Fried dough (Grandma’s fry bread recipe)
This fried dough recipe comes from my grandmother, and it makes fried yeast bread that is crispy on the outside with a soft, yeasty interior. They were known in our house as “puffs,” We would have them for breakfast with butter and jelly. Made with yeast, the dough for this fry bread needs to rest overnight, then make the deep-fried dough the next morning.
The best part of every visit to my grandparent’s house as a kid was Sunday morning, enjoying this fried dough. My grandmother, Myne, would make up the yeast dough the night before, so it would be ready to fry for breakfast after church.
I still remember her cast iron pan bubbling with oil as she’d pull the edges of the dough to make a flat disc and deftly release it into the hot grease. She would fry the bread dough for a few minutes on one side before flipping it to brown on the other.
Myne worked in an assembly line fashion, piling the deep-fried dough onto a rimmed sheet pan lined with paper towels to soak up excess grease and tucking them into a warm oven until we were ready to eat.
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My Dad and Uncle Buck always snuck in to nab some before the rest of us.
Table of Contents
- 1 Why you’ll love this recipe:
- 2 Ingredients for fried dough recipe:
- 3 Making foolproof dough
- 4 How to make fried bread dough
- 5 Yeast dough has to rise
- 6 How to make fried dough
- 7 Pro-tips:
- 8 What is fried dough called?
- 9 FAQ’s
- 10 How does my grandma’s fry bread recipe taste?
- 11 Fried dough (Grandma’s fry bread recipe)
Why you’ll love this recipe:
- The make-ahead recipe takes about 10 minutes to assemble the night before.
- No kneading or rolling is necessary. Just mix the dough and let it rise.
- It’s inexpensive to make and feeds a crowd.
- This fluffy fried bread recipe will make you famous with friends and family.
- Kids love this homemade fried dough with butter and sweet jam or preserves.
- You can use leftover yeast dough to make dinner rolls (that’s what Myne would do).
Ingredients for fried dough recipe:
- Instant Yeast
- All Purpose Flour
- Lukewarm Water
- Granulated Sugar
- Salt
- Shortening (Myne recommends Crisco)
Making foolproof dough
My grandmother punk’d us before that was a thing.
Without fail, each time she made up the fried bread recipe with yeast, and it had rested overnight — my grandmother would remove the towel from the bowl of dough and, with an alarmed look, pronounce that “the puffs didn’t rise.”
Panicked at the prospect of no puffs for breakfast, we would rush to the kitchen — only to find that Myne was making it up – the dough had risen.
Her prank was repeatedly (and flawlessly) executed every time she made a batch.
How to make fried bread dough
- In a large bowl, combine lukewarm water and yeast and swish until the yeast is dissolved. (Note: my grandmother and my mother, who made this batch used their hands to swish the water and yeast together — instead of a spoon — old school style.)
- Add the shortening and break it apart with your fingers.
- Stir in the sugar and salt, swishing and stirring until dissolved.
- Add the flour a little bit at a time, stirring and kneading until the dough is smooth and elastic.
Yeast dough has to rise
Once the yeast dough is combined, form it into a ball, then place the dough in a lightly greased bowl and cover it with a clean towel to rise for at least two hours or overnight.
Then lock yourself in the bathroom and practice your “the puffs didn’t rise” line while trying to look sufficiently innocent in the bathroom mirror.
How to make fried dough
- Fill a heavy cast iron skillet with deep sides or a dutch oven with about 2″ of vegetable oil or Crisco to fry the dough. (I know it’s not the healthiest ingredient, but it’s fried bread. You didn’t think it would be good for you. I make no apologies – Crisco was big back in the day, and in this recipe, it produces crisp, light puffs).
- Heat over medium-high heat until the temperature is about 350°-375°. (Use an Instant Read thermometer {affiliate link} to check).
- Make a “tester” with a small pinch of yeast dough. Stretch it out and gently place it in the hot oil. You’ll know that the grease is hot enough if it bubbles furiously from the beginning. If the bubbles are smaller and more “genteel,” the oil must heat more.
- Pull off a golf ball-sized piece of dough, flatten it and pull the sides until the dough is about ¼ to ?” thick and 3″ in diameter (Note: it will never be a perfect circle, so don’t even try).
- Gently place the dough in the hot oil – releasing it away from you to avoid splatters and burns.
- Cook for a few minutes until the underside is golden and brown.
- Use tongs or a long-handled fork to gently turn the pan-fried bread and cook it for an additional minute or so until crispy and golden.
- Transfer to a paper towel-lined baking sheet.
- Keep warm in a hot oven while you make the rest — or serve them as soon as they come out of the fryer (the best way).
Pro-tips:
The fried dough cooks in just a few minutes, so don’t step away from the fryer. You don’t want to risk scorching them.
I strongly advise keeping small, curious children out of the kitchen while you’re frying. Hot oil can splatter, and we don’t want anyone getting burned.
What is fried dough called?
“Puffs” are our moniker for this fried yeast bread recipe.
Though it might sound unfamiliar to you, I’m sure you’ve seen something similar to my grandma’s fry bread because deep-fried bread dough is popular worldwide.
You’ll find variations of this recipe under other names like:
- Indian fry bread, Navajo fry bread or Navajo bread – the difference is this is usually made with baking powder instead of yeast)
- Fried Bannocks – A Scottish dish (my grandmother is a Scot, so maybe that’s where her recipe evolved from).
- Italian fried dough – is a dessert that’s more puffed and softer like a doughnut also known as zeppole or pizza fritta.
- Fried pizza dough – a street food served with chimichurri sauce, sour cream and cheese.
- Fried elephant ears – are found at many fairs and carnivals, they’re sold at numerous vendors brushed liberally with butter and coated in cinnamon sugar.
- Puff Puff – African doughnuts seasoned with nutmeg (I’ve had them and they’re excellent).
- Vetkoek – also African, this is a savory stuffed “fat cake”.
- Beignet – a French version of deep-fried dough buried under an avalanche of powdered sugar. Beignets from Cafe Du Monde are a must when you visit New Orleans.
FAQ’s
Yes. Nearly every culture does. They vary by ingredients, toppings, how they’re served and for what occasion.
Sort of. Fry bread is usually made with baking powder instead of yeast.
It’s fried, usually in shortening or lard.
I’ve never had fried bread leftovers, but you could freeze them. Another suggestion, however, is if you don’t fry all of the bread dough, you can use the rest to make dinner rolls. Instructions are given in the “notes” section of the recipe card.
How does my grandma’s fry bread recipe taste?
In a word… divine. It is crackly outside with a puffed, hot, yeasty dough inside.
On their own, her fried bread is savory, not sweet. So we treat them like toast or biscuits and liberally smear them with butter and jam.
Others may prefer powdered sugar or maple syrup, but my grandmother wouldn’t approve of those substitutions, so if you do it, keep it to yourself.
What goes with yeast fry bread:
- Peach Jam with Pectin
- Easy Homemade Guava Jam
- Spiced Pear Butter with Honey
- Red Berry Chia Seed Jam
- Calamansi Lime Marmalade
- Pumpkin Apple Butter
More breakfast breads you might like:
- Gluten Free Apple Buckwheat Muffins
- Cranberry Orange Scones
- Blueberry Banana Bread
- Onion Poppy Sesame Seed Bialys
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Fried dough (Grandma’s fry bread recipe)
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT:
- heavy pot, cast iron skillet or dutch oven for frying.
- Instant Read Thermometer To take the temperature of the hot oil.
INGREDIENTS:
- 2 cups lukewarm water about 110° on an instant read thermometer
- 1 rounded tablespoon vegetable shortening (Myne uses Crisco) about the size of an egg
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 package Instant Yeast
- 4 ½ – 5 cups all purpose flour
DIRECTIONS:
To Make The Puff Dough
- Add the yeast to a large bowl and stir in the water. Let the yeast dissolve and bloom for a few minutes.
- Add the shortening and swish and break it apart in the water with your fingers.
- Stir in the sugar and salt until dissolved.
- Add flour a little at a time, kneading with your hands until the dough is smooth and elastic. Form the dough into a ball.
- Lightly grease or oil a large bowl with vegetable shortening and place the dough in the bowl. Flip the dough once or twice so it gets a light coating of grease (this prevents it from forming a “skin”. Cover the dough with a clean dish towel and place in a draft free area to rise. (I usually stick it in a cold oven).
- Let the dough rise for 2 hours or overnight.
MAKE A TESTER:
- Place a wide, deep cast iron skillet or dutch oven over medium high heat and add about 2 inches of vegetable oil or Crisco. Heat the oil to about 350°-375°.
- Carefully place the dough into the hot grease. This is your tester– and it will determine if your oil is hot enough. If the oil rapidly bubbles around the dough it should be the right temperature.
- Pinch off a dime-sized piece of dough and stretch it, so that it’s very thin (about 1/4″).
- Cook the tester for about 1-2 minutes until golden on the bottom, then flip it and cook an additional minute. The bread should be crisp and golden. You can eat this piece to determine if the oil should be hotter or if it’s just right.
FRY THE YEAST DOUGH:
- Line a sheet pan with several layers of paper towels and set near the pan of oil. Pinch off a golf ball sized piece of dough and flatten it to a disc in your hands. Hold the edges of the dough and work it in a circle to stretch and enlarge the circle until it’s about 3″ to 4″ in diameter.
- Carefully place the puffs into the oil (away from you to prevent splashes and burns).
- Fry for 1 to 2 minutes until golden, flip over and continue to cook for another minute or so until the puffs are crispy and golden.
- Depending on the size of your pan, you can make 3-4 at a time.
- You can also keep them in a warm oven and serve all at once, but they’re really best served immediately.
- Transfer the fried dough to the paper towel-lined sheet pan, continue to fry in batches, and keep the fry bread warm in a low oven until you’re ready to serve — or if you’re like my family… keep making them as they’re being snatched off the tray.
NOTES:
NUTRITION:
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Does it get any more Southern than your Grandma and your mom making fry bread in the old cast iron pan? I don’t think so! I love seeing old family recipes like this – they have so much heart. And I will not tell your grandma that maple syrup sounds amazing with the bread. (But I’m from New England, so I think it makes sense. 🙂 )
What a beautiful memory! My grandma used to make something similar, but being Irish it contained potatoes 🙂 We use to devour them every time she made a batch. Love that you are still memories in the kitchen with your own mom!
I love this post! Food is so much more than food! It’s traditions and memories and you really brought that out in this post. By the way, I think hands are totally underrated as a kitchen tool. You get so much information when you work with your hands–texture, temperature, moistness. You just can’t get that with a spoon.
Yum! My kids always love the fried dough at carnivals….I have never even considered making it at home. You make it look so easy and good. I am going to surprise them and do this! Thanks.
I’m so happy that you’re keeping this wonderful traditional recipe going – and even happier that you’re sharing it with us! It’s totally my kind of recipe too. I love a nice, simple, carb-tastic bread that’s distinctive on its own yet plain enough to work with whatever sweet side you serve it with. I looooove how airy and crispy these look. And hey, I’ll have to remember that whole ‘they didn’t rise!’ trick when I need to mess with MY future grandkids. Hahaha.
Southern Grandma’s knew a thing or two about bread and frying. Not only that but they made it taste soooo good. !! These puffs would certainly go well with Southern Fried Chicken or even some nice pan-fried pork. Yum!! Thinking about the menu is making me hungry! I’m planning on a Southern style menu tomorrow – these puffs are a must to go along with everything.
Oh my goodness! These look amazing! I remember having these one time when I was a child and have never had it since. I totally forgot about it but now I remember how good it was. I’m going to need a batch of these for old times’ sake! Also, if you need a mold for those jello salads that you found, I’m your girl… I surprisingly had one gifted to me haha.
I love making recipes that have been passed down from generation to generation like this southern fried bread because you know that they are tried and true. And your grandma’s handwritten recipe cards made me miss my grandma; she’s the one that taught me how to cook, and i still have the fondest memories of her kitchen. Love the recipe and the story behind it!
Ahhh Hiiiii Grandma Myne!! You’re the sweetest and a genius with this recipe! This with your mom’s guava jam – love the history. I can’t wait for the apricot jam, next!
Well those Gramma’s know a thing or two when it comes to cooking. I sure miss the wonderful food my baba made in her kitchen. Isn’t it funny, they didn’t have all the fancy gadgets we have today, yet their food was ALWAYS so delicious. Love the sound of this recipe. The bread lover in me would devour this for sure.
I agree, the grandma’s rule! I think we should all take a few tips from them!
Lisa:
I was looking at your blog and was astounded to see that you had reincarnated the recipe of your grandmother’s Sunday morning puffs. I was overcome with a little bit of history from my past which I want to share. Several years before your mom and dad met, I had the occasion to experience in this breakfast delight while visiting your Uncle Chip, who was my best high school buddy at the time. We’re talking 1965 era. In those days, I called Myne Mrs. Hudson, as she was the highly respected mother of my good friend. In any case, I have never forgotten that event. The puffs were fantastic, and I indulged in more than a few. Anxious to try these again. Thanks for sharing that bit of history.
Uncle Frank, I didn’t know that story, thank you so much for sharing your memories with me. If you want to experience those puffs again, I’m happy to make them for you — and for that matter, I’m sure Mom would be too. Sounds like a plan for the next family gathering!
This looks very similar to the fried bread my grandmother & mother made when I was growing up. We are them with fried eggs or spread them with butter, then dipped in sugar.
I’m hearing from a lot of people who have eaten this their whole life — all with a different way of eating it! So cool to know that we’re all connected.
I’ve decided that there’s not nearly enough fry bread where I live (the Northeast), I think I’ll have to pass this recipe around!
LOL! That’s too funny — feel free to share the love!
There are so many things I love about these puffs! First off, they look scrumptious! Second, I love that your grandmother used her hands throughout the whole mixing. I do that myself! 🙂 I need to try these asap.
Grandmothers recipe are always special and this one looks so good. Have to try it out for the family. Thanks for sharing this traditional recipe.
What a great traditional recipe, and I love the prank your grandmother played! It reminds me of cooking with my grandfather – he always made it fun. Must give these a try soon!
I’ve never made something like this before! How sweet that you are able to make your grandmother’s recipes!
I love the back ground to these puffs! Love hearing family stories to food traditions. My grandma used to make fry bread all the time, I can’t wait to try your grandmother’s!
Did you call it fry bread or did it go by another name?
Just remember that the tester puff is reserved for you father!
Don’t I know it!
These look great! What a wonderful treasure to have her old recipes.
Absolutely, Katrina! And you need to try these puffs.