Luqaimat (Middle Eastern Sweet Fritters)
Apr 03, 2023, Updated Jan 07, 2026
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Luqaimat are middle eastern sweet fried fritters that are crunchy on the outside and fluffy and airy on the inside. Once fried, they are topped with simple syrup or date syrup, so delicious and perfect!
For those of you who love Middle Eastern desserts (who doesn’t, really?), today’s recipe is a must-make! Just like baklava, qatayef and halva, luqaimat is a Middle Eastern classic that’s loved by many and is a classic for the month of Ramadan and Eid. It’s crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, with just the right amount of sweetness.
Table of Contents
What Is Luqaimat?
Popular in the Arab countries including UAE, Lebanon and Jordan, luqaimat, also known as Awamat, are fried yeast-based dough fritters that’s sweetened with date syrup, simple syrup or honey. The word luqaimat literally means “small bites” which describes these treats very well.
Luqaimat is a popular dessert during the month of Ramadan for iftar and is usually served with tea.
I first tried these delicious Middle Eastern treats during our trip to Dubai. We visited one of the many mandi restaurants where you can order Yemeni and Arabic dishes like mandi, machboos and more. Once we finished our meal, they brought us luqaimat that were warm and soaked in a date syrup. It was the perfect ending to an already delicious meal, and I loved it so much that I knew I had to recreate it at home!
These sweet dumplings are known by different names in other countries, such as lokma in Turkey, loukoumades in Greece and awameh in some Arab countries.
What Is Luqaimat Made Of?
- Flour: All purpose flour works best for this recipe. It’s best to sift the flour before using it.
- Cornstarch: This is to make sure the batter has the proper consistency.
- Sugar: The batter uses a small amount of granulated sugar.
- Instant yeast: This will be added directly to the flour and cornstarch mix. Make sure the yeast you’re using is not expired.
- Ground cardamom: A little bit of cardamom adds a nice flavor to the batter. This is optional and can be omitted if needed.
- Vegetable oil: You need neutral flavored oil with high smoking point to fry the dumplings.
- Date syrup: You can get date syrup at Middle Eastern stores or online. Once the luqaimat are fried, they’re tossed in date syrup. Alternatively, you can use simple syrup, just like the one we use for pistachio baklava.
How to Make Luqaimat
Prepare the batter: In a large bowl, mix the flour, cornstarch, sugar, yeast, cardamom and salt in a large bowl. Stir in the water and mix until combined. The batter will be somehow thick, very loose and sticky . Cover and let it sit at room temperature for 1 hour until it doubles in size.
Fry the luqaimat: Fill 1/3 of a saucepan with vegetable oil and place it over medium high heat. The oil is ready once it reaches 350 degrees F. You can also know it’s ready by pointing a toothpick or a wooden skewer at the bottom of the saucepan. If bubbles start to form around it, the oil is ready.
Stir the batter a few times. Fill a small bowl with oil and dip a 1/2 tablespoon measuring spoon into the oil, this is to avoid the batter from sticking. Scoop the batter and drop into the hot oil. Repeat and fry 4-6 dumplings at a time, making sure to dip the spoon into the cold oil after every drop. Stir the dumplings a few times to make sure they fry evenly. It takes about 2 minutes for them to cook completely. Alternatively, you can transfer the dough to a plastic bag, cut a small part of the corner and squeeze the dough into the oil and cut it with scissors that you have dipped in oil.
Toss in the date syrup: Using a slotted spoon, take the luqaimat out of the oil and transfer into a large bowl with the date syrup. Toss the luqaimat with the date syrup, place on a plate and top with sesame seeds.
Tips To Make The Best Luqaimat
Use the right oil: You need to use neutral flavored oils that have high smoking point. My go-to oils are vegetable oil and canola oil. Olive oil will not work for this recipe.
The oil temperature: Make sure the oil is not too hot or too cold. If it’s too hot, the dumpling will burn on the outside while being raw on the inside. And if the oil is too cold, the dumplings will not cook.
Serve immediately: Luqaimat is best served immediately when it’s crunchy and warm.
How Are Luqaimat Typically Served?
Luqaimat are usually served warm and fresh as a dessert or snack, especially in the month of Ramadan. In addition to date syrup, they can also be served with honey or simple syrup flavored with rosewater or orange blossom water.
You can top these sweet dumplings with sesame seeds or pistachios and they are commonly served with hot tea or Arabic coffee.
Frequently Asked Questions
No, olive oil doesn’t work for deep frying.
While the batter and the technique of both desserts are very similar, there are still differences between them including the syrup they’re served with.
You need to start frying the sweet dumplings when the batter is proofed and ready. If the batter sits for too long, the dumplings will not have the same quality or flavor.
Luqaimat is best served right away when it’s crunchy and fresh. You can keep it for a few hours at room temperature but it will lose that crunchiness pretty quickly.
Did you make this recipe? I’d love to hear about it! Please comment and leave a 5-star🌟 rating below. You can also follow us on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest or subscribe to our newsletter to get a free e-Cookbook!
Luqaimat (Middle Eastern Crunchy Doughnuts)
Ingredients
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 3 tbsp cornstarch
- 1 tsp granulated sugar
- 1/4 tsp fine salt
- 1 1/4 tsp instant yeast
- 1/2 tsp ground cardamom
- Vegetable oil , for frying
- 1 cup date syrup
- 3 tbsp sesame seeds
Instructions
- In a large bowl mix the all purpose flour with the cornstarch, sugar, salt, instant yeast and ground cardamom until smooth and combined.
- Cover with a plastic wrap and let it sit at room temperature or in an "off" oven for 1 hour. The batter will almost double in size.
- Fill 1/3 of a saucepan with vegetable oil and place over medium heat. Heat until the oil reaches 350 degrees F.
- Give the batter a good stir. Fill a small bowl with some cold oil and set aside. Dip a 1/2 teaspoon measuring spoon in cold oil and then scoop the batter and drop into the hot oil. Repeat with a few more and fry 4 to 6 luqaimat at a time. Make sure to dip the spoon in cold oil every time. Stir them a few times while frying to make sure they fry evenly. Alternatively, you can transfer the batter to a plastic bag, cut a part of the corner and squeeze out the dough into the oil and cut it using scissors dipped in oil.
- Fry the luqaimat until they are golden brown on all sides, 2 to 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, take the luqaimat out of the hot oil and into the bowl with date syrup. Toss them a few times so they are coated with date syrup.
- Arrange the luqaimat on a plate and top with sesame seeds. Serve warm.
Video
Notes
- Luqaimat are best served right away when they’re fresh. The longer they sit, the softer they will get and will lose that signature crunchiness.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Wow I’ve never had luqaimat before – but I”m glad I came across this recipe! This turned out so soft, tender and sweet – just the way I like my desserts!
I tried this recipe, and I will be making it for the rest of my life. It’s absolutely amazing.
wow, these are so simple and so tasty! I prefer the date syrup to honey or another sweetener. thanks for the recipe & instructions.
The luqaimat came out perfectly crisp on the outside and soft on the inside. The taste was fabulouas – great recipe!
I made these dumplings last night and they were delicious! Perfectly sweet!
Hi dear I bought a pack of luqaimat mix from store, when I fried it in pan over a good heat they were good and golden from outside but were raw from the inside it will be very helpful if you could tell me the reason, and what if we skip the corn starch in the recipe then will be there any change in texture or shape.
The reason for cooked exterior and raw inside is the heat 🙂 Lower the heat and the luqaimat will cook evenly 🙂
Hi gorgeous; what a coincidence. I’m in Saudi Arabia at my niece’s house and she’s been threatening to make me this dessert since Ramadam began ja ja ja ja (poor thing she is always very busy) but it doesn’t arrive, so in the end I’ll surprise her with your recipe. Nowhere in the recipe does it say the amount of water and I know, it can vary depending on the flour but I would like to have some approximation. Could be? Thanks in advance and Ramadam Mubarak. Take care of yourself