Mutti's Räderkuchen: German Deep-Fried Pastries

by: Gerhild Fulson  / Oma Gerhild shares easy, authentic German recipes you can trust, rooted in family tradition and featured in her cookbooks.

Published: Sept 06, 2010, Updated: April 27, 2025

Quick, deep-fried, and rolled in cinnamon-sugar, räderkuchen were little bites of heaven at our house. Like homemade doughnuts, only cuter.

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Mutti's Räderkuchen! Mini Donuts, made German-style. My Mutti would always make these for unexpected company or even just for us. Fun, quick, and simple to make!

Similar to mutzenmandeln, Kameruner, durchzoggene, and other types of schmalzgebäck (deep-fried pastries), my Mutti’s räderkuchen were among her favorite cookies to make when unexpected company dropped by.

They were so quick to prepare with ingredients that were always in her pantry. When I would say, “Mutti, I’m supposed to bring snacks to school today!” she’d quickly throw together these räderkuchen and then reminded me next time to let her know the night before!

Top Tips For Best Results

1. Shape Carefully: Cut dough into strips, make a slit, and pull one end through to form the classic bowtie shape.
2. Fry in Batches: Fry only a few at a time to maintain oil temperature and ensure even cooking.
3. Fry with a Deep Fryer: For easy, even frying, use a home deep fryer set to 350°F. It keeps the oil at the perfect temperature and gives consistent results.
4. Sugar While Warm: Roll pastries in sugar or cinnamon-sugar mix immediately after frying for best adherence.
5. Storage: Best enjoyed warm, but can be stored in an airtight container once cooled.​

Lard vs. Peanut Oil: Which One for Frying?

When it comes to frying räderkuchen, both lard and peanut oil work beautifully, but each has its pros and cons.

Lard:

• Pros: Traditional and authentic. Lard gives the pastries a rich, old-fashioned flavor and a wonderfully crisp texture. It also has a fairly high smoke point, making it stable for frying.
• Cons: It can be harder to find good-quality lard, and some prefer to avoid it for dietary reasons. It also leaves a more noticeable flavor, which not everyone loves.

Peanut Oil:

• Pros: Peanut oil has a very high smoke point and a clean, neutral taste. It keeps the focus on the pastry itself and tends to fry more evenly. It’s also widely available.
• Cons: It’s more expensive than lard and not suitable for those with peanut allergies.

Which to Choose?

If you want a truly authentic flavor, go with lard. If you prefer a lighter, more neutral taste (or need to avoid pork), peanut oil is the way to go. Either way, you’ll end up with crisp, golden räderkuchen ready for that cinnamon-sugar finish.

Steps showing you how easy and fun it is to make my Mutti`s Räderkuchen

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Mutti's Räderkuchen: German Deep-Fried Pastries

Quick, deep-fried, and rolled in cinnamon-sugar, räderkuchen were little bites of heaven at our house. Like homemade doughnuts, only cuter.

Prep Time:

20 minutes

Deep Fry Time:

3 minutes

Total Time:

23 minutes

Servings:

Makes 60 cookies

Ingredients:

• granulated sugar, powdered sugar, and/or a mix of granulated sugar and cinnamon for toppings, as desired
• 2 tbsp (28 g) butter, room temperature
• 3 tbsp (39 g) granulated sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 3 tbsp (45 ml) milk
• 2 cups (260 g) all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp (8 g) baking powder
• lard or peanut oil, for frying

Instructions:

1. Place your choice of desired toppings into separate bowls. Cover a large plate with paper towels and set aside.
2. Put the butter, sugar, eggs, milk, flour, and baking powder into a large mixing bowl and mix together. Form into a ball, adding a little extra flour as needed if the dough is too sticky, or chill the dough in the fridge to let it firm up.
3. Roll half the dough into a ⅜-inch thick rectangle on a lightly floured counter.
4. Cut into 1-inch wide strips. Cut strips into 3-inch long pieces. About ½-inch from one end of each, cut a 1-inch long slot. Pull the long end of the strip through the slot. Repeat with remaining dough. Excess dough can be rerolled.
5. Heat lard or oil in the deep fryer set to 350F° (175°C).
6. Carefully put several cookies into the hot fat. After a minute or so, when the edges are golden brown, flip and fry the other side till golden. Remove cookies with a spider or slotted spoon and put them on the plate covered with paper towels to drain. 
7. While still hot, roll in the sugar topping of your choice and place on a wire rack to finish cooling. Repeat with remaining dough. Enjoy fresh!

Notes/Hints:

• If you don't have a deep fryer, heat lard or oil in a deep pot to about 350F° (175°C). If you don’t have a thermometer, insert the dry end of a wooden spoon. If bubbles form around it, the oil is ready.
• If desired, mix some cinnamon with some sugar and roll cakes in this.
• You can also roll in powdered sugar.

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Unless otherwise noted recipe, images and content © Just like Oma | www.quick-german-recipes.com

Recipe Updated: April 27, 2025

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Hi, I'm Oma Gerhild! As a food writer and cookbook author, I'm always looking to find ways to pass on my German heritage using local ingredients. Quick and easy. That's my goal. Wunderbar food. That's the result.