by Kate | Aug 20, 2013 | Doughnuts, South African Desserts and Bakes | 76 comments
Karen on 25th May 2016 at 9:23 am
Can you cut and plait the dough then leave it over night or does it have to be unplaitted in a big ball?
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Katelyn Williams on 30th May 2016 at 12:47 pm
Hi Karen, I haven’t tried that but I don’t see why it wouldn’t work. I would maybe rest the dough for 30 minutes before you plait it though, just to make sure any gluten you’ve created has the chance to relax and it doesn’t shrink back when you try roll it. Let me know how it comes out! 🙂
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Hannah on 28th April 2020 at 10:27 am
Good morning I would like to make these for my dad as he lived in South Africa when he was younger and said they were his favourite thing to eat there. I wondered what is the best oil to use when cooking them please. Thank you Hannah
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Kate on 13th May 2020 at 9:43 am
Hi Hannah! You can use any flavourless oil – here in South Africa, we mostly use canola, sunflower or vegetable oil for frying so if you can find those, you’ll get the flavour spot-on! Good luck with the baking and let me know how they turn out! x
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Ansie on 11th August 2016 at 9:45 pm
Hi can you plunge the hot koeksister into Ice cold syrup too? What difference will it make?
Must the dough rest overnight? Or can it rest for 2 hours too?
In this recipe, is the outerside of the koeksister crunchy and the inside syrupy?
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Ansie on 11th August 2016 at 9:47 pm
Hi can you plunge the hot koeksister into Ice cold syrup too? What difference will it make?
Must the dough rest overnight? Or can it rest for 2 hours too?
In this recipe, is the outerside of the koeksister crunchy and the inside syrupy?
My koeksisters always come out dry and full with no shine one bv them!
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Katelyn Williams on 12th August 2016 at 10:41 am
Hi Ansie, yes you can plunge them into cold syrup if you’d prefer – I have tried both ways and can’t say I can tell the difference, but then again I don’t argue with the koeksister queen of Ladismith 😉 2 hours resting time should be more than sufficient and yes, these koeksisters are crunchy on the outside and lovely and syrupy on the inside. This really is the best recipe I’ve come across! Good luck – let me know how they turn out!
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Carmen Julie-Brossette on 7th February 2021 at 6:02 pm
What is the name of the plunger that Cynthia uses to keep the koeksisters in the syrup. I have never seen this.
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Susie de Bruin on 26th May 2021 at 7:30 pm
Carmen, I am pretty sure that is homemade and I want one! It will make my life SO much easier
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Heather on 23rd September 2016 at 5:50 pm
Does the extra backing powder effect the taste or leave that after taste in your mouth?
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Katelyn Williams on 26th September 2016 at 10:15 am
Hi Heather, no you don’t taste the baking powder at all – these are honestly the best koeksisters I have ever had! Hope you’ll give them a try 🙂 x
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Heather on 29th August 2018 at 8:57 am
I make these Koeksisters all the time and they are amazing
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Kate on 29th August 2018 at 9:18 am
Thanks so much Heather! So glad you love the recipe as much as I do! x
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Kayleen on 23rd January 2017 at 9:29 am
I followed your recipe exactly as said,my koeksister are super dry. They are really terrible. I am so dissapointed. Can I resoak them?
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Katelyn Williams on 23rd January 2017 at 10:10 am
Hi Kayleen – oh dear so sorry to hear that! I’ve had quite a few people make this recipe and say it definitely is the best so let’s try figure out what went wrong 🙂 Did you completely submerge the koeksisters in the sugar syrup immediately after frying? They need to be hot so they suck up the syrup. Let me know and I’ll try my best to figure out what went wrong!
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Michelle on 11th February 2017 at 5:53 am
Just made them and they are delicious thank you for sharing xo
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Katelyn Williams on 13th February 2017 at 9:17 am
Ah so glad you enjoyed them as much as I do! x
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jaco on 12th May 2017 at 4:49 pm
Followed to the tee but the dough looks more like a cake mix than a dough. Runny and sticky
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Katelyn Williams on 12th May 2017 at 6:03 pm
Hi Jaco, so sorry to hear that! Maybe check the amount of liquid you added? 2 and 3/4 cups of liquid, plus 5 eggs to 1.25kg of flour should definitely not result in a runny, sticky dough.
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Colleen on 4th June 2017 at 3:15 am
Hi Katelyn, I’d like to know approximately how long to keep the koeksisters submerged in the syrup? So looking forward to trying your recipe! On the 21st June, 1 of my co-workers is retiring and we’re all bringing a plate to contribute to her farewell tea. I’m in a little wheatbelt town in Western Australia and I can guarantee none of my Aussie co-workers have tried anything as decadent as a koeksister!
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Katelyn Williams on 6th June 2017 at 4:25 pm
Hi Colleen, simply submerge them in the syrup for 1-2 minutes. Just long enough for them to absorb but not long enough that they are soggy. Happy Baking!
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P'trus on 24th June 2017 at 3:47 pm
I have tried this recipe too and not perfect, probably because i need practice, but certanaly the best result i ever got from any recipe.
thnkxfor sharing.
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Errol on 6th July 2017 at 10:14 pm
My ouma was the koeksister champion of Potchefstroom and she taught me how to make them.
Her recipe is quite similar to the one that you have here with two exceptions…
1. Her syrup had 7 cloves in which were removed after boiling.
2. She had about a third less baking powderShe always submerged the hot koeksisters into room temperature syrup for 3 minutes exactly. I still have her grid that she put on top of the koeksisters to submerge them completely.
She did them in batches of 12 at a time.
.
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Katelyn Williams on 7th July 2017 at 9:12 am
Ah thanks for sharing Errol! I also queried the amount of baking powder but according to Tannie Errieda, that’s what keeps the crispy – I don’t argue with a tannie 😉 x
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Hester on 13th July 2017 at 9:27 pm
@Colleen: how did your koeksisters turn out?
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Jackie Rautenbach on 29th July 2017 at 8:03 pm
Hey! Thank you for the recipe. Re the syrup: There is quite a lot of lemon juice in there. Is that correct?
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Ilse on 9th August 2017 at 11:43 pm
hi there, my koeksisters looked beautifull and well soaked,but some have harden pieces inside, what can it be
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Katelyn Williams on 10th August 2017 at 10:20 am
Hi Ilse, after you kneaded the dough, did you by any chance rub the dry dough stuck to your hands back into the dough? This can cause hard lumps in bread, rolls or koeksisters. It could also be that the flour was not mixed in completely. I’m glad they looked beautiful, though! Tannie Cynthia has been making these koekisters for years so it does take a bit of practice – I hope you’ll try again! Kx
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Susie de Bruin on 16th April 2021 at 11:59 am
Hi,
Experience has taught me that lumps form if your oil is too hot and the outside is brown but the inside is raw. When you dunk it it creates chaos inside. Try to cook for longer in cooler oilReply
Jane on 31st August 2017 at 10:25 pm
Wow! At long last I have made some incredible koeksisters!!! YAY!! The problem was the bar was set extremely high as I once lived in a dorpie and the tannie there made koeksisters that people would travel miles for. For over 25 years I have eaten many koeksisters, always searching for the holy grail – but they never were as delicious as hers. I also tried a few recipes over the years, which were all disappointing flops. So I set to work last night and today to my surprise and my husbands delight (he ate FIVE in a row!) at last – the perfect koeksisters. All the more rare and precious as we live in the UK and not a koeksister is to be seen here that one would want to buy. If there are some I have not found them!
Thank you and Tannie Cynthia a thousand times over for a truly superb recipe. And no – if anyone is wondering they really really do not have any bicarb taste or aftertaste. It was also a joy not to have to do the whole ice cold syrup malarky…mine are crispy outside, soft and syrupy inside. Sublime!
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Katelyn Williams on 1st September 2017 at 10:02 am
Ah Jane! You made my day with this comment! I am so glad that they came out as perfectly as mine did. Tannie Cynthia would be proud – in fact, I’m going to send her a message now with your lovely words. I’m sure she will be thrilled!
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Jane on 1st September 2017 at 7:06 pm
Katelyn, thank you for sending Tannie Cynthia my words – it means a lot. Quite aside from the sheer deliciousness of the koeksusters, I’m bowled over by her generosity in sharing this wonderful recipe. As you said in your delightful story of your quest for the perfect koeksister – prying a koeksuster recipe worth it’s salt from it’s often secretive guardian is no easy feat! I totally admire your tenacity! x
Tannie Cynthia should know that in sharing she has spread a lot of gratitude and joy into the world, bless her heart!PS. We had koeksisters for breakfast and lunch and today they are *even better* than freshly made – how is that even possible!!! Even more miraculous is that neither of us are as sick as dogs!
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Leonie Muller on 3rd September 2017 at 2:54 pm
Hi Katelyn, I get obsessed trying make perfect baked goods. My obsession is to make a crispy koeksister with loads of syrup inside so far I have failed. I will soon try this recipe. Have you ever halved it? Or made the whole batch and froze half the dough to use later? Difficult to half 5 eggs. Thank you for sharing this recipe. Will let you know once I have made it. Next weekend I will try Aunty C’s recipe. Take care. Ps, don’t you have a coney roll recipe please. This is also am obsession to make, the ones Spar make is excellent but we live in Ireland now and the rolls are not nice. Xx
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Leonie Muller on 9th September 2017 at 3:56 pm
Hi Katelyn, me again. Have mixed my dough and it is now in Fridge to be baked tomorrow. I have done my syrup, I then watched the video and saw golden syrup is being added to sugar and water. The recipe does not specify how much golden syrup. Can you please let me know. Thank you xx
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Garth on 16th October 2017 at 8:31 pm
Hi Leonie. Did you ever get a reply on the golden syrup volume?
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Katelyn Williams on 17th October 2017 at 1:46 pm
Hi Garth, I see my original response to Leonie disappeared. The recipe Cynthia gave me (without golden syrup) has been thoroughly tested and definitely works. I can only think that on the day we shot the recipe she added it in as an extra. It won’t change the final result much, except maybe add a bit of flavour but it won’t be very noticeable as golden syrup is more sweet than anything else. Hope that helps!
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rehanavi on 15th September 2017 at 9:05 am
Lyk baaielekker
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Annamart on 16th September 2017 at 4:46 pm
Hi Katelyn, should the oil be replaced after one batch or how many can I do with the same oil?
Annamart.Reply
Lara on 28th September 2017 at 8:33 pm
Hi Katelyn, I’ve made this recipe quite a few times and it is brilliant! One question I have is I am making them for a bake sale and would like to make them in advance. Can you freeze them, sell them (they would probably be room temp by then), refereeze and take them out 15 minutes before eating? Thank you so much. Lara
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Katelyn Williams on 29th September 2017 at 10:11 am
Hi Lara – that’s so good to hear! I think that shouldn’t be a problem at all – the freezing simply stops them from drying out so as long as they’re not at room temperature for more than a day, they should still be juicy. Good luck!
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Sanet Salmon on 13th August 2018 at 8:21 am
Hi Lara, we used to buy tannie Cynthia’s koeksisters to serve with coffee at our restaurant and they freeze perfectly. We did not even take them out 15 kins before. Just took one out as it was ordered and it was perfect.
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Desiree Greyling on 20th December 2017 at 9:52 pm
Just made another batch of koeksusters that is a total failure So now after many attempts of other recipes I will make this recipe. I am sure that after watching the video and seeing how Aunty C makes her wonderful koeksusters I know I am on the road to success. Thank you for sharing
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Amanda Fourie on 17th May 2018 at 9:47 pm
Hi Katelyn. Thanks a million for sharing aunty Cynthia’s recipe, which I have only now discovered.
I am concerned about the baking powder- it seems like an aweful lot of b.p. – is 165 ml correct? Secondly, how thick should the dough be rolled out to have a nice koeksister? I desperately awaiting your reply. Thank youReply
Kate on 18th May 2018 at 9:38 am
Hi Amanda! Don’t be alarmed, the amount of baking powder is correct – it is the secret to the koeksisters staying really crunchy when they’ve been dipped in the syrup. I make this recipe often and never taste the baking powder in the final result – most of it burns off in the deep fryer anyway. 5mm thick would be perfect – the thickness of tart crust dough. Hope that helps!
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Amanda Fourie on 18th May 2018 at 4:40 pm
Hallo Katelyn. Thank you for your quick response. Is the syrup left outside the fridge to cool, or refrigeratored overnight and then taken out to reach room temperature before using?
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Kate on 21st May 2018 at 10:04 am
Hi Amanda, it is not necessary to refrigerate the syrup. You can simply leave it at room temperature to cool and use it the next day. 🙂
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Amanda Fourie on 23rd May 2018 at 9:46 pm
Evening Kate. Could I ask 2 more questions please?
Why do I have hard lumps in the koeksisters, and why do some of them ‘burst’ when submerged in the syrup
(Dit lyk of koeksister stukkend gedruk word). Thank you and take care.Reply
Amanda Fourie on 24th May 2018 at 9:18 pm
Hallo. Does anybody reading this blog maybe have the answers to my last entry about the lumps and ‘burst’ koeksisters? Just wondering !!! Thanks to all. Regards
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Kate on 25th May 2018 at 2:16 pm
Hi Amanda – are you rubbing the dough from your hands after kneading into the dough? These can sometimes form little hard bits in the dough. Rather discard these small bits. Regarding the ‘bursting’, this could be because your oil is too hot so the outside cooks before the inside has a chance to expand and therefore bursts them. Hope that helps!
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Amanda Fourie on 25th May 2018 at 7:35 pm
Hi Kate. Thanks a million for your reply. You are a star!! Your explanations make a lot of sense. I have been searching for these answers for a long time. Regards and take care xx
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Amanda Fourie on 31st May 2018 at 9:45 am
Morning Kate. Hopefully last question to you. Why do my koeksisters shrink once it has been plaited? Is it maybe because I don’t kneed the dough long enough?
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Kate on 31st May 2018 at 10:04 am
Hi Amanda, it sounds like you may be overworking the dough, that causes the gluten to develop again which shrinks your koeksisters. When you’re shaping the koeksisters, try not to knead the dough, simply break off pieces roll and fold. Resting them for 5-10 minutes after shaping and before frying might also help!
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Beatrice Nel on 27th April 2020 at 12:37 pm
Must you freeze the syrup.
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Kate on 13th May 2020 at 9:45 am
As mentioned in the recipe, the syrup is room temperature. Tannie Cynthia says that’s the best way!
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Amanda Fourie on 1st June 2018 at 1:50 pm
Thank you Kate. Much appreciated.
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Courtney on 27th September 2018 at 8:04 am
Is the dough meant to be super soft after kneading ?
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Joey Oosthuysen on 27th December 2018 at 4:47 am
Dear Kate,
Thank you for sharing Cynthia du Plessis’s koeksister-resep! My husband and I made it and it’s delicious. Best koeksisters we have ever had.
Joey OosthuysenReply
Betty on 17th April 2019 at 3:24 am
Hi Kate!
I realize it’s been a while since this was shared but I am battling. Do you remember if Cynthia used a mixer to mix the dough? I’m asking because I mixed the dough by hand, and after 10 minutes it still wasn’t dough…it was like cake batter. I cannot get it to the point of it being dough that you need.
Can you help?Reply
Kate on 17th April 2019 at 10:40 am
Hi Betty! She mixed it by hand and it should definitely form a dough. I think perhaps add less of the liquid mixture. Depending on the flour you use, yours could have more moisture in it so you may need less. I would add the wet ingredients gradually until a soft dough forms. Hope that helps!
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Fe on 23rd September 2019 at 4:26 am
These are incredible! I have been on the search for the best and now I have it. Great that the syrup doesn’t have to be cold. I would recommend to watch the video, submerging and keeping them down into the syrup in the key for me.
Anyway turned out a treat! HoorayReply
Kate on 2nd October 2019 at 5:41 pm
Thank you so much! I’m thrilled you love it as much as I do! And thank you for taking the time to leave such a lovely comment 🙂
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Madeleine Truter on 16th February 2020 at 8:51 pm
Hi
I’m going to try this recipe tomorrow. Desperate times calls for desperate measures, we are in the US and the closest “koeksister tannie” is 3 hours away and expensive ($1 per koeksister), so now I have to learn how to bake them myself. Wish me luck and then some self control to not eat the whole batch in one day!Reply
Kate on 28th February 2020 at 8:44 am
Fantastic, I’m thrilled you’re giving them a go, Madeleine! This recipe makes quite a lot so feel free to half it. x
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Elisma on 28th February 2020 at 8:37 am
Hi Leonie, I know this is SUPER late, just came accross this recipe myself, and I did half it, I used 2 large eggs, first time came out well enough. The full recipe is too much for only me and my husband. I have had great success by halving it. Instructions followed to the point and I am not disappointed with the results, I think depending on the size of the eggs you can use 2-3. I did have some left over dough and will be using the same guidelines I do for home made pizza dough by freezing for up to one month.
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Kate on 28th February 2020 at 8:47 am
Thanks Elisma! Glad you enjoyed them. It is quite a large recipe but the finished koeksisters freeze so well and I feel like they’re quite a lot of effort so best to get a large batch out! And as you rightly said, the raw dough freezes well too.
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Elisma on 4th March 2020 at 10:32 am
I have to agree with you on the large batch, especially since I have a sweet tooth and they really are the best of the best I have tried making myself, thanks so much for sharing what you have learnt. The full recipe is much easier to use and less confusing, and I believe they will also mix better in the long run. Will make them again for sure!
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Shana on 6th March 2020 at 7:40 am
Absolutely perfect. Love this recipe. Koeksisters have perfect texture and taste. Thank you for this recipe. I found them tastiest the day after and kept in the fridge overnight.
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Kate on 6th March 2020 at 8:32 am
Thank you so much for taking the time to give such lovely feedback, Shana! Really appreciate it! Kate x
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gene on 7th April 2020 at 12:13 am
Please add me to your mailing list as I would love to have more recipes
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Kate on 7th April 2020 at 2:47 pm
Will do! You’ll get an email saying you’ve subscribed, you just need to approve it 🙂
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Teresa Fouche on 6th June 2020 at 7:07 pm
Hi Kate
We moved to the UK from South Africa 2 1/2 years ago. I have been telling my neighbours about Melktert and Koeksisters and introduced them to a proper Braai with Boerewors and Biltong. Today I made a batch of koeksisters – your recipe or rather ” the tannie’s” recipe and have to say it is the best I’ve ever had. The crisp outside and lush, sugary gooyiness on the inside is delightful. I am sending a batch over to all my neighbours and can’t wait to get the nod of approval for most probably the best treat on earth! Lockdown brought my creative inner child out and I also started blogging ….mostly about travel, and will include your link in one of my future posts if I may. I include a small snippet of SA life in most of my posts. Your recipe certainly created a lot of excitement at home today! My boys now have sticky Xbox controllers! XReply
Kate on 8th June 2020 at 11:07 am
Hi Teresa! Thank you SO much for the wonderful feedback – I am so glad the recipe brought joy into your household! Thank you for taking the time to leave a comment too – I cannot wait to read your blog. x
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gene on 7th April 2020 at 12:13 am
Very nice looking koeksisters
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Shanon on 30th September 2020 at 4:05 pm
I’ve tried this recipe twice now, half and full measures and the dough is soooo sticky, is this right? I’ve followed the ingredients and directions to a T and it still comes out so sticky even after 15 mins of kneading!
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Susie de Bruin on 26th May 2021 at 7:44 pm
Shanon, I left the 1/2 cup water out. That made all the difference.
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Susie de Bruin on 26th May 2021 at 7:51 pm
Hi Kate,
If you still have contact with tannie Cynthia, PLEASE, can you tell her she changed my life?I was down and out with no income and with this recipe, I can tell you in all honesty that I have so many repeat customers I struggle to keep up.
It is divine and once I adjusted the moisture to work for the flour I use I’ve never had any mishaps.
Thank you as well for publishing the recipe.Reply
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