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Home / Types / African Recipes / African Appetizers

Soft Mini Mandazi

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Published:10/13/2020Updated:10/13/2020

Soft Mini Mandzi – East African doughnuts made with grated coconut, spiced with cardamon, nutmeg, and fried to perfection. Soft Mini Mandazi So I guess it is no secret that I love fried dough, you can tell by all puff-puffs, and doughnuts that I have featured here on this blog. Not to talk of this other Mandazi featured here. I am SUPER excited to present this one – Soft Mini Mandazi. Man, you are going to love this! Soft Mini Mandazi Mandazi is a slightly sweet East African Street Food; spicy, airy yeast doughnut made with coconut milk, flavored with cardamom and grated fresh coconut/coconut flakes Soft Mini Mandazi It can be made with yeast or baking powder. However, I love the depth of flavor that yeast adds to this dough, so my first choice is yeast; unless you need a quick fix – then replace the yeast with baking powder and let it rest for 10 minutes before frying. Mini Soft Mandazi Trust me. I have been reading your comments and emails about mandazi and a lot of your complains have been about them being too tough or stringy after a while. Folks, rejoice, because this is not! They are bite size, tender and AMAZINGLY good. Don’t believe me? Make it and see for yourself. Before you make these addictive bites, here are some tips to keep in mind before you proceed.Soft Mini Mandazi          Make sure the water is not too hot. You don’t want it warmer than body temp. In order for your mandazi to be fluffy, it has to double in size; be patient with it (it might take longer for some days depending on weather and the internal temperature of your kitchen). If your mandazi does not rise in an hour, try turning on the oven to warm for 10 minutes. Then, turn it off and let the dough rise in the oven.

If all else fails, mix rapid rise yeast into the dough and knead it. You may switch out evaporated milk with coconut milk. It is best to use freshly ground cardamom for this recipe; you get a hint of crushed seeds as you bite into the dough for an enjoyable experience.

Watch How to Make It

 
 
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soft mini mandazi
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Soft Mini Mandazi

Soft Mini Mandzi – East African Doughnuts made with grated coconut, spiced with cardamon, nutmeg and fried to perfection.
4.85 from 20 votes
Prep: 1 hr 30 mins
Cook: 20 mins
Total: 1 hr 50 mins
African
Servings 6

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup (120 mL) warm water
  • 2 teaspoon active dry yeast
  • Evaporated milk (5 ounce , 147ml can) or ¾ cup canned coconut milk
  • 1 large egg
  • 1/2 cup , (100 g) sugar
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 3 1/2 – 4 cups all purpose flour (435- 500 grams)
  • ¼ cup grated coconut or coconut flakes
  • 1 teaspoon crushed cardamom spice
  • 1 teaspoon grated nutmeg or cinnamon
  • powdered sugar or cinnamon sugar to sprinkle
  • Vegetable oil for deep frying

Instructions

  • In a large bowl add the warm water, evaporated milk, salt, sugar and yeast. Set aside for 5 minutes. Add egg mix.
  • Then add 3 ½ cups flour, cardamom, nutmeg, grated coconut and continue mixing by hands or in a stand mixer .
  • Turn dough on a lightly floured surface, knead dough until all the ingredients have been fully incorporated and the dough is not too sticky, when touched, gradually add the remaining flour if you need to, err on the side of less flour than more flour. Mix dough until smooth about 1 -2 minutes.
  • Place dough in a greased bowl, turning once to coat. Cover Loosely with a clean cloth and let rise in a warm, draft-free place for 1 to 2 hours or until doubled.
  • Roll out dough in to 1 inch thick. Cut in bite size
  • In a large, sauce pan pour vegetable oil, until it is at least 3 inches (or about 5 centimeters) high (too little will result in flatter mandazi and place on medium heat until oil is 350 degrees.
  • Fry until golden brown about 3-5 minutes depending on size. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper napkin. serve warm

Nutrition Information:

Calories: 118kcal (6%)| Carbohydrates: 20g (7%)| Protein: 2g (4%)| Fat: 3g (5%)| Saturated Fat: 2g (13%)| Cholesterol: 27mg (9%)| Sodium: 402mg (17%)| Potassium: 67mg (2%)| Fiber: 1g (4%)| Sugar: 16g (18%)| Vitamin A: 40IU (1%)| Calcium: 7mg (1%)| Iron: 0.4mg (2%)
Author: Immaculate Bites
Course: Snack
Cuisine: African
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Nutrition Facts
Soft Mini Mandazi
Amount Per Serving
Calories 118 Calories from Fat 27
% Daily Value*
Fat 3g5%
Saturated Fat 2g13%
Cholesterol 27mg9%
Sodium 402mg17%
Potassium 67mg2%
Carbohydrates 20g7%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 16g18%
Protein 2g4%
Vitamin A 40IU1%
Calcium 7mg1%
Iron 0.4mg2%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

 

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MANDAZI

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    Comments & Reviews
    1. Amira says

      Posted on 5/1 at 5:34AM

      I have tried several mandazi recipes and yours by far is the best! Thank you so much for sharing! This recipe is a keeper!

      Reply
    2. Grace Nthiana says

      Posted on 3/16 at 5:08AM

      I love this recipe. My mandazi turned out very well. thanks Imma

      Reply
    3. samuel says

      Posted on 11/2 at 5:17AM

      thanks thy really worked for me even if I baked with out cardamom . BT how can thy star without being spoiled?

      Reply
    4. naz says

      Posted on 7/9 at 6:23AM

      can i substitute the coconut milk/evaporated milk for normal milk? and leave out the coconut flakes totally? thanks

      Reply
      • imma africanbites says

        Posted on 7/11 at 12:54PM

        Yes, you can. Please check out this link for more info on substituting evaporated milk >>> https://www.bhg.com/recipes/how-to/evaporated-milk-substitute/ . And yes you can leave out the coconut flakes.

        Reply
    5. Rose says

      Posted on 12/24 at 6:55PM

      Add more recipes for more delicious meals

      Reply
    6. Flavoured says

      Posted on 9/16 at 9:54PM

      Mmmh, wonna try this but what are the grams(for solids) and litres(for liquids) equivalents of the recipe amounts? Cups and spoons come in various sizes.

      Reply
      • ImmaculateBites says

        Posted on 9/21 at 8:48PM

        I have updated recipe

        Reply
        • Rose says

          Posted on 12/24 at 6:53PM

          thanks for the recipe. i hv just baked them ready to prepare them for family. will update you on how sweet they are. happy xmas and happy new year.

          Reply
          • ImmaculateBites says

            Posted on 12/24 at 8:37PM

            Can’t wait! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you too!

            Reply
    7. Olaitan Toyin says

      Posted on 6/25 at 2:42PM

      Am a Nigerian. What is cardamon?

      Reply
      • ImmaculateBites says

        Posted on 6/25 at 2:58PM

        Cardamon is a fragrant spice that is used in cooking. It has a very pungent aroma . Sub with your favorite spice or omit and use nutmeg instead.

        Reply
    8. Nicole says

      Posted on 5/24 at 12:28AM

      Very tasty! I needed something for my son’s international food fair to represent Kenya and while I love all the Kenyan stews, they don’t serve up well in a pre-school picnic setting. These were a hit. Thanks for the recipe.

      Reply
      • ImmaculateBites says

        Posted on 5/24 at 5:35PM

        Awesome! Thanks for letting me know . Glad to hear it worked out well

        Reply
    9. Nia-Lael Wangia says

      Posted on 4/4 at 5:53PM

      I am planning on making this for my 13th birthday party as a party favor. What do you think would go well with mandazi? Would M&Ms be ok?

      Reply
      • ImmaculateBites says

        Posted on 4/6 at 7:44AM

        Hi Nia! I would go with some sort of sweet dip like chocolate or caramel. If you can’t… then throw in some M&M

        Wishing you all the best on your Birthday!!!

        Reply
        • Grace says

          Posted on 5/19 at 10:14AM

          Best mandazi recipe ever thanks!

          Reply
          • ImmaculateBites says

            Posted on 5/21 at 9:04AM

            Thank you so much!!!

            Reply
    10. Adja says

      Posted on 4/3 at 2:58AM

      Hi dear
      Can I make this dough 24 hours before frying? If not how early can I make it please

      Reply
      • ImmaculateBites says

        Posted on 4/3 at 9:05AM

        You sure can.
        Refrigerate the mandazi after you have shaped it. Cover tightly for up to 24 hours. Let them sit out on the counter for about 30 minutes before frying . Hope this helps

        Reply
        • Adja says

          Posted on 4/3 at 1:58PM

          Thanks a lot, will let you know tomorrow x

          Reply
    11. Leesa says

      Posted on 2/21 at 9:26AM

      Just a suggestion – when proofing yeast, it’s generally a bad idea to put the salt in with it, since the salt will actually kill it! Better to let it proof in the warm water with sugar first, and add the salt later.

      Reply
      • ImmaculateBites says

        Posted on 2/21 at 6:16PM

        Hi Leesa! Thanks for the tip.

        Reply
    12. Helen says

      Posted on 2/14 at 10:03AM

      I made them and they were divine! Thank you!

      Reply
      • ImmaculateBites says

        Posted on 2/14 at 12:22PM

        Awesome! Thanks for the feedback!

        Reply
    13. Daniel says

      Posted on 1/5 at 8:09PM

      I love baking for sure thanks for all this.

      Reply
    14. Tam says

      Posted on 10/17 at 9:11PM

      Hi,
      I’d like to try your recipe. I’ve made half-cake mandazi and am curious what the texture is of your mini mandazi. Are they cakey or more airy/hollow inside?

      Reply
      • ImmaculateBites says

        Posted on 10/20 at 7:45AM

        They are airy and definitely not Cakey

        Reply
        • Tam says

          Posted on 10/20 at 10:38AM

          Thank you! I did try the recipe and they’re tasty. I found that I kept eating them! Mine were slightly chewy, which wasn’t a bad thing. Is that how they’re supposed to be?

          Reply
          • ImmaculateBites says

            Posted on 10/20 at 10:48AM

            Yes, they are slightly chewy…. Am craving these right now, it’s been a while…

            Reply
    15. Meow says

      Posted on 10/14 at 1:14PM

      Hello, is there something i could replace the coconut flakes in the recipe with? Google suggested dried cranberries or nuts, but im not sure how that will affect the flavor

      Reply
      • ImmaculateBites says

        Posted on 10/15 at 7:13AM

        Hi !Make it without coconut flakes. If you can’t use it. Cranberries will definitely affect flavor profile .

        Reply
        • Meow says

          Posted on 10/15 at 8:46AM

          okay, i must confess- i went ahead and made them with cranberries before i got your reply >< next time, i will try to make them without cranberries or coconut, for comparison, but i loved these as well ^^

          Reply
          • ImmaculateBites says

            Posted on 10/15 at 9:01AM

            Awesome! Glad it worked out well for you.

            Reply
    16. Paula Bulemi says

      Posted on 8/23 at 10:47AM

      What? I couldn’t believe this until I tried and mhhh the result was awesome my bowl was empty in 10 minutes and we were only 5 pple around thanks Imma for the recipe.

      Reply
      • ImmaculateBites says

        Posted on 8/23 at 12:55PM

        My Pleasure!!!

        Reply
        • Yvonne Bamurange says

          Posted on 10/6 at 1:57AM

          Where is your shop please? I want to buy mandazi. I am in Glasgow city

          Reply
          • ImmaculateBites says

            Posted on 10/6 at 10:00AM

            Sorry I do not have a shop.

            Reply
    17. Kris says

      Posted on 7/27 at 10:07AM

      Just made a batch of these for a guest from Tanzania tonight – they turned out delicious!!! Thanks for sharing your recipe 🙂

      Reply
      • ImmaculateBites says

        Posted on 7/28 at 10:22AM

        AWESOME! Thanks for the feedback!!!

        Reply
    18. Rose says

      Posted on 7/1 at 9:14PM

      Hi can you mix the dough and leave it overnight to rise?

      Reply
      • ImmaculateBites says

        Posted on 7/3 at 2:33PM

        No, I would lest it rise first . Then shape and freeze. When ready to make. Bring to room temperature and fry.

        Reply
    19. Mulondo Sylivia says

      Posted on 6/26 at 4:54AM

      Thanks for the receip. I would like to have the receip of Bagiya and daddies

      Reply
      • ImmaculateBites says

        Posted on 6/27 at 1:32PM

        Sorry as of now I do not have those recipes.

        Reply
    20. kibirige ken says

      Posted on 5/30 at 12:09AM

      Hopfuly l will make it concs

      Reply
    21. Lyndsay Fischer says

      Posted on 5/23 at 6:44PM

      We made these for my daughter’s geography fair tonight–my daughter chose Kenya. While many others has displays that were works of art, her food was by far the best! Thanks for a great, easy recipe!

      Reply
      • ImmaculateBites says

        Posted on 5/24 at 9:18AM

        AWESOME! Who cares about works of art anyways. It’s all about how food taste. So happy to hear this. And thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts with us.

        Reply
    22. Shiks says

      Posted on 5/22 at 10:31PM

      Wow! i just tried to do it,but my mandazi is not soft at all,What can be the reason

      Reply
      • ImmaculateBites says

        Posted on 5/24 at 9:16AM

        Probably the measurements and/ or yeast. Did it double before you fried them? If this happens again then add about a tablespoon of butter and go from there. Hope this helps

        Reply
    23. Beatrice says

      Posted on 4/25 at 4:17AM

      Thax am gonna try it out

      Reply
      • ImmaculateBites says

        Posted on 4/25 at 4:45PM

        Do let me know how it works out for you. Thanks

        Reply
    24. Lucy says

      Posted on 3/16 at 12:38AM

      Thanks Immaculate for the recipe……how can i make my Mandazi becomes softer…Thank you.

      Reply
    Older Comments

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