Loukoumades (Greek Honey Fritters)

Greek food has actually gotten pretty solid coverage on this site, but I realized I’d never posted loukoumades, which is a genuine oversight given they might be the most universally loved thing to come out of a Greek fryer. These are small, yeasted dough balls, fried until the outside is deeply golden and shatteringly crisp while the inside stays soft and almost custardy, then drenched in warm honey syrup and dusted with cinnamon and crushed walnuts.

They’re often compared to donut holes, but the texture is different in a good way, lighter and more tender, closer to a choux pastry crossed with a pancake. The batter is loose and wet, almost like a thick pancake batter rather than a kneadable dough, which is what gives loukoumades their signature craggy, irregular shape once they hit the hot oil.

These pair beautifully with a scoop of my Rizogalo (recipe on the site) if you want to go all in on a Greek dessert spread, or just on their own with strong coffee. Sofia has appointed herself official honey-drizzler in our kitchen for this one, and I’ve learned to just let her have at it, extra honey has never once been a complaint from anyone at our table.

Loukoumades Recipe

Prep time: 15 minutes (plus 1.5 hours rising) · Cook time: 20 minutes · Total: about 2 hours 5 minutes · Servings: about 30 pieces · Calories: ~90 per serving

Ingredients

• For the dough:
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast (1 packet)
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups warm water
• Vegetable or sunflower oil, for frying
• For the honey syrup and topping:
• 1 cup honey
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 cinnamon stick
• Ground cinnamon, for dusting
• 1/2 cup crushed walnuts

Instructions

1. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, yeast, sugar, and salt. Gradually whisk in the warm water until you have a smooth, thick, pourable batter, closer to pancake batter than bread dough.
2. Cover and let rise in a warm spot for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, until bubbly and roughly doubled.
3. While the batter rises, make the syrup: combine the honey, water, sugar, and cinnamon stick in a small saucepan and simmer for 5 minutes, then set aside and keep warm.
4. Heat 2 to 3 inches of oil in a deep pot to 350°F. Using a small ice cream scoop or two spoons dipped in oil (to prevent sticking), drop tablespoon-sized portions of batter into the hot oil.
5. Fry in batches of 6 to 8, turning occasionally, for 3 to 4 minutes, until deeply golden brown and cooked through. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain briefly on paper towels.
6. While still warm, toss the loukoumades in the warm honey syrup, or drizzle generously over them. Arrange on a plate and dust with ground cinnamon and crushed walnuts. Serve immediately.

Recipe Notes

• The batter should be loose and sticky, almost too wet to handle; that texture is what creates the light, airy inside, so resist the urge to add more flour.
• Keep your oil temperature steady around 350°F; too hot and they’ll brown before cooking through, too cool and they’ll soak up oil and turn greasy.
• Loukoumades are best eaten fresh and warm the day they’re made; they don’t hold well overnight since the syrup softens the crisp exterior.
• For a modern twist you’ll see in Greek loukoumades shops today, try toppings like Nutella drizzle, crushed pistachios, or a scoop of vanilla ice cream instead of the traditional honey and walnuts.