Middle Eastern Sweets Middle EasternMedium

Spiced Apple Awameh with Black Sesame Sugar

Name: Spiced Apple Awameh with Black Sesame Sugar
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 24 servings
Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Ingredients: 2 cups (240 g) spelt flour; 2 teaspoons (10 g) baking powder; ½ teaspoon (3 g) fine sea salt; 1½ teaspoons (4 g) ground cinnamon; ½ teaspoon (1 g) ground cardamom; ¼ teaspoon (½ g) freshly grated nutmeg; 1 whole (180 g) medium tart apple (Granny Smith or similar), peeled, cored, and finely grated; 1 whole (50 g) large egg, at room temperature; ½ cup (120 ml) water; 2 tablespoons (30 ml) vegetable oil; 4 cups (950 ml) vegetable oil for deep frying; ½ cup (75 g) black sesame seeds, lightly toasted; ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar, mixed with 1 tablespoon (3 g) ground cinnamon; ¾ cup (240 ml) date syrup

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Golden, crispy-outside fried dough balls infused with fresh grated apple and warm spices, finished with a crunchy coating of roasted black sesame seeds and cinnamon sugar. These fragrant awameh are drizzled with date syrup for authentic Middle Eastern sweetness. The apple adds moisture and subtle flavor while spelt flour creates a tender, slightly nutty crumb.

Prep: 20 min
Cook: 20 min
Wait: 15 min
Total: 55 min
Makes: 24 awameh (about 1.5 inches/4 cm each)

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Ingredients

24 servings

2 cups (240 g) spelt flour
2 teaspoons (10 g) baking powder
½ teaspoon (3 g) fine sea salt
1½ teaspoons (4 g) ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon (1 g) ground cardamom
¼ teaspoon (0.5 g) freshly grated nutmeg
1 whole (180 g) medium tart apple (Granny Smith or similar), peeled, cored, and finely grated
1 whole (50 g) large egg, at room temperature
½ cup (120 ml) water
2 tablespoons (30 ml) vegetable oil
4 cups (950 ml) vegetable oil for deep frying
½ cup (75 g) black sesame seeds, lightly toasted
½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar, mixed with 1 tablespoon (3 g) ground cinnamon
¾ cup (240 ml) date syrup

Equipment (9)

Large mixing bowl
Medium mixing bowl
Whisk
2-quart (2 L) deep saucepan or heavy-bottomed pot
Deep-fry thermometer or instant-read thermometer
Two slotted spoons or wooden skewers
Dough scraper or small spoon
Paper towels
Shallow bowl or small plate

Steps

Before you start

Have all ingredients measured and ready before frying
Use a thermometer to keep oil at 350°F (175°C)
Grate apple just before mixing to prevent browning

1
Mix dry ingredients
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together spelt flour, baking powder, salt, ground cinnamon, ground cardamom, and freshly grated nutmeg.
- Set aside.
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Ready when: Spices are evenly distributed throughout flour
Tip: Sift the dry ingredients if they contain any lumps, especially the baking powder
2
Prepare wet ingredients
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg and water until combined.
- Stir in the 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of vegetable oil, then fold in the freshly grated apple.
- Work quickly so the apple doesn't oxidize.
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Ready when: Wet ingredients are combined and apple is evenly distributed
Tip: If your apple looks brown before mixing, toss it quickly with a tiny squeeze of lemon juice
3
Form the dough
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients.
- Fold and stir gently with a spatula until just combined.
- The dough should be loose, sticky, and resembling thick pancake batter—do not overmix or the awameh will be tough.
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Ready when: No dry flour streaks remain but batter is still lumpy
Tip: Overmixing develops gluten and makes awameh dense instead of fluffy—stop while the batter is still slightly rough
4
Toast black sesame seeds
- In a dry skillet over medium heat, toast the black sesame seeds for 1–2 minutes, stirring frequently, until fragrant.
- Transfer to a shallow bowl or plate to cool.
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Ready when: Seeds are fragrant and have darkened slightly
Tip: Toast the seeds just before frying to preserve their crispness; over-toasting makes them bitter
5
Combine coating
- In a small bowl, mix the cinnamon sugar with the cooled toasted black sesame seeds until evenly combined.
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Ready when: Sesame seeds and sugar mixture are thoroughly combined
6
Heat oil for fryingOven 350°F / 175°C
- Pour the 4 cups (950 ml) of vegetable oil into a 2-quart (2 L) deep saucepan or heavy-bottomed pot.
- Place over medium-high heat and use a deep-fry thermometer to bring the oil to exactly 350°F (175°C).
- This should take about 8–10 minutes.
- Maintain the temperature throughout frying.
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Ready when: Oil reaches 350°F (175°C) on thermometer
Tip: If oil is too hot, awameh cook on the outside before the inside is done; if too cool, they absorb excess oil and become greasy
7
Fry the awameh in batches
- Using a dough scraper or small spoon, carefully scoop small balls of batter about 1.5 inches (4 cm) in diameter directly into the hot oil.
- Work in batches of 6–8 awameh at a time to avoid overcrowding.
- Fry for 2–3 minutes until the bottom and sides are golden brown, then gently turn each one with two slotted spoons and fry the other side for another 1–2 minutes.
- Each awameh should be evenly golden and slightly puffed.
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Ready when: Awameh are evenly golden brown on all sides and feel slightly crispy
Tip: Do not skip turning them—this ensures they cook evenly and become light and fluffy inside. If they brown too quickly, lower heat slightly
8
Drain and coat
- Transfer each batch of fried awameh to a paper towel-lined plate to drain excess oil for about 30 seconds.
- While still warm, toss the awameh in the black sesame-cinnamon sugar coating until generously covered on all sides.
- Work quickly while they are still warm so the coating adheres.
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Ready when: Awameh are evenly coated with sesame seed mixture
Tip: The coating sticks best to warm awameh, so coat each batch immediately after draining
9
Serve with date syrup
- Arrange the warm awameh on a serving platter.
- Drizzle generously with date syrup or serve it on the side for dipping.
- Serve immediately while still warm and crispy.
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Ready when: Awameh are plated and syrup is distributed
Tip: Warm the date syrup slightly before serving if it's been stored in the refrigerator—it coats better and tastes richer

Good to know

Tips

Grate the apple as close to mixing time as possible—if browning occurs, toss it immediately with lemon juice. The moisture from grated apple is crucial for fluffy awameh, so don't skip it or substitute it with applesauce.
Maintain consistent oil temperature—use a thermometer, not guesswork. Oil that's too hot burns the exterior while leaving the interior raw; oil that's too cool makes them greasy.
Black sesame seeds can be expensive or hard to find—check Middle Eastern, Asian, or specialty grocery stores. Toast them just before using for maximum flavor and crunch.
For a make-ahead option, the complete dough can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 2 hours, but the batter becomes denser as it sits, so fresher batter yields fluffier awameh.

Make ahead

Prepare the dry ingredients up to 1 day ahead and store in an airtight container. Grate the apple and mix the wet ingredients no more than 15 minutes before frying to prevent browning.

Storage & reheating

Store cooled awameh in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. Reheat gently in a 300°F (150°C) oven for 5 minutes to restore crispness. Do not refrigerate or freeze, as this damages the delicate texture.

Substitutions

spelt flour → all-purpose flour or whole wheat flour. All-purpose flour will create a lighter, more tender crumb; whole wheat flour will add earthier flavor and slightly denser texture
medium tart apple (Granny Smith or similar) → grated pear or finely grated zucchini (moisture-wise similar). Pear adds subtle sweetness; zucchini keeps moisture but use unsweetened apple juice in place of some water to maintain flavor
black sesame seeds → white sesame seeds or a mix of both. Black sesame has a slightly earthier, nuttier flavor; white sesame is milder and more common
date syrup → honey, maple syrup, or a light sugar syrup infused with orange blossom water. Date syrup is most authentic; honey and maple syrup are sweeter; orange blossom syrup adds floral complexity