Homemade Frybread

3 large pieces of Indian Fry bread on a plate, on a wooden dock.

5 from 1 vote

Bannock is a camping staple for us, and this homemade frybread recipe is a fun, versatile variation of it! Here's what you need to know about making fry bread.

Prep Time10

Cook Time10

Total Time20

Course: Bread, Breakfast, Side Dish

Cuisine: Canadian, First Nations

Diet: Low Lactose

Servings: Servings

Calories: 153kcal

Equipment

1 Dutch Oven or a large, deep cast iron skillet.

Ingredients

2 cups All Purpose Flour
1 tablespoon Baking Powder
½ teaspoon Salt
1 cup Warm Water
Vegetable Oil for Frying

Instructions

Make the Dough:

In a large bowl, mix together dry ingredients. Add water to the mix, just enough to bring it together into a sticky dough.
Knead lightly for a minute or two to smooth it out a little - don’t overwork it, or it will turn out dense. If it’s too sticky to work with, add a little flour - just not too much!
Put the dough back in the mixing bowl and cover with plastic wrap, or a damp . Let it rest - at room temperature - for 20 minutes.
Resting the dough relaxes the gluten, and makes it easier to stretch it out without it snapping back into place.

Fry the Dough:

After about 20 minutes, get a medium fire going. Place your dutch oven over the fire, and add at least 1" of oil to it, and let it start heating.
If you have a deep frying thermometer, you’ll want the oil to come to 350 degrees F.
If don’t have a thermometer, see the post for tips on how to tell when your oil is hot enough.
Divide the dough into 6-8 smaller pieces (or 4 if you want larger pieces for Indian Tacos).
You can use a rolling pin to roll each of them out (on a clean, lightly floured surface), or just flatten them by hand (that’s what we do - clean, dry hands).
Either way, aim for each to be around ¼" thick - not too thick, or they won’t cook right.
Note: Whether rolling them with a pin or flattening by hand, it’s best to stretch the dough, rather than to squishing each piece flat.
If you’re having a hard time getting your dough to stay stretched out, let the dough rest some more.
Some people like to poke a hole in the middle of their frybread. Usually though, I like to poke a few holes in each of mine. Alternately, you can prick each dough round all over with a fork.
Working with one or two pieces at a time, carefully transfer the dough rounds to the preheated oil.
Allow to fry for 1-2 minutes , or until golden on the underside. Gently flip and repeat, cooking until evenly golden.
Transfer fried bread to a baking sheet lined with paper towels, blot to remove excess oil.
Serve warm, as-is ... or use to make Indian Tacos.

Notes

Leftovers can be cooled to room temperature and stored for a few days in a plastic baggie on the counter, or for around a week in an airtight container in the fridge.

See the post for more details on cooking method, working with stickier dough, how to tell if your oil is the right temperature without a thermometer, etc.

Due to the limitations of our recipe software, the nutritional information doesn't include the oil absorbed from frying.

Nutrition