Canadian recipe

Newfoundland Toutons

Name: Newfoundland Toutons
Prep time: 1 h
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 1 h 20 min
Yield: 8
Cuisine: Canadian cuisine
Ingredients: 500 g all-purpose flour, plus extra for shaping; 7 g instant yeast; 8 g fine salt; 12 g granulated sugar; 300 ml warm water; 30 g unsalted butter, melted and cooled; 750 ml neutral oil for shallow-frying; 40 g butter for serving; 120 ml fancy molasses for serving

Pillowy rounds of risen bread dough are shallow-fried until golden outside and tender inside, then served warm with butter and molasses.

Newfoundland and Labrador, Atlantic Canada

Prep: 1 hr
Cook: 20 min
Total: 1 hr 20 min
Servings: 8

Newfoundland toutons with butter and molasses — **Real finished-dish photograph**Photograph by BigmacthealmanacSource page · Original file · CC BY-SA 4.0Cropped, resized, and compressed by Recipe Nest Vault.

Ingredients

500 g
all-purpose flour, plus extra for shaping
7 g
instant yeast
8 g
fine salt
12 g
granulated sugar
300 ml
warm water
30 g
unsalted butter, melted and cooled
750 ml
neutral oil for shallow-frying
40 g
butter for serving
120 ml
fancy molasses for serving

Method

01
Wake the yeast
Stir the warm water and sugar together. Sprinkle the yeast over the surface and let stand for 5 minutes until creamy foam appears.
Cooking-step illustration, not a photograph
02
Mix the dough
Whisk the flour and salt in a large bowl. Stir in the yeast water and cooled melted butter until a soft shaggy dough forms.
Cooking-step illustration, not a photograph
03
Knead and let rise
Knead for 6 minutes until elastic. Place in a lightly oiled bowl, cover and let rise for 45 minutes until puffy.
Cooking-step illustration, not a photograph
04
Portion and flatten
Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and divide into 8 pieces. Shape into balls, then flatten each to a 12 cm round about 1.5 cm thick. Rest for 10 minutes.
Cooking-step illustration, not a photograph
05
Heat the frying oil
Pour oil to a depth of 1 cm in a heavy skillet and heat over medium-low until it reaches 140°C. A small dough piece should bubble gently on contact, not brown instantly.
Cooking-step illustration, not a photograph
06
Fry the toutons
Fry the rounds in batches for 4 minutes per side until golden and cooked through. Adjust the heat so the centre cooks before the crust gets dark.
Cooking-step illustration, not a photograph
07
Drain and serve warm
Drain on a rack for 2 minutes. Serve warm with butter and a drizzle of molasses.
Cooking-step illustration, not a photograph

Practical notes

Tips

Handle the dough gently and avoid adding excess flour; a slightly tacky dough fries tender instead of dense.
Keep the oil at a steady moderate temperature so the centre cooks before the outside darkens.

Common mistakes

Oil that is too hot browns the outside before the centre cooks; oil that is too cool makes the bread greasy.
Pressing or puncturing after the bread begins to puff can deflate the pocket and create a dense centre.

Substitutions

For the Métis campfire adaptation here, a cast-iron skillet on a stovetop can replace the fire; cook in batches and control heat carefully.
Flour and fat choices vary among communities and families; do not describe this single documented version as universal bannock.

Storage

Cool leftovers promptly and refrigerate within 2 hours at 0–4°C for up to 3 days. Reheat only the portion needed until piping hot throughout.

Cultural context

Toutons are a Newfoundland breakfast and brunch tradition made from risen bread dough fried in a skillet. Families differ on the fat and toppings; butter and molasses are a familiar pairing.

Sources and photo credit

This standardized method was independently rewritten after cross-checking the references below. Recipe Nest Vault does not claim that the credited photographer cooked from this exact version.

Recipe references

Touton - Canadian breakfast food.jpg — Photograph by Bigmacthealmanac; CC BY-SA 4.0.

Step illustrations: Original illustrations created by Recipe Nest Vault with OpenAI image_gen.

Back to Canadian recipes

Newfoundland Toutons

Ingredients

Method

Wake the yeast

Mix the dough

Knead and let rise

Portion and flatten

Heat the frying oil

Fry the toutons

Drain and serve warm

Sources and photo credit

Recipe references

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