Here is a super simple Middle Eastern Dessert: Vegan Donuts or Zalabia–AKA my childhood guilty pleasure, and the perfect Fat Tuesday treat! It takes 5 simple ingredients that you already have in your pantry! Now who can say no to a little crispy donut drenched in syrup?!

Zalabia with cinnamon syrup

Donuts covered in powdered sugar

Today’s Zalabia recipe is basically easy Middle Eastern vegan donuts. Five simple ingredients is all you need: yeast, flour, corn starch, water and a pinch of sugar. Plus oil for frying. In the streets of Egypt, they sell Zalabia in paper cones; you typically get a dozen perfectly round donut holes soaked in syrup or sprinkled with lots of confectioners sugar.  But when my mother made them at home, they took on all sorts of whimsical shapes which made for some fun conversations around whether you got a cloud-shaped donut verses a dinosaur-like donut or whatever. Today, I’m following mom’s recipe for free-form Zalabia vegan donuts.

Two servings of donuts, one covered in cinnamon syrup and other in powdered sugar

These fried dough balls or vegan donuts are a popular Middle Eastern dessert; the name differs depending on where you find them. From Zalabia or awamat, meaning “floating dough,” to Luqmat el Qadi, which literally means judge’s morsels or mouthfuls–a vegan donut that is so addictive that if you serve it to a judge, he will surely rule in your favor.

The syrup will sometimes include rosewater or orange blossom water. But here, I went for the same cinnamon simple syrup I used in this semolina cake. You can skip the syrup altogether, if you want, and simply roll the Zalabia donuts in lots of confectioners sugar.

Here is the recipe for today’s Middle Eastern Vegan Donuts or Zalabia (scroll down for the step-by-step photo tutorial)

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Middle Eastern Vegan Donuts (Zalabia) | The Mediterranean Dish. Simple, free-form vegan donuts; crisp and drenched in a cinnamon syrup. Make sure you make enough because these are addictive!

Middle Eastern Vegan Donuts (Zalabia)


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Description

Here is a super simple Middle Eastern Dessert: Vegan Donuts or Zalabia–AKA my childhood guilty pleasure, and the perfect Fat Tuesday treat! It takes 5 simple ingredients that you already have in your pantry! Now who can say no to a little crispy donut drenched in syrup?!


Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 tsp instant yeast
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 1 1/4 cup lukewarm water, divided
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tbsp corn starch
  • Canola oil for frying
  • Confectioners sugar, optional

For the Syrup:

  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 cup honey
  • 1 3/4 cup water
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 1/4 tsp fresh lemon juice

Instructions

  1. Stir the instant yeast and 1 tsp sugar in 1/4 cup lukewarm water; leave the mixture until it foams.
  2. In a mixing bowl, combine all-purpose flour and corn starch with the rest of the water, then add the yeast mixture. Stir everything together to combine. Cover with a damp cloth and set aside in a warm area for about 2 hours to rise. 3-4 times during the rising time, stir the dough with a wooden spoon to get rid of air bubbles.
  3. When the dough has risen, fill a small heavy saucepan about 1/3 of the way with canola oil. Heat on medium-high until the oil is hot and you can see small bubbles forming gently. Using two oiled spoons, drop the dough by the spoonful into the hot oil (do this in small batches.) The dough will float immediately and the bottom side will turn golden brown. Flip over on the other side. Remove quickly to a large tray lined with paper towels to drain.
  4. Prepare the syrup. In a small saucepan or pot, combine the sugar, honey, water and cinnamon stick. Bring to a boil on high heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Turn the heat to low and cook for a few minutes until the syrup thickens. Remove from the heat and stir in the lemon juice.
  5. While the syrup is hot, drop the donuts in it. Do this in batches and make sure the donuts are completely coated with the syrup. Transfer the Zalabia vegan donuts to a serving bowl or plate. If you have any syrup left, feel free to drizzle it on the donuts or set it aside for individuals to add as they please.
  6. Alternatively, soak only half of the donuts in the syrup, and roll the remaining donuts in lots of confectioners sugar. Enjoy!

Notes

  • Visit our store to browse our spices, olive oils and bundles!
  • Prep Time: 2 hours
  • Cook Time: 15 mins
  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: Stove Top
  • Cuisine: Middle Eastern

Step-by-step tutorial for Middle Eastern Vegan Donuts or Zalabia

Stir the instant yeast and 1 tsp sugar in 1/4 cup lukewarm water; leave the mixture until it foams.
In a mixing bowl, combine all-purpose flour, corn starch with the rest of the water, then add the yeast mixture. Stir everything together to combine. Cover with a damp cloth and set aside in a warm area for about 2 hours to rise. 3-4 times during the rising time, stir the dough with a wooden spoon to get rid of air bubbles.

Ingredients for dough blended together
When the dough has risen, fill a small heavy saucepan about 1/3 of the way with canola oil. Heat on medium-high until the oil is hot and you can see small bubbles forming gently. The dough can be sticky and stretchy; using two oiled spoons, drop the dough by the spoonful into the hot oil (do this in small batches.) The dough will float immediately and the bottom side will turn golden brown.

Donuts being placed into oil for frying

Few donuts in oil being fried

Flip over on the other side. Remove quickly to a large tray lined with paper towels to drain (I usually line my tray with a paper bag topped with paper towels).

Golden brown donuts while being fried

Donuts being drained of excess oil after being fried
Prepare the syrup. In a small sauce pan or pot, combine the sugar, honey, water and cinnamon stick. Bring to a boil on high heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Turn the heat to low and cook for a few minutes until the syrup thickens. Remove from the heat and stir in the lemon juice.

Preparation of cinnamon syrup
While the syrup is hot, drop the donuts in it. Do this in batches and make sure the donuts are completely coated with the syrup. Transfer the Zalabia vegan donuts to a serving bowl or plate. If you have any syrup left, feel free to drizzle it on the donuts or set it aside for individuals to add as they please.
Or soak only half of the donuts in the syrup, and roll the remaining donuts in lots of confectioners sugar. Enjoy!

Serving of donuts served in a bowl with cinnamon syrup

Zalabia plated and coated with powdered sugar

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Try these delicious recipes:

Easy Apple Strudel

Lighter Orange Ricotta Cake

Easy Rice Pudding

Tahini Shortbread Cookie

 

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I’m Suzy; born and bred right on the shores of the Mediterranean. I’m all about easy, healthy recipes with big Mediterranean flavors. Three values guide my cooking: eat with the seasons; use whole foods; and above all, share! So happy you’re here…
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Comments

  1. Binu says:

    Hello, love to try this. Can I replace corn starch with flour or leave it out? Using whole wheat flour.

    1. Suzy Karadsheh says:

      Hi Binu, I have not tried either option. Sorry I couldn’t offer a good answer here.

  2. Brianne @ Cupcakes & Kale Chips says:

    Love that you tried to decide what the shapes looked like!

  3. Jocelyn (Grandbaby cakes) says:

    These donuts are sensational!

  4. Ashley - Baker by Nature says:

    These look incredible!

  5. mila furman says:

    What?! Vegan! OH I am SOOOO making these!!! They are like the ultimate fritters!!!! YUM

    1. Suzy Karadsheh says:

      I know, right?! Thanks Mila

  6. nicole @ I am a Honey Bee says:

    these remind me of zeppole. yum! I grew up on those and love them

    1. Suzy Karadsheh says:

      Exactly! Thanks Nicole!

  7. Tara says:

    Syrup, sugar, why should I have to choose, okay I will just have lots of both!!






  8. Mary @ LOVE the secret ingredient says:

    Very cute, I see why they were a favorite of yours growing up. Simple and delicious!

  9. Summer says:

    These are too good to be true! Yummy

    1. Suzy Karadsheh says:

      Thank you, Summer!

  10. peter @feedyoursoultoo says:

    Suzy, these look delicious. i could not serve them to friends because there would never be any left by the time they got to my house.

  11. Florian @ContentednessCooking says:

    Those look amazing, Suzy! Love how easy to make those are. Only 5 Ingredients, perfect.