Fry Bread Recipe

Fry Bread is synonymous with Native American Indian culture. Today, it has become a novelty for Pow-Wow attendees, but historically it became a staple food when the United States government forced Navajo people living in Arizona to walk 300 miles into New Mexico. That journey has become known as ‘The Long Walk’ and Fry Bread has since symbolized the will to survive.

There are many variations on the recipe among the Native Nations. Here, I have listed the Traditional Cherokee recipe along with the pumpkin version. Also, if anyone is courageous enough to want to try their hand at my culinary experiment, I have included a recipe for Peach Fry Bread. Enjoy!

Traditional Cherokee Fry Bread

1 cup flour

1/2 tsp. salt

2 tsp. baking powder

3/4 cup milk

Mix ingredients adding more flour if necessary to make a stiff dough. Roll out the dough on a floured board until very thin. Cut into strips 2 X 3 inches and drop in hot cooking oil. Brown on both sides. Serve hot with honey.

Pumpkin Fry Bread

Add the following to the ingredients to the Traditional Cherokee Fry Bread Recipe to make Pumpkin Fry Bread.

2 cups fresh pumpkin or 1-16oz. can pumpkin 1 tbsp. milk or water 3/4 cups brown sugar 1/4 tsp. cinnamon 1/4 tsp. nutmeg 1/4 tsp. vanilla

Drop into hot cooking oil and brown on both sides. Serve hot with butter or powdered sugar.

Peach Fry Bread (My Own Experimentation)

1 cup flour

2 tsp. baking powder

3/4 cup Light Syrup from canned peaches

Mix ingredients adding more flour if necessary to make a stiff dough. Roll out the dough on a floured board until you have thin circular disks. Drop in hot cooking oil. Brown on both sides. Serve hot with cinnamon & sugar substitute and/or sliced peaches.