Mandazi is a popular triangle-shaped East African donut often served with tea or coffee. This recipe uses yeast, egg and coconut milk to make fluffy donuts without baking powder, lightly flavoured with cardamom for aroma. I've included a simple coffee glaze, but these are just as lovely dusted with icing sugar or served with jam.
How This Mandazi Recipe Came Together
This recipe was originally created for the MENA Cooking Club, where the challenge was to cook a dish from the Comoros Islands using coffee as the secret ingredient. Although the club is no longer active, this recipe remains a favourite. I wanted a dish where the coffee flavour would genuinely complement the food rather than feel forced.
I first considered making Mkatra Couscouma (also known as Mardouf), a popular Comorian flatbread usually served with a meat sauce. But when I came across recipes for mandazi and banana puff puff, I settled for this recipe because Puff puff is similar to what we already make at home. As Comoros is part of East Africa, mandazi felt like a natural fit.
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What are the ingredients for making Mandazi?
Here is a list of simple pantry ingredients to make a soft mandazi recipe without baking powder:
- All-purpose flour (plain flour/maida)
- Cardamom powder
- Instant yeast
- Egg
- Sugar
- Coconut milk
- Salt
- Oil, for frying
Refer to the Recipe Card at the bottom of this page for a complete list of ingredients and quantities.
Quick Look Instructions
- Prepare the dough and let it rise.
- Divide the dough into portions and rest them, covered.
- Roll out each portion and cut into triangles.
- Deep-fry the donuts in batches until golden.
- Serve immediately.
Did you know?
Mandazi made with coconut milk is also called Mahamri in Kenya.
Storage
Leftover mandazi can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container. To reheat, microwave for about 30 seconds until warm. They soften nicely and taste almost fresh again.
FAQ
Mandazi are often called African donuts or fried doughnuts.
Mandazi may be tough if the dough is too dry, under-kneaded, or over-fried. The secret is a well-hydrated, yeast-leavened dough and frying at the right temperature.
A good mandazi is light, fluffy, slightly sweet, golden-brown, and has a tender, airy interior with a subtle aroma of cardamom or spices.
Serving Suggestions
Mandazi are delicious on their own, but there are so many ways to enjoy them.
- I love them fresh and warm with a cup of chai or coffee.
- You can also dust them with icing sugar, dip them in jam, or drizzle a simple coffee glaze for a slightly indulgent treat.
- For a wholesome spread, add my Chapati Omelette to enjoy alongside these East African donuts.
- If you love coconut flavours, these Djibouti's Kashata Za Nazi - Sweet Coconut Squares make a lovely pairing with mandazi for an East African-inspired snack platter.
No matter how you serve them, make sure to enjoy them warm for the fluffiest, softest bite.
More Great Recipes using Cardamom
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📖 Recipe Card
Mandazi | East African Donuts
Ingredients
For the dough:
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon cardamom powder
- 1 teaspoon instant yeast
- salt to taste
- 1 egg, small
- ¼ cup sugar
- ⅓ cup thick coconut milk
- 1 teaspoon cooking oil
- ¼ cup lukewarm water, more if required
- Oil to deep fry
For Coffee Glaze (optional)
- 1 teaspoon instant coffee
- 2 teaspoons hot water
- 3 tablespoon icing sugar
- 1 teaspoon cream, heavy or whipping
- a pinch of salt
Instructions
Prepare the dough
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg, sugar, oil, and coconut milk.1 egg small¼ cup sugar1 teaspoon cooking oil⅓ cup thick coconut milk
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, cardamom, salt, and yeast. Mix well.1½ cups all-purpose flour½ teaspoon cardamom powder1 teaspoon instant yeastsalt to taste
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and use the lukewarm water to bring the mixture together.¼ cup lukewarm water more if required
- Bring the flour together and then knead for 8 to 10 minutes until it becomes smooth and elastic. You can use a little flour if it gets too sticky, or you can drizzle water if it is too dry.
- Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover with a damp cloth, and let it rise in a warm place for 1-2 hours, or until it has doubled in size. Depending on the weather and humidity, it can take anywhere between 45 to 5 hours or more for it to rise.
Prepare the Coffee Glaze (optional)
- In a small bowl, mix the instant coffee and powdered sugar with the hot water until the coffee dissolves. Cool slightly and add the heavy cream and pinch of salt. keep stirring until everything dissolves. Refrigerate until needed.1 teaspoon instant coffee2 teaspoons hot water3 tablespoon icing sugar1 teaspoon cream heavy or whippinga pinch of salt
Shape and fry:
- Heat enough and more oil in a deep pot to deep fry.Oil to deep fry
- Punch down the dough and turn it out onto a floured surface. Divide the dough into 2 or 3 balls. Keep them covered to prevent drying.
- Roll the dough to circle with thickness of about ¼ inch. Use a knife and cut along the middle - to make four equal triangles (like a pizza).
- Drop them one by one in hot oil and wait for them to come to the surface and puff up. Turn sides and fry until they are golden brown on all sides.
- Remove with a slotted spoon and place on a paper towel to get rid of the excess oil. You can serve now as is or with dust of icing sugar or jam etc. Or give my coffee glaze a try.
- Pick a mandazi while still warm, dip only one side of it in the prepared coffee glaze and keep them on a plate with the glazed side up. Serve warm with chai or coffee!
Notes
Nutrition Info
Adapted the ingredients for mandazi from kadi African recipes. Leaving you with an interesting journal read about this dish.
Famidha Ashraf says
Mandazi has been one of my favourite easy, go-to sweet snacks. I love the flavours of cardamom, coconut milk, and that satisfying triangular puff when they hit the hot oil. I’d love to know, do you enjoy them plain with a cup of tea, or do you like them with something extra, like my coffee glaze or a dusting of icing sugar?