Maritozzi

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Maritozzi are Italian sweet buns that originated from Rome. They’re fluffy brioche-style buns filled with homemade whipped cream!

Maritozzi are fluffy brioche-style buns filled with homemade whipped cream and dusted with confectioners’ sugar! These Italian sweet buns date as far back as Ancient Rome. Brioche is an enriched dough which means it’s made with milk, eggs and butter to make it super soft and fluffy. The rich brioche and light whipped cream filling are a match made in heaven!

Looking for more Italian recipes? Try my Small Batch Focaccia or Ricciarelli!

Ingredient Breakdown

Milk – makes the bread flavorful and fluffy. Whole milk is best for baking.

Granulated sugar – feeds the yeast and tenderizes the bread.

Instant yeast – makes the dough rise.

Eggs – make the dough so soft and fluffy!

Salt – enhances flavor.

All-purpose flour – gives the bread structure.

Butter – adds flavor and tenderizes the dough. I always recommend using unsalted butter but salted butter works if that’s all you have on hand, just be sure to omit the 1 teaspoon of salt.

How To Make Maritozzi

1. Make the Maritozzi Dough: heat the milk until lukewarm (110°F) then whisk with the granulated sugar in a mixing bowl and sprinkle the yeast on top. Once the yeast begins to bubble, whisk in the eggs and salt.

2. Place the bowl on a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook and add about 1/4 cup of flour. Mix on low speed until mostly combined then repeat until all the flour is gone.

3. Once the flour is fully incorporated and the dough is smooth, begin to add the cubed butter in small amounts. Wait until the butter is fully mixed in before adding more.

4. Once the butter is completely mixed into the dough, transfer it to a large lightly greased bowl then cover and allow to rise in a warm place for an hour or until doubled in size.

5. After the dough has risen, punch it down to release the air then divide the dough into 10 equal pieces (about 70g per piece). Form each piece into a ball then place on a parchment lined baking sheet. Cover and allow to rise in a warm place for an hour or until doubled in size.

6. Prepare an egg wash by whisking together the egg and 1 tbsp of heavy cream or milk then lightly brush over the buns (you can also skip the egg wash altogether or even just brush them with a little bit of milk). Bake the maritozzi buns at 350°F for 15 minutes or until golden brown. Allow to cool on a wire rack while you prepare the whipped cream.

7. Make The Whipped Cream: using a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, whip the heavy cream, confectioners’ sugar and vanilla extract on medium speed until stiff peaks form (this happens very quickly so don’t walk about from it). Be careful not to over whip or the texture will be grainy.

8. Use a bread knife to cut the maritozzi down the middle leaving the bottom intact (like a hot dog bun). Pipe or spoon a generous amount of whipped cream into the center of each bun then use mini offset spatula to smooth it out. Dust with confectioners’ sugar before serving. Store Maritozzi in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days (let them come to room temperature before eating).

Pro Tips For Maritozzi

• Weigh your ingredients using a kitchen scale! Measuring ingredients by volume is not accurate; baking is a science after all!
• Do not overheat the water and milk or you’ll kill the yeast! Yeast dies at 140°F.
• It’s best to let the dough rise someplace warm. I’ll usually place it on or next to my stovetop if my oven is on.
• Whipped cream goes from stiff peaks to grainy and over whipped very quickly so don’t walk away once you begin making it.
• Make sure the maritozzi buns are COMPLETELY COOLED before filling with the whipped cream otherwise it will melt.

If you try this recipe then please leave a rating/comment below to let me know how you liked it and feel free to ask any recipe questions you may have! 🙂