Loukoumades in Cyprus 2025

Some delicious pastries cannot be eaten without sticky fingers. Loukoumades are truly a great example of this rule. The name of these sweet doughnuts derives from the Arabic or Turkish word "lokma," which means morsel or mouthful. You can find them in different cuisines, but each has some specific regional recipes. Cypriot loukoumades are middle sized doughnuts soaked in honey syrup. They are pretty similar to the Greek pastry, but the special ingredient which makes the dough feel and taste differently is mashed potato.

Loukoumades are very popular on Cypriot festivals and fairs, but according to a pre-Christian tradition, they should be cooked before Epiphany. The story says that malicious spirits "kallinkantzari"can be banished for the whole year only on Epiphany and only with the help of honey-soaked doughnuts. Thus, housewives cook loukoumades and stick them on the roof in order to calm down the spirits and make them return into the ground.