Luqaimat — Print Recipe — The Culinary Codex

Puffy, golden dough balls deep-fried until crispy outside and airy inside, drenched in a sticky date syrup or honey glaze. These irresistible Saudi sweets are the ultimate Ramadan dessert.

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp instant yeast
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp saffron threads
1 cup warm water
1 tbsp vegetable oil
Vegetable oil for frying
1 cup date syrup or honey
1 tsp cardamom
Sesame seeds for garnish

Instructions

1 Mix flour, yeast, sugar, salt, and saffron in a bowl. Add warm water and oil, stirring until a thick, sticky batter forms.
2 Cover the batter and let it rise in a warm place for 1 hour until doubled in size and bubbly on the surface.
3 Heat oil to 175C in a deep pot. Drop small spoonfuls of batter into the hot oil using two spoons or wet fingers.
4 Fry the dumplings for 3-4 minutes, turning occasionally, until puffed and deeply golden brown on all sides.
5 Remove with a slotted spoon and drain briefly. Immediately drizzle with warm date syrup mixed with cardamom.
6 Pile onto a serving plate, drizzle with more syrup, and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Serve warm and sticky.

Did You Know?

In Saudi Arabia during Ramadan, the sound of luqaimat sizzling in oil is as iconic as the call to prayer — both signal that iftar is moments away.