Koeksisters

About This Recipe

Koeksisters are one of South Africa's most beloved sweet treats — twisted dough deep-fried until golden, then immediately plunged into ice-cold spiced syrup so they absorb every drop. The contrast of crispy outside and sticky, syrup-soaked interior is addictive.

Ingredients

Serves 24

• 500 gcake flour
• 2 tspbaking powder
• 60 gcold butter, cubed
• 160 mlcold milk
• 1 kgwhite sugar (for syrup)
• 1 tspground ginger (for syrup)

Instructions

1. 1

   Make the syrup first

   Dissolve sugar in 500 ml water with ginger and a cinnamon stick. Boil 5 minutes, then refrigerate overnight (or at least 2 hours) until ice-cold.

2. 2

   Make the dough

   Rub butter into flour and baking powder until breadcrumb-like. Add enough cold milk to form a soft dough. Knead gently, rest 10 minutes.

3. 3

   Shape

   Roll out 5 mm thick, cut into 10 × 2 cm strips, take 3 strips and plait tightly, sealing the ends. Chill plaited koeksisters for 15 minutes.

4. 4

   Fry and dip

   Deep-fry in batches at 180 °C for 2–3 minutes until golden. Immediately transfer hot koeksisters into the ice-cold syrup for 30 seconds, turning once. Drain on a rack.

Variations

• •

  Cape Malay koeksisters are ball-shaped, coconut-rolled, and spiced with cardamom — an entirely different tradition.

• •

  Drizzle melted chocolate over cooled koeksisters for a modern touch.

• •

  Vegetarian: swap the protein for roasted king oyster mushrooms, smoked tofu or cooked chickpeas — adjust seasoning slightly upward to compensate.

• •

  Spicier: add a finely chopped fresh chile or a teaspoon of crushed Aleppo/Urfa pepper to the aromatics for warm, layered heat instead of a single sharp hit.

Storage

Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days. They keep well refrigerated.

Frequently Asked Questions