Vegan Maritozzi

01/01/2026

Let’s start 2026 on a sweet note with a vegan twist on a classic recipe from Roman culinary tradition: maritozzi. Choosing to celebrate the start of the new year with a 100% plant-based recipe is no coincidence: today also marks the beginning of Veganuary, the month dedicated entirely to eating without animal products!
(If you want to learn more about this initiative, founded in 2014, check out this article).

Presenting the vegan maritozzi recipe is our Cesarina Francesca from Civitavecchia. The preparation is straightforward, but it requires a little patience due to the double rising process.

“I make them with simple, natural, dairy-free ingredients, but with the same orange aroma and the intention of making everyone feel welcome. It’s said that in the past, suitors would hide a ring inside the maritozzo: a gesture of love and courage, which makes this pastry even more special”.

Cesarina Francesca with vegan maritozzi, vegan, Veganuary, traditional Roman desserts

What are the Maritozzi

The maritozzo is a small sweet bun typical of Roman cuisine, as well as of the Marche and Abruzzo regions. The name comes from the tradition of young men giving this pastry to their girlfriends: “maritozzo” is the affectionate diminutive of “marito”, meaning husband. Often, a ring or small piece of jewelry was hidden inside the pastry.

There are many variations of the maritozzo: in addition to the classic Roman version, there is the elongated Marche-Abruzzo version, the Puglian and Sicilian braided version which is softer than the one from Lazio, and finally a savory version.

Vegan Maritozzi

The kings of Roman pastries, presented here in a vegan-friendly version

DifficultyMedium

Preparation time3h 30m

Cooking time18m

Servings10

€

CostMedium

Ingredients

For the dough:
500 g all-purpose flour (or type 1 for a rustic touch)
80 g light brown sugar
7 g active dry yeast (or 20 g fresh yeast)
250 ml plant-based milk (soy or oat, unsweetened)
60 g sunflower oil
Grated zest of 1 organic orange
1 teaspoon natural vanilla extract
A pinch of salt
For the glaze (optional but recommended):
30 g sugar
30 ml water
For the filling:
400 ml cold plant-based whipping cream

Method

For the dough:

In a bowl, combine flour, sugar, and yeast. Add the warm plant-based milk, oil, orange zest, vanilla, and salt. Knead thoroughly until you get a smooth and elastic dough.
First rise: cover the dough with a cloth and let it rise for 2 hours, until doubled in size.
Shape the maritozzi by dividing the dough into 8-10 pieces and forming oval rolls.
Place them on a baking tray lined with parchment paper, cover, and let them rise for another hour.
Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C (356°F) for 15-18 minutes, until lightly golden.

For the glaze:

Boil the water and sugar, then brush the freshly baked maritozzi to give them a shiny finish.

For the filling:

Once cooled, slice them lengthwise (preferably with a serrated or bread knife) without opening completely, leaving them 3/4 open, and fill with whipped plant-based cream using a piping bag.
You can add strawberries to the cream for a fresh touch, or pistachios or a little orange zest.