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Looking for an easy homemade version of fried dough that tastes just like the ones from the county fair? If you are, then look no further.

This easy fry bread recipe is done in under 30 minutes, and makes some deliciously flavorful fried dough everyone will enjoy!

Easy fry dough 

Fried dough is a native American recipe where is simple dough is made using ingredients like flour, butter, baking powder or yeast, salt and sugar, then fried on each side till golden brown.

Made with simple ingredients and made in just minutes, fry dough is usually eaten alone, but can also be served with various toppings such as butter or jam, or sprinkled with powdered sugar. 

FAQs

What is fried dough called?

Fried dough has many names including fry dough, fry bread, fried bread, elephant ears, doughboys, pizza fritte and scones. 

What does fried dough taste like?

Fried dough tastes like bread that has been fried. It is light and fluffy on the inside and crunchy on the outside.

Ingredients for fried dough

  • 2 1/4 cup all purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt 
  • 1 tbsp sugar
  • 3 tbsp melted butter
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • Oil for frying

How to make fried dough

To make, gather all the ingredients in one place.

Then add all of the dry ingredients into a large bowl and mix well.

Then pour the wet ingredients into the bowl containing the dry ingredients and use a spoon or your hand to mix well, until the dough is cohesive.

Once the dough has been made, cover it with a dry towel and let it rest for 5 minutes.

Then sprinkle some all purpose flour onto a chopping board, and cut up the dough into 8 pieces. 

Form each piece of dough into a dough ball. Then use a rolling pin to flatten each dough ball until each measures about 5-6 inches in diameter.

In the meantime, pour about 1 inch of vegetable oil into a deep pan, and turn on the heat to medium.

Once the oil is hot, add the rolled out dough to the pan and fry for 1 minute on each side or until golden brown.

Remove from the oil, drain on a plate cover with some paper towels and continue with this process until all the dough is fried. 

Serve the fried dough sprinkled with powdered sugar.

Air fryer fried dough anyone?

Now, if you want to make fried dough without having to deep fry it in oil, there is an option to make the fried bread or fried dough in an air fryer. Here’s how to make fried dough in an air fryer:

  • To make, gather all the ingredients in one place. Then make the dough following the instructions above. 

  • Once the dough is made, let it sit for a few minutes, then cut into 8 pieces, form into 8 balls then flatten each ball into 5-6 inch circle using a rolling pin.
  • In the meantime, preheat the air fryer to 350℉ and spray the air fryer basket with a generous amount of cooking spray.
  • Also, spray each pice of rolled out dough with some cooking spray. Then place each piece of dough into the air fryer in a single layer and air fry for 5 minutes on each side or until golden brown.
  • Depending on the size of your air fryer, you may have to repeat this process 8 times if you keep the fried dough at 5-6 inches wide. Alternatively, you can make the fried dough smaller and fit 3 -4 into the air fryer at once to cut down on cook time.

Dairy free fried dough

To make vegan or dairy free fry dough, then you simply have to use 2 1/4 cup all purpose flour, 1 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp salt, 1 tbsp sugar and 3/4 cup of warm water. Mix this together until a dough is formed, then proceed to make the fry dough recipe.

What to serve with elephant ears

These are typically served topped with powdered sugar. Other common ways to serve elephant ears also called fry bread or fry dough is with:

  • Butter and Cinnamon sugar – Instead of the powder sugar, top warm fried bread with some butter then dust with a little cinnamon sugar.
  • Jam or Syrup – Drizzle the fry bread with syrup for a sweet treat.
  • Beans, meat, chopped lettuce, tomatoes, olives, shredded cheese, and sour cream. Top the fried dough with these for a delicious savory meal.

Storing fry dough

To store: Cool the fried dough, then place them into an air tight container and store at room temperature for up to 2 days. Also, you can keep them in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. 

To freeze: Cool the fried dough. Once cooled, place them on a baking sheet in a single layer, and freeze for 1 hour. Remove the frozen fried dough from the baking sheet, then wrap them in parchment paper, and place in a freezer bag for up to 6 months.

To reheat: Reheat frozen or thawed fried dough by placing them in an oven heated to 250°F for 5 minutes.

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Fried Dough - Tastes Just Like The One From County Fair!

Fried Dough - Tastes Just Like The One From County Fair!

Looking for an easy homemade version of fried dough that tastes just like the ones from the county fair? If you are, then look no further. This easy fry bread recipe is done in under 30 minutes, and makes some deliciously flavorful fried dough everyone will enjoy!

Prep Time 8 minutes
Cook Time 16 minutes
Total Time 24 minutes

Ingredients

  • 2 1/4 cup all purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 tbsp sugar
  • 3 tbsp melted butter
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • Oil for frying

Instructions

    1. To make, gather all the ingredients in one place.
    2. Then add all of the dry ingredients into a large bowl and mix well.
    3. Then pour the wet ingredients into the bowl containing the dry ingredients and use a spoon or your hands to mix well, until the dough is cohesive.
    4. Once the dough has been made, cover it with a dry towel and let it rest for 5 minutes.
    5. Then sprinkle some all purpose flour onto a chopping board, and cut up the dough into 8 pieces. 
    6. Form each piece of dough into a dough ball. Then use a rolling pin to flatten each dough ball until each measures about 5-6 inches in diameter.
    7. In the meantime, pour about 1 inch of vegetable oil into a deep pan, and turn on the heat to medium.
    8. Once the oil is hot, add the rolled out dough to the pan and fry for 1 minute on each side or until golden brown.
    9. Remove from the oil, drain on some paper towels and continue with this process until all the dough is fried. 
    10. Serve the fried dough sprinkled with powdered sugar.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

8 servings

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 207Total Fat: 7.4gSaturated Fat: 3.5gCholesterol: 14mgSodium: 254mgCarbohydrates: 30gFiber: 0.9gSugar: 3.2gProtein: 4.6g

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