
1 - 2 TBL grated Lemon Zest
5 cups 1 liter Oil for Frying
1 to 2 cups Granulated Sugar

Instructions

Combine the Luke Warm Milk, Yeast and Sugar in a small Bowl or Measuring Cup. Stir and let sit for 10 minutes.
Put the Flour in the Bowl of a Mixing Bowl... make a well in the flour.... pour in the risen yeast mixture.
Add the Eggs, then beat the eggs, flour and yeast mixture together until combined.
Put the dough on a lightly floured counter... then knead for 5 minutes until the dough is smooth. Knead by pushing the dough with the heel of your hand.. then fold the dough over on to itself... and push again. You can knead the dough in a stand mixer with a dough hook, but I find that kneading therapy keeps me somewhat sane during crazy days. And I don't feel so bad about the calories when I've had a workout....
Put a spoonful or two of oil into a bowl, drop the dough in, roll it over to cover in oil, and cover with a piece of plastic wrap. Set in a warm space to rise. I usually turn the oven on for a few minutes... then shut it off and set the dough bowl inside (don't forget it's in there and turn the oven back on... )
(Go lie down for an hour....lock the door and tell everyone not to bug you OR ELSE!!)
Ok... dough doubled? Let's keep going...
If you have a fryer... pour in the oil, and set the temperature to 325. If you don't have a fryer... get a medium pan, pour in the oil, and clip a thermometer onto the side. Bring it to 325.
Set some Paper towels near the pan or fryer... and set a bowl of Granulated sugar next to that.... and a plate next to that.
Dump the Dough onto the counter... sprinkle the Lemon zest over the dough, along with half of the fruit. Fold dough over, pat down, then cover the folded dough with the rest of the fruit. Knead together 2 or 3 times to mix.
Let rest for a few minutes.... it will puff back up a bit.
ok, You have the hot oil... the sugar.... and the dough puffing back up. Time to start frying.
Traditionally, people would cut off a bit of dough with a spoon... I used a knife. You want bits about the size of a ping pong ball... more or less. This isn't an exact science.
Drop the pieces into the hot oil... no more than 5 at a time... Let fry for 4 minutes... roll over with a slotted spoon.
Pull the fried pieces out and let dry a bit on some paper towels... then move to the sugar bowl.
Coat Completely!!! Throw on extra! Make it a Party!
Move to a Serving Plate.
These are best warm... so either eat them straightaway, or keep them warm in a low oven.

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