Why have one big doughnut when you could have a handful of little ones? These adorable and tasty Greek doughnuts, known as loukoumades, are the perfect size to pop in your mouth one after the other. Crispy, light, and just one or two bites, these little flavor bombs are a favorite. Follow along and we’ll show you that making doughnuts at home is easy.
What are loukoumades?
Like most doughnuts from around the world, loukoumades consist of fried dough. What sets them apart, though, is that the Greek doughnuts are fluffy, bite-sized dough balls that are fried to perfection, then soaked in sweet honey syrup. They’re made out of a simple dough and dropped into oil using spoons or your hands, so they’re imperfectly perfect.
They can be enjoyed soaked with honey and topped with nuts or sesame seeds. They go great with any classic Greek dishes, but are perfectly acceptable to enjoy all on their own!
Loukoumades Ingredients
- Milk
- Water
- Active dry yeast
- All-purpose flour
- Sugar
- Salt
- Cinnamon
- Olive oil
- Frying oil
- Honey
- Fresh lemon juice
- Boiling water
- Walnuts
Directions
Step 1: Start the yeast
In a small bowl, add the yeast to the warmed milk and let bloom for five minutes until it’s a little frothy.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, salt and cinnamon, and set aside. Add the water and olive oil to your yeast mixture.
Step 2: Make the dough
Slowly pour the wet ingredients into the flour and mix well with a wooden spoon. The dough will be very wet and tacky.
Step 3: Let it rise
Cover and let rise in a warm place for 90 minutes. If it’s warm, your dough may need less time to rise, and if it’s cool it might need longer.
While the dough rests, combine honey, lemon and boiling water and mix well to make a smooth honey glaze.
Step 4: Prepare to fry
Set up your frying station so you can deep-fry with confidence! Have a landing station ready for your fried doughnuts. You can use a sheet tray with paper towels or a wire rack.
In a frying pan with deep sides, add oil about halfway up the sides of the pan. Slowly heat the oil until it reaches 375°F. If you don’t have a thermometer, you’ll know it’s ready because the oil will start to look wavy, and when you test out a tiny piece of dough in the fryer it will start bubbling immediately.
Step 5: Fry the doughnuts
This dough is very sticky so have a small bowl of oil ready. Oil up either two spoons or your hands, then drop the doughnuts into the oil using either the spoons or your hands to make small balls. It’s okay if the balls aren’t perfect, they will still be delicious.
Fry them for about two minutes each, then transfer them to your landing station. Drizzle honey syrup over the doughnut balls, sprinkle with walnuts, and serve immediately.
Can you make loukoumades ahead of time?
Doughnuts are a great make-ahead snack because you can prepare the dough the night before. To do this, make Step 1 of the recipe, and instead of allowing the dough to rest, just put it immediately in the fridge. The next day, let the dough come to room temperature for a bit before frying them.
Loukoumades can also be re-crisped in an air fryer or in an oven if they’re not soaked in honey yet. So if you want to make them ahead of time, hold off on the honey water, and crisp up before serving.
Loukoumades Tips
How can you make sure the loukoumades are crisp on the outside?
The usual frying rules apply to making these Greek doughnuts. It’s important to make sure your fryer oil is hot before starting, and you’ll want to make sure you don’t crowd them in the pan. Make sure they get browned evenly on either side, which will ensure a perfect crunch. Serve immediately to avoid them getting soggy.
What do you serve with Greek loukoumades?
These perfect little doughnuts can be served as dessert or on their own. They’re traditionally soaked in honey syrup and are sometimes sprinkled with crushed nuts. They’re also very popular with a chocolate drizzle on top.
