Greek Deep Fried Donuts with Honey -Loukoumades

These bite sized sweet Greek deep fried donuts are crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside. They are served warm with honey and they are sprinkled with cinnamon and chopped walnuts. Loukoumades are a crowd pleasing dessert!

Loukoumades – The Greek Version of Donuts

Loukoumádes (Greek: λουκουμάδες), are pasties made of leavened and deep fried dough, soaked in syrup or honey, sometimes coated with cinnamon or other ingredients such as walnuts or toasted sesame seeds. The name “loukoumas” (singular for loukoumades) comes from the Arabic word “luqma” and means morsel, mouthful, or bite. It is a popular dessert in Greece, Cyprus and Turkey. Different variations of this delicacy can be found in the Mediterranean, the Middle East, South Asia and Western Africa (e.g. the Nigerian Puff-puff).

Tips for Successful Greek Deep Fried Donuts

• Temperature: The key for delicious loukoumades is the dough. First of all, make sure you use lukewarm water as shown in the recipe card. The yeast will work best if the water has the right temperature. Secondly, allow the dough to rest until is doubled in size. If you live in a cold environment, try to preheat the oven to 105F (40 C). Then turn off the oven and place the wrapped dough in to rise. I do not preheat the oven but I do leave the oven light on during the resting time. Likewise, pay attention to the oil temperature. If it’s too hot, loukoumades won’t fry all way through. If the oil, it’s not heated well you will end up with soggy loukoumades.

• Texture: The texture we are trying to achieve is crispy on the outside and fluffy and airy on the inside. That been said, avoid to overcrowd the frying pan because loukoumades will stick together and they won’t fry properly.

These Greek donuts can feed a crowd and the cost to make them is very low. Moreover, loukoumades are vegan friendly. Substitute honey for maple syrup and there you have it!

How to Make Greek Deep Fried Donuts – Loukoumades

In a bowl add the lukewarm water, sugar and active dry yeast and whisk till the yeast is completely dissolved. Stir in the ground cinnamon, salt, corn starch, honey and oil.

Add the all-purpose flour and incorporate well. The batter should be thick with no lumps. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it rest in a warm place until doubled in size for about 1 hour.

For Frying:

Pour the oil into a deep frying pan and place it over high heat. Fill a mug with water and dip a spoon into it. Place some of the dough in your palm and squeeze it. Dip the spoon into the water, spoon out the dough between your thumb and index finger and slip it into the oil.

Fry in batches, until every donut is golden brown on all sides for about 3 minutes. Do not overcrowd the pan so every donut is fried properly. Use a slotted spoon to stir the donuts. Remove them carefully from oil when ready.

Place the donuts in a baking pan lined with paper towels to drain.

Repeat the same steps for the remaining batter. Remember to dip the spoon into the water every time for easy release of the dough.

Serving Loukoumades:

Move drained donuts in a platter. Drizzle with honey, dust cinnamon and chopped walnuts. Serve immediately while still warm. Alternatively, you can top with toasted sesame seeds. Besides honey, you can top loukoumades with chocolate ganache. Enjoy!

Loukoumades are great for gatherings, family dinners or Sunday brunch! They require minimum amount of effort yet taste delicious! Greeks also have loukoumades for breakfast served with Greek coffee. If you try this recipe, we would love to hear from you. Leave us a comment below.

If you love this recipe, try these out!

• Greek Christmas Honey Cookies “Melomakarona”
• Pasteli: Greek Honey Sesame Bars with Peanuts

Greek Deep Fried Donuts with Honey – Loukoumades

Christianna | Siftnwhisk

These bite sized sweet deep fried balls are crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside. They are served warm with honey and they are sprinkled with cinnamon and chopped walnuts. Loukoumades are a crowd pleasing dessert!

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Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Resting Time 1 hour hr

Total Time 1 hour hr 20 minutes mins

Course Breakfast, Dessert

Cuisine Greek, Mediterranean

Servings 36

Calories 169 kcal

Ingredients

 

US CustomaryMetric

 

1x2x3x

Loukoumades

• 1 cup Lukewarm Water (110-115 F)
• 1 tsp Granulated Sugar
• 1 tbsp Active Dry Yeast
• 1 tsp Ground Cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp Kosher Salt
• 1 tbsp Corn Starch
• 1 tbsp Honey
• 1 tsp Oil Sunflower or Canola Oil
• 2 cups All-purpose Flour

For Frying

• 3 cups Oil Sunflower or Canola Oil

Garnish

• Honey or Maple Syrup
• Cinnamon
• Chopped Walnuts or Pecans

Instructions

 

Loukoumades

• In a bowl add the lukewarm water, sugar and active dry yeast and whisk till the yeast is completely dissolved.
• Stir in the ground cinnamon, salt, corn starch, honey and oil.
• Add the all-purpose flour and incorporate well. The batter should be thick with no lumps.
• Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it rest in a warm place until doubled in size for about 1 hour.

For Frying

• Pour the oil into a deep frying pan and place it over medium-high heat.
• Fill a mug with water and dip a spoon into it.
• Place some of the dough in your palm and squeeze it. Dip the spoon into the water, spoon out the dough between your thumb and index finger and slip it into the oil. See notes if using a piping bag.
• Fry in batches, until every donut is golden brown on all sides for about 3 minutes. Do not overcrowd the pan so every donut is fried properly.
• Use a slotted spoon to stir the donuts. Remove them carefully from oil when ready.
• Place the donuts in a baking pan lined with paper towels to drain.
• Repeat the same steps for the remaining batter. Remember to dip the spoon into the water every time for easy release of the dough.

Garnish

• Move drained donuts in a platter. Drizzle with honey, dust cinnamon and chopped walnuts.
• Serve them warm. Enjoy!

Notes

• The water should be lukewarm nor hot or cold. Use your finger to check the temperature.
• You can also use a mixer with the paddle attachment to beat the flour. Beat at high speed for about 2 minutes.
• If the yeast hasn’t bubbled, it means it has expired. Toss it and use another packet.
• I used my oven with the light on to create a warm environment for the dough. If where you live is cold, try preheating your oven for a minute and then place the dough in to rest.
• When the dough rise the batter should be bubbly.
• You can test if the oil is heated by throwing some of the dough in. If it starts sizzling, the oil is ready.
• The water will prevent the dough from sticking to the spoon. However, there is a risk of oil splashing all over the place if you do not do it correctly. Alternatively, you can use oil to dip the spoon.
• Piping the dough: The method given in this recipe is the traditional way of making loukoumades. If you do not want to get your hands dirty you can fill a piping bag with the batter and pipe the dough directly into the frying pan. Use a scissor to cut dough into preferred size.
• The number of servings will depend on the size of loukoumades.
• Avoid overcrowding the frying pan because the donuts will stick together and they won’t fry properly.
• You will know the donuts are ready when they are puffy and golden brown on the outside. 
• I would not recommend making the dough in advance. To achieve ultimate crispiness is best to prepare and fry loukoumades on the same day.
• Loukoumades are best enjoyed warm and on the same day. Otherwise, they can be stored at room temperature for 1 day. 
• Traditionally we use Greek thyme honey. If it’s not available where you live opt for a good quality honey.
• Besides honey, you can top loukoumades with chocolate ganache.
• Have any questions about the recipe or want to ask for substitutions? Please contact us.

Nutrition

Calories: 169kcalCarbohydrates: 6gProtein: 1gFat: 19gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 5gMonounsaturated Fat: 12gTrans Fat: 1gSodium: 17mgPotassium: 9mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 1IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 2mgIron: 1mg

Keyword active dry yeast, all-purpose flour, cinnamon, honey, oil, sugar

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