Anise Fried Doughnut Rings (Rosquitas)
Small rings of soft, slightly sweet dough scented with toasted anise seed, fried until golden and crisp, then dusted with sugar while still warm. A classic Peruvian teatime treat, best with coffee or an afternoon cup of tea.
Servings
Ingredients
Nutrition
Per serving
Steps
Toast the anise seeds
Warm the anise seeds in a dry pan over medium heat for 1–2 minutes, shaking often, until they smell fragrant and a shade darker. Crush them lightly with the back of a spoon or in a mortar; this wakes up the oils and keeps the flavour from tasting raw.
- 1 tbsp anise seeds
✅ Done when: the seeds smell toasty and sweet, not scorched
Mix the dough
In a bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar together. In another bowl, beat the eggs with the melted butter, and toasted anise seeds. Pour the wet mix into the dry ingredients and stir, then knead by hand for 3–4 minutes until smooth and no longer sticky.
- 300 g flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 pinch salt
- 3 tbsp sugar
- 2 eggs
- 50 g melted butter
- 1 tbsp toasted anise seeds
- 2 tbsp or
✅ Done when: the dough is smooth, soft and holds together without sticking to your hands
Rest the dough
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Shape the rings
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Fry until golden
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Dust with sugar
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Toast the anise seeds
Warm the anise seeds in a dry pan over medium heat for 1–2 minutes, shaking often, until they smell fragrant and a shade darker. Crush them lightly with the back of a spoon or in a mortar; this wakes up the oils and keeps the flavour from tasting raw.
- 1 tbsp anise seeds
✅ Done when: the seeds smell toasty and sweet, not scorched
Mix the dough
In a bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar together. In another bowl, beat the eggs with the melted butter, and toasted anise seeds. Pour the wet mix into the dry ingredients and stir, then knead by hand for 3–4 minutes until smooth and no longer sticky.
- 300 g flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 pinch salt
- 3 tbsp sugar
- 2 eggs
- 50 g melted butter
- 1 tbsp toasted anise seeds
- 2 tbsp or
✅ Done when: the dough is smooth, soft and holds together without sticking to your hands
Rest the dough
This step is part of Foodie Premium. Subscribe to unlock the full method, cooking mode and every recipe in the library.
Shape the rings
This step is part of Foodie Premium. Subscribe to unlock the full method, cooking mode and every recipe in the library.
Fry until golden
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Dust with sugar
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The Story Behind the Dish
Anise-scented fried doughs arrived in Peru with Spanish baking traditions and were adapted using local ingredients and home ovens turned into frying pots. Rosquitas became a staple of the merienda, the afternoon coffee or tea break, sold warm from baskets in markets and at family gatherings.
Every household has its own small variations — more anise, a splash of pisco, a different hand for shaping the rings — but the idea stays the same: a simple dough, fried until crisp, and finished with sugar while still warm.
⭐ Why It's Famous
Rosquitas are loved for their crisp, light bite and warm anise aroma, the kind of homemade sweet that fills the kitchen with scent long before it reaches the table.
💡 Fun Fact
Anise seed has flavoured Peruvian breads and sweets since colonial times, and its warm, licorice-like aroma is one of the most recognizable scents of Peruvian home baking.
Peru, nationwide, with strong roots in Andean towns
-12.05°S, -77.04°W
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