This Easy Banana Puff Puff is crunchy on the outside with a soft, melt-in-your-mouth. Use those ripe bananas on your countertop in the most delicious way. It is very chewy, just like the Nigerian Puff Puff and African Drop Doughnuts.
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Extremely easy to make with everyday pantry ingredients, this puff puff is a crowd-pleaser whether served as a snack, appetizer, or dessert. Serve this banana puff with a drizzle of honey or chocolate sauce; the whole batch will be gobbled up before you know it! If you don't have enough time, try the No Yeast Puff Puff.
African recipes are always unique, and this fruity twist on African fried dough is no exception. Classic fried dough mingles with the natural sweetness of ripe bananas and is fried to golden brown perfection. It is best served with African Stewed Beans or Grilled Whole Fish, don't forget a chilled Orange Pomegranate juice.
What I love about this one is that there are so many variations of this banana puff puff recipe, and you can turn it out sweet or savoury based on your cravings or dietary preference. Want it to be savoury? Omit the sugar. Have super sweet cravings? Dust some powdered sugar on top of these goodies.
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Ingredients
All-Purpose Flour – The foundation of our Banana Puff Puff, all-purpose flour gives the dough structure and ensures the perfect balance between lightness and chewiness.
Ripe Bananas – Ripe bananas add natural sweetness, while their creamy texture moistens the puff puff. The riper the bananas, the better, as they bring a richer flavour.
Lukewarm Water – Lukewarm water is key to yeast activation. It helps dissolve the yeast and kickstart the fermentation process, essential for the dough to rise and become fluffy.
Yeast – Yeast makes the dough rise. It creates tiny air bubbles in the batter, resulting in a light and airy puff puff. Without yeast, we’d have a dense and heavy snack, which isn’t what we aim for here.
Powdered Milk – Powdered milk enriches the dough, adding creaminess and depth of flavour.
Sugar – A touch of sugar sweetens the batter and activates the yeast.
Nutmeg – Nutmeg adds a warm, slightly spicy flavour that takes the puff puff to the next level.
Salt – A pinch of salt balances the sweetness and enhances all the other flavours.
Oil – The oil is for deep frying, giving the puff its golden brown, crispy exterior. You’ll need enough oil to fry the dough evenly so the puff puff is cooked through and perfectly crunchy on the outside while staying soft inside.
How to Make Banana Puff Puff
- Mash the ripe bananas in a bowl until smooth and set them aside.
- Whisk together the lukewarm water, sugar, and yeast in a large mixing bowl until the yeast dissolves.
- Add the mashed bananas and whisk. Add the flour, powdered milk, salt, and nutmeg. Combine. The batter should be wet and sticky.
- Cover the bowl with a clean cloth or plastic wrap and let it rise in a warm place for about 1 hour and 30 minutes, or until the batter doubles in size.
- Step 5: Scoop the batter using your hand, an ice cream scooper, or a tablespoon with a round base and drop it into the hot oil.
- Step 6: Once the puff puff is golden brown, remove them from the oil and place them on a paper towel to absorb any excess oil. Serve warm and enjoy!
Subsitutions And Variations
- You can use skip the water and use liquid milk. You can choose to skip or add the powdered milk again.
- Blending is a good option for the wet ingredients like the banana, water/liquid milk, sugar, and yeast.
- Brown sugar or honey is a good substitution.
- Don't use self rising flour because it contains baking powder and not yeast.
Recipe Tips
Recipe Tips
Use Ripe Bananas: If you're aiming for a soft, moist, and chewy puff puff, I recommend using extremely ripe bananas. Using normal bananas will result in a puff puff that is dense in the middle and not as enjoyable the next day.
Warm Water is the Key: Remember to use warm water when working with yeast, as it helps it to activate.
Keep Stirring: While frying your banana puff puff, keep stirring so that all of them have a uniform golden-brown colour.
Use a Masher: Use a potato masher or a fork to mash the bananas into a smooth paste.
Achieve the Right Consistency: Don't add too much water to the batter at the same time. Instead, add it gradually to meet the desired consistency. Adding too much water without extra flour can lead to sticky situations in your recipe.
Oil Temperature: Always ensure the oil is sizzling hot before gently dropping in your puff. This way, your puff puffs won't absorb excess oil and will turn out perfectly fluffy and delicious!
Recipe FAQs
Yes, you can substitute whole wheat flour for all-purpose flour. However, remember that the texture will be denser and not as light and fluffy as all-purpose flour.
If you don't have powdered milk, you can substitute with it an equal amount of regular milk. However, you might need to reduce the water in the recipe slightly to maintain the right batter consistency.
For extra flavour, add a splash of vanilla extract, a pinch of cinnamon, or even some shredded coconut to the batter. Feel free to experiment with your favourite flavours.
More Snack Recipes to Consider
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Banana Puff Puff
Ingredients
- 3 cups All-purpose flour
- 2 Ripe bananas
- 1 cup Lukewarm Water
- 2½ teaspoon Yeast
- ¼ cup Powdered milk
- ¼ cup Sugar
- 1 teaspoon Nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- Oil to deep fry 3 inches deep
Instructions
- Mash the bananas in a plate or bowl and set aside.
- Whisk lukewarm water, sugar and yeast in a large bowl till the yeast dissolves.
- Add the mashed bananas and whisk. Add the flour, powdered milk, salt and nutmeg. Mix with a spoon or hand till well combined. The batter has to be wet and sticky.
- Cover and let it rise for 1 hour 30 minutes or till it doubles in size.
- After proofing, use a spoon to stir to release trapped air bubbles gently.
- Heat oil to 350℉ in a deep pot. Oil should be at least 3 inches deep.
- Scoop with your hand, scoop ice cream, or use a measuring spoon ( tablespoon with a round base) and deep fry. Watch the Video to see 4 ways how to scoop puff puff. Do not overcrowd the pan.
- Stir often so they all have the same colour and cook evenly. Fry until golden brown.
- Remove from the oil and place on a paper towel to absorb extra oil. Serve warm.
Bilikis
It came out so nice
Claudy
Hello Everyone. I have made this recipe countless times and it turns out so good. Let me know what you think and drop your feedback. Thanks
Bilikis
Super delicious
Bilikis
It looks so soft and yummy
Bilikis
This looks so nice and yummy