Nigerian buns are similar to doughnuts, though, unlike Nigerian Puff Puffs, they’re made without yeast. They have a crisp outside and a soft, pillowy inside. The flavor is mildly sweet, with a hint of nutmeg and lime zest. Nigerian Buns are a fun snack or breakfast and go great with coffee or tea.
On the Ingredients
- Nutmeg is a spice derived from the dried seed of the nutmeg tree, an evergreen found in Indonesia. The ground form may be more common, but many cooks claim that the best way to use nutmeg is to grate it from the whole dried seeds. Around the world, nutmeg is used for many savory and sweet foods, such as Swedish meatballs, quiche, and doughnuts. Indonesian, Indian, Dutch, and English cuisines are just a few to traditionally employ this spice in meat, vegetable, and sweet dishes. It is also an essential part of mulled wine and eggnog.
Recipe Notes and Substitutions
Freezing: You can easily freeze these buns in an airtight ziplock after they have cooled down. They thaw out beautifully. This is a good solution if 20 or so doughnuts will not be eaten quickly in your household.
What’s the best oil for frying? We can all probably agree that fried foods aren’t exactly healthy. However, if you’re treating yourself to some delicious fried food at home, you want to ensure you’re doing it in the best way possible. The best options are olive, avocado, soybean, peanut, and canola oils, all high in monounsaturated fatty acids. This means they’re more stable and fit well with the recommended frying temperatures of 350° F – 375° F. Yes, olive oil works, so long as you’re frying at those optimal temperatures, its smoke point is 410° F. However, olive oil has a strong flavor that might not go with everything. If you don’t think the flavor will go, avocado oil is a great, more neutral oil. If the price tag on avocado oil is too high for a high volume use like frying, canola oil is likely the most cost effective if you get the Field Day 32 oz bottle with C-op Basics.
Nigerian Buns
12
servings10
minutes40
minutes50
minutesNigerian buns are similar to doughnuts, though, unlike Nigerian Puff Puffs, they're made without yeast. They have a crisp outside and a soft, pillowy inside. The flavor is mildly sweet, with a hint of nutmeg and lime zest. Nigerian Buns are a fun snack or breakfast and go great with coffee or tea.
Ingredients
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
3/4 cup sugar OR monk fruit sweetener
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp nutmeg
zest of 3 limes
3/4 cup milk
4 eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup butter (melted)
oil for deep frying
Directions
- Pour the oil into a heavy-bottomed pot so it's 3" deep. Heat the oil over a medium flame until it reaches 375°F.
- Meanwhile, combine the dry ingredients, then add the wet ingredients and mix until you have a thick, smooth, sticky dough.
- When the oil is hot enough, scoop about 1/4 cup of batter and drop it into the oil (carefully). You can use your hands or a spoon to do this. Add enough scoops to the oil to not crowd each other, and fry for 4-5 minutes, turning the buns over every so often until they're golden brown and cooked through.
- Remove the buns from the oil and transfer them to a paper towel-lined tray to drain the excess oil. Repeat with the remaining batter.
- You can also roll the buns in sugar just after they come out of the oil.
