Puff Puff

Name: Puff Puff
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 95 min
Yield: 8
Cuisine: African
Ingredients: 2 cups warm water; 1 1/4-ounce packet (2 1/4 teaspoons) active dry yeast packet; 2⅔ cups (2/3 cup + 1 teaspoon) granulated sugar, divided; 3 cups all-purpose flour; 1½ teaspoons kosher salt; ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg; 3 cups vegetable oil, for deep frying

Recipe GLPR0b62fdd3fca995

African

Snack

95 min

483 cal

Servings: 8

Stovetop

SNAP eligible

Golden, pillowy fried dough pastries infused with warm spices. These light and airy balls are a beloved West African snack, made from a simple yeast-based dough that rises and then gets deep-fried until crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. Perfect served warm as a breakfast treat or dessert.

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Ingredients

2 cups warm water

1 1/4-ounce packet (2 1/4 teaspoons) active dry yeast packet

2⅔ cups (2/3 cup + 1 teaspoon) granulated sugar, divided

3 cups all-purpose flour

1½ teaspoons kosher salt

½ teaspoon ground nutmeg

3 cups vegetable oil, for deep frying

Directions

Pour the warm water into a large mixing bowl. Sprinkle the active dry yeast over the water and add 1 teaspoon of the sugar. Stir gently and let sit for 5 minutes until foamy to activate the yeast.
Add the remaining 2/3 cup of sugar to the yeast mixture and stir until combined.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, kosher salt, and ground nutmeg.
Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, stirring with a wooden spoon until a soft, sticky dough forms. The dough should be thick but spoonable, not kneadable.
Cover the bowl with a damp cloth or plastic wrap and let the dough rise in a warm place for 1 to 1.5 hours, until it has doubled in size and become puffy and airy.
Heat the vegetable oil in a deep pot or Dutch oven to 350°F. Use a thermometer to monitor the temperature carefully.
Working in batches, carefully drop spoonfuls of dough into the hot oil using two spoons or a dough scoop, making small balls about the size of walnuts. Fry 5 to 8 pieces at a time so they have room to expand.
Fry each batch for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally with a slotted spoon, until the puff puffs are golden brown on all sides.
Remove the cooked puff puffs with a slotted spoon and drain them on a paper towel-lined plate. Serve warm.

Comments

Grocery List Plus Editorial Staff4

Puff puff are Nigerian fried pastries that require bulk fermentation and oil for deep frying, so the 95-minute stated time understates reality—with yeast rise, the actual prep and hands-on work spans closer to two hours, though much is passive. All ingredients are staple pantry items available at any Charlotte chain, and the cost per serving runs under fifty cents even with decent vegetable oil, making this budget-friendly for a crowd. The fried dough reheats poorly and is best served fresh and warm the same evening, which limits weeknight flexibility, but the fussy yeast work and constant temperature monitoring during frying mean this is not casual weeknight cooking. For a planned dessert, special occasion, or weekend project, this is a solid crowd-pleaser with no sourcing headaches.