Have you ever tried Zalabia, the traditional Lebanese fried dough fritters, also known as Zlabia by some Lebanese? I guess every culture has its own specialty when it comes to fried dough, and Lebanon is no exception!

Lebanese Zalabia: A Traditional Breakfast Favorite

Zalabia is one of our favorite breakfast treats, right alongside Manakish. Made with fermented dough and deep-fried until beautifully golden, these humble little treats are what I call a glorious affair! Why? Because you can enjoy them for breakfast with a generous serving of labneh and a cup of tea, or dust them with icing sugar and serve them as a sweet treat. Either way, they are absolutely delicious! They may not be the kindest to your waistline, but trust me, they will disappear from the table in no time.

One thing worth mentioning is that Lebanese Zalabia is quite different from the Egyptian version, which is typically made into spongy fried balls soaked in sugar syrup. Our Lebanese version has its own character and charm, making it a delightful addition to your collection of traditional Lebanese recipes.

A Sweet Memory: Didi’s Review of My Lebanese Zalabia

My dear friend Didi, formerly of Dishin with Didi, once shared a beautiful review of my cookbook, Hadia’s Lebanese Style Recipes. When she received her copy, she was eager to explore its pages and even took it along when visiting her mother, reading her the recipes and showing her the mouthwatering photographs. One of the first recipes her mother wanted to try was my Lebanese Zalabia!

Didi and her mother loved these traditional fried dough treats, describing their texture and flavor so beautifully. In her original review, Didi wrote that the Zalabia were “crispy, absolutely not greasy at all,” with a slightly sweet, nutty flavor from the sesame seeds and a delicate hint of anise. She also loved my little tip of making three small holes in each piece of dough before frying. This simple trick makes it easier to see when the underside has turned golden and is ready to be flipped. I love how such a small detail can make cooking easier!

They tried the Zalabia both ways I recommend serving them: sprinkled with powdered sugar and alongside labneh. But Didi had another idea that truly caught my attention. She dipped hers in tahini mixed with honey and absolutely loved the combination! Her mother tried it, too, and promptly fell in love with it.

I had never thought of pairing Zalabia with tahini and honey, and I loved discovering this new way to enjoy one of our traditional Lebanese breakfast treats. Isn’t that one of the beautiful things about sharing recipes? Someone takes a dish from your kitchen, adds a personal touch, and creates delicious new memories of their own.

Didi loved my cookbook so much that she even ordered a copy for her mother as a surprise Mother’s Day gift. Reading her kind words meant a great deal to me, and I’m delighted that my recipes brought such joy to both of them. These are the moments that make sharing my Lebanese cooking traditions so rewarding, and I’m happy to remember my dear friend Didi and her lovely review here.

Why You’ll Love This Crispy Fried Zlabia Recipe

• Incredible Texture: The perfect balance of a crunchy exterior and a soft, airy bite inside.
• Pantry-Staple Ingredients: Made with simple kitchen items enhanced by traditional Middle Eastern spices.
• Perfect for Entertaining: Yields a large batch of beautiful, golden treats that look just as good as they taste!

Ingredients for Sesame Anise Seed Dough

• All-purpose flour
• Granulated sugar
• Active dry yeast
• White sesame seeds
• Whole anise seeds
• Milk
• Vegetable oil
• Lukewarm water (as needed)
• Neutral oil (for deep frying)

How to make Lebanese Zalabia

Step-by-Step Mixing and Kneading Instructions

1. Combine ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, dry yeast, sesame seeds, anise seeds, milk, and oil.
2. Add water: Slowly pour in the lukewarm water.
3. Knead the dough: Mix and knead the ingredients thoroughly using the palms of your hands until a smooth, cohesive dough forms.
4. First proofing: Cover the bowl with a clean kitchen towel. Set aside in a warm place for 1 hour, or until the dough completely doubles in size.

How to Shape and Prep the Dough Balls

1. Portion: Divide the risen dough into equal-sized balls, roughly the size of an egg (this should yield about 22 portions).
2. Roll into ropes: Roll each individual ball into a uniform snak or rope shape, about 15 cm (6 inches) long, using your hands on a clean surface.
3. Flatten: Use a rolling pin to lightly flatten each dough rope until it is approximately 1.5 cm (½ inch) thick.
4. Create ventilation holes: Press your finger into each piece of dough to pierce exactly three holes evenly across the surface.
5. Second proofing: Lay the shaped pieces aside, cover them lightly, and let them rest for an additional 25 minutes.

Deep Frying to Golden Perfection

1. Heat the oil: Pour neutral frying oil into a deep pan and bring it to an adequate frying temperature.
2. Fry in batches: Carefully drop the dough pieces into the hot oil in small batches. Deep fry until they turn a rich, uniform golden-brown color.
3. Drain and serve: Remove the hot cookies with a slotted spoon and drain them immediately on paper towels to remove excess oil.

More Lebanese Breakfast Recipes to Enjoy

• Authentic Lebanese Musabaha Recipe (Easy & Warm)
• Lebanese Skillet Manakish Recipe (Thin & Crispy)
• Authentic Lebanese Balila Recipe
• Makdous (Authentic Lebanese Preserved Eggplants in Oil)
• Authentic Lebanese Manakish Recipe (4 Toppings)
• Foul Mudammas Recipe: Authentic Lebanese Fava Beans
• Shanklish Recipe: Traditional Lebanese Aged Cheese
• Easy Homemade Pita Bread Recipe (Lebanese Arabic Bread)
• Labneh, Lebanese Cream Cheese

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Zalabia (Lebanese Sweet Fritters)

5 from 1 vote

Prep: 1 hour hour 25 minutes minutes

Cook: 10 minutes minutes

Servings 22 pieces

Course

Breakfast

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Dessert

Cuisine

#Middle Eastern

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Lebanese

Print Pin Review

Description

 I call them a glorious affair. Simply because you can have them for breakfast with labneh and a cup of tea or dust them with some icing sugar and serve them as a dessert.  Any way you eat them, they are really great, though they may not be good for your waistline but will disappear from your table in no time.  Not to be confused with the zalabia in Egypt (the spongy fried balls soaked in sugar syrup).  The Lebanese version is totally different.

Ingredients

 

1x2x3x

• ▢ 2½ cups all-purpose flour
• ▢ ¼ cup canola oil
• ▢ 3 tablespoons sugar
• ▢ 2 tablespoons white sesame seeds
• ▢ 2 tablespoons whole anise seeds
• ▢ 1 tablespoon powdered milk
• ▢ ¾ –1 cup lukewarm water
• ▢ 1½ tablespoons active dry yeast
• ▢ 4 cups canola oil for deep-frying

Instructions

 

• In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, dry yeast, sesame seeds, anise seeds, powdered milk, and oil.
• Gradually add the lukewarm water and mix. Knead thoroughly with the palms of your hands until a soft dough forms. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and set aside for 1 hour, or until the dough doubles in size.
• Divide the dough into equal-sized balls, roughly the size of an egg (about 22 balls).
• Roll each ball between your palms into a log about 15 cm (6 inches) long.
• Using a rolling pin, gently flatten each piece to about 1.5 cm (½ inch) thick.
• Use your finger to make three holes in each piece of dough. Arrange them on a tray and let them rest for 25 minutes.
• Heat the oil in a deep pot over medium heat until it reaches the appropriate frying temperature. Working in batches, deep-fry the dough until beautifully golden on both sides.
• Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.
• Serve warm with labneh for a taste to remember!

Notes

 

 

Keyword Lebanese sweet fritters, zalabia, zlabia

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