What's the meaning of loukoumades? Loukoumades, deep-fried dough balls soaked in honey and cinnamon, have roots in Ancient Greece, known as 'honey tokens' awarded to Olympic victors.
My fondest childhood memory involves my favorite aunt's request for traditional loukoumades in Athens. These fluffy, honey-drenched puffs are hidden gems in Greek towns. The craving they ignited led me to master their preparation.
To craft Greek loukoumades, you'll need dry yeast, sugar, flour, salt, olive oil, frying oil, honey, lemon juice, and cinnamon. Modern twists even include hazelnut spread as a topping.
Remember two key tips: prepare the batter ahead and fry them fresh. Leftovers are best consumed within a day.
This traditional recipe yields around 36 honey puffs, taking over two hours (including waiting) with a 20-minute cooking time.
Loukoumades - Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons of active dry yeast
- 3 tablespoons of sugar plus 1 teaspoon
- 175-275 ml of lukewarm water
- 225 g of unbleached plain flour
- Pinch of salt
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Frying Oil
- 550 g of honey
- 2 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice
- Ground Cinnamon
Loukoumades - How to Make
- Start this Greek version of donuts by dissolving the yeast and 1 teaspoon of sugar in 4 tablespoons of lukewarm water.
- Set aside until foamy for about 10 minutes.
- Take a large bowl and sift the flour, add the yeast mixture, olive oil, and 115 ml of lukewarm water.
- Beat a mixer to make a soft dough, adding more warm water if necessary to make it just firm enough to need scooping off a spoon.
- Tightly cover with a clean towel and set aside in a warm draught-free spot for 2-3 hours to rise.
- The dough is ready when the surface bubbles and blisters; if the batter seems thin, beat in a little more of the sifted flour.
- Knead for about 2 minutes and set aside.
- Heat the oil to 190C in a large saucepan.
- Dip a spoon in the hot oil, then scoop up about 1 tablespoon of dough, and use a second spoon to push it off into the oil.
- Don’t hold the spoons too high above the oil or you will be splashed.
- Fry 5 or 6 loukoumades at a time until deep golden brown on all sides, about 3 minutes.
- Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.
- Combine the honey and 225 ml of water in a saucepan, bring to a boil, and simmer for 3 minutes.
- Stir in the lemon juice and rosewater.
- Remove from the heat.
- Dip the loukoumades in the syrup a few at a time and heap them on a warm platter or individual plates (5-6 per person).
- Mix the cinnamon with the remaining sugar and sprinkle over the loukoumades.
- Drizzle over a few threads of syrup and serve immediately.
Greek loukoumades honey puffs are ideal if you are a
vegan. If you like honey desserts, you should try this pasteli recipe. Enjoy!