• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Dominican Cooking logo

  • START HERE
  • RECIPES
  • COOKERY
  • CULTURE
  • COOKBOOKS
  • ❤
menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • Start here
  • Recipes
  • Cookery
  • Culture
  • Cookbooks
  • Subscribe
  • ×
    Home » Recipes » Appetizers

    Our free content is supported via ads and affiliate links. Thanks!

    Yaniqueques (Crispy Dominican Fritters)

    Yaniqueque (Dominican crispy fritter) recipe.

    En Español Recipe ↆ Video ↆ

    These delicious, crunchy, flaky, deep-fried Yaniqueque wonders are a must-have on a visit to Boca Chica, the popular Dominican beach.

    By Clara Gonzalez - Last reviewed May 27, 2023. Published Dec 20, 2001

    Yaniqueques (crispy Dominican fritters).
    Yaniqueques.

    JUMP TO: show ↓
    1. Why we ❤️ it
    2. About our recipe
    3. Video
    4. Recipe

    Why we ❤️ it

    What is Yaniqueque, and where did it come from?

    You know what? there seems to be a lot of theories and quite the disagreement. The most widely accepted theory is that it came from the British West Indies with Cocolo immigrants and that its name is a corruption of the name Johnny Cakes, a dish with which it shares very little in common.

    Yaniqueques.
    A big stack of yaniqueques on the table.

    Yaniqueques.

    Other equally argued-for theories exist. But I am not a food historian and I am comfortable accepting that the answers to these questions are not quite vital.

    To further complicate things, this dish is known as "arepa" in some parts of the country, and "hojuela" in Samana, the North, and Northwest, where the more famous "Arepa" is known as "Torta".

    Yaniqueque from Samana is something entirely different, and I won't touch upon that one here.

    About our recipe

    There are also several variations of the same dish throughout the island, This is the Yaniqueque Dominicano as I know it. There may be differences between regions, and even between homes, but they won't be too far from each other. If you have a different Yaniqueque recipe, I'd love to hear about it.

    Buen provecho!

    Tia Clara

    Video

    Recipe

    This awesome free recipe contains Amazon affiliate links, we receive a small commission from any purchase you make at no extra cost to you. Thanks for your support!

    Yaniqueque.
    Keep screen on while cooking

    Yaniqueque [Recipe + Video] Fried Dominican Johnny Cake

    By: Clara Gonzalez
    These are delicious, crunchy, flaky, deep-fried fast food wonders, a must on a visit to Boca Chica. We love Yaniqueques!
    5 from 33 votes
    Save for Later Send by Email Print Recipe
    Prep Time 15 minutes mins
    Cook Time 10 minutes mins
    Total Time 1 hour hr 25 minutes mins
    Course Appetizer, Party
    Cuisine Caribbean, Dominican, Latino
    Servings 6 yaniqueques (aprox)
    Calories 293 kcal

    Ingredients

    • 2 cup all-purpose flour, plus ¼ extra cup for working the dough and sprinkling on the counter(you might not use all)
    • ¼ teaspoon baking powder
    • ¼ teaspoon baking soda
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • ¼ cup water
    • 3 tablespoons vegetable oil, for the dough, can be the same type as below
    • 2 cup oil for frying
    • ½ teaspoon coarse sea salt, for sprinkling

    Instructions
     

    1. Mix dry ingredients

    • Mix the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

    2. Make the dough

    • Mix flour with water and the oil for the dough and mix in. Work the dough on a lightly floured surface until everything is well mixed. You may need to add some flour if it is too sticky or a little bit of water if it is too dry. Don't knead the dough more than absolutely necessary to combine all the ingredients.
      Let dough rest for 10 min covered in plastic film.

    3. Roll out the dough

    • Divide the dough into 8 portions, and extend each with a rolling pin on a lightly floured surface until it is very thin, nearly translucent. The thinner it is, the crispier it will be. If the dough is sticking, dust with flour as it becomes necessary. For better looking yaniqueques, you may cut them into perfect circles using an empanada cutter, or a cup adn knife, this is optional.
      Cut a couple of small slits into the dough circles two 1-inch [2.5 cm] using a paring knife. If the circles are a bit misshapen when you lift them, don't worry, that's how they look when you buy from street vendors.

    4. Frying the yaniqueques

    • Heat oil over medium-high heat (350 ºF [175 ºF]). Fry the circles of dough, turning them halfway until they turn golden brown on both sides, rest on a paper towel to absorb excess oil.

    5. Serving

    • Sprinkle with sea salt to taste and serve.

    Cook's Notes

    How to make Yaniqueques

    Yaniqueques come in all sizes, from the LPs (those were some big disks which were popular before cassettes and CDs, for you whippersnappers) to little ones served with chocolate de agua for breakfast.
    Make yours in whichever size you like. I prefer mine about 4" [2.5 cm] in diameter as they are easier to handle.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 293kcalCarbohydrates: 32gProtein: 4gFat: 16gSaturated Fat: 2gSodium: 628mgPotassium: 61mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gCalcium: 13mgIron: 2mg

    Nutritional information is calculated automatically based on ingredients listed. Please consult your doctor if you need precise nutrition information.

    READERS SEARCHED FOR yanikeke, yaniqueque dominicano, yaniqueque recipe
    ¡Hola, thanks for visiting!I'm Tía Clara, your Internet 🇩🇴 Auntie and host.

    - Learn more about the humans behind this blog.
    - Share your questions and comments about this post.
    - Subscribe to receive our recipes and articles by email.
    - Don't forget to keep in touch with us on social media:

    More Dominican Appetizers Recipes (Picaderas)

    • Healthy dough empanadas without butter.
      Baked, No Butter, Healthy Empanada Dough (Empanada Horneada)
    • Empanaditas and pastelitos.
      Empanaditas and Pastelitos (12 Options)
    • Picalonga: longaniza frita y tostones.
      Longaniza Frita or Picalonga (Fried Longaniza Sausage)
    • Sandwich de pierna (roast pork sandwich).
      Sandwich de Pierna (Pulled Pork Roast Sandwich)
    Subscribe
    Notify of
    Recipe Rating




    Recipe Rating




    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    97 Comments
    Most Voted
    Newest Oldest
    Inline Feedbacks
    View all comments

    Primary Sidebar

    Tia Clara®'s Dominican Cooking
    is the oldest and largest Dominican cooking website, with a 20-year collection of traditional Dominican recipes, and recipes inspired in the Dominican cuisine.
    More about us ➜

    • Facebook page
    • Instagram account
    • Youtube channel
    • Pinterest account
    La Bandera Dominicana free ebook.

    Don't miss

    • Chicken croquettes.
      Chicken Croquettes (Croquetas de Pollo)
    • Pasteles en hoja.
      Pasteles en Hoja (Plantain and Beef Pockets)
    • Coffee flan (flan de café).
      Coffee Flan Recipe (Flan de Café)
    • Moro de habichuelas negras.
      Black Beans and Rice Recipe (Moro de Habichuela Negra)

    Most popular Most recent

    Footer

    featured on

    Lee este contenido

    En Español

    SIGN UP and receive emails,
    updates, and surprises!

    Or follow us on

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • YouTube
    • Pinterest

    Made in 🇩🇴 with ❤️

    © 2022 · LUNCH CLUB BOOKS, LLC
    ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Tia Clara® is a registered trademark.

    DO NOT reproduce without authorization.

    As Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. READ...


    ↑ BACK TO TOP | ABOUT US | BLOG | CONTACT US | WE GIVE | PRIVACY & POLICIES | STORIES | PORTFOLIO

    wpDiscuz
    You are going to send email to

    Move Comment