Tulumba (Fried Dough in Syrup)

Nov 3, 2026 · By VanillaGoods

Baking Pastries doughnuts Medium

Ridged fingers of cooked, choux-style dough, fried to a golden crunch and dunked in cool lemon syrup so they stay crisp outside and juicy within. Makes 20 pieces in about 2 hr 25 min.

Prep 40 min

Cook 45 min

Cooling 1 hr

Total 2 hr 25 min

Yield 20 pieces

Diet Dairy free

Ingredients

Adjust yield

pieces

2 cups (400 g)granulated sugar, for the syrup
1 ½ cups (350 ml)water, for the syrup
1 tbsp (15 ml)fresh lemon juice
1 cup (250 ml)water, for the dough
2 ½ tbsp (40 ml)vegetable oil
1 ¼ tsp (5 g)granulated sugar, for the dough
¼ tsp (2 g)fine sea salt
1 ½ cups (190 g)all-purpose flour
1 tbsp (10 g)cornstarch
3 (150 g)eggs, room temperature
6 ⅓ cups (1500 ml)neutral oil for frying

Fresh ingredient guides

LemonsHow to pick, season & nutrition · 24 kcal per 84 g

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Instructions

Make the syrup first: simmer the sugar and water for 12 minutes, add the lemon juice, and cool completely.
In a saucepan, bring the dough water, oil, sugar and salt to a boil.
Add the flour and cornstarch all at once and stir hard until a smooth ball forms, about 1 minute. Cool until barely warm, about 15 minutes.
Beat in the eggs one at a time until the dough is thick, glossy and holds a ridge.
Spoon the dough into a piping bag with a large star tip.
Heat the frying oil to 325 F (160 C). Pipe 2-inch (5 cm) lengths directly into the oil, cutting with scissors, and fry 8 to 12 minutes, turning, until deep golden.
Drain on paper towels for 30 seconds, then place in the cooled syrup for 3 to 4 minutes, turning.
Lift out onto a rack to drain.

Tips

The pieces must be hot and the syrup cool, or the crust turns soggy.
Do not crowd the pot; the oil temperature drops and they come out greasy.
Pipe a ridged shape so the syrup soaks in fully.
Keep hot frying oil at 325 F (160 C) and never leave it unattended; water dripping in causes dangerous spatter. Cook the eggs fully in the fry.

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Recipe FAQ

How long does it take to make tulumba (fried dough in syrup)?

Plan on 40 minutes of prep and 45 minutes of cooking, plus 1 hour to chill. The recipe makes 20 pieces.

How should I store tulumba (fried dough in syrup)?

Store loosely covered at room temperature for up to 3 days.

Can I make tulumba (fried dough in syrup) ahead?

Yes. It needs time to chill and set, so it is a good one to make the day before you serve it.

A fried choux-style dough soaked in sugar syrup, eaten across Turkey, Egypt, the Balkans and the Middle East and linked to the Ottoman table. Serve it with turkish tea.

Estimated · per serving

Nutrition

Per serving = 1 of 20 servings this recipe makes.

213 Calories / serving

10.7g Fat

28.0g Carbs

1.9g Protein

20.3g Sugar

Whole recipe (20 servings): ~4260 cal · 214g fat · 560g carbs · 38g protein · 406g sugar

Estimated values per serving, calculated from standard ingredient data. Not verified Nutrition Facts; actual values vary with brands, measurements, and preparation.