Wine Donuts: Traditional Roman Rustic Sweets
The Wine donuts, also known as Tarallucci with wine or Drunk girls, are one of the most representative desserts of the popular cuisine of Lazio. With just a few simple ingredients—flour, sugar, white wine, and anise seeds—you can make biscuits with a crumbly texture and an unmistakable aroma that evoke the taste of home and tradition.
Their history is lost in the pages of peasant cuisine in Lazio: originally prepared with leftover wine from the grape harvest, these sweets were the most delicious way to avoid wasting anything. Today, they are enjoyed throughout Italy as breakfast biscuits, as a snack, or dipped in sweet wine or vin santo.
Why use the right flour for wine donuts?
There choice of flour is crucial to obtain the right crumbly consistency. high quality 00 flour, with the right protein content, ensures a dough that's easy to work with and bakes evenly. For those who want to experiment, a type 1 or whole wheat flour also adds extra character.

Wine Ciambelline Recipe
Ingredients
- 500 g Flour "00"
- 150 ml White wine
- 100 ml Oil of sunflower seeds
- 150 g sugar + extra for coverage
- 1 Spoon Aniseed
- 8 g Yeast for sweets
Instructions
Preparation
- In a bowl, sift the flour and yeast and put all the other ingredients in the center.
- Start kneading until you get a smooth dough.
- Form some cords of dough about 15 cm long and about 1 cm thick and close into a ring.
- Pass only one side in the sugar and place the donuts on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Cooking
- Bake in a preheated oven at 180 ° for about 20 minutes, as always, the cooking times may vary depending on the type of oven and the size we have given to the donuts.
- Allow to cool before serving your donuts.
Variations of Wine Donuts
The classic recipe calls for dry white wine, but many regional variations use red wine for a darker result with a more decisive flavour. Red Wine Donuts they are typical of some provinces of Lazio and Umbria.
- With red wine: more intense color, more robust flavor
- With cooked wine or must: sweeter and more aromatic, typical of autumn
- With sesame seeds: instead of anise for those who don't like the aniseed taste
- Pepper version: adding a teaspoon of black pepper for a spicy note
How to Store Wine Donuts
Thanks to the absence of fresh ingredients, the Wine Donuts keep very well. In a tin can or airtight container, at room temperature, they remain crunchy for up to 3 weeks. They're perfect for making ahead for homemade food gifts.



