Zeppole are back at Barbara’s Delights.
Zeppole are a traditional Italian pastry prepared for St. Joseph’s Day on March 19th. At Barbara’s Delights in Brookfield Connecticut, we prepare them once a year to share this beautiful Italian tradition with our local community.
Orders for St. Joseph’s Day opens today, Friday, and will remain open through Monday, March 16th. Because they are made fresh and in limited quantities, orders will close once we reach our capacity.
Pickup will be on March 19th, St. Joseph’s Day, with two time slots available.
Orders can be submitted here: https://forms.gle/1qhP8NArZMSvMtj4A
Now, let’s talk about the story behind this beautiful Italian pastry.
The Story of Zeppole
Zeppole are traditionally made in Italy to celebrate St. Joseph’s Day on March 19th. The pastry is especially associated with Southern Italy, where bakeries prepare trays of zeppole every year for the occasion.
In many Italian families, buying zeppole on that day is simply part of the celebration — a small ritual that marks the arrival of Spring and brings people together around something sweet.
Interestingly, this is not a tradition I grew up with.
Being from Milano, zeppole were not something we typically saw in our bakeries in March. I actually discovered how beloved they are after moving to the United States, where many people look forward to them every year and often ask about them as St. Joseph’s Day approaches.
How Zeppole Are Made at Barbara’s Delights
For many people in Brookfield Connecticut who have Italian roots, St. Joseph’s Day wouldn’t feel complete without zeppole. Every year customers ask if we will be making them again, and we are always happy to continue this sweet tradition.
At our small Italian bakery in Brookfield Connecticut, zeppole are something we prepare once a year for St. Joseph’s Day, keeping the recipe simple and traditional.
The pastry is made from choux dough, prepared with simple ingredients: Good butter, water, a pinch of salt, flour and eggs. The dough is mixed and worked slowly, just as tradition teaches, and then baked in the oven until golden and light.
While some bakeries fry their zeppole, ours are always baked, which gives them a lighter texture while still keeping their delicate structure.
The filling is a classic pastry cream, made from fresh eggs, milk, cream, sugar, and real vanilla beans. It’s a silky, rich cream that pairs perfectly with the light pastry.
Each zeppola is then dusted with powdered sugar and finished with the traditional Fabbri amarena cherry.
For those who prefer something slightly different, they can also be topped with fresh raspberries instead.
A Sweet Italian Tradition
Even though zeppole were not part of my childhood in Milano, they have become one of those traditions I truly enjoy sharing here.
It’s a small piece of Italian pastry culture — simple ingredients, careful preparation, and a dessert made for a specific day of the year.
And that is often what makes it special.
If you are in Brookfield or nearby towns in Connecticut and would like to celebrate St. Joseph’s Day with this classic Italian pastry, orders for zeppole at Barbara’s Delights are open until Monday, March 16th, with pickup on March 19th in two different time slots.
Orders can be submitted here: https://forms.gle/1qhP8NArZMSvMtj4A
With love,
Barbara
