Lebanese Doughnuts (Awameh)
Lebanese doughnuts—often known as Awameh or Luqaimat—are a traditional Middle Eastern sweet snack that’s very popular in Lebanon.They’re small, round, deep-fried dough balls that are crispy on the outside and soft and airy on the inside. After frying, they’re soaked or drizzled with sugar syrup (attar) and sometimes sprinkled with a little ground cinnamon or crushed pistachios.The dough is usually made from flour, yeast, water, and a pinch of sugar and salt—simple ingredients, but the magic is in the texture and the syrup. They’re often served during holidays, festivals, and Ramadan nights, when people enjoy them with coffee or tea.
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Ingredients
For the dough
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon instant yeast
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup warm water (you may need a little more or less—go by texture)
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch (optional, for extra crispness)
- 1 tablespoon plain yogurt (optional, adds a little tenderness)
- Oil for deep-frying, (vegetable or sunflower oil works well)
For the sugar syrup (Attar)
- 1 cup sugar
- ½ cup water
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon rose water or orange blossom water, (optional, but traditional)
Instructions
Make the syrup first
- Combine sugar and water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil and stir until sugar dissolves.
- Add lemon juice and lower the heat. Let it simmer for about 10 minutes until slightly thickened.
- Turn off the heat, add rose water or orange blossom water, and let it cool completely.
Prepare the dough
- In a mixing bowl, combine flour, yeast, sugar, salt, and cornstarch.
- Gradually add warm water while stirring until you get a smooth, sticky batter (like a thick pancake batter).
- Cover the bowl with a towel and let it rest for about 45–60 minutes until double in size and bubbly.
Fry the doughnuts
- Heat oil in a deep pan over medium heat.
- Wet your fingers (or use a small oiled spoon), scoop small portions of the dough, and drop them carefully into the hot oil.
- Fry in batches, stirring occasionally, until they turn golden brown and crisp on all sides.
Sweeten them
- Remove the fried doughnuts and drain excess oil on paper towels.
- While still hot, dip them in the cooled syrup and toss gently to coat.
- Serve warm with extra syrup on the side if you like them sweeter!
For extra crunch, you can fry them twice: once lightly golden, remove, then give them a second quick fry before dipping in syrup.
Add a sprinkle of cinnamon or crushed pistachios for garnish.
Disclaimer
Some parts of recipe maybe AI-generated. Recipe pictures are examples of recipe and represent no affiliation with photographer.
Nutrition
Calories: 325kcal (16%)Carbohydrates: 77g (26%)Protein: 5g (10%)Fat: 1g (2%)Saturated Fat: 0.2g (1%)Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.1gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 1mgSodium: 154mg (7%)Potassium: 72mg (2%)Fiber: 2g (8%)Sugar: 51g (57%)Vitamin A: 5IUVitamin C: 1mg (1%)Calcium: 15mg (2%)Iron: 2mg (11%)
Disclaimer
Nutritional information for this recipe is an approximation and is not to be construed as medical advice.
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