Lokma (Turkish Syrup Doughnut Bites)
Crisp little yeasted dough balls fried until golden and soaked in lemon syrup, light inside and sticky outside.
- Time1 hr 20
- LevelMedium
- Costabout £0.36 a head
Cost is worked out from Aldi and Tesco shelf prices in October 2026. Your shop and brands will differ.
Ingredients
Tick what you need to buy. It goes on your shopping list.
Method
- 1
Mix the flour, yeast, 1 tbsp sugar, salt and cornflour in a bowl. Stir in the warm water to make a thick, loose batter that drops slowly from the spoon.
- 2
Cover and leave somewhere warm for 45 minutes, until bubbly and almost doubled.
45 min - 3
Meanwhile, boil the syrup sugar and water for 8 minutes, add the lemon juice and simmer for 2 minutes. Cool completely.
10 min - 4
Heat the oil in a deep, heavy pan to about 170C, hot enough that a drop of batter sizzles and rises in 10 seconds.
- 5
Scoop a heaped teaspoon of batter and push it off with a second spoon into the oil. Fry 6 or 7 at a time, turning, for 3 minutes until deep golden.
3 min - 6
Lift out with a slotted spoon, drain for 10 seconds and drop straight into the cold syrup. Turn to coat, then lift out and serve dusted with cinnamon.
Double check before you cook. Recipes can contain mistakes. Any diet labels come from the ingredients as written in this recipe and are a guide, not a guarantee. Always check every ingredient and the packet label for allergens and cross contamination, and ask your doctor or dietitian what is right for you, especially with coeliac disease, diabetes or a serious allergy. This is not medical advice.