These luscious little balls of sweet fried dough are one of the most recognizable Italian carnival sweets. Their name derives from the word castagne, meaning chestnuts, referring to their shape and size rather than the use of real chestnuts in the recipe.

Castagnole can be either fried or baked in the oven, filled with cream, or topped with honey. They can also be filled with chocolate, ricotta, or coffee. Crunchy on the outside, yet soft and pillowy on the inside, they are best enjoyed while still warm and after they have been rolled in powdered sugar.