Loukoumades

Loukoumades (Greek Honey Doughnuts)

Golden, airy fritters drenched in warm honey syrup and dusted with cinnamon and walnuts — a beloved Greek street dessert with roots stretching back to antiquity.

Prep

20 min

Cook

25 min

Total

45 min

Serves

4 (makes about 24 pieces)

Difficulty

Medium

Recipe ingredients

• •300 g (10½ oz / ~2⅓ cups) all-purpose flour
• •7 g (1 packet (¼ oz)) active dry yeast, or 15 g fresh yeast
• •10 g (2 tsp) granulated sugar
• •5 g (1 tsp) fine salt
• •450 ml (2 cups (minus 2 tbsp)) lukewarm water, around 38 °C / 100 °F
• •500 ml (2 cups) neutral frying oil, sunflower or mild olive oil; Greek homes often use olive oil for an authentic note
• •300 g (1 cup) Greek thyme honey, or any good-quality honey; this is the dominant flavor
• •60 ml (¼ cup) water, for the syrup
• •1 whole lemon (juice + a strip of peel), balances the sweetness
• •5 g (1 stick) cinnamon, plus extra for dusting
• •80 g (¾ cup) walnuts, finely chopped, lightly toasted for best flavor

Steps

1. 1 Bloom the yeast: stir yeast and sugar into 100 ml of the lukewarm water (about 3½ tbsp) and let stand 5–10 minutes until foamy.
2. 2 Make the batter: in a large bowl whisk flour and salt. Pour in the bloomed yeast and the remaining lukewarm water. Whisk vigorously for 3–4 minutes until completely smooth, lump-free, and the consistency of thick pancake batter. Cover and rest in a warm spot for 45–60 minutes, until bubbly and slightly puffed.
3. 3 Prepare the honey syrup: while the batter rests, combine honey, 60 ml (¼ cup) water, lemon juice and a thin strip of lemon peel in a small saucepan. Bring to a gentle simmer for 3–4 minutes to thin the honey so it coats rather than thickly glues. Remove the peel and keep the syrup warm on low heat.
4. 4 Heat the oil: pour oil into a heavy pot to a depth of at least 5 cm (2 in). Heat to 170–175 °C / 340–350 °F — a small drop of batter should sizzle, rise, and turn golden in about 1 minute. Line a tray with paper towels and place a fine-mesh skimmer nearby.
5. 5 Fry the loukoumades: scoop the risen batter (do NOT stir it down — you want the air) into a piping bag fitted with a large round tip, or use two teaspoons to drop walnut-sized balls. Drop 6–8 at a time into the hot oil. Fry 2–3 minutes, turning, until deep golden brown and puffed. They should sound hollow when tapped and float high in the oil when done.
6. 6 Drain briefly on paper towels for 30 seconds, then immediately transfer to a bowl and spoon warm honey syrup generously over them. Repeat with remaining batter, monitoring oil temperature between batches — it should stay between 165–175 °C / 330–350 °F.
7. 7 Serve piled on a plate, dusted heavily with cinnamon, scattered with toasted walnuts, and with extra warm syrup on the side. Loukoumades are best eaten within minutes of frying, while crisp outside and steamy inside.