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Cinnamon flavoured Koeksister fried golden brown, sprinkled with sugar
Freshly fried Cape Malay doughnuts with coconut and spices

Cinnamon Koesister (Cape Malay doughnuts)

Author: Flavelo
Recipes Cakes and Desserts
South Africa's iconic sweet, the Koeksister, is usually a braided doughnut drenched in syrup. This version, however, harks back to the Cape Malay 'Koesister' tradition: a spicier, softer doughnut that isn't soaked in syrup but rolled in cinnamon sugar while hot. The dough is airy, the outside crispy, and the taste is the lovechild of a doughnut and gingerbread.
🕒 Prep Time 20 mins
🍳 Cook Time 15 mins
⌛ Total Time 35 mins
🍽️ Servings 6 servings
🔥 Calories 420 kcal
🌍 Cuisine African

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

  • Deep pan for oil
  • Kitchen paper
  • Chopping board

Allergen Information

⚠️ Gluten
⚠️ Milk

Instructions

1 ✓

Mix the flour, 100g sugar, baking powder, salt, vanilla (and spices for the dough).

Tip: Spices in the dough give a deeper flavour, not just felt on the surface.
2 ✓

Add the water and knead into a soft, elastic dough. If sticky, add a little flour, but keep it soft. Rest for 10 minutes.

Tip: Resting relaxes the gluten, making it easier to shape.
3 ✓

Roll out the dough to finger thickness. Cut into strips and braid them in twos, or twist like a snail. Pinch the ends together.

Tip: Braiding increases the surface area, creating more crispy parts.
4 ✓

Heat the oil to 170-180°C. Fry the doughnuts until golden brown (2-3 minutes per side). Do not put too many in at once!

Tip: If there are too many doughnuts in the oil, the oil cools down and soaks into them.
5 ✓

Remove to kitchen paper, blot excess oil.

Tip: Leave on paper for only a few seconds, as sugar sticks best to the hot, oily surface.
6 ✓

While still hot, roll them in the sugar mixed with cinnamon.

Tip: If cooled, the sugar will fall off.

Recipe FAQ

Why did it absorb oil?
The oil wasn't hot enough. 170-180°C is ideal. If colder, the dough starts to drink.
Can I make it in the oven?
Unfortunately not. This is a deep-fried dough; in the oven, it would dry out and become a bread roll.

Ingredients

  • 500 g Plain flour
  • 100 g Granulated sugar (for the dough)
  • 2 tbsp Baking powder
  • 0.5 tsp Salt
  • 250 ml Lukewarm water (or milk)
  • 1 l Sunflower oil for frying
  • 2 tsp Ground cinnamon (for rolling)
  • 1 tsp Ground ginger and cardamom (for dough - optional)
  • 1 packet Vanilla sugar
  • 100 g Granulated sugar (for rolling)