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–+ servings
overhead view of elephant ears pastry stacked in a basket.

Elephant Ears Recipe

Course: Breakfast, pastry
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Rise: 1 hour
Total Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
Servings: 15 pastries
Calories: 265kcal
Author: Becky Hardin - Easy Dessert Recipes
Enjoy the sweet and flavorful taste of a crisp and delicious treat with this Elephant Ears recipe. They’re easy to prepare, and they’re perfect to have for breakfast or a dessert.
Print Recipe

Equipment

  • Kitchen Scale (optional)
  • Instant Read Thermometer
  • Rolling Pin

Ingredients

  • 1¾ cups milk 397 grams, warm (110°F)
  • ¾ cup granulated sugar 149 grams, divided
  • 1½ tablespoons instant yeast 14 grams
  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter 84 grams, melted (¾ stick)
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon 6 grams, divided
  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
  • 5½ cups all-purpose flour 660 grams, divided
  • Vegetable oil for frying

Instructions

  • Add the milk, ¼ cup of the sugar, and the yeast to a large bowl. Stir to combine. Let sit for 5 minutes, or until it starts to bubble.
    1¾ cups milk, ¾ cup granulated sugar, 1½ tablespoons instant yeast
    yeast mixture for elephant ears pastry in a ceramic bowl.
  • Stir in the butter, 1 teaspoon of the cinnamon, and the salt to combine.
    6 tablespoons unsalted butter, 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
    butter cinnamon and salt added to yeast mixture for elephant ears pastry in a ceramic bowl.
  • Add 5 cups of the flour and stir until you can no longer. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface.
    5½ cups all-purpose flour
    elephant ears pastry dough in a ceramic bowl.
  • Knead the dough for 5 minutes, adding a light dust of flour when it becomes too sticky to handle, but don’t overdo it. You want the dough to be tacky but not sticky.
    elephant ears pastry dough before proofing in a ceramic bowl.
  • Scrape out any flour bits from the bowl, spray with nonstick spray, and place the dough in the bowl. Cover and let sit for 1 hour, until doubled in size.
    elephant ears pastry dough after proofing in a ceramic bowl.
  • Heat 2 inches of oil in a deep-frying pan over medium heat until it reaches 265°F.
    Vegetable oil for frying
  • In the meantime, divide the dough into 15 equal balls and roll each out into a roughly 7-inch round.
  • Fry one disk at a time for 3-4 minutes, flipping the disk every 30-45 seconds to ensure even cooking.
    fried elephant ears pastry in a cast iron pan.
  • Let them cool on a plate with a paper towel to drain off any excess oil.
  • Stir the remaining sugar and cinnamon together in a shallow bowl or a plate then dip each disk in the dough and lightly tap off the excess. Serve and enjoy!
    elephant ears pastry dipped in cinnamon sugar in a white bowl.

Video

Notes

  • Continue to stir your flour until you can't stir it anymore. Then, turn the dough out onto the floured surface.
  • You can easily reheat the Elephant Ears in a 350°F oven for at least 5 minutes, or until they become light and crispy.
Storage: Store elephant ears in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
 

Nutrition

Serving: 1pastry | Calories: 265kcal | Carbohydrates: 47g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 15mg | Sodium: 51mg | Potassium: 98mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 187IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 46mg | Iron: 2mg