Jamaican Festival Recipe (2024)

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This authentic Jamaican Festival Recipe is a simple fried sweet dumpling that’s golden and crispy outside, soft and fluffy inside! Made with a few staple pantry items this soft sweet dough is fried and served hot for breakfast, lunch, dinner or anytime throughout the day as the perfect snack!

Love this sweet golden dumpling recipe? Then you just have to try my Jamaican Fried Dumpling recipe and myJamaican Saltfish Fritters (Stamp and Go) recipe. Jamaican Callaloo is another well known classic Caribbean breakfast fave to serve alongside festivals!

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Full recipe ingredients and instructions are available in therecipe card at the bottom of this post.

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Jamaican Festival Recipe

This is another one of those Jamaican classic recipes. Fried festival goes hand in hand with Jamaican Escovitch Fish, and known and loved by those not only in the Jamaica but throughout the caribbean islands.

It’s also one of my favourite breakfast recipes. If you’ve read my Jamaican Fried Dumpling recipe blog post, you’d know I grew up on that recipe! Waking to the smell of dumplings frying in the morning was a regular occurance, especially on Sunday morning. This is a sweeter version of that recipe, with a slight twist!

Again, I am honoured that my mothers’ legacy of cooking and allowing the kitchen to be a space of comfort, conversation and good eats lives on through me. Now let’s get into these festivals!

You’ll Love This Jamaican Festival Recipe! Here’s Why…

  • Simple – made with only a few pantry staples and enjoyed during breakfast or anytime throughout the day!
  • Quick and Easy – ready in less than 30 minutes, in and out the kitchen in no time.
  • Perfect Every Time – this recipe is tested, tried and true, follow it and it’ll turn out perfect every time!
  • Popular Jamaican Recipe for a Reason – it’s golden and crispy on the outside, soft and fluffy on the inside, with a sweet twist!

What is a Jamaican Festival?

Jamaican Festival is a simple fried sweet bread type dumpling. Although sweeter in taste, it is served as a side dish to Jamaican classic dishes such as fried fish, Jamaican Escovitch Fish, or Jamaican Brown Stew Chicken!

What is Jamaican Festival Made Of?

It’s made with simple pantry ingredients such as flour and cornmeal. Baking powder is used a leavening agent, granulated white sugar as a sweetener, with a pinch of salt and milk to bring it all together.

How To Make Jamaican Festival from Scratch – Easy, Step-by-Step YouTube Video

Difference Between a Dumpling and a Festival?

The addition of cornmeal and milk are the two most significant differences between festivals and fried dumplings. Festivals using milk and cornmeal, whereas fried dumpling uses no cornmeal and water.

Another significant difference between festival and fried dumpling is the unique shape. Festivals having a long thick oval shape, and fried dumpling taking a more round shape. Noted, the shapes can vary but traditionally this how they are made.

What Does Jamaican Festival Taste Like?

Jamaican Festivals are a simple fried sweet tasting dumpling that’s golden and crispy outside, soft and fluffy inside. It’s texture is more bread-like, with a outer thin crispy crunch.

What Do You Eat with Jamaican Festival?

These festivals are often served as a breakfast item alongside Jamaican Escovitch Fish and Jamaican Pickled Vegetables (Escovitch Sauce). It’s also great with ackee and saltfish, the national dish of Jamaica as well as Jerk Chicken!

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Ingredients and Ingredient Notes

All Purpose Flour – you can use other types of flour such as whole wheat or gluten-free, however you may need to adjust the amount of milk.

Fine Yellow Cornmeal – this is the ingredient that distinguishes a festival from a Jamaican Fried Dumpling and shouldn’t be skipped!

Granulated White Sugar – used as the sweetening agent in this recipe.

Baking Powder – this is the leavening used to make a fluffier festival and help it rise.

Salt – used to boost the flavour of the festival.

Milk – you can also use water, however prefer the taste of milk in the recipe. You may need to add 2-3 tbsp more or less – depending on the state of your flour or cornmeal.

Vegetable Oil– this is used for frying. You can use any kind of neutral cooking oil such as vegetable, avocado or canola oil.

Equipment Needed to Make This Recipe

  • Mixing Bowl– this is needed to mix the ingredients together.
  • Dutch Pot or Heavy-Bottom Pot– needed to fry the festival. Alternatively, a deep skillet or frying pan work as well.

See My Story Below for Step-by-Step Instructions!

How to Make the Best Jamaican Festival

  • Combine Ingredients – in a medium sized mixing bowl, combine all dry ingredients.
  • Add Milk – gradually add milk, then use your hands to knead and form the dough, add more milk if needed.
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  • Roll Dough into Festivals – pinch or cut off large golf ball size pieces. In the palm of your hand using a back and forth motion, form each piece into long thick oval shapes. Set each festival aside.
  • Fry Festivals – in a medium sized heavy bottom pot, heat oil over medium low heat. Add each festival to the heated oil and fry for about 8 to 10 minutes flipping at the halfway point.
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  • Rest and Set Aside – once golden brown and cooked through remove from pot, place on a wire rack to drain any excess oil and allow to cool. Enjoy while warm!

How to Knead Festival Dough: Techniquesand Tips

This recipe is more about the technique, than the ingredients as they are simple pantry items. The trick is how you combine the ingredients, how you knead the dough and how you form the festival. It takes practice, so do not get discouraged if your first batch isn’t perfectly shaped – it’ll still taste amazing!

Here are some tips when kneading the dough:

  • You may not need all the water to knead the dough.
  • Gradually add in the milk and mix it together by using your hand to form the dough.
  • After kneading the dough, it should still be soft. This will make the dumplings soft on the inside and crispy on the outside.

How to Know When the Festivals Are Cooked

These are a great indication that the dough is cooked through:

  • When you tap the festivals in the pan with a fork or spoon they should sound hollow.
  • They start to float.
  • When they turn golden brown.
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Recipe Variations and Substitutions

Here are some variations to the jamaican festival recipe you can try next:

  • Add Spices – some often add a small dash of nutmeg or cinnamon for a boost of flavour.
  • Sub Milk for Water – you can use water instead of milk or a mixture of water and milk.
  • Coconut Milk – easily substitute regular cow’s milk with coconut milk.
  • Change Flour– you can substitute whole wheat flour or gluten-free flour as an alternative to all purpose flour.
  • Add More Sugar– for a sweeter kick to the recipe, add a tablespoon or more to the flour mixture.

What to Serve With Jamaican Festival

These festivals are often served as a breakfast item alongside Jamaican Escovitch Fish and Jamaican Pickled Vegetables (Escovitch Sauce). It’s also great with ackee and saltfish, the national dish of Jamaica.

You can also serve these festivals with the following Jamaican dishes:

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Make Ahead Jamaican Festival

You can make the dough a few hours ahead of time and keep refrigerated. When ready to serve, bring to room temperature and prepare as outlined in recipe instructions.

How Do You Store?

These festivals are best enjoyed when they’re freshly made, but they can still make great leftovers if needed.

Once they have cooled completely, transfer to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.

How Do You Reheat Jamaican Festivals?

Should you need to reheat; place in aluminum foil and wrap tighty. Warm in oven set to 375 degrees fahrenheit until fully heated through.

Note, if you use a microwave it can result in the festivals becoming hard and chewy.

Recipe Notes and Tips for Best Results

Dough –Dough should be soft but not sticky and wet. Remember not to over knead. As soon as all the ingredients are combined, stop kneading the dough.

Medium Low Heat– ensure your oil is hot, but not too hot. We want golden brown, not burnt to a crisp! Fry on medium-low heat, and ensure there are little sizzles of bubbles around each festival.

Slow and Steady– don’t rush the cooking process. To get golden and crispy on the outside, soft and fluffy on the inside, you need to fry them slowly.

Work in Batches– fry festivals in small batches as it will help them cook evenly and keep the oil from cooling down too much.

Test Fry– test fry one festival before frying a full batch to help determine if the oil is at the correct temperature. If it browns too quickly, the inside will be uncooked.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s)

What Cornmeal Should I Use?

Make sure to use fine yellow cornmeal and not coarse cornmeal as this will result in the best texture. The coarser the cornmeal the more gritty the festival will be.

What Milk Can I Use?

You can use 2% cows milk (or any fat % cows milk) or any plant-based milks such as oat, almond or cashew milk.

Can I Use Brown Sugar?

Yes you can substitute granulated white sugar, with brown sugar.

Can I Make Festival in the Air Fryer?

I do not recommend using a air fryer to make festivals. Anything is possible, however it’s not what I will suggest.

Optional Add-Ins for Festivals

Try adding in a touch of nutmeg or cinnamon, or pure vanilla extract.

Can You Bake Festivals in the Oven?

I have not tried making this in the oven, however once I attempt I’ll update the blog post.

Interested in More Jamaican Food? Try these Recipes Out Next!

Jamaican Fried Dumpling

Jerk Chicken Sandwich

Pineapple Jerk Chicken and Shrimp Skewers

Jamaican Coconut Curried Salmon

Jerk Chicken Cobb Salad with Honey Mustard Dressing

Traditional Jamaican Pumpkin Beef Soup

Jerk Burgers with Pineapple Mango Salsa

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Jamaican Festival Recipe

Taneisha Morris

This authentic Jamaican Festival Recipe is a simple fried sweet dumpling that's golden and crispy outside, soft and fluffy inside! Made with a few staple pantry items this soft sweet dough is fried and served hot for breakfast, lunch, dinner or anytime throughout the day as the perfect snack!

4.91 from 21 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe Leave a Review

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Total Time 25 minutes mins

Course Breakfast & Brunch, Jamaican & Caribbean, Sides

Cuisine Caribbean, Jamaican

Servings 12 Festival Dumplings

Calories 107 kcal

Equipment

  • Mixing Bowl

  • Heavy-Bottom Potfor frying

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups All Purpose Flour
  • 1/2 cup Yellow Cornmeal fine
  • 4 tbsp Granulated White Sugar
  • 2 tsp Baking Powder
  • 1/2 tsp Salt
  • 3/4 cup Milk or water may need to add 2-3 tbsp more or less
  • Vegetable Oil for frying

Instructions

  • In a medium sized mixing bowl, combine all dry ingredients. Gradually add milk, then use your hands to knead and form the dough, add more milk if needed. Dough should be soft but not sticky and wet. Remember not to over knead.

  • Pinch or cut off large golf ball size pieces. In the palm of your hand using a back and forth motion, form each piece into long thick oval shapes. Set each festival aside.

  • In a medium sized heavy bottom pot, heat oil over medium low heat. Add each festival to the heated oil and fry for about 8 to 10 minutes flipping at the halfway point – do not rush this process, be patient. Keep heat level at low to medium (ensuring there is a sizzle all around).

  • Once golden brown and cooked through remove from pot, place on a wire rack to drain any excess oil and allow to cool. Enjoy while warm!

Video

Recipe Notes

Adding Milk – gradually add the milk, while forming the dough.

Too Much Milk? – if you add to much, no problem, just add more flour!

How to Know When Done? – you’ll know they’re done when you tap the festivals in the pan with a fork or spoon and they should sound hollow.

Nutrition

Calories: 107kcalCarbohydrates: 22gProtein: 3gFat: 1gSaturated Fat: 0.4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.2gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.3gCholesterol: 2mgSodium: 174mgPotassium: 61mgFiber: 1gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 25IUCalcium: 61mgIron: 1mg

Note, the nutritional information is calculated using a nutrition facts calculator. It is a rough estimate and can vary based on products used.

DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?Leave a star rating and a comment below! You can also tag @theseasoned.skillet and use #theseasonedskillet on Instagram!

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Jamaican Festival Recipe (14)

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Jamaican Festival Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is Jamaican festival made of? ›

It is a dough made with wheat flour, Cornmeal, baking powder, salt, milk powder unflavored milk or evaporated milk, sugar and water, then fried in a neutral cooking oil and served hot. The finished festival should be crispy on the outside while soft and fluffy on the inside.

What are the ingredients in the Grace Festival mix? ›

Enriched Wheat Flour (Niacin, Reduced Iron, Thiamine Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid), Sugar, Fructose, Yellow Corn Meal, Leavening Agents (Monocalcium Phosphate, Sodium Bicarbonate), Salt.

What is the difference between festival and dumplings? ›

Unlike traditional Jamaican Fried Dumplings, Festival is sweet, crisp on the outside and dense. Most earlier recipes were very heavy with equal amounts of flour and cornmeal. But nowadays you'll often find ones with just a hint of cornmeal. In my book that makes them too similar to regular dumplings.

What are some Jamaican festivals? ›

For music events, look out for Rebel Salute early in the year, Reggae Sumfest during the summer, and Reggae Sunsplash as the year ends. For foodie events, there's the Kingston Curry Festival in the spring, Ocho Rios Seafood Festival in the summer, and the Jamaica Rum Festival in February/March.

What is Jamaican food called festival? ›

Jamaican festival is a sweet fried dough made with cornmeal, flour, sugar, salt, vanilla extract, and milk. The dough comes together quite easily and all you have to do is deep fry it. It goes well with some of my favorite Jamaican recipes like rasta pasta, jerk chicken, ackee and saltfish, or escovitch fish.

What does Bammy taste like? ›

What does Bammy taste like? Bammy is mild, slightly sweet, and nutty in flavor. However, the unique texture is the spotlight of this flatbread with a crisp exterior and tender interior. Texture-wise, it doesn't resemble conventional bread, rather it's similar to potato cutlets, but delicate and neutral in flavor.

How many calories are in the Grace Festival Mix? ›

Grace Festival, Unique Jamaican Dough has 110.0 calories.

Are dumplings better steamed or fried? ›

The steaming process is what creates the shiny-looking soft exterior! Steaming is the traditional way of preparing dumplings and has never gone out of style. Many people around the world are loyal to this method of cooking and prefer it over pan-fried dumplings.

Why do we eat Bak Chang? ›

Rice dumplings, also known as Zongzi (粽子) or Bak Chang, are traditionally eaten by the Chinese to celebrate the Mid-Autumn or Dragon Boat Festival (端午节), which falls on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month.

Is dumpling and siomai the same? ›

Dumplings are soft, bite-sized pieces of dough usually wrapped around a filling. They are either boiled in water or soup, steamed, pan-seared until crispy on the bottom, or deep-fried in fat. Siomai (shumai) is a dumpling stuffed with a mix of meat, seafood, and veggies.

What language do Jamaicans speak? ›

The official language is English, which is "used in all domains of public life", including the government, the legal system, the media, and education. However, the primary spoken language is an English-based creole called Jamaican Patois (or Patwa).

Who brought festival to Jamaica? ›

The overall event is termed "Jamaica Festival". The festival was initiated in 1962 by the then Community Development Minister (and future Prime Minister) Edward Seaga, to showcase literary and performing artists of the country.

What is the reggae festival in Jamaica? ›

Reggae Sumfest is the island's summer reggae festival held over a week with its main nights from Thursday to Saturday. The 2024 staging is scheduled for July 14 - 20 in Montego Bay, Jamaica.

What are festivals made of? ›

Jamaican festival are sweet fried dough dumplings made traditionally with cornmeal, but we've used polenta in ours. You can eat festival fresh and warm on their own, or alongside another dish, like ackee and saltfish!

What is Jamaica main festival? ›

Jamaica Carnival

The biggest event of the year shows off Jamaican culture in all its glory, with street parades, soca, calypso music and dancing. The multi-day festival in mid-February takes place all over, but with the main street parade is in Kingston.

What is the history of the Jamaica Festival? ›

The festival was initiated in 1962 by then Minister of Community Development (and later Prime Minister) Edward Seaga, to showcase literary, fine, and performing artists, and to celebrate "things Jamaican".

Why is Jamaican festival called festival? ›

These slightly sweet fritters are fluffy inside and crisp on the outside. According to legend, these light Jamaican corn bread fritters got their name because eating them is fun — like a festival.

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