🧀 Cheese-stuffed luqaimat
Cheese luqaimat are a modern twist on the classic Gulf dumplings: balls of yeasted dough with a small piece of cheese hidden inside, deep-fried until golden so the centre melts. They are drizzled with date syrup and sprinkled with sesame seeds, giving a sweet-and-salty contrast of crisp shell, soft dough and stretchy cheese. They are popular at cafés and Ramadan gatherings.
Diets
Allergens
Contains (in a typical recipe):
What it is made of
Recipe
Ingredients
- 400 g flour
- 7 g dried yeast
- 1 tsp sugar
- 400 ml warm water
- A pinch of salt
- 200 g mild melting cheese (such as mozzarella), cut into small cubes
- 120 ml date syrup
- 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
- Oil for deep-frying
Method
- Mix the flour, yeast, sugar, salt and warm water into a thick, sticky batter; cover and rest for 1 hour.
- Heat the oil to about 175 °C.
- Take a spoonful of batter with a wet spoon, press a cheese cube into it and cover it with a little more batter.
- Drop into the oil and fry, turning, until golden and crisp; drain on paper.
- Drizzle with date syrup, sprinkle with sesame and serve hot.
How to make it lighter
- The cheese adds richness — four or five pieces make a fair portion.
- Use a lighter cheese, such as reduced-fat mozzarella.
- Serve the date syrup on the side for dipping instead of pouring it over.
History
Cheese-filled luqaimat are a recent variation of the traditional Gulf sweet, now common at cafés, food stalls and Ramadan tents in the UAE, Saudi Arabia and neighbouring countries.
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Values are estimates per 100 g for a typical recipe; home and restaurant versions vary. Diets and allergens are worked out from the ingredients of a typical recipe — always check with whoever cooked the dish. Not medical advice. Nutrition data: Me Nutrition dish database v13. How we count →