The interesting 1,000-year history behind the beloved Croatian fritule

(Photo credit: Balîna)

Fritule are widely regarded as one of Croatia’s most recognisable festive desserts, particularly along the Dalmatian coast, where they have long been associated with Christmas celebrations.

While many consider them an authentic Croatian speciality, their story stretches back more than a thousand years and spans several continents.

According to historical research conducted by Balîna from Trogir, the first fritule-only shop to open in Croatia, the earliest known ancestor of fritule can be traced to 10th-century Baghdad.

A medieval Arabic cookbook, Kitab al-Tabikh (“The Book of Dishes”), contains one of the earliest recorded recipes for a sweet fried dough known as Zalabiya.

An even closer predecessor appeared in the 13th century when Muhammad bin Hasan al-Baghdadi documented a recipe for Luqmat al-Qadi, meaning “Judge’s Bite”.

The recipe describes small balls of yeast dough fried in hot oil before being dipped in honey or sugar syrup flavoured with rose water and dusted with fine sugar. Food historian Charles Perry later translated the original recipe into English.

At the height of the Abbasid Caliphate, these sweet treats were considered a luxury enjoyed by wealthy elites. As trade and cultural exchange flourished across the Middle East, the recipe spread throughout the Levant, where similar versions are still known today as Awameh.

Over the centuries, the recipe travelled in multiple directions, evolving as it adapted to local ingredients and traditions.

Through Arab rule in the Iberian Peninsula, variations reached Portugal, where they became Filhós. Portuguese explorers later introduced the recipe to Brazil, where it evolved into Bolinho de Chuva.

It also reached West Africa, becoming the popular Puff Puff. Another route took the recipe to Spain, where it developed into the well-known Buñuelo.

(Photo credit: Balîna)

Spanish colonisation later carried these fried pastries throughout Latin America, inspiring regional variations in countries including Colombia, Cuba, Peru and Mexico.

French Crusaders are believed to have introduced the recipe to France, where it evolved into Beignets. French settlers later brought them to New Orleans, where they became one of the city’s best-known culinary traditions.

Following the destruction of Baghdad by the Mongols in the 13th century, Cairo emerged as a new cultural centre. From there, the recipe spread throughout the Ottoman Empire, becoming Lokma in modern-day Turkey and Loukoumades in Greece.

The route that eventually led to Croatia passed through Venice. Venetian merchants adapted the original recipe by replacing the sticky syrup with ingredients such as pine nuts, candied fruit, citrus zest, grappa and other aromatic liqueurs, creating the Venetian Fritola.

(Photo credit: Balîna)

As much of the eastern Adriatic coast was under Venetian rule, the recipe naturally reached Dalmatia. Local families adapted it using ingredients that were more readily available, including raisins, homemade brandy or rum, grated apples, and lemon or orange zest.

Over time, the name evolved into the Croatian fritula.

The oldest surviving written recipes for fritule in Dalmatia date back to the 18th century.

Among the earliest known records is a handwritten cookbook belonging to the Garagnin-Fanfogna noble family of Trogir, now preserved in the Trogir Town Museum. Written in Italian, the recipes refer to the dessert as Fritole, reflecting the Venetian influence of the period.

(Photo credit: Balîna)

Although their earliest origins lie far beyond Croatia, fritule have been part of Dalmatian culinary tradition for at least three centuries.

Passed down through generations and adapted to local tastes, they have become an enduring symbol of Croatian festive cuisine and an integral part of the country’s gastronomic heritage.