The short answer
Puff puff is a sweet, soft, fluffy deep-fried dough ball, one of the most loved snacks and street foods across West Africa, especially Nigeria. It is made from a simple batter of flour, sugar, yeast, water and often a little nutmeg, which is left to rise so it becomes light and airy, then scooped in rough balls and deep-fried until golden brown, crisp outside and soft and stretchy within. It is only lightly sweet, sometimes dusted with a little extra sugar, and it is eaten as a snack, at parties and as street food. It goes by different names across the region, such as bofrot or togbei in Ghana. In the UK the flour, yeast and other ingredients are everyday items, also sold by African and Caribbean food shops.
What to remember
- In the UK the ingredients are everyday items, also sold by African and Caribbean food shops.
- It is eaten as a snack, at parties and as street food and goes by names like 'bofrot' in Ghana.
- It is crisp outside and soft and stretchy within, only lightly sweet, sometimes dusted with sugar.
- It is made from a yeasted batter of flour, sugar, yeast, water and often nutmeg, left to rise and then fried.
- Puff puff is a sweet, soft, fluffy deep-fried dough ball, a beloved West African snack and street food.
For West Africans in Britain, puff puff is pure nostalgia and joy. It is the golden ball bought from a familiar stall as a child, the smell of frying at a party, the bowl of soft, sweet dough that disappears fast at any gathering, the simple treat that instantly recalls home.
It carries the memory of celebrations, of mothers and aunties frying batches for a crowd, and of the easy pleasure of a warm puff puff, and making a batch far from home fills the kitchen with that familiar smell and brings the feeling straight back.
There is a gentle warmth and generosity in it too. Puff puff is humble, affordable, made to be shared, and a snack that so much of West Africa loves in common across many countries and names.
Frying a bowl of golden puff puff and passing it round at a gathering, or introducing a friend to their first warm, soft, sweet bite, is a small act of hospitality and belonging. That simple, shared, nostalgic joy is the quiet gift of puff puff.
What is Puff-Puff?
Puff puff is West Africa's much-loved fried dough treat, a round, golden ball that is crisp on the outside and soft, airy and slightly chewy inside. It is made from a batter rather than a stiff dough, built from flour, sugar, yeast and water, often with a pinch of nutmeg or other flavouring, and the key to it is the yeast: the batter is left to rise until it is bubbly and light, which is what gives the fried puff-puff its characteristic fluffy, stretchy texture. Rough balls of the risen batter are dropped into hot oil and fried until deep golden all over.
Puff puff is only mildly sweet, which is part of its charm, making it easy to eat several without it being sickly, and it is sometimes given a light dusting of sugar. It is a quintessential snack and street food, cheap, satisfying and universally loved, sold from roadside stalls and made at home for parties, gatherings and everyday treats. It belongs to the wider world of West African snacks we cover in our guides to the best African snacks and Nigerian party food.
The sweet yeasted dough
The heart of puff-puff is its simple yeasted batter, and understanding it is the key to good puff-puff. The batter is made from plain flour, sugar for a gentle sweetness, and yeast, mixed with warm water into a thick, pourable, sticky batter, often with a little nutmeg and sometimes a pinch of salt or other flavourings. It is then covered and left in a warm place to rise, usually for an hour or more, until it has doubled and become full of air bubbles. This rising is essential, as it is the yeast working through the batter that makes the fried result light and fluffy rather than dense.
Once the batter has risen, puff puff is fried by scooping up rough balls of it, traditionally squeezed through the hand or dropped with a spoon, and dropping them into hot oil. They puff up and turn as they cook, browning into golden balls. Getting the oil temperature right matters, so the outside crisps and colours while the inside cooks through and stays soft. It is a simple technique, but the combination of a well-risen batter and properly hot oil is what makes puff-puff so good, and it is very achievable at home.
Puff-Puff Across West Africa
One lovely thing about puff puff is how widely it is loved and how many names it has across West Africa. In Nigeria it is puff puff, but the same or very similar fried dough treat appears across the region under different names: in Ghana it is often called 'bofrot' or 'togbei'; in Cameroon it may be known as 'puff puff' too or by other local names, and similar sweet fried dough snacks are found in many West and Central African countries. Each has small variations in flavouring, size and sweetness, but the essential idea, a risen, sweet, fried dough ball, is shared.
This spread makes puff puff a real point of connection across the region, a snack that people from many different countries grew up loving and recognise instantly. It also has cousins further afield, as sweet fried dough is a beloved treat in many cultures around the world.
For West Africans, though, puff puff carries its own particular associations of home, childhood and celebration, and the familiar sight of a bowl of golden balls is a welcome one wherever it appears.
How is Puff-Puff Eaten?
Puff puff is versatile and eaten in many settings, most of all as a snack and party food. It is enjoyed on its own, warm from the fryer, when it is at its best, and it is a fixture of Nigerian and West African parties, celebrations and gatherings, where it is often part of the small chops spread alongside other bites. It is also popular street food, bought from vendors as an anytime treat, and a common snack with tea or a drink.
Because it is only lightly sweet, puff puff is enjoyable plain, but it is sometimes dusted with sugar or, in some modern versions, drizzled or filled with sweet things, though the classic is simple and unadorned. It is best eaten fresh and warm, when the outside is crisp and the inside soft, though it is good at room temperature too. Simple to make and easy to love, it appears everywhere from family kitchens to party trays to roadside stalls, which is exactly why it is so woven into everyday West African life.
Where can I Buy the Ingredients in UK?
Making puff puff at home in Britain could hardly be easier because the ingredients are all everyday items: plain flour, sugar, yeast, water and a little nutmeg, plus oil for frying, all available in any supermarket. For particular flavourings or if you are shopping for a full African spread, African and Caribbean food shops stock nutmeg and other spices and the other bits you might want, along with the ingredients for the rest of a party's small chops selection.
If you are making puff puff for the first time, the main things to get right are a well-risen batter and hot oil, and any basic yeast and flour will do the job. You can find African food stores near you or look up Caribbean food stores near you for a fuller African shop. If you would rather buy it ready-made, puff puff is sold at Nigerian and West African restaurants, takeaways, market stalls and by caterers, and you can find African caterers near you for small party chops.
Frequently asked questions
What is puff puff?
Puff puff is a sweet, soft, fluffy deep-fried dough ball, one of the most loved snacks and street foods across West Africa, especially Nigeria. It is made from a yeasted batter of flour, sugar, yeast, water and often nutmeg, left to rise and then deep-fried until golden, crisp outside and soft and stretchy within.
How do you make puff puff?
You make a thick, sticky batter from flour, sugar, yeast and warm water, often with nutmeg, then cover it and leave it to rise until bubbly and doubled in size. Rough balls of the risen batter are then dropped into hot oil and fried until deep golden all over. A well-risen batter and properly hot oil are the keys to light, fluffy puff puff.
What is puff puff called in other countries?
The same or a very similar fried dough treat appears across West Africa under different names. In Ghana it is often called bofrot or togbei, and similar sweet fried dough snacks are found in Cameroon and many other West and Central African countries. The names and small details differ, but the risen, sweet, fried dough ball is shared.
Is puff puff very sweet?
No, it is only lightly sweet, which is part of its appeal, as you can eat several without it being sickly. It is sometimes given a light dusting of sugar, and some modern versions add sweeter toppings or fillings, but the classic puff puff is simple and only mildly sweet, enjoyable plain and warm.
Where can I buy the ingredients in the UK?
The ingredients, flour, sugar, yeast, water and nutmeg, are everyday items in any supermarket. African and Caribbean food shops stock nutmeg and other bits for a fuller African spread. Puff puff is also sold ready-made at Nigerian and West African restaurants, takeaways, market stalls and by caterers for parties. African Stores lists African and Caribbean food shops across the UK, so you can find one near you.