Koe'sister (Cape Malay Spiced Doughnuts with Coconut)

Nov 3, 2026 · By VanillaGoods

Baking Pastries doughnuts Medium

Koe'sister (Cape Malay Spiced Doughnuts with Coconut)

Soft, oval, spiced doughnuts with aniseed, cinnamon and ginger, soaked in warm cardamom syrup and rolled in coconut. They are different from the braided, crisp Afrikaans koeksister. Makes 16 doughnuts in about 2 hr 15 min.

Prep 30 min

Cook 30 min

Cooling 1 hr 15 min

Total 2 hr 15 min

Yield 16 doughnuts

Ingredients

Adjust yield

doughnuts

3 ¼ cups (400 g)all-purpose flour
¼ oz (6 g)instant yeast
¾ tsp (3 g)baking powder
3 tbsp (40 g)sugar, for the dough
¼ oz (5 g)crushed aniseed
2 ½ tsp (6 g)ground cinnamon
1 ¼ tsp (3 g)ground cardamom
1 ¼ tsp (3 g)ground ginger
1 ½ tsp (3 g)orange zest
½ tsp (3 g)fine salt
⅔ cup (160 ml)warm milk
⅔ cup (150 ml)hot water, mixed with the milk until lukewarm
2 tbsp (30 g)melted butter
1 (50 g)egg
4 ¼ cups (1000 ml)neutral oil
1 ½ cups (300 g)sugar, for the syrup
1 ¼ cups (300 ml)water
¾ tsp (2 g)cardamom pods, crushed
1 ¼ cups (100 g)unsweetened desiccated coconut

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Instructions

Whisk the flour, yeast, baking powder, sugar, spices, zest and salt in a large bowl.
Combine the milk and hot water (it should be lukewarm), then add with the melted butter and egg to the dry mix and knead for 8 to 10 minutes into a sticky, soft dough. Cover and rise 1 hour until doubled.
Make the syrup: simmer the sugar, water, cardamom and cinnamon stick for 10 minutes. Keep warm.
Heat the frying oil to 340 F (170 C).
With oiled hands, shape the dough into 16 small ovals about 6 cm (2.5 inches) long.
Fry in batches over medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes per side until deep amber and cooked through. Drain briefly on paper.
Soak the hot koe'sisters in the warm syrup for 1 to 2 minutes, turning once, then lift out and roll in the coconut.
Serve warm.

Tips

Keep the oil moderate so the centers cook without burning.
Dip them hot into warm syrup; cold ones do not absorb well.
Oil your hands when shaping since the dough is sticky.
Hot oil at 340 F (170 C) and hot sugar syrup cause severe burns; keep children away and never leave them unattended.

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Recipe FAQ

How long does it take to make koe'sister (cape malay spiced doughnuts with coconut)?

Plan on 30 minutes of prep and 30 minutes of cooking, plus 1 hour 15 minutes to chill. The recipe makes 16 doughnuts.

How should I store koe'sister (cape malay spiced doughnuts with coconut)?

Best the day they are made. Keep covered at room temperature up to 2 days.

Can I make koe'sister (cape malay spiced doughnuts with coconut) ahead?

Yes. It needs time to chill and set, so it is a good one to make the day before you serve it.

Koe'sisters are a Cape Malay fried dough sweet, spiced, soaked in syrup and rolled in coconut. Serve it with rooibos or tea.

Estimated · per serving

Nutrition

Per serving = 1 of 16 servings this recipe makes.

306 Calories / serving

12.8g Fat

45.1g Carbs

4.0g Protein

24.7g Sugar

Whole recipe (16 servings): ~4896 cal · 205g fat · 722g carbs · 64g protein · 395g sugar

Estimated values per serving, calculated from standard ingredient data. Not verified Nutrition Facts; actual values vary with brands, measurements, and preparation.