How To Make Puff Puff
Published Apr 28, 2023
Updated Sep 29, 2023
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Here is the ultimate guide on How To Make Puff Puff. Puff Puff is the quintessential Central and West African street food that is fluffy on the inside, slightly crunchy on the outside, irresistible, and made with 4 simple ingredients!
The palatability of Puff Puff is proof that there are few things that rival deep-fried batter or dough! It is slightly sweet and can be eaten either as a sweet, or savory snack or as an appetizer!
I love making Puff Puff for breakfast, for a snack, as a meal together with Stewed Pinto Beans, or as a party food. It is always a hit at parties!
If you love deep-fried batter or dough (who doesn’t???), also check out these recipes for Banana Fritters, African Twisted Doughnuts, and Beignets.
Table of Contents
Recipe For Puff Puff
If you would like a fool-proof recipe for Puff Puff that you can make over and over again, you’ve come to the right post.
We make Puff Puff every week in our home. I’ve made Puff Puff countless times for parties, sometimes even frying Puff Puff at the venue.
You know, the hot ones straight off the oil are just irresistibly good. And don’t get me started on the aroma that takes over the atmosphere as Puff Puff fries!
So here is the ultimate African Puff Puff recipe. It is the recipe that makes people request my Puff Puff over and over again. It is the recipe that I have made severally that I know unmistakably by heart.
If my 10-year-old can make it, you can make it. Just make sure you get some baking measuring cups (we use standard American measuring cups) and measure everything correctly.
When I moved to the United States about 10 years ago, I was determined to finally master making Puff Puff since it isn’t sold on the streets of America as is the case in Cameroon.
I am thankful to now be able to make Puff Puff whenever I want and enjoy it.
Why This Recipe Works
- Experience: I have made Puff Puff countless times. Before, I couldn’t scoop the batter properly into the oil with my hands but with lots of practice, I finally mastered it. If there’s someone who could teach you the ABCs of making Puff Puff, it’s me!
- Authenticity: This is a childhood street food from my country of origin, Cameroon. Puff Puff was part of my childhood and I have watched and mastered what goes into the perfect Puff Puff.
- Ease: This website is all about simplifying cooking for you and this Puff Puff recipe is no exception. It is really so easy with just 4 simple ingredients.
- Versatility: Once you have mastered the basic Puff Puff recipe, you could switch things up by adding other flavors to it (see ideas below!)
What Is Puff Puff?
Not to be confused with Puff Pastry, Puff Puff is a wickedly delicious form of deep-fried batter that is eaten in a number of African countries.
It is called Puff Puff in Cameroon and Nigeria. It is called Les Beignets in French. Ghanaians make something similar called Bofrot or Togbei. Liberians equally eat a form of Puff Puff called Kala and the Congolese call it Mikale. It is a common West and Central African snack.
The basic ingredients used in making Puff Puff include flour, sugar, yeast, salt, water, and oil for frying. In Cameroon where I come from, that’s mostly how Puff Puff is made. However, other ingredients can also be added to Puff Puff (see variations below).
Puff Puff Ingredients
With just 4 simple ingredients you’ll be able to make this well-loved African snack.
Here are some important notes on the ingredients:
- Flour: Use all-purpose flour or bread flour.
- Sugar: Granulated sugar or cane sugar would work well.
- Yeast: Use active dry yeast or fast-rising yeast if you want the dough to rise quickly.
- Salt: Salt balances the sweetness and adds flavor. Don’t skip it.
- Oil: Use any flavorless oil for deep-frying.
Variations and Substitutions
- Puff Puff With Egg and Milk: Substitute the water for milk and add an egg for a richer batter.
- Coconut Puff Puff: Use coconut milk instead of water for Coconut Puff Puff.
- Chocolate Puff Puff: Consider adding cocoa powder for a chocolatey snack.
- Stuffed Puff Puff: Consider filling the Puff Puff with chocolate spread or pastry cream for stuffed Puff Puff.
- Warm spices: Add warm spices like nutmeg, cinnamon, or ginger for more flavor.
How To Make It
Step 1: Add warm water to a large bowl then add yeast, sugar, flour, and salt. Mix to combine.
Step 2: Once the batter is mixed. Cover and let it rise in a warm place until doubled in size or bubbles form on top.
Note: Please check out the recipe video to see how the batter looks after rising.
Step 3: Heat up the oil and scoop the batter into the hot oil to make the balls. Place the fried Puff Puff on paper towels to absorb the excess oil.
Expert Tips
- Use lukewarm water to mix the batter. The water should be slightly warm to the touch and around 110 degrees Fahrenheit (43 degrees Celsius). If the water is too hot, it will kill the yeast. If the water is too cold, the yeast might not activate.
- Don’t heat the oil for frying to be too hot. If the oil is too hot, the Puff Puff will burn on the outside without cooking through.
- You know the batter is well-risen when bubbles form on top.
- Let the batter rise to develop the right flavor and texture (it should be airy in the middle and not dense.)
- Follow this recipe to the letter for the best results.
- If you can’t scoop the batter into the oil with your hands, use a cookie scoop.
- Puff Puff is not dessert so resist the temptation to make it too sweet. It should be slightly sweet so it can be eaten in sweet or savory meals.
- To create a warm atmosphere for the batter to rise, turn on the oven for 1 minute, turn it off then place the batter in the oven to rise.
- Serve Puff Puff with this African Pepper Sauce. They pair so well together.
Also, check out these recipes for Banana Puff Puff and Plantain Puff Puff.
Recipe FAQs
The English word for Puff Puff is Puff Puff. There is no other word in English for the snack.
You make Puff Puff mix by combining flour, salt, sugar, and yeast and storing it in an airtight container.
To get round Puff Puff, scoop the batter into the oil using your hands and shaping the batter as it drops into the oil. This technique requires practice. Watch the video to see how to do it.
Serving
Puff is great to eat as is or with some powdered sugar sprinkled on top. Here are some favorite recipes to pair with Puff Puff:
If you make this Puff Puff recipe, please take a moment to leave a star rating below.
How To Make Puff Puff
Ingredients
- 2 cups lukewarm water about 100-110 degrees F warm (43 degrees C)
- 2 ¼ teaspoons fast rising or active dry yeast (0.25 ounces)
- 1/2 cup sugar *Note 1
- 3 cups all-purpose flour (375 grams)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 40 ounces vegetable oil (for frying) or any flavorless oil
Instructions
- Add the warm water to a large mixing bowl and add the yeast. Follow by adding the sugar, flour and salt. Mix to combine using a wooden spoon or spatula until no dried flour is visible.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel and keep in a warm place to rise for an hour or until doubled in size, bubbles form on top and it smells yeasty.
- Pour oil into a wok or pan for deep frying up to 4-5 inches and heat up on medium-high heat for 8-10 minutes.
- Scoop the batter into the dough using your hands (watch the video to see how this is done) or scoop the batter into the oil using a small cookie scoop or even a greased teaspoon.
- When one side of the Puff Puff turns golden brown, flip to the other side and continue frying until it is golden brown and there is no raw batter in the middle.
- Remove the fried Puff Puff from the oil and place them on a tray lined with paper towels to absorb the excess oil.
- Enjoy warm as is, with hot tea or any beverage.
Hi! quick correction: beignets in Congo are actually called “Mikate”
Otherwise great recipe!
Thanks for the info, Joyce!
What about small puff puff measurement
Hi, I’m not sure I understand what you mean. Do you mean the measurement for a small quantity of puff puff?
Precious dear thanks very much for this recipe. For once in my life l succeeded in making puff puff. I didn’t have normal flour in the house except for whole grain flour and i went ahead and use it but added a little bit more water because the flour is heavier than the usual one. Thanks again my Cameroon sis.
Wow! So happy to hear that, Beatrice. Thank you for sharing.
The Best combo ever ! puff puff, fried beans and pap. They brought so much joy during my university days. I remember the first time I introduced my husband to puff puff and beans, he was so skeptical kept asking me if it was safe for him since we got it from “Mami Ashombo” when he got is first bite, he got hooked. I was driving and before I knew what was happening he had finished everything and we had to go for more. He enjoys it more than anything and will happily have some as brakfast. thanks for the share
That combo is the truth, Harriet! I’m always so happy when I make some at home. Thanks dear.
Our measurement is quite different. How many ml is your cup. Us is 250ml. If possible your description should include grams and ml. Because measurement is not the same everywhere.
Hi Kelsey,
1 cup equals 125 grams. I’ll definitely update to include measurements in grams. Thanks for the suggestion!
so yummy,I’m already feeling hungry
Thank you!
Okay i just tried mine for the 1st time but its a bit harder/stronger than it supposed to be on the outside.
Dont know what went wrong though i used a seedy kind of yeast and flour u bought from the market.
Please do you know what i did wrong?
Hi Paula, so sorry I missed replying to your message months ago. Is it crunchy at all on the outside? It could be that it stayed too long in the oil. The longer it stays, the more it hardens. If you followed my exact measurements it should be fine. Your yeast and flour sound okay!
Thanks ma’a.I have learnt something today.keep it up
Glad to know, Emelda.
For the love of puff puff!
My best is hot and crispy straight from the fire.
I really need to learn to make it one truly cannot carry it everywhere like MTN.
* cannot carry Mami Achombo…
Haha I tell you, sis. It is worth learning!
I enjoy puffpuff a lot. I’m getting some immediately I leave where I am at the moment. I’ve actually not tried it because it consumes a lot of oil and school life requires management of almost everything.
Life|Hello December
http://Www.laitanbee.com
Awww I can imagine school life dear.
Hope you get a chance to try it later.
Oh man, these looks so delicious! I think I may have to try them!
Hope you enjoy, Dana!
These sound absolutely amazing!
~Mary
Jingle Jangle Jungle
Thanks Mary!
Next time, please put a warning tag on posts like this…LOL. Food pictures in abundance
Wow @fried beans and/or pap. We make puff puff back in Nigeria but we just eat it like that or stepped down with juice or a cold drink. I’m surprised it can even be eaten with beans or pap. Mind me asking how that tastes?
Enjoy dear. xo!
Hahaha Itunu I hear you dear.
With beans and pap it is savoury and sweet. That combo makes for a complete meal. It is so good!
Beignets et haricot. Douala, here I come. I will eat you matin et soir. I’m starving here in Nigeria
Yummy! Love the name – Puff Puff. Too cute!
Awww thank you!
waal nice cookies,with easy recipe too
Thanks Joseph! They’re not cookies though.
Omg! I wish I live closer to you. Are you from Nigeria? I love puff puff
I wish so too.
I’m from Cameroon.
That’s my go to snack immediately after Church on Sunday’s.
I may not buy drinks but puff puff is almost always sure,
As in sometimes I dont even reach home before I start stylishly eating it in the car or Taxi.
And it’s cheap and affordable too. For some reason I don’t like Egg Buns. I prefer puff puff. The hotter the better.
Hahaha Bisi, I used to always steal bites of my Puff Puff or Akara before I get home. Just couldn’t wait for it to get cold.
See puff puff o. Looking good. I love it soft, hot and not too oily. Any drink goes. I like how different young guys have gotten into the business of making it along the road making it accessible when it’s still fresh unlike the ones they hawk around until they get stone cold ruining your puff puff dreams. You can tell how passionate I am about this topic.lol
middleclassnigeriangirl.wordpress.com
Hahaha at ruining your Puff Puff dreams. I can sense your passion, Chidinma. There’s nothing like hot fresh Puff Puff!
Thanks for stopping by, dear.
I can play with my food, with my anything really, but don’t you dare touch my puff puff (same with my grilled chicken or my BBQ fish).
Things would get ugly.
I had to learn how to make puff puff few months back o, my love for it is too strong to be reaching bus stop everyday because of it.
I’m with you on this, Ima. Don’t touch my Puff Puff!
Puff n chilled pepsi, combo made from heaven. I like puff puff a lot but don’t get to eat it everyday.
Thanks for tormenting me with the pix Precious.
Bola, you always have the coolest combos! Sowie for the ‘tormentation’.