Homemade Pumpkin Spice Frybread

A plate of sugar coated spiced pumpkin bannock.

5 from 1 vote

My Pumpkin Spice Frybread recipe may not be the most traditional bannock variation, but it's a tasty one. Think "sugar coated fall doughnuts"!

Prep Time10

Cook Time10

Resting Tim20

Total Time40

Course: Bread, Breakfast, Side Dish

Cuisine: Canadian, First Nations

Diet: Low Lactose

Servings: Servings

Calories: 321kcal

Equipment

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

Ingredients

2 cups All Purpose Flour
1 tablespoon Baking Powder
2 teaspoon Pumpkin Spice
½ teaspoon Salt
1 cup Pure Pumpkin Puree
2 tablespoon Pure Maple Syrup
1 teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract
⅓ cup Water
Vegetable Oil for Frying

Sugar Coating (Optional)

1 cup Granulated Sugar
1 tablespoon Pumpkin Spice or Ground Cinnamon

Instructions

Make the Dough:

In a large bowl, mix together dry ingredients. Add the pumpkin, maple syrup, and vanilla to the dry mix, stirring gently just to combine.
Finally, add the water stirring 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 cloth.
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.
As the oil is heating, divide the dough into 6-8 smaller pieces
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 with butter.... or drizzled with honey or maple syrup, or sprinkled with cinnamon sugar, or slathered in a nice jam.

Sugar Coated Frybread

If you want to coat them in cinnamon sugar, have a cup or so of cinnamon sugar in a shallow bowl, before you fry your pumpkin bannock dough.
As your pumpkin frybreads come out of the oil, blot the excess oil off, then roll them in the sugar while still hot.
Place on a baking pan or sheet of parchment paper to let the cool slightly before serving.

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.

Nutrition