Serbian Ustipci Recipe

What Are Ustipci?

Ustipci are doughnut-like fried dough balls. People enjoy them in Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, North Macedonia, Montenegro and Slovenia. In Serbia, they are especially popular in Vojvodina, the northern part of the country.

The word comes from the verb uštinuti, which means “to pinch.” The likely explanation is that cooks pinched off small pieces of dough and fried them, which would account for the name.

Nobody has documented where ustipci began. Many cultures make similar fried dough, from Italian zeppole to Dutch oliebollen, and one theory links ustipci to the Dalmatian Zagora region of Croatia, though it remains only a theory.

Ingredients

This recipe uses a yeast-based method with a soft, spoonable batter. Salt is added for flavor, while sugar is optional.

• 320 g all-purpose flour
• 310 ml lukewarm milk
• 1 egg
• 7 g dry yeast (one standard sachet)
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon sugar (optional)
• Sunflower oil for frying, deep enough to reach at least 1.5 cm in the pan

Note: the oil is for frying only. Do not mix it into the batter.

How to Make Ustipci Step by Step

Wake the yeast

Stir the dry yeast (and sugar, if you use it) into the lukewarm milk. Set the mixture aside briefly.

Mix the batter

Whisk in the egg. Add the flour and salt, then stir until the batter turns smooth and soft. It should be thick, yet still scoopable with a spoon.

Let it rise

Let the mixture rest in a warm area with the bowl covered. The batter is ready when it looks bubbly and has clearly grown in size.

The time depends on your kitchen temperature, so watch the batter rather than the clock.

Heat the oil

Pour the oil into a heavy pot or deep pan. Aim for roughly 170–180°C (340–355°F), a common range for frying dough. Without a thermometer, drop in a small piece of batter first. It should sizzle and float up steadily, not burn or sink.

Fry in batches

Scoop a spoonful of batter and slide it into the oil. Do not crowd the pan. Some ustipci flip over on their own as they fry. If they do not, turn them gently with a fork.

Drain and serve

Lift the ustipci out when they turn deep golden, and rest them on paper towels. Serve them warm.

How Serbians Serve Ustipci

Serbian cooks treat ustipci as a flexible food. People eat them for breakfast, as a snack, as a dessert or as a side dish.

Savory pairings

• Fresh or white cheese
• Kajmak, a creamy dairy spread
• Ajvar, a roasted red pepper spread
• Prosciutto or other cured meats
• Yogurt or sour milk

Sweet pairings

• Powdered sugar
• Plum jam
• Honey
• Chocolate spread

Regional Names and Variations

The same idea changes name and character from one place to the next:

• Bosnia and Herzegovina: A version without yeast is called peksimeti, and an unleavened one is called lokumi.
• Croatia: The uštipak is usually sweet.
• Slovenia: A similar fritter is known as miške.
• Montenegro and parts of Herzegovina: A yeasted version is called priganice, from a verb meaning “to jump,” because the dough bounces in the pan.

Some cooks replace yeast with baking powder for a quicker dough, and others stir in yogurt. In Christian Balkan countries, a plain version fried in vegetable oil and dusted with powdered sugar appears during Lent.

A March 2026 report says a brotherhood from Buna–Mostar asked Bosnia and Herzegovina’s Food Safety Agency to register the name “Herzegovinian uštipak” as a guaranteed traditional specialty. The request shows how much these dough balls matter to regional food identity.

Tips

• Keep the heat steady. Lower the heat if the outside darkens before the center cooks.
• Store leftovers in a covered container. At room temperature, they keep for about a day.

Final Thoughts

This Serbian ustipci recipe proves that a few pantry staples can make a memorable breakfast. Start with the basic batter, then change the toppings to suit your mood or the season.

FAQs

Are ustipci the same as doughnuts?
They look alike, but ustipci are denser than doughnut holes, and cooks fry them from a soft dough, usually without a filling.

What is the difference between ustipci and mekike?
Both are fried dough, but mekike needs a longer proofing time.