Love soft and a little sticky Turkish Delight Lokum? Do you know you can make this world-famous Turkish candy at home? It is made with a few simple ingredients and a little patience. Enjoy it either plain or stuffed with nuts like pistachios.
Lokum is one of the most well-known Turkish foods around the world. If you have a love for desserts, also check out our favorite Turkish sweets list!
Let’s learn how to make Turkish delight recipe from scratch! If you ever tasted it, you know how amazing it tastes and how addictive it is.
It could be challenging when you try to make lokum at home for the first time, but please don’t get discouraged, it is really worth making it especially if you are not living in Turkey. You will love it more than the Turkish delight you buy from a Middle East market around you.
What Is Turkish Delight?
The most popular Turkish candy around the world is Turkish Delight and has become even more popular since people saw it in a scene of the movie The Chronicles Of Narnia.
It is called lokum in Turkish, which means throat comforting. Lokum or loukoum was first produced in Anatolia and then spread all over the world during the period of Ottoman Empire.
In Turkey, lokum is a staple treat served at holidays (bayrams), mostly with a cup of foamy Turkish Coffee.
Classic Turkish delight is often sold in small cubes plain or containing nuts at markets. You might also see the ones stuffed with ground pistachio, walnut or hazelnut. We will be sharing both a plain Turkish delight recipe and pistachio stuffed version here. If you want yours plain, just leave the stuffing step out and cut it into cubes.
Turkish Delight In Turkish Culture: It is as popular as Turkish baklava. To tell you the truth, people visiting Turkey from all around the world love Turkish delight candy way more than Turkish people do.
Maybe because we have been enjoying it for ages already, maybe because it’s everywhere here, it doesn’t get that much interest from Turkish people. We do love it with a cup of well prepared and Turkish coffee or Turkish chai black tea though.
Ingredients
It is mainly made of the following ingredients:
- sugar
- water
- citric acid
- starch
- cream of tartar
- flavorings
- food coloring (optional)
The most popular flavoring used in the making of lokum is rosewater, but you can use any flavoring like orange, vanilla, mint, pomegranate, strawberry or raspberry.
Also, you can add in nuts like pistachios or hazelnuts in loukoum. Here we will share two varieties of Turkish delight: Recipe for plain lokum and pistachio Turkish delight recipe.
How To Make The Recipe
First, decide on the pan before starting. It should be a deep one to give your Turkish delight enough thickness. I used a 22x7 cm (9x3 inches) pan for these measurements. Line it with parchment paper and brush it with almond oil. Why almond oil? It doesn’t have a strong taste, so you will not feel it when eating your Turkish delights.
Second, make the sugar syrup. Combine lemon juice, sugar and 250ml water in a deep pot on medium heat until sugar dissolves. Bring it to a boil over high heat and then let it continue boiling over medium low heat until it reaches 260F/126C on a candy thermometer, for 10-15 minutes. Read the cold water test tip below if you don’t have a candy thermometer.
Meanwhile, make the cornstarch paste in a second pot. Combine cream of tartar, cornstarch and remaining 250ml water until smooth. Cook it over medium high heat whisking constantly so that there aren’t any lumps until it looks like a white paste.
Next, combine the two mixtures this way: When the sugar syrup reaches 260F/127C, remove it from heat. And slowly add the syrup into the cornstarch mixture, whisking continuously until it is completely combined.
Now reduce the heat to the lowest and cook it for 50 minutes, stirring occasionally. It will thicken and get a golden color with a gluey texture.
Remove from heat and whisk in the flavoring (rosewater if you use it) and the food coloring. Transfer it into the prepared pan and quickly spread it evenly with a silicone spatula. You should work fast at this step. Let it sit overnight uncovered at room temperature. The top should be hard at the end of this time. Wait it longer if it's still soft or sticky.
For A Classic Plain Turkish Delight
Combine powdered sugar with corn starch in a bowl. Sprinkle it over the counter. Transfer the lokum mixture on the counter. Dust scissors(works better than a knife) with this mixture and cut it first into strips and then into cubes. Roll them in the same starch mixture.
For A Pistachio Stuffed Version
Take mixture from the pan with the parchment under it. Roll it out just like a regular dough. Don't make it very thin. Put ground pistachio on one end and roll it up tightly. Coat it with the powdered sugar and starch mixture and cut it with scissors. Roll them in the same mixture and serve.
Cold Water Test: Put cold water in a bowl. Drop a spoon of sugar syrup into it. It will form a hard ball in the water. It shouldn’t be flattening when you take it out of the water but should be flexible to shape when you gently press it in your fingers. If it doesn’t form that hard ball, it means you need to boil it longer.
Storage
Store your loukoum with a good amount of powdered sugar and starch mixture in an airtight container at room temperature up to a month. No need to refrigerate it unless the weather is too hot.
What Does It Taste Like?
It is a very sweet treat, mainly a combination of sugar and starch with a little sticky texture. The taste depends on the flavoring used. Traditional lokum has a subtle rosewater flavor. But there are flavors like mint, lemon, orange, pomegranate, strawberry.
Is Cream Of Tartar Vegan?
Yes, cream of tartar is a vegan friendly product. It is made of fruit acid, so completely plant-based.
Is It Vegan?
Yes, many variations of lokum are vegan friendly as they don’t contain any dairy or animal products. However, there are versions stuffed with clotted cream in Turkey called Kaymaklı Lokum.
Is It Gluten Free?
Classic lokum is made of cornstarch and doesn’t contain any gluten. The recipe we are sharing here is gluten-free too. However, there are lots of variations today. So it’s better to read the ingredient list when you buy it from a store.
Other Turkish Desserts
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📖 Recipe
Lokum Recipe (Turkish Delight)
INGREDIENTS
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 2¼ cups sugar
- 1¼ cups corn starch
- ½ teaspoon cream of tartar
- 500 ml water
- 2 teaspoons food coloring red or pink , optional
- 1 teaspoon rosewater optional
coating:
- ¾ cup powdered sugar
- ¼ cup corn starch
filling:
- ½ cup ground pistachio
- 1 teaspoon almond oil for brushing the parchment
INSTRUCTIONS
- Decide on the pan before starting. It should be a deep one to give your Turkish delight enough thickness. WeI used a 24 x 15 cm (9 x 3 inches). Line it with parchment paper and brush it with almond oil.
- Make the sugar syrup. Combine lemon juice, sugar and 250 ml water in a deep pot on medium heat until sugar dissolves. Bring it to a boil over high heat and then let it continue boiling over medium low heat until it reaches 260 F / 126 C on a candy thermometer, for 10-15 minutes. Read the cold water test tip below if you don’t have a candy thermometer.
- Meanwhile, make the cornstarch paste in a second pot. Combine cream of tartar, cornstarch and remaining 250 ml water until smooth. Cook it over medium high heat whisking constantly so that there aren’t any lumps until it looks like a white paste.
- When the sugar syrup reaches 260 F / 127 C, remove it from heat. And slowly add the syrup into the cornstarch mixture, whisking continuously until it is completely combined.
- Now reduce the heat to the lowest and cook it for 50 minutes, stirring occasionally. It will thicken and get a golden color with a gluey texture.
- Remove from heat and whisk in the flavoring (rosewater if you use it) and the food coloring. Transfer it into the prepared pan and quickly spread it evenly with a silicone spatula. You should work fast at this step. Let it sit overnight uncovered at room temperature. The top should be hard at the end of this time. Wait it longer if it's still soft or sticky.
- For A Classic Plain Turkish Delight: Combine powdered sugar with corn starch in a bowl. Sprinkle it over the counter. Transfer the lokum mixture on the counter. Dust scissors(works better than a knife) with this mixture and cut it first into strips and then into cubes. Roll them in the same starch mixture.
- For A Pistachio Stuffed Version: Take mixture from the pan with the parchment under it. Roll it out just like a regular dough. Don't make it very thin. Put ground pistachio on one end and roll it up tightly. Coat it with the powdered sugar and starch mixture and cut it with scissors. Roll them in the same mixture and serve.
NOTES
Cold Water Test: Put cold water in a bowl. Drop a spoon of sugar syrup into it. It will form a hard ball in the water. It shouldn’t be flattening when you take it out of the water but should be flexible to shape when you gently press it in your fingers. If it doesn’t form that hard ball, it means you need to boil it longer.
NUTRITION
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Jada says
My cornstarch mixture never became combined at all. It was a kinda liquid before i put it on the heat, but as soon as it hit the stovetop, it turned chunky and never became smooth. When i added the Sugar syrup, the cornstarch mixture never dissolved and it just sat in chunks at the top of the pot with the sugar mixture, cooking for 50 minutes. I have tried this twice and it had overwhelmed me and frustrated me a lot. Please tell me if i did anything wrong, or if i added too much cornstarch or something
Zerrin & Yusuf says
Hi Jada,
We are really sorry to hear that you are feeling overwhelmed and frustrated. The cornstarch mixture does look runny before heating. No problem with that. When you put it on the heat, it is supposed to thicken gradually.
Was the heat too high? Did you whisk it constantly when it is heating? Is the bottom of the pan you used thin like a frying pan? These might have caused the problem. And if it is not smooth at this step, the following steps won't work.
Sue says
I made Turkish delight and they came out nice. However, I can't seem to get the sticky gooey texture. After I let the Turkish delight set at room temperature, they became hard. They're still soft and bouncy but they're not gooey like I wanted them to be. My Turkish delight has the firmness similar to that of a jelly made with agar powder. The only adjustment I made to the recipe is reducing sugar. Could this be the reason? Less sugar means firmer Turkish delight?
banana soup says
I made this recipe, and compared with others there is a lot less water added to the cornstarch. I ended up more than doubling the water amounts just to save what I made (which turned out like delightful turkish gummy bear squares!). This recipe needs more water in the cornstarch mix, otherwise the mix gets lumpy really fast upon heating and stays that way.
I appreciate the detailed instructions though!
Julia says
I love your Turkish delight recipe. It is look really gourmet quality with pistachios! I always order online Turkish Delight from Turkey But I want to try to do it at home too. Thanks for your recipe!
Yusuf says
Hi Julia, making lokum at home is not as hard as lots of people think. You just need some patience and time.
Penelope says
Tried this today. We had to reduce cook time for each segment by 15 minutes and the bits in the pan, on the whisk etc. were crispy. Hoping it ends up right in the morning. Is it normal for it to be hard like hard candy?
Shahira kamal says
Hi Zerrin, I tried this recipe, I think the Corn Starch mixture must be heated separately then added to the sugar mixture, can you please confirm ???
Anna E. says
Hello, I am curious if it is possible to mix the pistachios into the candy (as it is in the store-bought one I know) and not roll it as you did it. Do you have any suggestions?
Thank you in advance. I would like to make it for my brother's-in-law birthday.
Zerrin says
Haven't tried it that way. But I think you can. Just try to be quick when mixing as it gets thick so fast after reaching that certain temperature.
Ruzanna Barczynski says
Hello Zerin,
I just found on Fahriye's kitchen site that in a paste mixture should be only 90gr of corn starch not 1 1/4 cup of corn starch. That's why my mixture was so hard... It's explains then. She has in her finished product coating 11/4 of corn starch.
I will try again maybe it will work out this time.
Ruzanna Barczynski says
I wish I can attach pictures i made of my delightful mess 🙂 Then you will see what I am talking about. What type of corn starch are you using? My Is non GMO corn starch. It was a lot when sugar mixture and corn starch started to thicken up. I took electric mixer to help mixing better and then it started to stick to the bottom of the pot....
Yes, I even speak some Turkish too. I learned when I worked there, plus before I worked in Turkish Hotel as a manager. I am very fast leaner. Can I ask a question, Where IN Turkey do you live? I was in Istanbul and Marmaris. I wish one day me and my husband go there.
Well keep in touch,
Thank you, but I will not try to atempt to do it again
Ruzanna Barczynski says
Merhaba Zerrin,
Well I made this stuff which hard to name " Turkish delight "and through away in the garbage. It was just extremely thick white wall paper paste. It seems like corn starch never cooked through. Tasted horrible too. After almost 2,5 hours cooking time it was still white thick paste. I think 11/4 cup of corn starch is way too much. I watched videos from Turkish channels how they make Loukum their was clear golden liquid gel not like my paste. So, tell me please what I did wrong because I followed your recipe exactly.
Please help me, I really want to learn to do it. I can't find it anywhere here in USA.
Thank you,
Ruzanna
Ruzanna Barczynski says
Hello Zerrin again,
I have a question. I don't quit understand how much cornstarch should be inside the mixture 1 cup or 1 1/4 cup with 250 ml of water? Or it's 1 cup inside and 1/4 cup for coating?
Thank you
Alessandra says
I have everything for this recipe in the house right now. I'm going to make it. Lokum is one of my favourite candies and I need to test out my new candy thermometer. Thanks for the perfect excuse!
eylemin mutfagi says
harika görüntüler ve harika bir lezzet.ben türkiyede yaşıyorum ama krem tartarı bulamıyorum.birçok aktara sordum ama yok.
Zerrin says
Teşekkürler Eylem Hanım. Ben krem tartarı arifoğlunun satış dükkanından almıştım. Yaşadığınız şehirde varsa oraya bir sorun.
Joy @MyTravelingJoys says
Lovely idea! Your lokum look fabulous! I'll admit though that I cannot wait to buy a few boxes when I'm back in Istanbul next weekend. 🙂
Jeana says
Fabulous! I was just talking about this yesterday with another chef. It seems a bit of a labor, but certainly a labor of love. I adore Turkish Delight! Thanks for posting.