The best part of visiting new countries is learning about new cultures, and is there any better way to learn about culture than through food?
There are some things you try everywhere no matter what…Donuts is not one of them.
It’s a food remarkably and consistently popular across the borders of countries and continents. When you think of a donut, you typically think of a flakey, sugary, circular piece of fried dough (with a hole in the middle), but that’s not the case for all donuts around the globe. Different they may be, but these donut variations will leave you drooling. Like literally it will leave you like this to get a donut right now!
Bomboloni (Italy)
These are the Munchkins of Florence, except these donut holes are filled with custard. The little bites of heaven are enjoyed all over Italy.
Berliner (Germany)
Berliners, also called Bismarcks, are made from sweet yeast dough that is fried and then filled with marmalade or jam and topped with sugar.
Paczki (Poland)
These delicious Fat Tuesday treats are similar to Berliners except they’re made with more butter and eggs which creates a richer texture and taste.
Beignet (France)
Unlike most other donuts, Beignets are square. They’re traditionally enjoyed with hot coffee—café au lait, a French phrase meaning “coffee with milk.”
Jalebi (South Asia & Middle East)
Who doesn’t love hot jalebis? No description needed. Already craving for it!
Churros (Mexico)
Traditional Mexican churros are the perfect combination of sugar, cinnamon and fried dough. Originally, churros were served as a breakfast food, but they’re eaten now for dessert as well.
Sufganiyot (Israel)
Israeli version of jelly donuts and feature various cream and jelly fillings. These fillings include cappuccino cream, chocolate, custard and jelly. Is your stomach growling now?
Youtiao (China)
Also known at the Chinese cruller, the Youtiao is like a deep fried breadstick.
Balushahi (India/Pakistan)
Similar to a glazed donut (in appearance and ingredients), balushahi—also known as badusha—is a traditional Indian and Pakistani pastry.
Oliebol (The Netherlands and Belgium)
Oliebol means “oil spheres” in Dutch. The deep fried desserts are the size of a baseball, and typically eaten during holidays.
Tulumba (Turkey)
Tulumba are small, oval-shaped sweet pastries with ridges, made from golden and crispy deep-fried dough and then soaked in sweet fragrant syrup. The sweet syrup can be made with flowers or even a fruit.
Lokma (Greece)
Lokma are different because they are round, ping-pong sized dough balls that are bathed in thick honey or syrup then sprinkled with cinnamon once they’re out of the oil. That alone makes me want to hop on a plane and fly to Greece with an empty belly.
Koeksister (South Africa)
Sweet, crunchy, sticky braided pastry that’s dipped into a cold syrup after it’s fried.
Sfenj (Northern Africa)
Stemming from the Arabic word for sponge, Stenj can be dipped in honey, sugar, jam—anything you like really. They are not made with sugar, so they are not as sweet as the other versions of donuts from around the world. It’s the ‘diet’ version of a donut, if there is such a thing.
Buñuelos (South America)
Buñuelos are bite-size dough balls rolled in flavored syrup, sprinkled in cinnamon sugar and served with warm honey. This dessert symbolizes good luck, so you’ll want to eat a few of them.
Sel roti (Nepal)
Sel Roti is known as “sweet rice bread“and resembles a large, thin puffed-up donut. This red crunchy donut is commonly served at festivals around Nepal.
Kluchit Staff
Maryam Khurram
