Loukoumi vs Turkish Delight: What Is the Difference?

If you grew up in Cyprus or Greece you call it loukoumi. In Turkey it is lokum. In Britain and America it is Turkish delight, and on the box from Paphos it says Cyprus delight. People often ask us whether these are four different sweets or four names for one. The honest answer is a bit of both.

The Short Answer

They are all members of one family: a soft, chewy cube made by slowly cooking sugar, water and starch, then flavouring it and dusting it in icing sugar. The differences are in the flavours, the nuts, the texture each region prefers, and in one case a legal protection that only Cyprus holds.

Where the Names Come From

The sweet as we know it is usually traced to Ottoman Istanbul in the late 1700s, where confectioners began setting sugar syrup with starch. Its old name was rahat ul-hulkum, roughly "comfort for the throat". That was shortened to lokum in Turkish, which became loukoumi in Greek.

English travellers in the 1800s took boxes home and simply called it Turkish delight. The name stuck, helped a century later by C. S. Lewis, whose White Witch tempts Edmund with it in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.

In Cyprus the sweet took its own path. It has been made in the village of Geroskipou, near Paphos, since 1895, and today Loukoumi Geroskipou is protected by the European Union. We tell that story in our complete guide to loukoumi.

Side by Side

What Makes the Cypriot Version Different

• Bergamot. This perfumed citrus is the flavour many Cypriots reach for first, and you rarely find it elsewhere. Try the bergamot and almond loukoumi from Geroskipou.
• Almonds. Where Turkish makers favour pistachio, Cypriot loukoumi is classically made with roasted almonds, as in the rose and almond box.
• Carob. A flavour that exists almost nowhere else. Carob loukoumi is dark, malty and caramel-like, made with the island's own carob syrup.
• Mastic. Shared with Greece, flavoured with resin from Chios. See the mastic and pistachio loukoumi.
• A protected name. Loukoumi Geroskipou is the only loukoumi in the world with EU Protected Geographical Indication status.

Why the Supermarket Bar Tastes Nothing Like It

Many people think they dislike Turkish delight because the only version they have tried is a chocolate-covered bar of bright pink jelly. That product is a distant cousin. It is set quickly with gelling agents, flavoured artificially and made to be cheap.

Traditional loukoumi is cooked for hours in a copper pan and stirred constantly, which is what gives it a tender bite that melts rather than wobbles. It is flavoured with real rosewater, citrus or mastic. If the supermarket bar is your only reference, a proper box will be a surprise.

What About Greek Loukoumi?

Greece has its own celebrated tradition, most famously on the island of Syros, and mastic loukoumi from Chios is loved across the country. The style is close to the Cypriot one. We stock ELMA Mastiha Loukoum, made with genuine Chios mastic.

Which Should You Buy?

• If you want the classic: rose loukoumi.
• If you want what Cypriots eat: bergamot with almonds.
• If you want something you cannot get anywhere else: carob.
• If you are not sure: read our guide to every loukoumi flavour.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is loukoumi just Turkish delight?

It is the same family of sweet. Cypriot loukoumi has its own flavours, its own almond tradition and, in Geroskipou, a legally protected identity.

Is it spelled loukoumi, lokum or loukoum?

All three are used. Loukoumi is the Greek and Cypriot spelling, lokum the Turkish, and loukoum a common transliteration. The plural in Greek is loukoumia.

Does real loukoumi contain gelatine?

The traditional recipe does not. It is set with starch alone. Always check the label of the specific product. We cover this in our loukoumi dietary guide.

Ready to taste the difference? Browse all our loukoumi, shipped from Cyprus.