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    Home » Precious Kitchen

    PUBLISHED: Feb 28, 2020 · UPDATED: Mar 4, 2020 by Precious · This post may contain affiliate links · 58 Comments

    AFRICAN DOUGHNUTS - TWISTED DOUGHNUTS

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    Doughnuts on a tray

    Give me these twisted doughnuts warm with a glass of milk and I will be in snacking heaven!

    These twisted doughnuts are life - slightly crunchy on the outside, soft and pillowy on the inside with an irresistible buttery flavor. They are a variation of African doughnuts which are made into twists - such fun shapes!

    Once upon a time, I was at a party making hot gateau (an insanely delicious deep fried dough snack) for people to feast on while a Sierra Leonean woman watched me, assisted me and fed me with stories.

    Part of the stories included telling me how the gateau dough was so similar to the dough for Sierra Leonean doughnuts. She even took a part of the dough and tried to shape it into these twisted doughnuts.

    African doughnuts - twisted version

    The food fusion in the world is amazing! You know why I say so? Sierra Leoneans make these twisted doughnuts, Cameroonians make them - in Cameroon, they are referred to as gateau (just like Cameroonian gateau).

    They are also made in Korea - where they are called kkwabaegi. And they are made in the Philippines - where they are known as shakoy. AND this same dough could be used to make Nigerian doughnuts by simply shaping the dough into rings!

    So these twisted doughnuts cut across continents from Africa to Asia! And let me tell you: they have a universally appealing taste so no matter what part of the world you are from, you will enjoy them.

    I mean, who can resist the slightly crunchy outside with the fluffiness on the inside and a buttery taste? No one!

    Best African Doughnuts - Fluffy on the inside

    In the Asian store where I usually shop for African food, something similar to these twisted doughnuts is sold and labeled as "sweet twists". I love buying a pack when I go shopping. But let me tell you, homemade is wayyyy better.

    I noticed that the storebought version is sometimes fried with old oil which yields an unpleasant taste. When you make these at home, the fresh homemade taste is unbeatable plus it is so much fun to make!

    African doughnuts recipe

    How To Make African Doughnuts

    First, you make the dough which is made up flour, yeast, butter, sugar, milk, egg and a pinch of salt.

    Dough for African Doughnuts - ingredients for doughnuts

    Then you let the dough rise until doubled in size. Then you rejoice at how yeast works it's magic in the dough. Then you punch the dough down to deflate and you shape into fun twists.

    To make the twists, divide the dough into 24 equal pieces. Take one piece and form a rope with it.

    African Doughnuts - Forming the twists

    Then using both hands, roll both ends of the rope in opposite directions until it creates some tension. Like so:

    Forming twists for African doughnuts

    Then you hold up and keep twisting with both hands in opposite directions until it forms 3-4 twists. Press the ends to seal them together.

    Twisted doughnut ready for fying

    Now note that if making the twists is too hard for you, you could simple shape the dough into small one-inch balls and fry. I'm not gonna lie - I have quickly shaped them into balls and fried when I was hosting an event in my home and had very little time to make the twists. But note that the balls take a longer time to get cooked through compared to the twists.

    African twisted doughnuts

    After forming the twists, you let them rise for a few more minutes then you fry them. The frying is the easiest part. And then comes the coating with granulated sugar and the eating! I insist that you must eat some while they are still warm. They are to die for!

    Eating African doughnuts

    I adapted this recipe from one of my favorite YouTube cooks, Maangchi. After testing the recipe several times, I successfully adjusted the ingredients to suit measurements in grams so those of you who use grams will find it easy to follow.

    So for this recipe, you need 500 grams or half a kilogram of flour. Neat, right? Also, 500 grams of flour equates to 4 cups of flour so whether you choose to measure in grams or kilograms, you are good.

    You can read more about the measurements in the full recipe below but first, let's look at some facts about African doughnuts!

    WHAT ARE AFRICAN DOUGHNUTS?

    African doughnuts, simply put are different forms of deep-fried dough. The doughnuts vary depending on which African country or part of Africa they are made/eaten in.

    For instance, Nigerian doughnuts are made into rings while Cameroonian and Ghanian doughnuts are made into small balls.

    In East Africa, the popular form of doughnuts eaten are called mandazi and they have triangle-like shapes. South African doughnuts are made into braids and are known as koeksisters.

    All the various forms are similar in that similar ingredients are used to make them: flour, sugar, yeast (or baking powder) and margarine (or butter).

    However, some are richer made with more ingredients while others like puff puff are made with very basic ingredients - just flour, yeast, sugar and salt. African doughnuts are always a hit at African parties. In whatever form you enjoy them,n they are a real treat!

    So you guys, make these African doughnuts! Make them for snacking at home, make them for breakfast. Make them for wowing your guests, make them for picnics or potlucks. They are epic in every way!

    If you make this recipe, please take a moment to rate it below. Also, share a picture with me on Facebook or tag me on Instagram. I'll love to see!

    WATCH HOW TO MAKE AFRICAN DOUGHNUTS

    Watch me making African Doughnuts in the video below. If you haven’t subscribed to my Youtube channel yet, SUBSCRIBE so you do not miss any of my videos.

    African doughnuts recipe

    African Doughnuts - Twisted Doughnuts

    These African doughnuts are soft, pillowy, fluffy on the outside with incredible flavor! Perfect for snacking, breakfast or entertaining. And the twists are such fun shapes. Enjoy, friends!
    5 from 11 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Breakfast, Snack
    Cuisine: African, Fusion
    Prep Time: 1 hour
    Cook Time: 30 minutes
    Inactive Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
    Total Time: 3 hours
    Servings: 24 doughnuts
    Calories: 110kcal
    Author: Precious

    Ingredients

    • 4 cups all purpose flour (500g or ½ kg)
    • 2 ½ teaspoons active dry yeast (1 oz sachet)
    • 12 oz evaporated milk (354ml or 1 ½ cups)
    • 3 tablespoons butter - melted
    • 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
    • 1 teaspoon salt (not heaped)
    • 1 egg
    • Oil for frying Corn oil, canola oil or vegetable oil will work well here.

    Instructions

    • Heat the milk to be just slightly warm to the touch. I heated it for 1 minute in the microwave. The milk should be about 110 degrees Fahrenheit. 
    • Add the yeast to the milk and let it rest for 2 minutes. Add the sugar, salt, melted butter and egg then whisk everything together. Finally, add in the flour and mix with a wooden spoon to form a dough. Cover the dough with plastic wrap and let it rise in a warm place for about 1 hour until doubled in size.
    • Punch down dough to deflate then place on a floured board and cut into 24 equal pieces. (I start off by cutting the dough into two. Then cutting each piece into two twice to form 8 pieces. Then I cut every 1 of the eight pieces into 3. That makes 24 pieces.)
    • Take one piece and roll out into a 13-inch rope. Twist the rope in the opposite direction (move one hand upward and the other hand downward as you roll). Hold up and keep twisting until it forms a twisted doughnut. Press the ends together to seal them. Place the twisted doughnut on a large tray or chopping board. Repeat process with the rest of the dough.
    • Let the twisted doughnuts rise for about twenty minutes. Halfway through, flip them to the other side so the flat side can rise too. Also, halfway through place oil to heat up on high.
    • Let the oil heat up to about 350 degrees F or for about 8-10 minutes then turn the heat down to medium-low. Place in the twisted doughnuts to fry being careful not to overcrowd the pan. (I fry 6 doughnuts at a time in my wok). 
      Once the doughnuts turn golden brown on one side, flip to the other side and let them cook. Once the other side is golden brown, remove and place on paper towel to absorb excess oil. They take about 4 minutes total to cook.
    • If you desire, mix 2 tablespoons of sugar and ½ teaspoon of cinnamon in a paper bag and place the hot doughnuts in and shake to coat. Insanely good!

    Notes

    1. If the twists are too hard for you to form, simply form the doughnuts into 1-inch balls and let them rise again as you would with the twists before frying. Note that if you for them into balls, they will take a few more minutes to cook thoroughly.
    2. These African doughnuts freeze well. Place them in a Ziploc bag and place in the freezer. To eat, simply remove them and let them thaw before eating. If you want them warm, place in the microwave and warm for a minute before eating - note that arming them will melt the sugar coating on the outside. Also, you should warm them for more than a minute as they will become hard.
    3. Nutritional information is per doughnut.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 110kcal | Carbohydrates: 19g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 6mg | Sodium: 126mg | Potassium: 35mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 45IU | Vitamin C: 0.004mg | Calcium: 8mg | Iron: 1mg
    Tried this Recipe? Tag me Today!Mention @preciouscore or tag #preciouscore!

    Pin this recipe:

    These African doughnuts! They are sweet, slightly crunchy on the outside, fluffy on the inside, butter and incredibly delicious! Enjoy them for breakfast, snack time, parties or potlucks. They are so good! Get the full recipe on Precious Core. #African Doughnuts #Snacks #AfricanFood #SummerRecipes #PreciousCore

    You are stronger than you think, braver than you think and more capable than you can ever imagine. Never stop believing in you!pre-signature-pro

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    Sharing is caring!

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    About Precious

    Welcome to my core! I am Precious Nkeih, the recipe developer and writer right here on my blog, Precious Core. My goal is to show you insanely delicious recipes you can replicate in your kitchen. And I love to tell stories too. Hope you find recipes here that will make cooking easier for you! Check me out on YouTube at YouTube.com/PreciousKitchen.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Annie says

      May 19, 2018 at 4:34 am

      Hi Precious, am so eager to try this out. But I have doubts about what evaporated milk is. Am in Cameroon please can you guide me

      Reply
      • Precious says

        May 19, 2018 at 5:13 am

        Hi Annie, evaporated milk is the liquid Peak milk sold in stores in Cameroon.

        Reply
        • Meeky says

          April 01, 2020 at 12:33 am

          Thanks dear

          Reply
          • Precious says

            April 01, 2020 at 1:13 pm

            You are welcome.

            Reply
    2. Ndor says

      May 21, 2018 at 5:24 am

      Hello ma, I am so going to try this out. Thank you and keep winning ma, love you

      Reply
      • Precious says

        May 21, 2018 at 10:58 am

        Awww love you too, Ndor. Please let me know how it goes when you try it.

        Reply
    3. Anasthasia says

      June 13, 2018 at 5:58 pm

      Can I use regular milk

      Reply
      • Precious says

        August 30, 2018 at 2:11 pm

        So sorry for the late response. Yes, you could use regular liquid milk.

        Reply
    4. Ngombe says

      August 30, 2018 at 2:39 pm

      oh that crunchy feeling.

      Reply
      • Precious says

        August 31, 2018 at 1:28 pm

        Crunchy on the outside and fluffy on the inside. So good!

        Reply
    5. Debra Jonkers says

      September 02, 2018 at 1:06 pm

      can these be baked in oven at 350F

      Reply
      • Precious says

        September 02, 2018 at 9:47 pm

        Hi Debra, you could definitely bake them and they will be good but not as good as the fried version. Hope you enjoy!

        Reply
    6. Ngombe says

      September 03, 2018 at 2:14 pm

      I will try this soon.

      Reply
      • Precious says

        September 03, 2018 at 7:52 pm

        Let me know how it goes.

        Reply
    7. Audrey says

      September 11, 2018 at 5:17 am

      Hi Debra
      I am a South African and enjoyed your koeksusters as we call them, Yummy my family enjoyed them.

      Warm regards

      Reply
      • Precious says

        September 11, 2018 at 8:26 am

        Glad to get this feedback from you, Audrey. Thank you!

        Reply
    8. Risikat Onikoyi says

      September 14, 2018 at 6:02 am

      Please can I use this recipe for the round shape doughnuts, is it going to be profitable for sales? at the rate of #50

      Reply
      • Precious says

        September 14, 2018 at 11:09 am

        Hi, I think this recipe can work for the round-shaped doughnuts but not sure how it could work for business. You could try it and multiply the amount you make by the price you want to sell them at.

        Reply
    9. Laeti says

      September 18, 2018 at 6:22 pm

      Tried it...lovely
      Thanks for the recipes...you're doing a good job for some lovers of cooking like us.
      God bless you

      Reply
      • Precious says

        September 18, 2018 at 11:44 pm

        Thanks for the feedback, Laeti! God bless you too.

        Reply
    10. Suzi says

      September 28, 2018 at 2:31 am

      These are the best thing ever!!!! And so easy to make!

      Reply
      • Precious says

        October 12, 2018 at 2:43 pm

        Thanks so much for the feedback, Suzi!

        Reply
    11. Chris says

      October 11, 2018 at 1:47 pm

      Try putting some lemon juice in the sugar syrup

      Reply
      • Precious says

        October 12, 2018 at 2:44 pm

        Sorry Chris, I don't understand. There's no sugar syrup in this recipe.

        Reply
    12. Michele Hofer says

      October 11, 2018 at 10:24 pm

      I'm looking forward to trying this recipe tomorrow! Thanks so much! Be blessed!

      Reply
      • Precious says

        October 12, 2018 at 2:44 pm

        Wonderful! Hope you enjoy!

        Reply
    13. Janet Rodriguez says

      October 16, 2018 at 6:12 pm

      Hi Precious, I too love Jesus. My daughter, granddaughter and grandson went on a mission trip to Africa with our church and loved the country and the people so much. I’m going to make this recipe for them. They’ll be so happy. Thanks for sharing.

      Reply
    14. Pam says

      October 17, 2018 at 9:08 am

      What type of oil do you use to fry to donuts?

      Reply
      • Precious says

        October 18, 2018 at 1:10 pm

        Hi Pam, any oil without a strong flavor will work. I love using corn oil, canola oil or vegetable oil. Hope this helps.

        Reply
    15. Natalie says

      October 24, 2018 at 4:38 am

      I love the unique shape of these doughnuts! Looks beautiful!

      Reply
      • Precious says

        October 25, 2018 at 2:11 pm

        Thanks, Natalie!

        Reply
    16. Carrie says

      March 23, 2019 at 8:33 pm

      Loved them! My 6 year old daughter enjoys making them twists and all. It is her favorite recipe. She woke up in the middle of the night and asked to make them. Thank you for helping us make such good memories together in the kitchen.

      Reply
      • Precious says

        March 25, 2019 at 5:33 pm

        Making these twists is so much fun! My love to your sweet daughter. Thanks for your kind words, Carrie.

        Reply
    17. Marjorie says

      April 06, 2019 at 6:22 am

      Hi Precious, I discovered your blog recently and I tried this recipe. It was sooooo good. I love these doughnuts !!!! Your recipe is on point and very easy to follow. I will try your other recipes as well. You're doing such a good job. Thank you!

      Reply
      • Precious says

        April 10, 2019 at 2:28 am

        Thanks so much for your kind words, Marjorie. So glad you loved the doughnuts!

        Reply
    18. Kim says

      May 03, 2019 at 6:00 pm

      Just made these for a party and they are delicious and really festive looking. Perfect for a celebration! I added a tiny pinch of nutmeg in with the cinnamon and sugar and it gave them a little depth.
      My husband (who is a cheese monger suggested making the dough with some sweet ricotta next time. These would make them closer to zeppoli (sp?). I was wondering if you’ve come across a variation like that? Not exactly African, I know!

      Reply
      • Precious says

        May 05, 2019 at 10:59 am

        Hi Kim, so glad you loved the doughnuts! I haven't come across a version like the one you mentioned but I think it will turn out great. If you try it, please let me know how it goes.

        Reply
    19. Carine Awunti says

      June 12, 2019 at 5:30 am

      Waoooo Am quite sure this will be delicious will try it tomorrow

      Reply
    20. Focus Angel says

      March 21, 2020 at 9:13 am

      Thanks for this recipe, just tried it and it came out fine with yummy taste. Please can I use powderd milk in place of liquid milk?thanks once more.

      Reply
      • Precious says

        March 24, 2020 at 2:10 pm

        You can use powdered milk and use water in place of liquid milk.

        Reply
    21. Danica says

      April 17, 2020 at 12:18 pm

      Tried making them, turned out wonderful! My family ate them all in less than an hour. I will definitely make again! I had a little trouble twisting them, but after a couple tries it was much easier. Love from Cameroon 🇨🇲!

      Reply
      • Precious says

        April 18, 2020 at 1:24 pm

        Yay! So happy to hear that. Thanks for the feedback.

        Reply
    22. faith says

      April 25, 2020 at 11:16 am

      hi Precious, you left yours for two hours but wrote one hour. which is most recommended please.

      Reply
      • Precious says

        April 28, 2020 at 4:09 pm

        1-2 hours is fine. I left mine for 2 hours because I had to attend to my kids. 🙂 Hope this helps.

        Reply
        • Miracle says

          August 25, 2022 at 12:06 pm

          Pls ma sent u a mail one time asking for bread recipe pls kindly help mi

          Reply
          • Precious says

            August 25, 2022 at 4:31 pm

            Hi Miracle, simply type "bread" into the search bar here on the blog and several of my bread recipes will pop up. Let me know if you need any help.

            Reply
    23. Blessing Agendia says

      June 08, 2020 at 12:21 pm

      could you give me your email? Please?

      Reply
      • Precious says

        June 08, 2020 at 2:56 pm

        precious at preciouscore dot com

        Reply
    24. Ayuk says

      June 26, 2020 at 12:27 pm

      please precious for how long can they be stored and in what conditions

      Reply
      • Precious says

        June 29, 2020 at 5:56 pm

        Hi Ayuk, you can store them in an airtight bag for 2-3 days. They never last longer than 2-3 days in my house. To make them last longer you could store them in an airtight bag in the fridge or even in the freezer. I have frozen them before and they thaw well. Hope this helps.

        Reply
    25. Ayuk says

      June 26, 2020 at 12:41 pm

      please precious how long can it be stored and in what condition

      Reply
      • Precious says

        June 30, 2020 at 7:55 am

        In an airtight bag for up to one week in the fridge. You can also store the doughnuts in an airtight bag in the freezer if you want them to last longer. Thaw them by bringing them to room temperature or by warming them up for about a minute in the microwave or just until soft. Hope this helps.

        Reply
    26. Tessa says

      January 30, 2021 at 11:10 am

      Oh my goodness! I just made these and they are SO AMAZINGLY DELICIOUS. I love your video, which was very easy to follow. They are perfect!! I'm a sucker for a glazed donut so instead of rolling them in sugar I made a simple glaze with powdered sugar, milk, vanilla and a touch of maple syrup and dipped them in. I also let them rise after them twisting shape for about 45 minutes (I got distracted), but they were still perfect, just a little puffier than in your video. Thank you!

      Reply
      • Precious says

        February 18, 2021 at 12:20 am

        Hi Tessa, that sounds delicious! Thanks for sharing.

        Reply
    27. Oluchi says

      February 11, 2021 at 7:18 pm

      Hi Precious! This recipe looks so delicious and I can't wait to try it. Would it be okay to substitute the evaporated milk for regular whole milk? And if so how much? Thank you!

      Reply
      • Precious says

        February 18, 2021 at 12:06 am

        Hi Oluchi, you can substitute evaporated milk with the same quantity of whole milk. Hope this helps.

        Reply
    28. Christine says

      December 07, 2022 at 12:33 am

      Wonderful treat, first batch seemed to disapear in 2 minutes! A Win for sure!

      Reply
      • Precious says

        December 07, 2022 at 4:54 am

        Thank you for the great feedback, Christine!

        Reply

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