The Magic of Golden Fry Bread

This **Fry Bread Recipe** delivers a wonderfully fluffy and crispy flatbread made with everyday pantry staples. It’s incredibly simple to prepare: just mix the dough, fry until golden, and enjoy plain or adorned with your favorite sweet or savory toppings. Get ready to experience a taste that’s both deeply comforting and utterly delicious.

A Personal Touch from Chelsea

A Childhood Favorite, Perfected!

Growing up, dishes like Utah scones were a staple in our home. This exposure, combined with a love for simple, comforting foods, led me to master the art of making Fry Bread at a young age. It quickly became a beloved family tradition, and to this day, it remains one of my absolute favorite treats!

Don’t let the simplicity of the ingredient list deceive you. This recipe consistently produces the most incredible Fry Bread I’ve ever tasted. Each piece fries up with a beautifully light and crisp exterior, yielding to an incredibly soft, chewy, and flavorful interior that practically melts in your mouth.

One of the best aspects of this recipe is how quickly the dough comes together. Unlike traditional white bread, hearty honey whole wheat bread, or classic dinner rolls, there’s no extensive rising time required. This means you can enjoy fresh, warm Fry Bread much faster, making it perfect for spontaneous cravings or last-minute gatherings.

What Is Fry Bread? A Culinary Journey of a Simple Delicacy

Fry Bread, also widely recognized as **Navajo Fry Bread** or **Indian Fry Bread**, is much more than just a simple flatbread; it’s a staple with deep cultural roots and an irresistible appeal. This quick-to-make bread is deep-fried until it achieves a beautiful golden hue, dramatically puffing up as it cooks. This puffing action creates delightful air pockets within, contributing to its signature texture: wonderfully crispy on the outside, yet incredibly soft, airy, and delightfully chewy on the inside. It’s this unique combination that makes each bite a truly melt-in-your-mouth experience.

A Rich History and Versatile Plate

While commonly associated with Native American cuisine, particularly the Navajo Nation, Fry Bread’s origins are tied to a complex history of resilience and adaptation. It became a significant dish during a challenging period, often made from commodity foods provided by the government. Over time, it has evolved into a beloved symbol of Native American culture, celebrated at pow-wows, festivals, and family meals across the country. Its versatility allows it to transcend boundaries, serving as both a hearty meal component and a delightful dessert.

Endless Ways to Enjoy Your Homemade Fry Bread

The beauty of Fry Bread lies in its adaptability. Its neutral, slightly sweet flavor profile makes it a perfect canvas for a myriad of toppings, catering to virtually any craving:

• Pure & Simple: Enjoy it straight out of the fryer, still warm and slightly greasy, allowing its natural flavor and incredible texture to shine through. A sprinkle of salt can elevate this simple pleasure.
• Sweet Indulgences: Transform Fry Bread into a decadent dessert. Drizzle generously with golden honey, spread with creamy honey butter, dollop with your favorite fruit jam, or drench in sweet blueberry syrup or warm apple butter. A dusting of powdered sugar is also a classic, elegant finish.
• Cinnamon Sugar Delight: For a carnival-inspired treat, dredge the warm Fry Bread in a mixture of cinnamon and granulated sugar. The warmth of the bread helps the sugar stick, creating a crispy, sweet, and aromatic coating that’s simply irresistible.
• Hearty Savory Creations: Turn Fry Bread into a substantial meal. It’s famously used as a base for “Navajo Tacos,” topped with seasoned ground beef, shredded beef, flavorful pork, or tender chicken, along with classic taco fixings like lettuce, tomato, cheese, and salsa. You can also experiment with chili, beans, or even a fried egg for a unique breakfast experience.
• The Ultimate Soup Dunker: Its soft and chewy texture makes Fry Bread an excellent companion for hearty soups and stews. Tear off pieces and use them to soak up rich broth from a robust chili or any of your favorite soup recipes.

Crafting the Perfect Fry Bread: A Step-by-Step Guide

Making delicious Fry Bread from scratch is surprisingly straightforward. Follow these detailed steps to achieve perfectly puffed, golden, and tender flatbreads every time:

1. Prepare & Mix the Dough: Begin by melting the butter and warming the milk. In a large mixing bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, instant yeast, and salt. Whisk these dry ingredients together thoroughly. Gradually add the warmed milk and melted butter mixture to the dry ingredients, stirring with a wooden spoon or sturdy spatula until a shaggy, cohesive dough forms. Ensure all ingredients are well incorporated, but avoid overmixing.
2. Rest for Optimal Texture: Once your shaggy dough is formed, cover the bowl with a clean, damp kitchen towel. Allow the dough to rest at room temperature for a critical 15–20 minutes. This resting period isn’t primarily for yeast activation or rising; rather, it allows the gluten in the flour to relax. Relaxed gluten makes the dough much easier to handle, stretch, and shape without it snapping back, ensuring a tender final product.
3. Shape with Care: After resting, lightly flour your hands. Gently press individual pieces of the dough flat with your fingers, working them into thin, roughly 5- to 6-inch rounds. There’s no need for a rolling pin here, and don’t worry about achieving perfect circles – the rustic, irregular shapes add to the charm and create more nooks and crannies for toppings. The key is to make them relatively thin without tearing, which promotes even cooking and impressive puffing.
4. Fry to Golden Perfection: Heat about 1 inch of oil in a heavy-bottomed pot or deep fryer to 350°F (175°C). Carefully lower one piece of shaped dough into the hot oil at a time. Fry each side for approximately 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until it reaches a beautiful deep golden brown color. You’ll notice the bread puffing up almost instantly. Use two forks or tongs to gently flip the dough halfway through.
5. Drain & Savor Immediately: Once golden and puffed, carefully remove the Fry Bread from the oil using a large slotted spoon or tongs. Transfer it to a cooling rack placed over a sheet pan lined with paper towels. This setup allows excess oil to drain off, keeping the Fry Bread crispy. Serve warm, either plain or with your chosen delightful toppings. Fresh from the fryer is truly the best!

Expert Tips for Unforgettable Fry Bread

Achieving the best Fry Bread is easy when you keep a few key tips in mind. These insights will help you master the technique and enjoy consistently delicious results:

• Yeast’s Role: While this dough does contain yeast, its purpose here is not for a dramatic, lengthy rise like traditional bread. Instead, the small amount of yeast contributes subtly to the flavor and helps achieve a slightly lighter, airier texture. The primary leavening agent for the characteristic puff is the baking powder, coupled with the hot oil.
• Gentle Kneading is Key: When handling the dough, remember that “less is more.” Overworking the dough can develop the gluten too much, leading to a tough, dense Fry Bread instead of the desired soft and chewy texture. Knead just enough to bring the dough together into a cohesive ball – a few turns are all you need.
• Embrace Irregular Shapes: Don’t strive for perfectly uniform circles. The charm of homemade Fry Bread often lies in its rustic, slightly irregular shape. These unique edges and varying thicknesses create wonderful little nooks and crannies that are perfect for catching and holding onto whatever delicious toppings you choose to add.
• Maintain Oil Temperature: Consistency is crucial for frying. Use a kitchen thermometer to keep your oil at a steady 350°F (175°C). If the oil is too cold, the bread will absorb too much oil and become greasy. If it’s too hot, the exterior will burn before the inside cooks through, or it might not puff properly. Adjust your heat as needed between batches.
• Dough Thickness Matters: Aim for a relatively thin dough, about 1/4 inch thick, when shaping your rounds. Thinner dough allows for quick cooking and encourages those beautiful, large air pockets to form, resulting in a lighter, crispier Fry Bread. Be careful not to tear the dough while stretching.
• Cooling Rack for Crispness: After frying, immediately transfer the Fry Bread to a wire cooling rack placed over a sheet pan lined with paper towels. This setup allows air to circulate around the bread, preventing it from steaming and becoming soggy on the bottom, ensuring maximum crispiness.

Pin Recipe
Print Recipe

5 from 1 vote

Delicious Homemade Fry Bread

By
Chelsea Lords

This easy Fry Bread recipe yields a soft, chewy, and crispy flatbread made from basic pantry ingredients. Deep-fried to golden perfection, it’s versatile enough to enjoy plain or with any sweet or savory topping you desire.

Prep Time:

15
minutes

Cook Time:

8
minutes

Resting Time:

20
minutes

Total Time:

43
minutes

Servings:

8
fry breads

Video Guide

Watch the video below for a visual guide on how to make perfect Fry Bread!

Equipment

• Deep fryer or a large/deep cast-iron pot with thermometer (see note 1)

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter melted and cooled
• 2-1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder (ensure it’s baking powder, not baking soda!)
• 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon instant yeast or active dry yeast
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup milk (whole milk is recommended for richness)
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil plus additional for deep frying

Instructions

• Melt the unsalted butter in the microwave and set it aside to cool completely to room temperature – this is important as hot butter can negatively affect the dough. In a separate microwave-safe container, gently warm the milk until it’s just lukewarm (see note 2); it should not be hot. Combine the cooled melted butter and warmed milk in a small bowl. In a large mixing bowl, add the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, instant yeast, and salt. Whisk these dry ingredients together until they are well combined. Pour the milk and butter mixture into the dry ingredients and stir with a sturdy wooden spoon or spatula until a shaggy, cohesive dough forms.
• The dough at this stage should appear rough, shaggy, and will be somewhat sticky, but manageable. Lightly flour your hands, then gently gather the dough and knead it just a few times (3-4 turns) to shape it into a smooth ball. Be careful not to overwork or overhandle the dough, as this can make it tough. Drizzle one tablespoon of vegetable oil into the same large mixing bowl you used earlier, rubbing it lightly over the bottom and slightly up the sides. Place the dough ball back into the oiled bowl and turn it to coat all sides lightly with oil. Cover the bowl with a clean, damp kitchen towel and let it rest at room temperature for 15–20 minutes. This resting period allows the gluten to relax, making the dough easier to stretch and shape, rather than promoting a significant rise.
• While the dough rests, prepare your frying station. Add about 1 inch of vegetable oil to a large, heavy-bottomed pot (a 5-quart cast-iron pot is ideal) or a deep fryer. Heat the oil to 350°F (175°C). Once the dough has rested, divide it into 8 equal portions. A simple way to do this is to cut the dough ball in half, then cut each half in half again to get four large triangular pieces. Then, cut each of these triangles into two smaller pieces, resulting in 8 equal portions. Lightly flour your hands and work with one dough piece at a time, keeping the remaining pieces covered to prevent them from drying out. Holding a piece of dough in your hands, gently stretch and press it outwards with your fingers to form a thin, roughly 5- to 6-inch circular shape. Avoid using a rolling pin or pressing it flat on a surface, as hand-shaping helps create the characteristic air pockets. The shape doesn’t need to be perfect – a rustic appearance is part of its charm. Aim for the dough to be thin (about 1/4 inch thick) without tearing it, as thinner pieces fry better and puff more impressively.
• Carefully lower only one piece of shaped dough into the preheated oil at a time. Fry each side for approximately 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until it turns a deep golden brown color and puffs up beautifully. The exact frying time may vary slightly depending on your pot and heat source; if not using a cast-iron pot, it might take a bit longer. Using two forks or tongs, gently flip the dough halfway through to ensure even cooking and browning on both sides. Once cooked, use a large slotted spoon or tongs to remove the Fry Bread from the oil. Immediately transfer it to a wire cooling rack placed over a sheet pan lined with paper towels to drain any excess oil. Repeat this process with the remaining dough portions, ensuring the oil temperature remains consistent between batches. Serve your freshly fried Fry Bread warm with your preferred toppings.

Recipe Notes

Note 1: Frying Equipment Options for Success:

1. Deep Fryer: The easiest and most controlled option. A deep fryer typically comes with a lid to minimize splatter and a built-in thermostat to maintain a consistent oil temperature, which is crucial for perfectly cooked Fry Bread.
2. Heavy Pot & Thermometer: If you don’t own a deep fryer, a large, heavy-bottomed pot (such as a 5-quart cast-iron pot or Dutch oven) is an excellent alternative. It’s essential to use a reliable kitchen thermometer to accurately gauge and maintain the oil temperature at 350°F (175°C) throughout the frying process. Consistent temperature ensures the bread fries evenly and achieves the desired crispy exterior and fluffy interior. If you don’t have a thermometer, a common trick is to insert the handle of a wooden spoon into the hot oil; if bubbles gently gather around the stick, the oil is likely ready for frying.

Note 2: Testing Milk Temperature for Yeast Activation:
The correct milk temperature is vital for the yeast. To test, drizzle a few drops of the warmed milk onto the inside of your wrist. It should feel comfortably warm, like a baby’s bathwater. If it feels hot, it’s too hot and will kill the yeast, preventing the slight lift and flavor it contributes. If it feels cold, the yeast will remain dormant and won’t activate properly. Aim for lukewarm.
Storage: While Fry Bread is always best enjoyed immediately after frying, leftovers can be loosely wrapped with plastic wrap or stored in an airtight container for 1–2 days at room temperature. Reheat in a toaster oven or conventional oven at 300°F (150°C) for a few minutes to crisp it back up before serving.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving |
Calories: 200kcal |
Carbohydrates: 33.7g |
Protein: 5.2g |
Fat: 5g |
Cholesterol: 8.2mg |
Sodium: 16.4mg |
Fiber: 1.2g |
Sugar: 2.7g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximation.

Love this recipe? Share your thoughts below!