AFRICAN BUNS – NIGERIAN BUNS

Nigerian buns – Small golden balls of pure goodness, slightly crispy on the outside and perfectly soft on the inside.

WHAT ARE NIGERIAN BUNS?

Nigerian buns are a type of sweet, fried snack that is popular in West Africa. The batter is made from flour, baking powder, milk, and sugar, while the flavor can be nutmeg, cinnamon, vanilla, or any other flavoring of choice.

Buns are the closest sibling to the Nigerian Puff Puff which is basically a fried yeast dough. Unlike the Nigerian puff puff, which uses yeast, buns do not require yeast, instead, it uses baking powder as it’s leavening agent.

Buns are extremely popular on the roadsides all over Nigeria. They are usually sold as snacks and they are often seen on the roadside being fried in a large frypan and also being sold by hawkers or vendors from a portable stall.

Although, buns are deep-fried just like the African Puff Puff, however, they do not absorb as much oil as the Puff puff and the best part is, you can throw all the ingredients together and your Buns are ready in less than 30 minutes.

CAN I MAKE ADJUSTMENTS TO THIS BUNS RECIPE?

Keep in mind, there are about as many different approaches to making buns. This version as you can see from the description and pictures is a bit crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside. My recipe is not overly sweet either. So you can add a bit more sugar if you want it sweeter.

Also, in this recipe, I used nutmeg as my flavor. You can substitute that with vanilla or cinnamon or any other flavoring of your choice.

Subtle differences like these are common. However, you are free to use this recipe as a blueprint, making it once and tweaking accordingly to your taste.

INGREDIENTS FOR MAKING THE NIGERIAN BUNS

• All-purpose Flour
• Sugar
• Baking powder
• Salt
• Eggs
• Butter
• Milk
• Vegetable oil

HOW TO MAKE THE AFRICAN BUNS

• First, gather your ingredients
• Next, combine the dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt in a bowl and mix well.
• Add the wet ingredients: milk, eggs, and melted butter, and stir until combined. 
• Heat enough oil in a large but fairly deep skillet over medium heat until the oil is about 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Gently scoop little balls of batter inside the oil. When they are brown on one side, flip them and allow them to continue to cook until they are browned on both sides.
• Once done, remove them from the oil and place on paper towels or a cooling rack to drain off any excess oil.

HOW TO SERVE BUNS

The Nigerian Buns are eaten mainly as a snack but they can also be eaten as breakfast served with tea. Though these

These are so delicious when served hot or at room temperature. These snacks would be great for a party, a side dish for a meal, a snack… just about anytime you want!

HOW LONG CAN THEY LAST FOR?

These are best eaten the day you make them. However, you can keep them for up to 1-2 days. They will still be okay but not as fresh as the first day you make them.

TIPS FOR BEST RESULTS!

• Don’t make big balls else the buns will not cook through on the inside
• The oil that is too cool will soak up way too much oil and oil that is too hot will just crisp your buns too quickly without cooking it through on the inside. So if you are in doubt about the temperature of the oil, it’s okay to test the temperature of the oil with a quick read thermometer to ensure it isn’t too cool or too hot.
• If you don’t have a cooking thermometer, you can test fry one scoop of the batter before adding the remaining. That will help determine if your oil is the perfect temperature for frying. 

OTHER NIGERIAN SNACKS YOU MAY ENJOY:

• The Nigerian Chinchin
• The Nigerian puff puff
• Nigerian Egg roll

LET’S CONNECT!

Let’s connect on YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram.  I love keeping in touch with you, and nothing brings me more joy than seeing pictures of your creations.

If you make this recipe, I’d love to see pictures of your creations on Instagram and Facebook.