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A fun and super easy treat, these Elephant Ears Recipe are a tasty fair food classic that is sweet, crispy, and absolutely delicious.
I love fair season, and finding an Elephant Ears recipe is a staple that we always get, but why wait until you can go to the fair when you can make them easily at home?
We love whipping up this recipe, it is an absolute favorite in our house and we make them all year long. With a crispy and chewy texture, they are super tasty.
People call them fry bread, elephant ears and all sorts of other things. All I know is that they’re delicious!
One of those recipes that once you have tried it, you are going to want all the time. That is why I had to show you how to easily make them at home.
They take minimal ingredients and time and that is the best part! These take less than 20 minutes and 7-8 ingredients that you most likely have on hand!
On top of that, there are all kinds of things you can add to them to make the recipe your own. Check out my list of additions down below!
So tell me why there is a reason you shouldn’t make this Elephant Ears Recipe? There really isn’t one, at least we cannot think of one.
Some of our other favorite cinnamon-flavored treats we have on our site include: Apple Cinnamon Cream Cheese Roll Ups, Cinnamon Tea Cakes and Quick and Easy Cinnamon Rolls.
Jump to:
- WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS:
- INGREDIENTS NEEDED (SCROLL TO THE BOTTOM OF THIS POST FOR THE FULL RECIPE CARD):
- HOW TO MAKE elephant ears RECIPE:
- FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS RECIPE:
- WHAT IS THE TASTE AND TEXTURE OF THESE?
- CAN I COAT THESE WITH SOMETHING ELSE?
- CAN I USE FROZEN BREAD DOUGH FOR THESE?
- ANY ADDITIONS?
- ANY SUBSTITUTIONS?
- HOW TO STORE:
- DANA’S TIPS AND TRICKS:
- Homemade Elephant Ears Recipe
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS:
- You don’t have to wait for fair time to make these!
- They take less than 20 minutes.
- Easily double this recipe to make more.
INGREDIENTS NEEDED (SCROLL TO THE BOTTOM OF THIS POST FOR THE FULL RECIPE CARD):
- Whole milk
- All-purpose flour
- Granulated sugar
- Baking powder
- Fine sea salt
- Unsalted butter
- Ground cinnamon
- Peanut oil for frying
HOW TO MAKE elephant ears RECIPE:
- Place the milk in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave in 15-30 second intervals until warmed, 110°F. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, stir together the flour, 1 tablespoon sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add the butter and slowly stream in the milk while stirring until a slightly sticky dough forms. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it sit for 10 minutes.
- While the dough is resting, start heating 2-3 inches of oil in a large skillet with deep sides or a dutch oven.
- Stir together the remaining 4 tablespoons of sugar and the cinnamon in a small bowl, set aside.
- Dust a clean work surface with flour. Divide the dough into 8 equal portions, and roll the dough in the flour so it is lightly coated. Roll it out into a rough ¼ inch thick circle. Repeat with the remaining dough balls.
- Place the finished rolled-out circles between parchment paper until ready to fry.
- Once the oil reaches 350°F, carefully place one elephant ear at a time into the hot oil. Fry for 1-2 minutes on each side until lightly golden brown.
- Place the elephant ear on a paper-towel-lined plate to absorb any excess oil. Place on a wire rack over a sheet tray. Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar on top immediately and repeat with the remaining elephant ears.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS RECIPE:
WHAT IS THE TASTE AND TEXTURE OF THESE?
These Elephant Ears are light and chewy on the inside with a crispness on the outside.
They have a nice buttery cinnamon-sugar coating that really sets them off.
CAN I COAT THESE WITH SOMETHING ELSE?
Absolutely, if cinnamon is not your thing some other options that would be great include:
- Powdered Sugar
- Caramel Sauce
- Chocolate Sauce
- Fresh Fruit
- Granulated Sugar
- Brown Sugar
- Whipped Cream
CAN I USE FROZEN BREAD DOUGH FOR THESE?
If you don’t feel like making your own dough, you can use frozen bread dough that has been thawed for this recipe.
We like to use the Rhodes Frozen dough balls, they are the perfect size for these.
Roll them out and then continue along with the recipe as written.
ANY ADDITIONS?
Most definitely! I always say you should make a recipe your own.
- Drizzle warm chocolate syrup on top for a gooey, sweet topping—just like a decadent treat at theme parks or food trucks.
- Spread a layer of pie filling (think cherry or apple) over each elephant ear pastry for a fruity twist.
- Sprinkle toasted nuts like pecans or almonds on top for added crunch alongside your cinnamon sugar mixture.
- Brush on melted butter, then top with a swirl of maple syrup for a breakfast-inspired flair similar to a funnel cake.
- Pair with your favorite fruit topping, such as fresh berries or sliced bananas, for a refreshing, lighter option.
- Dust with powdered sugar, or “mix sugar” with a hint of cocoa powder, to make an extra-sweet pastry reminiscent of beaver tails found at state fairs.
- Layer on whipped cream for a carnival-worthy finish that’s perfect for an easy elephant ears recipe.
- Try a savory option by skipping the sugar and sprinkling grated cheese and herbs on top—an unexpected spin on crispy elephant ears.
- Serve alongside a scoop of ice cream to turn this delicious treat into a sundae-like dessert at your own kitchen carnival.
- If you have an air fryer, brush with butter and air-fry for a few minutes at medium heat for a lighter, but still crunchy, snack.
ANY SUBSTITUTIONS?
I’ve got a few ideas. Let me know if you have any others.
- Use puff pastry or a pastry sheet instead of making the dough from scratch for an easy recipe when short on time.
- Swap whole milk with warm water for a leaner version—similar to a yeast fry bread recipe if you’re cutting back on dairy.
- Substitute peanut oil with inches of vegetable oil, canola, or even use a deep fryer if you prefer.
- Replace granulated sugar with brown sugar or coconut sugar for a deeper, slightly caramel-like flavor.
- Skip the cinnamon sugar mixture in favor of savory toppings like garlic butter or grated cheese if sweet pastry dough isn’t your style.
- If you’re out of baking powder, use an equal amount of active dry yeast and allow extra cooking time for the dough to rise (keep an eye on degrees f to ensure even frying).
HOW TO STORE:
While these are best eaten the same day you can store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.
These can also be frozen, to do that place each of your Elephant Ears between pieces of wax or parchment paper and place them in a freezer-safe bag. They will keep frozen for up to 3 months.
To defrost, remove to countertop overnight.
DANA’S TIPS AND TRICKS:
- You can use any oil for frying, peanut is our favorite.
- Easily double this recipe to serve more to guests or save for later.
- Other toppings can be used, see above for some ideas.
- You can use frozen bread dough for this recipe instead of making your own, again see above on how to do that.
- Make sure that you let them drain on a paper towel-lined plate before coating.
- They can be frozen, see above on how to freeze.
Love fair food but might not get there this year?
No worries, this Elephant Ears Recipe will certainly curb one of those fair food cravings.
If you like this recipe, you might also like:
If you’ve tried this ELEPHANT EARS RECIPE let me know in the comments how it turned out! You can follow me over on PINTEREST, INSTAGRAM OR FACEBOOK to find some more of our mouthwatering recipes!
Homemade Elephant Ears Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups whole milk
- 3 ¼ cups all-purpose flour plus more for dusting
- 5 tablespoons granulated sugar divided
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- peanut oil for frying
Instructions
- Place the milk in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave in 15-30 second intervals until warmed, 110°F. Set aside.1 ½ cups whole milk
- In a large bowl, stir together the flour, 1 tablespoon sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add the butter and slowly stream in the milk while stirring until a slightly sticky dough forms. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it sit for 10 minutes.3 ¼ cups all-purpose flour, 5 tablespoons granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon fine sea salt, 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- While the dough is resting, start heating 2-3 inches of oil in a large skillet with deep sides or a dutch oven.peanut oil for frying
- Stir together the remaining 4 tablespoons of sugar and the cinnamon in a small bowl, set aside.1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- Dust a clean work surface with flour. Divide the dough into 8 equal portions, and roll the dough in the flour so it is lightly coated. Roll it out into a rough ¼ inch thick circle. Repeat with the remaining dough balls.
- Place the finished rolled-out circles between parchment paper until ready to fry.
- Once the oil reaches 350°F, carefully place one elephant ear at a time into the hot oil. Fry for 1-2 minutes on each side until lightly golden brown.
- Place the elephant ear on a paper-towel-lined plate to absorb any excess oil. Place on a wire rack over a sheet tray. Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar on top immediately and repeat with the remaining elephant ears.
Notes
- You can use any oil for frying, peanut is our favorite.
- Easily double this recipe to serve more to guests or save for later.
- Other toppings can be used, see above for some ideas.
- You can use frozen bread dough for this recipe instead of making your own, again see above on how to do that.
- Make sure that you let them drain on a paper towel-lined plate before coating.
- They can be frozen, see above on how to freeze.
Nutrition
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