Traditional Koeksisters
This recipe for traditional koeksisters from South Africa is a wonderfully sticky donut treat. Deliciously sweet, crispy, and drenched in syrup, laced with cinnamon, lemon, and ginger. Absolutely perfect for a snack, tea time, and even breakfast.
We all have a vice, right? And fried foods are mine, especially when they’re sweet. Not a weekend goes by without rewarding myself with an occasional indulgence of some sort of fried food. However, moderation is the key. Who am I kidding? I can barely control how many of these treats I eat. So please don’t take my word for it.
They may take a bit of advance preparation but they’re so fun, they’re worth it especially if you have kids. Enjoy!
What Are Koeksisters?
The word is pronounced like cook sister. So, now that you know how to pronounce it, what the heck is it? Allow me. Koeksister is a super-popular South African sticky doughnut that derives its name from the Dutch word koekje, which means cookie. There are two versions of this popular doughnut, but this recipe is for the Afrikaner version. Braides, sticky sweet, and crispy, then drenched in syrup laced with cinnamon, lemon, and ginger. The end result is a taste bud explosion.
These fried sweet treats are extremely popular in South Africa, sold on major streets, and have made their way into super markets. They’re truly indulgent, celebration worthy for birthdays, holidays, or even creating a special occasion if you don’t have one (I do that all the time).
How to Make Traditional Koeksisters
- Syrup – Simmer the water, cream of tartar, salt, sugar, ginger, lemon juice, and cinnamon stick for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Cool the syrup and refrigerate until ready to use. (Photo 1)
- Donuts – Combine the flour, corn flour (not cornmeal), baking powder, salt, and optional sugar. (Photo 2)
- Mix in the softened butter with your hands, then add the egg and milk. Knead several times until all the ingredients have been incorporated. Then let it rest for about 30 minutes. You should have a smooth dough that easily forms a ball. (Photos 3-4)
- Roll the dough out to about 1 inch thick. Cut it into about three sections with a sharp knife, then cut those sections into thin strips. (Photos 5-6)
- Braid three strands, stretching them carefully so they have even thickness. Pinch the strands together on both ends. (Photos 7-8)
- Fry the koeksisters in 3 inches of 350℉ (180℃) vegetable oil in a pot. If using a deep fryer, fry at 350℉ (180℃). After a few minutes and the bottom is golden, gently turn them over and fry for a few more minutes on the other side until golden brown. (Photo 9)
- Remove them from the oil, let excess oil drain back into the pot, and place them directly in the syrup. (Photo 10)
- Soak in the syrup for a little while (a few minutes will do, but not so long they get soggy).
- Transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely before eating.
Tips and Tricks
- If you refrigerate your syrup, let it come to room temperature for about 30 minutes before frying the koeksisters.
- If making ahead, wait to soak them in the syrup until serving. You can reheat the donuts in the oven, then put them in the syrup.
- You can also make the dough and form the koeksisters the day before and fry them the next day.
More Fabulous Street Food Recipes to Try
Watch How to Make It
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Traditional Koeksisters
Ingredients
Spiced Syrup
- 1 cup (236ml) water
- 2 cups (400g) granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon (8-9g) fresh ginger, chopped
- 1 cinnamon stick
- ½ lemon, juiced
- 1¼ teaspoon (7-8g) cream of tartar
- ½ teaspoon (3g) salt (optional)
Dough
- 1½ cups (180g) all-purpose flour (see notes)
- 1 cup (117g) corn flour (not cornmeal)
- 2½ teaspoons (10g) baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon (4g) salt
- 2 tablespoons (24g) sugar (optional)
- 2 tablespoons (25g) butter, softened
- 1 large egg
- ½ cup (118ml) milk
- cooking oil for deep frying
Instructions
The Syrup
- In a medium saucepan, bring the water, cream of tartar, salt, sugar, ginger, lemon juice, and cinnamon stick to a boil and simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Let the syrup cool and refrigerate until ready to use.
The Koeksisters
- In a large bowl, combine the dry ingredients: flour, corn flour, baking powder, salt, and optional sugar.
- Mix in the softened butter with your hands, then add the egg and milk. Knead several times until all the ingredients have been incorporated. Then let it rest for about 30 minutes. You should have a smooth dough that easily forms a ball.
- Dust your work surface with a little flour, then roll the dough out to about 1 inch thick. Cut it into about three sections with a sharp knife, then cut those sections into thin strips.
- Take three strands and stretch them carefully until they're of even thickness all the way down. Pinch the ends together at one end.
- Braid it by taking the left strand and crossing it over the middle strand, then take the right strand and cross it over the middle strand. When braided, tightly pinch it to seal the other end.
- Heat at least 3 inches of vegetable oil in a pot until it's at least 350℉ (180℃). Test to make sure the oil is hot enough by putting a piece of dough into the oil. If it's not hot enough, the batter will stay at the bottom of the pot rather than rising to the top. If using a deep fryer, fry at 350℉ (180℃).
- Gently place koeksisters in the pan, and fry for a few minutes until the bottom side is golden brown. Gently turn them over and fry for a few more minutes until the other side is golden brown.
- With a large slotted spoon or something similar, remove them from the oil, let excess oil drain back into the pot, and place them directly in the syrup.
- Soak in the syrup for a little while (a few minutes will do, but not so long they get soggy).
- Transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely before eating.
Tips & Notes:
- Flour measurements can vary depending on the flour and the style of measuring. Adjust the amount, adding a little at a time, to get the right consistency.
- Please remember that the nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary significantly based on the ingredients used in the recipe.
Making These for the weekend. Could I make the dough and Brand the cooksisters but fry them the next day?
Yes, you can make the dough balls and spiced sugar coating ahead. Refrigerate the dough balls, then take them out to in time to warm up a little and fry them when you’re ready. Coat them in the spiced sugar when they come out of the fryer. Please let me know how it goes.
Would love recipe in grams and ml
You can use any converter to transition any of the quantity to grams and ml. Let me know how it goes once you try 🙂
Thank you for the recipe. I have 2 questions:
Just want to confirm cornflour and if it is considered cornstarch if I am looking for it in the U.S. ?
I am making 100 of these, can I make them a day before?
In the States, it’s cornmeal, not cornstarch. And making 100 of these guys the day before will definitely help the stress level. They may not be quite as good as fresh, but they’ll still make everyone happy. Have a great time!
Hello! Can I use 2 1/2 cups all purpose white flour instead? Would anything in the recipe need to change like the amount of baking powder?
I’ve never tried it, but can’t see why it wouldn’t work. You should be able to leave the rest of the ingredients the same. Please let me know how it goes.
Obrigada pela receita! O que posso usar para substituir o cremor de tártaro e qual proporção? Deus abençoe!
Thanks for visiting❤️ You can use juice other half of the lemon to replace the cream of tartar. Or you can replace it with a teaspoon of baking powder (not baking soda). Please let me know how it goes.
Not the Koeksister recipe my family has had for years. It came to us from a cousin of my mother’s who spent years in So Africa with her husband as Methodist missionaries. The recipe we have is a yeasted sweet bread with cinnamon in it that takes at least two days to make. An overnight rise of the sponge, more flour and kneading, a second rise, then rolling, cutting, braiding, and frying. The syrup from our recipe is a simple syrup with cinnamon only. Dipped while still hot from the fryer, the braids soak up the syrup and become sticky when cold. It was a family affair at Christmas every year when I was young. Mom would make the dough, roll it out, and Dad would cut it. We kids would braid. Then Mom or Dad would fry it, and the other would dip.
Thank you for your comment and for sharing this, A J!
Please I live in a small place in Australia. We can’t get corn meal. .what can I use as an alternative. Thanks. is cornflour ok?
Corn flour would work just as well.
You can get cornflour at Coles (made in South Africa) and Woolworths
Can you substitute cornmeal for cornflour?
I made these today, I live in Ireland now but grew up in South Africa and I have to say, this is EXACTLY how I remember koeksisters!! Thank you! Recipe was super!! I treated my children to these and I can tell you they will be made again SOON!!
Awesome!!! I am so glad you loved this recipe and that it took you down memory lane :). Thank you for the feedback, Karen.
Hi, we are making this tomorrow but I am not sure if the butter needs to be softened to room temperature, or does it need to be melted? Thank you.
Hello Julia,
It’s melted butter. Happy cooking!!!
It is a koeksister, yes, for sure. Traditional, not at all though. Pity about the cornflour, makes it taste a bit like porridge. Koeksisters should be wheat only, i should have known before I used this recipe. Syrup is good, although a little too lemony and cinnamon can be left out, makes no difference. Drizzle syrup on fried koeksisters, no no no. Out of hot oil into deep VERY cold syrup. Dunk so it can suck the syrup in, then drip “dry”. Dough kneads, rolls, cuts and braids easy, that I have to say!
hi, I from Nigeria and I guess I will try this. quick question ma’am, is corn flour same as corn starch. and do you raise the braid why braiding.
Hi, Chi. Cornstarch is from the endosperm (a tissue produced inside the seed) of the corn kernel while corn flour is made by grinding the whole corn kernels. Cornstarch is use more as a thickening agent. You can check this good read here >>> https://bit.ly/2IgQPZt As for the dough, you have to let it rest to rise for about 30 minutes (Step #3) before cutting it out into strips.
You can buy cornflour in Nigeria it is lavelled as Cornflour. I use it for making sauces and thickening soups. Try Shoprite if you are unsure where to get at market. I buy Fally Cornflour in yellow tib from market. Made in Ogun State. Tel. 0803306127 for producer.
Where does the salt go? Into the dough or into the syrup?
In the dough
Thanks so much for sharing though I don’t think I have seen this here in Nigeria. But I will surely try it
These are tasty, but I think not quite what they were supposed to be given what passes for corn flour where I live, mine are too heavy. I had a bag of Bob’s Red Mill Masa Harina that was sub-labelled corn flour. I think I’ll try the other recipe with yeast and just cake flour next time.
In Europe and other parts of the world, ‘corn flour’ is what we in the US call cornstarch.
No we buy corn meal . Cornstarch is different.
Thank you. Can’t wait to try the recipe . Do you have any ideas how to package to sell Koeksister. Also do you fill them with cream.
Weight busters
Gloria
I made these for a school assignment, as we are studying Africa currently, and they turned out very delicious. Thank you!
You’re welcome. And thank you for dropping by.
Corn flour = Corn Starch
Corn meal = Polenta (maize meal)
Please help…I made a batch of koeksisters But it seems not to have assorbed the syrup too well.
What can be The problem answer in the frying process is it important for oil to be at a specifiche heat?
Rhx
Yes always start frying at 375 degrees , once you add the dough it will bring down the temperature (about 25 degrees) . Do you add the koeksisters to the syrup immediately it comes out of the fryer? Also your syrup should be thick and sticky.
Hello,
I will prepare this dish for my birthday, thus, I would like to ask how long these can stay delicious and fresh after soaking in the syrup? Also, in my country (Lithuania) we do not use cream of tartar. Can I change it into something else?
Thank you!
It’s best to freeze the koeksisters, after frying . Remove warm in the oven , then mix with syrup the day of your birthday. Not advisable to save after soaking in syrup. Yes, you can. Anything that’s going to prevent the sugar from crystallizing .