Shoemaker Bread is a simple fried bread that takes me right back to my childhood. It’s a flat, tender dough that’s rolled very thin and fried until golden and crisp. It’s an old-fashioned comfort food that’s inexpensive, satisfying, and incredibly versatile.
Traditionally, fried bread can be cooked in oil, shortening, or lard and served with whatever you enjoy. We love it with butter, honey, jam, powdered sugar, or other favorite toppings. It can also be served on the savory side and used for Navajo Tacos.
The dough itself does not rise, but it does need time to rest before it’s rolled out. The key is to make each piece as thin as possible without tearing it before frying.
Fried bread is one of those simple foods that can bring back memories—and this is definitely one of those recipes for me.
Shoemaker bread
Ingredients
- 4 cups flour
- 1 teaspoons salt
- 1 ½ tablespoons baking powder
- 1 ½ water or more cups hot
- 2-3 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 quart vegetable oil for frying
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, stir together the flour, salt, and baking powder. Gradually add in the water, mixing with a spoon or your hands until combined. It will be sticky.
- Drizzle 2-3 tablespoons of oil over the dough to keep it from drying out. Cover and let rest 2 hours. This is not a risen dough so the dough will not rise, but it does need to rest.
- Pull off golf ball sized pieces of dough and stretch or roll out until very thin, without ripping it. The thinner the better.
- Pour enough vegetable oil into a pot to cover it with 2 inches of oil. Heat to 350 degrees F.
- Working one at a time, fry the dough in the hot oil until golden brown, flipping halfway through. Transfer to a paper towel lined plate to drain.
Notes
Roll or stretch the dough as thin as possible without tearing it. This gives the finished bread its characteristic texture.
You can use vegetable oil, shortening, or lard for frying.
Fried bread is excellent served sweet with honey butter, jam, or powdered sugar, but it also works well with savory toppings.
Use caution when frying. Keep the oil at approximately 350°F and avoid overcrowding the pot.
Nutrition Disclaimer
Art of Cooking Recipes (Paulson Pursuits} is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.
