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Navajo Fry Bread is soft, pillowy dough, gently fried to golden perfection. Use it for savory Navajo Tacos or sweet “Elephant Ears”. Ready in minutes and simple to whip up!
Table of Contents
- From the Carnival to Your Kitchen
- Key Ingredients
- Traditional Navajo Fry Bread vs Modern Fry Bread
- How to Make Fry Bread
- Cheater Method Using Biscuit Dough
- Expert Tips for the Perfect Fry Bread
- Fry Bread Toppings
- Frequently Asked Questions for Fry Bread
- More Simple Bread and Dough Recipes
- Navajo Fry Bread Recipe
From the Carnival to Your Kitchen
Homemade Navajo Fry Bread is surprisingly simple to make, and it’s been a favorite in my life for as long as I can remember. Growing up in Southern Utah, where the Navajo influence was strong, fry bread was more than just food—it was part of the community.
Every year at local carnivals, fairs, and cook-offs, the Navajo Fry Bread stands were my first stop. We’d load up the warm, pillowy bread with our favorite toppings to make the ultimate Navajo Taco, or enjoy it simply with a drizzle of honey (it’s amazing with Hot Honey) or a sprinkling of cinnamon and sugar.
I still love the smell of it frying, just like when I was a kid and my mom would make it for a special treat. No matter how you serve it, savory to make Navajo Tacos or sweet with honey or cinnamon sugar, this fry bread is always a crowd-pleaser.
🩷 Emily
Key Ingredients
- Flour – Good ol’ all-purpose flour works great for this recipe.
- Salt and baking powder – salt enhances the flavor of the dough while baking powder acts as a leavening agent so you get nice, puffy bread.
- Dry milk – this simply adds more richness and softness to the dough. It can actually be left out but keep in mind the dough will have a slightly different texture and color.
- Oil for frying – Use oil with a high smoke point such as vegetable oil, canola oil, or peanut oil. Avoid using oils with strong flavors like coconut oil or olive oil because they will change the flavor of the bread.
Traditional Navajo Fry Bread vs Modern Fry Bread
Traditional Navajo fry bread is as simple as it gets. Just flour, salt, baking powder, and water. This fry bread was born out of necessity in the 1800s when the Navajo people were forced from their homelands and given only a few basic rations. Fry bread became a way to feed families with what little they had, and it’s still a cherished part of Navajo culture today. Modern versions (like ours!) often add extras like dry milk for more flavor and richness. Other recipes add sugar but we have found that sugar makes it too sweet. The heart of the recipe stays the same, but the little tweaks make each batch a bit different.
How to Make Fry Bread
- In a large bowl, combine all ingredients, starting with 3 cups of flour.
- Mix until a soft dough forms, adding more flour if needed. Don’t add too much flour, you want it to be soft and pliable.
- Divide the dough into 4 equal portions.
- On a floured surface, roll each portion into a thin circle using a rolling pin.
- Gently lift the dough like pizza dough and carefully place in pre-heated oil (375°F).
- Fry until golden brown on one side, about 20–30 seconds. Flip and cook the other side; large bubbles are normal. Remove and drain on paper towels. Keep warm in a 200°F oven until ready to serve.
Cheater Method Using Biscuit Dough
I have to admit, sometimes I cheat. If time is short or I am just feeling lazy I will get a can of refrigerated biscuit dough (the kind in the tube that is terrifying to pop open), flatten out a biscuit, and fry it. If you want bigger fry breads you can mash 2 of them together and then flatten them out. Of course made-from-scratch tastes best but this method is great when you are in a pinch.
Expert Tips for the Perfect Fry Bread
- Make ahead – Prepare the dough up to a day in advance and store it covered in plastic wrap or in an airtight container in the fridge. Bring it back to room temperature before frying for the best texture.
- Use the right pan – A heavy cast iron skillet holds heat well and helps fry bread cook evenly with a golden crust.
- Control oil temperature – Keep the oil around 375°F. Too hot, and the outside will brown before the inside cooks; too cool, and the bread will soak up excess oil.
- Shaping the dough – Roll dough into circles on a lightly floured surface, or gently stretch with your fingers. To prevent sticking, you can lightly coat your hands with cooking spray.
- Freezing – Freeze cooled fry bread in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 2 months.
- Reheating – For best results, wrap in foil and heat in the oven at 375°F for about 10 minutes. Unwrap for the last 5 minutes to re-crisp the outside.
Fry Bread Toppings
Honestly, there are so many ways to dress up this fry bread, and every way is delicious! I’m a girl who usually prefers savory over sweet so my very favorite way to serve fry bread is to make Navajo Tacos. However, that’s not to say I don’t love sweet toppings too. I love keeping it simple with butter and honey or just a sprinkling of sugar and cinnamon. You can also make it a full-on dessert by coating in cinnamon and sugar and topping with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream and topping with fresh berries. How do you like to enjoy your fry bread? I would love to hear your favorite toppings in the comments below!
Frequently Asked Questions for Fry Bread
Yes! While many people think of “scones” as the baked, biscuit-like treats (like our Lemon Blueberry Scones recipe) often served with tea in Europe, fried scones are a different story. They’re much more like this fry bread recipe. Pieces of dough fried in hot oil until golden and crisp on the outside, yet soft and fluffy on the inside.
Fry Bread can be hard or tough if you over-mix the dough or use too much flour. Mixing or kneading too much can overdevelop the gluten and result in a tougher dough.
Yes! store in plastic wrap or a freezer bag overnight before frying. You can make the dough ahead of time and store covered in plastic wrap or in an airtight container in the fridge overnight before frying. Make sure to bring the dough back to room temperature before frying.
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More Simple Bread and Dough Recipes
Try some of our delicious bread recipes, like this traditional Irish Soda Bread or this simple Dutch Oven Bread. For a sweet treat, make up a batch of our Lemon Zucchini Bread or this Caramel Monkey Bread.
- Breadsticks (Breadtwists)
- Sally Lunn Bread
- Quick Garlic Bread
- Brazilian Cheese Bread
- Bread Machine Bread
- Sweet Coconut Bread
- Rosemary Parmesan Focaccia Bread
- Mom’s Zucchini Bread
Have you tried this Navajo Fry Bread? I’d love to hear what you think! Drop a comment below and let me know how you liked it and what toppings you like best. Don’t forget to take a pic and tag us on Instagram @favoritefamilyrecipes! 📸
Navajo Fry Bread Recipe
Ingredients
- 3-4 cups flour
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 cup dry milk
- 1 1/2 cups warm water
- oil canola or vegetable oil for frying
Instructions
- Heat oil to 375 degrees in a frying pan or electric skillet.
- Combine all ingredients in a bowl, starting with 3 cups of flour.
- Mix dough thoroughly, add more flour as needed to get a soft dough consistency.
- Divide dough into 4 equal parts.
- Roll each dough part of dough out on a floured surface making a thin circle.
- Lift it like a pizza dough off the surface.
- Fry the dough in hot oil.
- When you see the dough turning a golden brown – about 20-30 seconds. Flip over and cook the other side. It's normal to see big bubbles in the dough.Remove from oil when both sides are a golden brown. Drain off excess grease on a paper towel. Keep warm in oven (200 degrees) until ready to serve.
FOR NAVAJO TACOS
- Top fry bread with hot chili, cheese, olives, lettuce, tomatoes, and sour cream.
FOR ELEPHANT EARS
- Brush with butter then sprinkle with cinnamon, sugar, and/or honey.
Video
Notes
- You can make the dough ahead of time and store covered in plastic wrap or in an airtight container in the fridge overnight before frying. Make sure to bring the dough back to room temperature before frying.
- Freeze leftover scones in an airtight container or freezer bag in the freezer for up to two months.
- To reheat, it’s best to wrap the scones in foil, then heat in the oven at 375 degrees for about ten minutes until hot. Open up the foil for the last five minutes to get that golden crisp crust back to perfection.
- Try frying in a heavy cast iron skillet on the stove top.
- Use a rolling pin to roll out pieces of dough on a lightly floured surface to the perfect size circles. Or just stretch the balls of dough out with your fingers before frying. To make it less sticky, spray your fingers with cooking spray.
In your directions you say just under ,,3 cups of flour & recipe says 4 ????
I apologize for the confusion. Thank you for letting us know! I fixed it on the recipe. You start with 3 cups of flour and add more as needed to get a soft dough consistency. This varies depending on elevation, humidity in the air, etc.
Looks delicious…have only had fry bread when traveling thru New Mexico. Can I use self rising flour instead of AP?
We haven’t tried this recipe with self rising flour, so I can’t say for sure. Let us know how it goes if you try it!
Watched too many sour dough videos and was craving some bread but didnt want to wait hours to make some, so I searched for a quick bread to make and came across this recipe. Wow, didn’t know it was so quick and easy to make and tastes great!! Highly recommend. Bread was eaten with zaatar while I fried the rest and then enjoyed it with honey yumm!
So glad you liked this fry bread recipe! I have never tried with the Zaatar seasoning before but now it is on my list! Thanks for the nice comment!
I like yeast better than baking powder. Not as light as I would like.
Do you have to use dry milk
You can use regular milk or another powder milk to substitute.