This no-yeast puff puff recipe provides a tasty variety of the traditional popular African snack. A secret ingredient gives them the yeasty flavor with no need to wait for them to rise. They’re ideal for a fast snack-attack fix, breakfast, and parties!
A friend calls me one afternoon and tells me she’s throwing an impromptu African-themed party, and would I please bring puff puff. Good thing I know how to make the version that you don’t have to wait for the yeast to develop. Self-rising flour, beer, and an egg make this treat super fast.
What sells this recipe is how little time it takes to make it. Instead of having to wait for the yeast to work its magic, you can have it in your face in 15 minutes. It tastes like beer bread, only this one is even better because it’s fried.
Puff Puff Variations Are African Staples
If you have ever traveled to any West African country or attended a West African gathering, chances are you have tasted this incredible fried dough. It’s an extremely popular snack food sold on almost every street corner imaginable and goes under different aliases.
Ghanaians call it bofrot (togbei), the Congolese call it mikate, it’s gbofloto in the Ivory Coast; Cameroonians and Nigerians call it puff puff. You may hear it called African beignets in other parts, which explains why I had to try New Orleans beignets.
How to Make No-Yeast Beer Puff Puff
- Heat about 3 inches (6-8 centimeters) of oil in a large saucepan until it reaches 375℉ (190 ℃). Not enough oil will result in flatter balls (not necessarily a bad thing).
- Dry – Meanwhile, mix the dry ingredients (flour and sugar) in a medium bowl.
- Wet – Stir in the beer, egg, and water, and mix well. The batter should be smooth and thick enough to form into balls.
- Fry the puff puff in batches to avoid overcrowding the pan. I scoop up the batter with my hands and carefully drop the balls into the hot oil. You could also scoop up the batter with a spoon and gently push it into the oil with another one.
- Turn the balls over after a few minutes or when the bottom side is golden brown. Fry for a few more minutes until the other side is golden brown.
- Remove the cooked puff puff from the hot oil with a slotted spoon or something similar. Drain them on paper towels right away to soak up excess oil.
- Serve them plain or roll the hot puff puff in cinnamon sugar. Best enjoyed warm.
Recipe Tips and Notes
- I decided to include beer in this recipe to make it tender, airy, and give it that yeasty flavor. The alcohol will cook off long before it makes it to a serving plate, but feel free to replace it with water or a malted beverage.
- I’ve never made them gluten-free, but with the egg, you should be able to replace the self-rising flour with your favorite gluten-free self-rising flour.
Make Ahead and Storage
I don’t recommend making the dough ahead because the baking powder may lose its strength. However, you can store fried puff puffs in a paper-towel-lined container in the fridge and crisp them back up in a 350℉ (180 ℃) air fryer or oven.
What Pairs With No-Yeast Puff Puff
We enjoy this snack mainly for breakfast with a hot cup of coffee or tea. But today, especially with so many Africans living abroad, it’s a must for parties. So I like making chin chin, banana fritters, and akara to go with them.
More Amazing Puff Puff Variations to Try
Watch How to Make It
[adthrive-in-post-video-player video-id=”yOZRujgi” upload-date=”Mon Aug 06 2018 19:57:54 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)” name=”No Yeast Puff Puff” description=”No Yeast Puff Puff — a tasty variety of the traditional popular African snacks Puff Puff which is made of self-rising flour instead of yeast, sugar, beer, egg and oil. No need to wait long to get a bite of these delicious treats. Great for breakfast and parties too!”]
This blog post was originally published in October 2013 and has been updated with additional tips, new photos, and a video.
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