Why does the syrup have to be ice-cold?

Traditional koeksisters rely on the temperature contrast between hot dough and cold syrup for the signature crisp-outside-syrupy-inside texture. Cold syrup also preserves the CBD — heat above ~80°C reduces its potency.

How many can I eat at once?

Each piece is 3 mg CBD. Stay within your usual personal Schedule-0 limit (typically 1–4 koeksisters at a sitting for most users). Not for children.

SOUTH AFRICAN · DESSERT80 MIN TOTAL · SERVES 12BY FRANCO SMITH

CBD Koeksisters — SA syrup twists with CBD-infused syrup

Name: CBD Koeksisters — SA syrup twists with CBD-infused syrup
Prep time: 1 h
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 1 h 20 min
Yield: 12 servings
Cuisine: South African
Ingredients: Dough:; 500 g cake flour; 4 tsp baking powder; 1/2 tsp salt; 60 g cold butter, cubed; 250 ml cold milk; 1 large egg; Sunflower oil for frying; Syrup:; 500 g white sugar; 375 ml water; 1 tsp lemon juice; 1 tbsp finely grated fresh ginger; 1 small cinnamon stick; 36 mg CBD oil (adjust for your bottle strength) — whisked into the cold syrup

Classic Cape koeksisters dipped into ice-cold CBD-infused syrup. Twelve pieces, 3 mg CBD per koeksister. Schedule-0 wellness twist on a SA dessert classic.

Plate of glossy syrup-soaked South African koeksisters with twisted plait

Koeksisters are the dessert that needs a fork, a napkin and patience. The trick is the temperature contrast: hot fried dough plunged into ice-cold syrup. Here the syrup carries 3 mg of CBD per koeksister. Make the syrup the day before — both because it needs to be cold, and because the CBD goes in after the syrup has fully cooled. Adults 18+; label the storage container clearly.

PREP

60 min

COOK

20 min

CBD / SERVING

3 mg

INGREDIENTS

What you'll need

Dough:
500 g cake flour
4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
60 g cold butter, cubed
250 ml cold milk
1 large egg
Sunflower oil for frying
Syrup:
500 g white sugar
375 ml water
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tbsp finely grated fresh ginger
1 small cinnamon stick
36 mg CBD oil (adjust for your bottle strength) — whisked into the cold syrup

METHOD

How to make it

STEP 1
Make the syrup the day before
Combine sugar, water, lemon juice, ginger and cinnamon in a saucepan. Heat slowly, stirring until sugar dissolves. Bring to a boil, then simmer 5 minutes. Cool fully. Refrigerate overnight.
STEP 2
Add CBD to the cold syrup
Once syrup is fridge-cold the next day, remove the cinnamon stick. Whisk in the CBD oil thoroughly. The cold syrup keeps the CBD intact. Divide into two bowls and keep one over ice for active use.
STEP 3
Make the dough
Sift flour, baking powder and salt. Rub in the cold butter. Whisk milk and egg, pour in, mix to a soft dough. Knead 5 minutes. Cover, rest 30 minutes.
STEP 4
Shape
Roll the dough to ~5 mm. Cut into 3 cm × 8 cm rectangles. Slit each lengthwise into three strips (leaving one end joined). Plait the three strips, pinch the loose end shut.
STEP 5
Fry
Heat oil to 180°C. Fry koeksisters 2–3 at a time, 2 minutes per side, until golden. Lift out with a slotted spoon.
STEP 6
Plunge into cold syrup
Drop hot koeksisters straight into the iced CBD syrup. Submerge 30 seconds. Lift onto a rack to drip. Serve cool. Store sealed up to 5 days.

FAQ

Common questions

Why does the syrup have to be ice-cold?: Traditional koeksisters rely on the temperature contrast between hot dough and cold syrup for the signature crisp-outside-syrupy-inside texture. Cold syrup also preserves the CBD — heat above ~80°C reduces its potency.
How many can I eat at once?: Each piece is 3 mg CBD. Stay within your usual personal Schedule-0 limit (typically 1–4 koeksisters at a sitting for most users). Not for children.

SAFETY NOTE

CBD products are for adults 18 years or older. Not for children, not for pregnant or breastfeeding users. If you take prescription medication, see our CBD drug-interactions guide before serving. For higher-dose or medical use, that is the SAHPRA Section-21 pathway via Docto24 — not the Schedule-0 wellness frame this recipe uses. Always label any CBD-infused food clearly and tell your guests it contains CBD before serving.