What Is a Bomboloni? (And How It's Different from a Berliner or a Doughnut)
A bomboloni is an Italian filled doughnut: a round ball of soft, yeast-raised dough that is fried, rolled in sugar and usually filled through the side with custard, chocolate or jam. Unlike a ring doughnut it has no hole, and the filling sits inside. FOMO Bakery, a small-batch bakery in Bangalore, makes bomboloni from ₹99 to ₹249 each and delivers them within the city.
Is it bombolone or bomboloni?
Both are right. Bombolone (bom-bo-LOH-neh) is the singular and bomboloni (bom-bo-LOH-nee) is the plural, so you eat one bombolone and order a box of bomboloni.
In everyday English, "bomboloni" often stands in for a single doughnut too, which is why both words appear on this page.
What is inside a bomboloni?
The classic filling is Italian pastry cream, or crema pasticcera, a thick vanilla custard. Chocolate custard and jam are common too, and some bomboloni are left unfilled and simply rolled in sugar.
The dough is an enriched yeast dough, typically made with flour, eggs, butter, sugar and milk, which gives it a soft, light crumb. After frying, each bombolone is rolled in sugar while still warm, and the filling is piped in through a small opening in the side.
What is the difference between a bomboloni and a Berliner?
They are close cousins: both are round, fried, yeast-raised doughnuts with no hole and a filling inside. A bombolone is Italian, usually rolled in granulated sugar and filled with custard, while a Berliner is German, usually filled with jam and dusted with icing sugar.
The Berliner goes by several names in German-speaking countries, including Pfannkuchen and Krapfen. In practice the fillings overlap, so you will find custard Berliners and jam bomboloni. Sugar-rolled with custard versus icing-dusted with jam is still the easiest way to tell them apart.
What is the difference between a bomboloni and a doughnut?
A bomboloni is a type of doughnut, just not the ring-shaped one most people picture. A ring doughnut has a hole in the middle, no filling, and a topping such as glaze, icing, sugar or sprinkles.
Ring doughnuts can be yeast-raised, or made as cake doughnuts from a batter raised with baking powder, which gives a denser, more crumbly bite. A bombolone is made from yeast dough, so it is light and soft, and the main event is what is inside rather than what is on top.
How do bomboloni, Berliners and ring doughnuts compare?
All three are fried doughnuts. The differences come down to where they are from, their shape, whether they are filled and how they are finished.
| Feature | Bombolone | Berliner | Ring doughnut |
|---|---|---|---|
| Origin | Italy | Germany | Most associated with the United States |
| Shape | Round, no hole | Round, no hole | Ring with a hole in the middle |
| Dough | Enriched yeast dough | Enriched yeast dough | Yeast dough or cake batter |
| Filling | Usually custard; also chocolate or jam; sometimes unfilled | Usually jam; sometimes custard | None |
| Typical topping | Granulated sugar | Icing (powdered) sugar | Glaze, icing, sugar or sprinkles |
What bomboloni flavours does FOMO Bakery make?
FOMO Bakery makes six single bomboloni in Bangalore, from ₹99 for the plain Sugar Bombolone to ₹249 for Boston Cream and Lemon Custard. Two are unfilled and sugar-rolled; the other four are filled.
- Sugar Bombolone, ₹99: unfilled and rolled in fine sugar while still warm.
- Cinnamon Sugar Bombolone, ₹149: unfilled and rolled in cinnamon sugar.
- Vanilla Custard Bombolone, ₹189: filled with vanilla custard and rolled in fine sugar.
- Chocolate Custard Bombolone, ₹189: filled with chocolate custard and rolled in fine sugar.
- Boston Cream Bombolone, ₹249: a cream filling under a glossy chocolate glaze, after the American Boston cream doughnut.
- Lemon Custard Bombolone, ₹249: a zesty lemon custard filling, one of FOMO's seasonal flavours.
Every FOMO bombolone contains wheat (gluten), egg and milk. The core flavours are in the FOMO bomboloni collection.
Can you order bomboloni in a box or for a party?
Yes. FOMO's bomboloni box of four costs ₹699, and THE Bombolone Tower, 15 bomboloni stacked into a centrepiece, costs ₹2,499.
The Tower comes in assorted flavours and is built for birthdays, office celebrations and anyone who wants the table to go quiet for a minute.
Does FOMO Bakery make Berliners too?
Yes. FOMO makes Berliners at ₹249 each in India's Best Jam, Blueberry, Piña Colada and Black Forest, and a box of four Berliners costs ₹899.
The Blueberry Berliner is filled with blueberry jam and the Piña Colada with pineapple and coconut, and both are finished with a dusting of icing sugar, the German way. See them all in the FOMO Berliners collection.
How long do bomboloni stay fresh?
Bomboloni are best eaten the same day they are made. FOMO Bakery fries its bomboloni and Berliners fresh in small batches in Bangalore, so plan to eat them on the day they arrive.
FOMO delivers within Bangalore only; nothing ships outside the city.
Where can I order bomboloni in Bangalore?
FOMO Bakery takes bomboloni orders online at fomobakery.com and delivers within Bangalore. For flavour picks, party sizes and how limited drops work, read our guide to ordering bomboloni in Bangalore.
Questions people ask
Is it bombolone or bomboloni?
Both are correct. Bombolone is the singular and bomboloni is the plural, though in everyday English "bomboloni" is often used for one doughnut too.
What is the difference between a bomboloni and a Berliner?
Both are round, fried, filled yeast doughnuts with no hole. A bombolone is Italian, usually rolled in granulated sugar and filled with custard, while a Berliner is German, usually filled with jam and dusted with icing sugar.
Is a bomboloni the same as a doughnut?
A bomboloni is a type of doughnut, but not a ring doughnut. It is round with no hole and has its filling inside, while a ring doughnut has a hole, no filling and a topping such as glaze or icing.
How much does a bomboloni cost at FOMO Bakery?
At FOMO Bakery in Bangalore, single bomboloni cost ₹99 to ₹249 depending on the flavour. A box of four is ₹699 and THE Bombolone Tower of 15 is ₹2,499.
How long do bomboloni stay fresh?
Bomboloni are best eaten the same day they are made. FOMO Bakery fries its bomboloni fresh in small batches in Bangalore, so eat them on the day they arrive.
Does FOMO Bakery deliver bomboloni outside Bangalore?
No. FOMO Bakery delivers within Bangalore only, and nothing ships outside the city.