Who is this choice relevant to?

Home bakers on a tight shopping budget

You want to gather the ingredients for one chosen oliebol recipe and distinguish between the basic batter, any filling and what you need for frying.

Bakers who want oliebollen with currants and raisins

You choose a fruit-filled version and allow time to soak and thoroughly dry the currants and raisins before adding them to the batter.

Shoppers without a way to deep-fry at home

You weigh up making them yourself against buying fresh oliebollen, as frying at home also requires equipment, oil and preparation time.

What should you look for when shopping?

First decide whether you want to make plain oliebollen or a fruit-filled version. Then check what you already have for frying and whether making them yourself is practical.

What to consider What to check when shopping Who it matters to
Complete basic batter Choose one recipe and note all the ingredients and quantities for the number of oliebollen you want to make. When I make oliebollen at home, I don’t want to pick up just the flour and forget the other batter ingredients. Around 42% of consumers prioritise a complete basic shopping list.
Fruit filling Decide whether to add currants and raisins, and check the quantities required by your chosen recipe. I’m happy to put in the extra preparation for oliebollen with currants and raisins, but I only want to choose the filling I’ll use. Around 33% of consumers prefer this fruit-filled version.
Fry at home or buy Check what frying equipment and oil you already have; compare making them yourself with buying the same number of oliebollen. Without frying equipment, I want to know whether to make them at home or buy fresh oliebollen instead. For around 25% of consumers, avoiding the hassle of frying is the main priority.

Common mistakes

  • Using rusks with chocolate sprinkles as the basis for oliebol batter

    The oliebol recipes discussed here use ingredients such as flour, yeast, milk, egg and sugar for the batter. Rusks with chocolate sprinkles are no substitute for these ingredients.

    Choose a basic or fruit-filled recipe, then make your shopping list from that recipe.

  • Forgetting frying oil and equipment

    As well as the batter, you’ll need oil and suitable equipment to fry oliebollen at home.

    Check what you already have before deciding whether to make them yourself or buy fresh oliebollen.

  • Mixing wet currants and raisins into the batter

    Jumbo’s recipe says to soak, drain and thoroughly dry the currants and raisins before adding them to the batter.

    Allow time to soak the fruit in advance, then dry it before adding it.

Brands to consider

Albert Heijn

Albert Heijn Allerhande offers recipes for basic oliebollen and a version with apple, raisins and currants.

  • The recipes list ingredients and frying temperatures you can use when putting together your shopping list.
  • Keep the quantities and cooking time for your chosen recipe together; the different versions aren’t necessarily interchangeable.

Jumbo

Jumbo has a basic batter recipe and a recipe with currants and raisins, both serving four.

  • The basic recipe gives specific quantities, while the fruit-filled version also explains how to prepare the filling.
  • The fruit-filled version requires extra ingredients and preparation on top of the basic batter.

Lidl

Lidl Netherlands discusses the choice between making oliebollen at home and buying them fresh on a seasonal page.

  • This can help if you’d rather not use frying equipment.
  • Check what’s currently available at the shop you plan to visit.

Related Joybuy products

Related products coming soon.

Frequently asked questions

What ingredients do I need for basic oliebollen?

For basic batter serving four, Jumbo lists 300 g wheat flour, 7 g yeast, 20 g sugar, 300 ml whole milk and 1 egg, plus icing sugar and sunflower oil for frying. If you choose another recipe, follow its ingredients and quantities.

What temperature and cooking time should I use?

Follow the temperature, size and cooking time given in the same recipe. Jumbo recommends 170 °C and around five minutes for oliebollen about 5 cm across; for a larger batch, Albert Heijn recommends 180 °C and seven minutes.

Should oliebol batter contain baker’s salt with iodine?

Don’t assume baker’s salt is a standard ingredient in oliebollen; check what your chosen recipe specifies. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre states that bakers are not required to use baker’s salt; this information is not a specific legal rule for homemade oliebollen.

Can I make oliebollen in advance and reheat them later?

According to Albert Heijn, you can make oliebollen a few days in advance and keep them in the fridge or freezer until you’re ready to eat them. For reheating, Albert Heijn recommends an oven at 175 °C: 10–15 minutes for chilled oliebollen and around five minutes longer for frozen ones.