southafricancookiesbakingcinnamonanisevegetariantea-time

Soetkoekies

Name: Soetkoekies
Prep time: 13 min
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 2
Cuisine: SouthAfrican
Ingredients: 140 g plain flour; 3 g baking powder; 3 g ground cinnamon; 1 g ground anise; 1 g fine salt; 55 g unsalted butter, softened; 60 g caster sugar; 1 small egg; 20 ml sweet white wine; 2 ml vanilla extract; 10 g plain flour, for dusting; 5 g caster sugar, for sprinkling; 1 g ground cinnamon, for sprinkling

Soetkoekies are delicate South African tea biscuits with a gentle crunch, warm cinnamon, and a subtle anise perfume. A little sweet wine in the dough gives them a fragrant, old-fashioned character that makes them especially good with afternoon tea.

30 min

2 servings

575 kcal

SouthAfrican

Ingredients

Koekiedeeg

140 gplain flour
3 gbaking powder
3 gground cinnamon
1 gground anise
1 gfine salt
55 gunsalted butter, softened
60 gcaster sugar
1 smallegg
20 mlsweet white wine
2 mlvanilla extract

Vir uitrol en afwerking

10 gplain flour, for dusting
5 gcaster sugar, for sprinkling
1 gground cinnamon, for sprinkling

Instructions

1
Preheat the oven to 180°C and line a small baking tray or oven-safe plate with baking paper. In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, ground anise, and salt so the spices are evenly distributed.
2
In a second bowl, cream the softened butter and caster sugar with a spoon or hand whisk for 1 to 2 minutes until lighter and smooth. Beat in the egg, sweet white wine, and vanilla extract until combined; it may look slightly curdled, which is fine.
3
Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and mix just until a soft dough forms. If it feels very sticky, dust in a little of the flour for dusting; the dough should be soft but rollable. Avoid overmixing so the cookies stay tender.
4
On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough to about 6 mm thick and cut into small rounds, diamonds, or simple shapes. Transfer to the lined tray, leaving a little space between them. Mix the cinnamon and sugar for sprinkling, then lightly scatter it over the tops.
5
Bake for 10 to 12 minutes until the edges are just turning golden and the tops look dry but not deeply browned. Soetkoekies should stay fairly pale and crisp up as they cool.
6
Leave the cookies on the tray for 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool slightly before serving. They are best when lightly crisp outside and tender in the centre.

Nutrition per serving

575 kcal

Calories

Protein

73g

Carbs

27g

Fat

Fiber

Notes

•For a more pronounced anise flavour, lightly crush whole aniseed and use 1 g in place of ground anise.
•A sweet muscat-style or late-harvest white wine gives the most traditional rounded flavour.
•If you want extra crisp cookies, roll the dough slightly thinner and bake 1 to 2 minutes longer.
•These are lovely with tea or coffee and keep well in an airtight tin for 3 days.

Background

Soetkoekies are traditional South African sweet biscuits with roots in Cape Dutch home baking, where spices, butter, and a little wine were often used in everyday treats. Recipes vary from family to family, but cinnamon and anise are common flavours that reflect the spice trade influences of the Cape.

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