Quick Recipe Version (TL;DR)
Quick Ingredients
- 300 g quark (about 1 1/4 cups, well drained if very wet)
- 2 large eggs (room temperature)
- 80 g granulated sugar (1/3 cup + 1 tbsp)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Finely grated zest of 1 untreated lemon
- 1 pinch fine salt
- 300 g all-purpose flour (2 1/2 cups, spooned and leveled)
- 10 g baking powder (about 2 1/2 tsp)
- 1.5–2 L neutral frying oil (sunflower, canola, or rapeseed)
- 100 g granulated sugar (1/2 cup) + 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon for coating
Do This
- 1. Whisk quark, eggs, 80 g sugar, vanilla, lemon zest, and salt until smooth.
- 2. In another bowl, mix flour and baking powder, then fold into wet ingredients to form a thick, soft dough.
- 3. Heat oil in a deep pot to 170–175°C (340–350°F). Line a tray with paper towels.
- 4. Scoop small walnut-sized portions of dough with two teaspoons or a small scoop.
- 5. Fry in batches for 4–5 minutes, turning, until deep golden brown and cooked through.
- 6. Drain briefly on paper towels.
- 7. While still warm, roll in cinnamon sugar and serve immediately.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Crisp on the outside and wonderfully fluffy inside, with a delicate quark tang.
- Lightly scented with lemon and vanilla, just like at German fairs and Christmas markets.
- Simple pantry ingredients and no yeast, so there is no rising time to wait for.
- Perfect for parties, weekend treats, or a cozy afternoon coffee break.
Grocery List
- Produce: 1 untreated lemon
- Dairy: Quark (or baking quark), eggs
- Pantry: All-purpose flour, granulated sugar, ground cinnamon, vanilla extract, baking powder, fine salt, neutral frying oil
Full Ingredients
For the Quark Dough
- 300 g quark (about 1 1/4 cups; 20% fat or low-fat both work)
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 80 g granulated sugar (1/3 cup + 1 tbsp)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract (or 1 packet vanilla sugar, 8 g)
- Finely grated zest of 1 untreated lemon
- 1 pinch fine salt
- 300 g all-purpose flour (2 1/2 cups, spooned and leveled)
- 10 g baking powder (about 2 1/2 tsp)
For Frying
- 1.5–2 L neutral frying oil (sunflower, canola, or refined rapeseed oil)
For the Cinnamon Sugar Coating
- 100 g granulated sugar (1/2 cup)
- 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- Optional: a pinch of extra lemon zest mixed into the sugar for added fragrance
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Get your equipment and ingredients ready
Lay out a medium mixing bowl for the wet ingredients and a separate bowl for the dry ingredients. Have a whisk, spatula, and a small cookie scoop or two teaspoons ready for shaping the dough. Prepare a large, heavy-bottomed pot or deep pan for frying, plus a slotted spoon or spider, and a tray lined with paper towels for draining.
Measure out all ingredients accurately. For best results, make sure the eggs are at room temperature and the quark is not overly watery. If your quark is very wet, briefly drain it in a fine mesh sieve for 10–15 minutes so the dough does not become too loose.
Step 2: Mix the wet ingredients
In the medium mixing bowl, add the quark, eggs, 80 g sugar, vanilla extract, lemon zest, and a pinch of salt. Whisk until the mixture is smooth and uniform, with no streaks of egg. The lemon zest should be evenly distributed, and the mixture will look pale and slightly thick.
Set this bowl aside while you mix the dry ingredients so everything is ready to come together quickly without overmixing the batter.
Step 3: Combine dry ingredients, then make the dough
In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour and baking powder until well combined. This helps the baking powder disperse evenly, giving you evenly puffed Quarkbällchen.
Add the flour mixture to the quark mixture in two additions. Use a spatula or wooden spoon to fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients gently. Stir just until no dry flour patches remain. The dough should be thick, soft, and sticky, similar to a thick cake batter that holds its shape on a spoon.
If the dough seems extremely loose (this can happen if the quark was very wet), sprinkle in 1–2 extra tablespoons of flour and fold briefly. Do not overmix, or the Quarkbällchen can turn out dense.
Step 4: Heat the oil to the right temperature
Pour 1.5–2 L of neutral oil into your pot so that it is about 5–7 cm (2–3 inches) deep. Heat the oil over medium heat until it reaches 170–175°C (340–350°F). Use a thermometer if you have one.
If you do not have a thermometer, drop in a tiny bit of dough. It should sink briefly, then rise to the surface within a few seconds and gently bubble. If it browns almost instantly, the oil is too hot; reduce the heat and wait a few minutes. Stable medium heat is key for evenly cooked, non-greasy Quarkbällchen.
Step 5: Shape and fry the Quarkbällchen
Set up a tray or plate lined with paper towels near the stove. Once the oil is at temperature, shape small walnut-sized portions of dough. You can do this by using two teaspoons: scoop up some dough with one spoon and push it off into the oil with the other, or use a small cookie scoop, releasing each scoopful gently into the oil.
Work in batches so you do not overcrowd the pot. Each batch will take about 4–5 minutes to cook. Use a slotted spoon to turn the dough balls frequently so they brown evenly on all sides. They should puff up and become a deep golden brown.
To check doneness, take one out and cut it open: the center should be fluffy and cooked through, not doughy. Adjust the heat as needed to keep the oil in the 170–175°C (340–350°F) range.
Step 6: Drain and coat in cinnamon sugar
While the first batch is frying, stir together 100 g sugar and 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon in a shallow bowl. If you like, add a pinch of extra lemon zest for brightness.
When each batch of Quarkbällchen is done, lift them out with the slotted spoon and place them briefly on the paper towel-lined tray to drain excess oil. While they are still warm (but cool enough to handle), roll them in the cinnamon sugar until well coated on all sides. Work in small batches so they do not cool too much before coating, otherwise the sugar will not stick as well.
Step 7: Serve warm and enjoy
Transfer the coated Quarkbällchen to a serving plate or a basket lined with a clean kitchen towel. They are at their very best served warm, when the centers are still tender and airy and the outside is crisp and fragrant with cinnamon and lemon.
Serve them plain, or alongside a cup of coffee, tea, or hot chocolate. For an extra festival-style touch, pile them high and offer a little extra cinnamon sugar in a small bowl on the side for dipping.
Pro Tips
- Mind the quark moisture: If your quark is very runny, drain it first; too much moisture leads to dough that is hard to shape and can cause the Quarkbällchen to absorb more oil.
- Keep the oil temperature steady: Frying too hot will brown the outside before the inside cooks; too cool and they will turn greasy. Adjust the stove as you go.
- Shape evenly: Try to keep the dough balls roughly the same size so they cook at the same rate. A small cookie scoop is very helpful for this.
- Coat while warm: Roll the Quarkbällchen in cinnamon sugar while they are still warm so the sugar adheres and forms a light, crackly crust.
- Test one first: Fry a single test piece to check dough consistency and oil temperature, then adjust before frying the rest of the batch.
Variations
- Classic powdered sugar version: Skip the cinnamon sugar and dust the warm Quarkbällchen generously with powdered sugar for a more traditional fairground look.
- Orange and cardamom twist: Replace lemon zest with orange zest and add a pinch of ground cardamom to the batter for a slightly spiced, wintery flavor.
- Filled Quarkbällchen: After frying, poke a small hole and pipe in a little jam (such as apricot or raspberry) or chocolate-hazelnut spread for a surprise center.
Storage & Make-Ahead
Quarkbällchen are best eaten fresh on the day they are made, ideally within a few hours of frying, when the exterior is still crisp and the inside is light and fluffy. If you need to store them, let them cool completely, then keep them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 day. They will soften but still taste good.
To revive them slightly, warm in a 150°C (300°F) oven for 5–8 minutes. Re-roll lightly in cinnamon sugar after reheating if desired. The dough itself does not keep well once mixed, so for make-ahead preparation, pre-measure your dry and wet ingredients separately and combine just before frying.
Nutrition (per serving)
Approximate values per serving (about 4 Quarkbällchen), assuming 8 servings total: about 620 kcal; 27 g fat; 78 g carbohydrates; 16 g protein. Actual nutrition will vary depending on oil absorption, exact size of the Quarkbällchen, and specific ingredients used.
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