Eid Cardamom and Rose Petal Donuts with Flower Sugar

Name: Eid Cardamom and Rose Petal Donuts with Flower Sugar
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 12 servings
Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Ingredients: 1¾ cups (220 g) all-purpose flour; 1½ tsp (7½ g) baking powder; 1 tsp (3 g) ground green cardamom, freshly ground if possible; ¼ tsp (1½ g) fine salt; ¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar; 2 large eggs, at room temperature; ½ cup (120 ml) plain Greek yogurt or plain whole-milk yogurt, at room temperature; ½ tsp (2½ ml) vanilla extract; ¼ tsp (1¼ ml) food-grade rose water; 4 cups (950 ml) vegetable oil or light neutral oil (optional); ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar; 3 tbsp (9 g) dried edible rose petals or fresh culinary rose petals, finely crushed or ground if dried; patted dry if fresh; 3 pods (3) green cardamom pods, seeds extracted and finely ground; 3 tbsp (45 g) unsalted butter, melted, melted and slightly cooled

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Tender, spiced donuts infused with cardamom and topped with a fragrant rose petal sugar coating. These soft-crumb donuts are leavened with yogurt and baking powder for a light texture, then finished with a delicate floral sugar that catches the light. A festive treat perfect for Eid celebrations, with warm spice and subtle floral aromatics in every bite.

Prep: 20 min
Cook: 20 min
Wait: 15 min
Total: 55 min
Makes: 12 donuts

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Ingredients

12 servings

For the donuts
1¾ cups (220 g) all-purpose flour
1½ tsp (7.5 g) baking powder
1 tsp (3 g) ground green cardamom, freshly ground if possible
¼ tsp (1.5 g) fine salt
¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature
½ cup (120 ml) plain Greek yogurt or plain whole-milk yogurt, at room temperature
½ tsp (2.5 ml) vanilla extract
¼ tsp (1.3 ml) food-grade rose water
For frying (if not using donut pan)
4 cups (950 ml) vegetable oil or light neutral oil (optional)
For the flower sugar topping
½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
3 tbsp (9 g) dried edible rose petals or fresh culinary rose petals, finely crushed or ground if dried; patted dry if fresh
3 pods (3) green cardamom pods, seeds extracted and finely ground
3 tbsp (45 g) unsalted butter, melted, melted and slightly cooled

Equipment (9)

Donut pan or 12-donut silicone mold (or deep heavy pot and slotted spoon for frying)
Measuring cups and spoons
Whisk
Two medium bowls
Piping bag with large round tip or donut-filling squeeze bottle
Deep-fry or candy thermometer
Paper towels
Wire rack
Small saucepan

Steps

Before you start

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) if using a donut pan, or prepare oil for frying to 350°F (175°C) with a thermometer
Grind green cardamom pods to fresh powder if possible—it has far more fragrance than pre-ground
Pat edible rose petals dry with paper towels if using fresh; use culinary-grade petals only
Have all ingredients at room temperature before mixing

1
Make the flower sugar
- In a small bowl or food processor, combine the ½ cup granulated sugar, crushed rose petals, and ground cardamom seeds from 3 pods.
- If using fresh rose petals, pat them very dry first, then crush or pulse until the petals are broken into small bits and the sugar is fragrant and pink.
- Set aside.
- This can be made up to 2 hours ahead.
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Ready when: Sugar is fragrant and petals are finely crushed throughout
Tip: Don't overprocess or the sugar will become wet; you want a dry, crumbly mix that clings to the melted butter.
2
Mix dry ingredients
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, ground cardamom, and salt.
- Set aside.
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Ready when: Mixture is evenly combined and no lumps of baking powder remain
Tip: Whisk rather than stir to aerate the flour and distribute the baking powder evenly.
3
Cream eggs and sugar
- In another medium bowl, whisk the eggs with the granulated sugar for 2–3 minutes until the mixture is pale, fluffy, and noticeably thickened.
- It should look like thick pale ribbons when you lift the whisk.
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Ready when: Mixture is light, pale, and falls in ribbons from the whisk
Tip: Proper whisking here creates tiny air pockets that will make the donuts tender rather than dense.
4
Combine wet and dry
- Add the yogurt, vanilla extract, and rose water to the egg-sugar mixture and whisk until combined.
- Add the flour mixture and fold gently with a rubber spatula just until no streaks of flour remain—do not overmix or the donuts will be tough.
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Ready when: No white flour streaks visible; batter is smooth and slightly thick
Tip: Overmixing develops gluten and produces tough, dense donuts. Stop as soon as you see no flour.
5
Fill the donut molds (if baking)Oven 350°F / 175°C
- If using a donut pan, preheat to 350°F (175°C).
- Lightly grease or spray a 12-donut silicone mold or metal pan.
- Transfer the batter to a piping bag fitted with a large round tip and pipe the batter evenly into the donut molds, filling each about three-quarters full.
- Smooth the tops gently.
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Ready when: Batter is evenly distributed in the molds
Tip: Use a piping bag so the batter is distributed evenly and the donuts bake uniformly. Silicone molds are easier to release from than metal.
6
Bake (or fry alternatively)Oven 350°F / 175°C
- Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 10–12 minutes until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into a donut comes out clean.
- The donuts will smell sweetly spiced.
- If frying instead, heat oil to 350°F (175°C) in a deep heavy pot.
- Working in batches, gently slide or drop spoonfuls of batter into the oil and fry for 1–1.5 minutes per side until golden and puffed.
- Use a slotted spoon to turn and remove.
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Ready when: Golden-brown exterior; toothpick inserted into baked donut comes out clean; fried donuts are puffed and deep golden
Tip: For frying, maintain oil temperature around 350°F or donuts will absorb too much oil. If baking, don't overbake or they'll dry out.
7
Cool slightly
- Transfer the baked or fried donuts to a wire rack and let cool for 5–10 minutes until just warm but cool enough to handle without burning.
- The donuts will firm up slightly as they cool.
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Ready when: Donuts are just warm to the touch, not hot
Tip: Coating while still warm helps the floral sugar adhere; too hot and butter will run off, too cool and it won't stick.
8
Coat with flower sugar
- Brush or lightly dip each warm donut into the melted butter, then immediately roll or dip into the flower sugar mixture, coating all sides.
- Work quickly as the donuts cool.
- Place on a clean rack to set.
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Ready when: Donuts are evenly coated with fragrant pink sugar; sugar has adhered to the butter
Tip: If the sugar isn't sticking, the donuts are too cool. If butter is running, they're too hot. Timing is key.

Good to know

Tips

Freshly ground cardamom is essential—pre-ground loses its fragrance quickly. Grind whole pods in a spice grinder or mortar and pestle just before baking.
If using fresh rose petals, ensure they are culinary-grade and pesticide-free; dried culinary petals are safer and have more concentrated flavor.
For a richer texture, you can add 2 tablespoons of melted ghee or clarified butter to the wet batter in place of some of the yogurt.
These donuts celebrate Eid best when served warm, accompanied by strong cardamom tea or traditional milk-based beverages like badam milk or firni.

Make ahead

The flower sugar can be prepared up to 2 hours ahead and stored in an airtight container. The donut batter is best used immediately but can be refrigerated for up to 2 hours if covered.

Storage & reheating

Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. The donuts soften slightly as they sit and the rose and cardamom flavors deepen. For longer storage, freeze in an airtight freezer bag for up to 1 month; thaw at room temperature and warm gently in a 300°F (150°C) oven for 5 minutes. Do not refrigerate, as cold makes them stale quickly.

Substitutions

plain Greek yogurt or plain whole-milk yogurt → Sour cream or crème fraîche. Use the same amount; sour cream is tangier and will give a slight tang to the donuts, which complements the rose and cardamom.
dried edible rose petals or fresh culinary rose petals → 1 tablespoon of dried hibiscus flowers, finely ground. This gives a tartness and deep magenta color instead of delicate pink; use less if you prefer subtle flavor.
ground green cardamom → ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon mixed with ½ teaspoon ground ginger. This adds warm spice instead of cardamom's floral warmth; adjust to taste.
food-grade rose water → Orange zest (finely grated from 1 orange) or 1 tablespoon of orange juice concentrate. Orange creates a brighter floral note and works beautifully with cardamom; reduce rose water entirely and add this instead.