Elephant Ear Pastry Recipe

overhead view of elephant ears pastry stacked in a basket.

Course: Breakfast, pastry

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 30

Cook Time: 1

Rise: 1

Total Time: 2 30

Servings: pastries

Calories: 265kcal

Author: Becky Hardin

Made with yeast-raised dough for a light and chewy texture, this homemade elephant ear pastry recipe tastes just like the fair. Fried to golden perfection and tossed in heaps of cinnamon sugar, it’s the ultimate nostalgic carnival treat!

Print Recipe

US Customary - Metric

Equipment

Kitchen Scale (optional)
Instant Read Thermometer
Rolling Pin

Ingredients

1¾ cups milk warm (110°F)*
¾ cup granulated sugar divided
1½ tablespoons instant yeast
6 tablespoons unsalted butter melted (¾ stick)
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon divided
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
5½ cups all-purpose flour 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
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
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
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.
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.
Heat 2 inches of oil in a deep-frying pan over medium heat until it reaches 265°F.
Vegetable oil
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.
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!

Video

Notes

*I recommend using whole milk for the best texture and flavor.

**Use an oil with a high smoke point, such as vegetable, canola, or peanut. I recommend vegetable oil for the most neutral taste.

Tips:

Measure your flour using the spoon-and-level method to avoid dense, dry pastries.
Optionally add 1 tsp of vanilla extract to the dough for a sweeter flavor.
If you try to roll the dough and it keeps shrinking back to a smaller circle, the gluten is too tight. Cover the dough balls with a damp cloth and let them rest for 10 minutes before rolling again.
After rolling out the pastries, use a fork to prick the center of the dough several times. This helps steam escape, leading to a flatter surface and a more even shape.
Only fry one pastry at a time! If you overcrowd your vegetable oil, the temperature will decrease, and you'll end up with greasy, undercooked pastries.
Let the pastries drain for about 15-20 seconds, then toss them in the sugar while the surface is still hot and slightly damp with oil.
For a sweet elephant ear, drizzle on chocolate, caramel sauce, or maple syrup, or top with fresh fruit and whipped cream. For a savory take, top with pizza sauce and shredded cheese.

Make-Ahead: You can cold-ferment the mixed and kneaded dough by placing it in a greased, covered bowl in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours. Simply punch it down, roll, and fry whenever you're ready the next day.

Storage: Store pastries in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Nutrition