Loukoumades

The king of Greek desserts: what are loukoumades?

This favourite sweet delicacy is prepared by deep frying dough before drizzling honey all over to create Greek donuts that explode with sweetness in every bite. Loukoumades date back to the first Olympic Games in 776 BC, where winners would receive these ‘honey tokens’ as a prize, making it one of the first desserts documented in human history. Today, they’re routinely offered in restaurants and events across Greece and enjoyed in many countries around the world, including Australia.

Despite being created more than 2,000 years ago, this traditional Greek street food delicacy offers a crisp and fluffy bite-sized delight, associated with a warm and inviting aroma. You can find similar desserts in Italy, called neapolitan struffoli, that are equally as delicious.

Before you get started: how to make loukoumades?

Loukoumades make for messy business, as the dough for this dish is sticky and loose, but there are some important steps to consider. 

• Don’t over-whisk the dough, as it will reduce the elasticity and cause the loukoumades to be less successful.

• Be sure to measure ingredients correctly as the wrong amount will result in a dough that’s lacking certain qualities.

• If they lose their shape after coating in honey, this means they’re raw inside. Simply reduce the heat to allow them to cook more slowly and thoroughly.

• Don’t let them brown too quickly or they’ll explode.

Be sure to follow this recipe for Greek loukoumades to ensure you don’t face any problems.

Why do loukoumades explode?

Who would’ve thought that exploding dough would occur? But it happens. Typically the reason behind this is that the oil is too hot, so when you drop your loukoumades into the oil, the outer layer forms a firm crust quickly and the inside remains uncooked. Eventually, the internal heat builds up and because the outer layer has already formed a firm crust, there's nowhere for the trapped air to escape, resulting in an explosion. Simply reduce the heat and continue cooking.

What to serve Greek donuts with?

While we all love donuts at any time of day, loukoumades are best served freshly fried and garnished. Once you’ve completed following our Greek loukoumades recipe, it’s time to garnish them with honey, and a sprinkle of cinnamon and serve them with crushed walnuts or toasted pistachios. While this is the classic way to serve this dessert, many variations have appeared over the years, including topping with chocolate or caramel sauce, maple syrup or jam. Alternatively, you can try a salty, savoury version, covered with cheese or served with yoghurt.