Sandra Lokma doughnuts are a Turkish fried street food made with a yeasted batter, vegetable oil, and a lemon sugar syrup. Crisp on the outside, pillowy inside.
The whole thing comes down to oil temperature. Too hot and you get raw dough inside a dark shell. Too cool and the batter absorbs oil and goes greasy. I keep my hob at medium, around 175°C (350°F), and I don’t touch the dial once frying starts. That patience is what gives you a proper golden bite with no heaviness.
The syrup has to be stone cold when the hot lokma goes in. I make mine the night before and leave it in the fridge. When boiling hot dough hits cold syrup, it seals the outside and the syrup clings without making everything soggy. I started doing a double fry after trying a few batches, and the difference in crunch is worth the extra five minutes.
Lokma Doughnuts Ingredients
For the Dough
- 250g (9oz) plain flour
- 250ml (9fl oz) lukewarm water
- 2 tsp dried yeast (or 7g/1/4oz fresh yeast)
- 2 tsp caster sugar
- 1 tsp fine salt
- 1 tsp white wine vinegar
For the Syrup
- 400g (14oz) caster sugar
- 375ml (13fl oz) water
- 1 tsp lemon juice
For Frying
- Vegetable oil, enough to fill a deep pan about 8cm (3in) deep
How To Make Lokma Doughnuts
- Make the syrup: Put the sugar and water in a saucepan over medium heat and stir until the sugar dissolves. Once it starts bubbling, add the lemon juice, lower the heat and let it simmer for 18-20 minutes until it coats the back of a spoon. Take it off the heat and let it cool completely. Stick it in the fridge for at least an hour.
- Mix the dough: Put the lukewarm water, yeast, sugar, salt and vinegar in a large bowl. Stir until the yeast dissolves. Add the flour gradually, whisking as you go, until you have a smooth, sticky batter. It should be thicker than pancake batter but thinner than bread dough.
- Let the dough rise: Cover the bowl with clingfilm and leave it somewhere warm for 45 minutes to an hour, until it doubles in size. Once risen, stir it down with a spatula to knock the air out.
- Heat the oil: Pour the vegetable oil into a deep, heavy-bottomed pan and heat over medium until it reaches about 175°C (350°F/Gas Mark 4). If you don’t have a thermometer, drop a tiny bit of batter in. It should sizzle and float up within a few seconds.
- Shape and fry: Spoon the batter into a piping bag and snip a small opening at the tip. Squeeze small balls of batter over the oil and cut them off with scissors dipped in oil. Don’t crowd the pan. Fry for 3-4 minutes, turning often, until they puff up and turn a light golden colour.
- Double fry for crunch: Lift the lokma out with a slotted spoon and rest them on a wire rack for a minute. Drop them back into the oil for another 1-2 minutes until they turn a deep golden brown. This second fry is what makes them properly crisp.
- Soak in syrup: Move the hot lokma straight into the cold syrup. Stir them gently for about 30 seconds so every piece gets coated, then lift them out onto a wide serving plate. Spread them in a single layer so they stay crisp.
Recipe Tips
Cold syrup, hot dough. This is not optional. If both are the same temperature, the lokma turns soft and sticky instead of crisp and glossy. Make the syrup at least 2 hours ahead, or the night before.
Dip your scissors in oil. The batter is sticky and will cling to dry scissors. Keep a small bowl of oil next to you and dip between every few cuts. Wet scissors make clean, even shapes.
Don’t change the heat once you start frying. Find the right medium setting and leave it there. If the oil gets too hot, the outside burns before the inside cooks through. If it drops too low, the dough soaks up oil.
The double fry is worth it. A single fry gives you a soft lokma. The second fry drives out more moisture and creates a shell that holds up even after the syrup soak. It adds five minutes and makes a big difference.
Size matters. Keep each piece no bigger than a walnut. Larger pieces won’t cook evenly in the centre and you’ll end up with doughy middles.
Use the batter within the hour. Once knocked back, the batter loses its lift over time. Fry it all in one go rather than leaving half sitting on the worktop.
What To Serve With Lokma Doughnuts
These are sweet enough on their own, but a strong Turkish coffee or a glass of mint tea cuts through the syrup and works well alongside them.
If you’re putting together a spread, a bowl of thick Greek-style yoghurt with a drizzle of honey gives a nice contrast. Crushed pistachios scattered on top add colour and a bit of salt.
How To Store Lokma Doughnuts
Fridge
Lokma are best eaten fresh within an hour of making them. If you have leftovers, store them in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 2 days. They will soften.
Reheat
Spread them on a baking tray and reheat in the oven at 180°C (350°F/Gas Mark 4) for 5-6 minutes to bring back some crispness. A microwave will warm them through but they’ll go soft.
Freeze
Freeze the unsoaked fried lokma on a tray until solid, then transfer to a freezer bag. They keep for up to a month. Fry from frozen for 1-2 minutes, then dip in freshly made cold syrup.
Lokma Doughnuts Nutrition Facts
Per serving (1 of 6): Calories: 380kcal, Protein: 4g, Fat: 12g, Carbohydrates: 68g, Sugar: 45g, Sodium: 390mg. Estimated. May vary based on ingredients and cooking methods.
FAQs
No. The deep fry is what creates the crisp shell and light inside. Baking gives a completely different texture and they won’t absorb the syrup the same way.
The oil was not hot enough. If the temperature drops below 165°C (330°F), the batter absorbs oil instead of puffing up. Use a thermometer or test with a small drop of batter first.
Yes, but warm the honey slightly so it’s thin enough to coat. The flavour will be different and the coating won’t be as glossy. A 50/50 mix of honey and sugar syrup is a good middle ground.
Lokma Doughnuts Recipe
Description
Crisp, golden bite-sized doughnuts with a light, airy centre, soaked in cold lemon sugar syrup until glossy and crunchy.
Ingredients
For the Dough:
For the Syrup:
For Frying:
Instructions
- Dissolve sugar in water over medium heat, add lemon juice, simmer 18-20 minutes until it coats a spoon, then cool completely in the fridge for at least 1 hour.
- Combine lukewarm water, yeast, sugar, salt and vinegar in a bowl, stir until dissolved, then whisk in the flour gradually until you get a smooth, sticky batter thicker than pancake batter.
- Cover with clingfilm, leave in a warm spot for 45 minutes until doubled, then stir down to knock out the air.
- Heat vegetable oil in a deep heavy pan to 175°C (350°F), test by dropping a tiny bit of batter in, it should sizzle and float up within seconds.
- Pipe batter over the oil and snip walnut-sized pieces with oiled scissors, fry 3-4 minutes turning often until light golden, then rest on a wire rack for one minute.
- Return the lokma to the oil for 1-2 minutes until deep golden brown, then transfer straight into the cold syrup, stir for 30 seconds and spread on a wide plate in a single layer.
