Easy Bannock Bread Recipe - An Italian in my Kitchen (2024)

Home / Recipes / Popular / / Easy Bannock Bread

ByRosemary

Jump to Recipe

Bannock Bread is an easy skillet no yeast fried bread recipe. A traditional Scottish/Indigenous bread made with simple pantry ingredients. Perfect when a quick bread is required or even around the campfire!

Easy Bannock Bread Recipe - An Italian in my Kitchen (1)

I originally shared this recipe six years ago when Canada was celebrating 150 years.

I decided I had to include one of Canada’s Native Peoples recipes. Without getting into the political surrounding of our not so wonderful treatment of our First Nations, I would like to tell you a bit about the origin of Bannock, this simple fried bread.

Table of Contents

Recipe Ingredients

  • Flour – all purpose flour
  • Baking powder
  • Salt
  • Oil – either olive oil or vegetable oil
  • Water
  • Vegetable oil for frying

As you see this type of bread has a leavening of baking powder and not yeast. Sometimes we get the urge for some bread but don’t have the time or the desire to wait for the rising time. Every now and then I like to make a No Yeast Pizza dough, or a delicious sandwich can be made with this Italian Flat Bread or why not an easy Irish Soda Bread?

How to make Bannock

In a large bowl whisk together the flour, salt and baking powder. Then add the olive oil and whisk together with a fork, gradually add water and stir until the mixture until it almost holds together.

Easy Bannock Bread Recipe - An Italian in my Kitchen (2)

Move to a lightly floured flat surface and gently knead about 10 times just until the dough comes together(the dough will be sticky, do not over knead).

Divide into 5 balls and flatten with the palm of your hand. In a frying pan or cast iron skillet, fry the bannock in hot oil (350F/175C)on medium heat (enough to cover the bottom of a medium frying pan), until golden brown on both sides (and cooked on the inside).

Drain on a paper towel lined plate and eat warm or at room temperature.

Easy Bannock Bread Recipe - An Italian in my Kitchen (3)

The Origin of Bannock Bread

Bannock an unleavened bread, was originally brought to North America by Scottish explorers and traders. Indigenous peoples in particular Métis adopted bannock in their cuisine in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries probablyafter their encounters with Scottish fur traders.

As a result, even today many Métis and aboriginal western Canadians often prepare this dish. In western Canada, bannock is much more associated with native and Métis culture than with its Scottish roots.

Traditionally it was made with barley or oats, fat or lard and water. Then sugar and milk even buttermilk were added.

When to serve Bannock bread

With very few ingredients and easy to make Bannock is perfect as an accompaniment with a meal or even for Breakfast. It is often made when camping and it has been used as a staple food for wilderness explorers, trappers, and prospectors for centuries.

Easy Bannock Bread Recipe - An Italian in my Kitchen (4)

Tips for making the Best Bannock Bread

  • Whisk the dry ingredients before adding the oil and water. I used olive oil but vegetable oil is more traditional.
  • Bring the dough together with a fork.
  • Move the Bannock dough to a lightly floured surface and knead only until the dough comes together.
  • Do not over knead, this is not a yeast dough, and will be a little sticky, so therefore extra flour is not needed.
  • Break off pieces of dough and flatten with the palm of your hand.
  • Fry in hot oil on medium heat until golden brown and then turn to brown on the other side.
  • Drain on paper towels.
  • Eat warm or room temperature.

Can it be made with whole wheat flour?

Yes this bread can be made with whole wheat flour. It can also be baked rather than fried. Baked on a lightly oiled baking sheet in a pre-heated at 350F (180C) for 25 to 30 minutes.

Although baked Bannock is heavy and dense whereas fried is light and fluffy.

How to store Bannock

It is recommended to eat the bread as soon as it is made, this type of bread isn’t advised for storing.

I hope you decide to give this simple yeast free Bannock Bread a try and let me know what you think. Enjoy!

Easy Bannock Bread Recipe - An Italian in my Kitchen (5)

Easy Bannock Bread Recipe - An Italian in my Kitchen (6)

Easy Bannock Bread

Rosemary Molloy

Easy Bannock Bread, a simple fried bread, fast and easy and so delicious, no yeast, the perfect camping, breakfast or side dish.

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Total Time 25 minutes mins

Course Bread and Pizza, Breakfast, Side Dish

Cuisine American, Canadian, Scottish

Servings 5 servings

Calories 208 kcal

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Ingredients

  • 2 cups all purpose flour (260 grams)
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil or vegetable oil
  • ¾ cup water (175 grams)
  • vegetable oil for frying

Instructions

  • In a large bowl whisk together the flour, salt and baking powder.

  • Then add the olive oil and whisk together with a fork, gradually add water and stir until the dough almost holds together. Move to a lightly floured flat surface and gently knead about 10 times just until the dough comes together(the dough will be sticky, do not overknead).

  • Divide into 5 balls and flatten with the palm of your hand. Fry in hot oil (350F/175C)on medium heat (enough to cover the bottom of a medium frying pan), until golden brown on both sides (and cooked on the inside). Drain on a paper towel lined plate and eat warm or at room temperature. Enjoy!

Notes

Do not cook on too high a heat or they will only cook on the outside.

The bread can be made with whole wheat flour, although I would only use 1/2-3/4 cup and the remaining all purpose. It can also be baked rather than fried. Baked on a lightly oiled baking sheet in a pre-heated at 350F (180C) for 25 to 30 minutes.

Although baked Bannock is heavy and dense whereas fried is light and fluffy.

It is recommended to eat the bread as soon as it is made, this type of bread isn’t advised for storing.

Nutrition

Calories: 208kcal | Carbohydrates: 38g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 3g | Sodium: 236mg | Potassium: 215mg | Fiber: 1g | Calcium: 77mg | Iron: 2.4mg

Did You Make This Recipe?Please leave a comment below or pin it to your Pinterest account!

Updated from June 29, 2017.

Share

Share

Pin

Email

Related

Easy Bannock Bread Recipe - An Italian in my Kitchen (2024)

FAQs

What are the three ways that bannock can be prepared? ›

There are many versions of bannock and different nations make more than one version. Bannock can be baked in a pan or on a stone (camping), shallow pan-fried, or deep-fried.

What is Native American bannock? ›

Bannock, a round of mostly flour, baking powder, water and some sort of fat, has been a part of Indigenous peoples' diets since the 18th century. It is believed that bannock, derived from the Gaelic word bannach, was introduced here by the Scottish fur traders.

Why is my bannock so dense? ›

Don't over mix the dough or you'll end up with dense tough bannock, less handling you get lighter fluffier bannock. Place on a floured surface and flatten out with your hands, (don't use a rolling pin) cut circles out with cookie cutter or glass.

Why is my bannock hard? ›

This is the part where you don't want to knead the dough too much because if you do… your bannock will become real hard. So make sure that you knead the dough only about 3-4 times, it should not take too long to do. Place it on a baking tray, then take a fork and start poking holes in the flat kneaded dough.

Why is my bannock dough sticky? ›

Your dough can become sticky when you add too much water or the flour isn't suitable for the type of dough you are making. Over proofing or fermenting the dough can also result in the gluten structure weakening causing sticky dough.

What tribe made bannock? ›

Bannock, skaan (or scone), Indian bread, alatiq, or frybread is found throughout North-American Native cuisine, including that of the Inuit of Canada and Alaska, other Alaska Natives, the First Nations of the rest of Canada, the Native Americans in the United States, and the Métis.

What is the difference between Scottish bannock and indigenous bannock? ›

Scottish bannock was usually made of barley, peameal, or oatmeal. Wheat flour was later introduced. Indigenous people eventually adopted bannock, often using corn flour or plants rather than the wheat flour of Europeans. Bannock became a staple for voyageurs, fur traders, prospectors, and later, Indigenous peoples.

What ethnicity is bannock? ›

The Bannock tribe (Northern Paiute: Pannakwatɨ) were originally Northern Paiute but are more culturally affiliated with the Northern Shoshone. They are in the Great Basin classification of Indigenous People. Their traditional lands include northern Nevada, southeastern Oregon, southern Idaho, and western Wyoming.

What nationality is bannock? ›

Bannock (British and Irish food), a kind of bread, cooked on a stone or griddle served mainly in Scotland but consumed throughout the British Isles. Bannock (Indigenous American food), various types of bread, usually prepared by pan-frying.

What is a fun fact about bannock? ›

In Scotland, before the 19th century, bannocks were cooked on a bannock stane (Scots for stone), a large, flat, rounded piece of sandstone, placed directly onto a fire, used as a cooking surface. Most modern bannocks are made with baking powder or baking soda as a leavening agent, giving them a light and airy texture.

What do you eat bannock with? ›

Bannock is a main staple of many Indigenous communities in Canada. It's a simple bread that can be cooked in a pan, in the oven or over a fire. Top with butter, nut butter, jam or you can even melt a cube of cheese inside the dough.

What is an interesting fact about bannock? ›

Bannock is a type of fry bread, which originates from Scotland but was eventually adopted by the Indigenous peoples of Canada, particularly the Métis of western Canada. Bannock stems from the Gaelic word bannach, which means “morsel,” a short and sweet but accurate description.

What does bannock taste like? ›

Classic bannock has a smoky, almost nutty flavour blended with a buttery taste, while dessert bannock can have flavours resembling a donut or shortbread.

Is bannock the same as fry bread? ›

In some places the two are interchangeable terms for the same fried bread, but bannock was originally a staple of European fur traders and was usually baked like a scone though it can be fried.

Why is my homemade bread always hard? ›

Baking quick breads at too high temperatures can cause a hard outside crust. Most quick breads bake in a moderate oven (350°F to 375°F). Double check your recipe to see the temperature they recommend. Oven thermostats can vary over time, requiring adjustments by the baker or calibration by a professional.

What are the 3 basic methods of mixing bread dough? ›

There are three mixing methods used for yeast doughs: the straight dough method, the modified straight dough method, and the sponge method.

What are the 3 mixing methods for a yeast bread? ›

There are three different methods for mixing the ingredients for yeast breads: The Straight Dough Method, The Modified Straight Dough Method, and The Sponge Method. The straight dough method is the easiest of all of the bread mixing methods.

What are the three methods used to prepare quick bread mixture? ›

Three common mixing methods are the muffin mixing method, the creaming method and the biscuit mixing method. The muffin method suits muffins, loaf breads, pancakes, and waffles. Biscuits and scones benefit from the biscuit method, while the creaming method offers an alternative for muffins and certain bread types.

What are the three main mixing methods for yeast doughs What are the steps in each? ›

  1. Mixing Methods. for. ...
  2. Straight Dough Method. Soften the yeast in warm water. ...
  3. Fast Mixing Method. Mix the yeast with some of the flour and all of the other dry ingredients. ...
  4. Sponge Method. Mix the liquid, sugar, yeast, and part of the flour together. ...
  5. Batter Method. ...
  6. GLUTEN. ...
  7. Carbon Dioxide. ...
  8. Successful Yeast Bread Depends:

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Ray Christiansen

Last Updated:

Views: 6257

Rating: 4.9 / 5 (69 voted)

Reviews: 84% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Ray Christiansen

Birthday: 1998-05-04

Address: Apt. 814 34339 Sauer Islands, Hirtheville, GA 02446-8771

Phone: +337636892828

Job: Lead Hospitality Designer

Hobby: Urban exploration, Tai chi, Lockpicking, Fashion, Gunsmithing, Pottery, Geocaching

Introduction: My name is Ray Christiansen, I am a fair, good, cute, gentle, vast, glamorous, excited person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.