Elephant Ears Recipe - melissassouthernstylekitchen.com (2024)

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This Elephant Ears Recipe features homemade dough that’s fried, then coated with cinnamon and sugar making them impossible to resist!

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Easy Elephant Ears Recipe

What are elephant ears? Elephant Ears are is a vintage street food dessert that’s commonly found at carnivals and fairs. They have many names often related to their shape. These light and airy fried dough pastries are coated with a cinnamon sugar while hot then served. Elephant ears were actually named for their shape and common street fare made famous at state fairs, sold by food trucks and theme parks. I’ve also heard them call beaver tails and bunuelos by some, and fry bread by others they’re all essentially the same thing. Fried dough coated with cinnamon and sugar, although the dough itself may be slightly different. Regardless, all of them are delicious. How to make Elephant Ears: (Scroll down for full printable recipe.)

  • Warm Milk –In a small saucepan, combine milk, salt, butter and 2 tablespoons of sugar on medium heat. Heat while stirring until butter melts and sugar dissolves. Remove from heat, Let cool until warm, about 110°F.
  • Yeast – Sprinkle yeast on top and let sit for 10 minutes until mixture is foamy and yeast has bloomed.
  • Combine – Pour yeast mixture into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook. Add vanilla.
  • Flour – Mix on low gradually adding the flour until a dough forms.
  • Knead – Once all is added, increase the speed and knead for 5 minutes, or until smooth and dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl.
  • Let Dough Rise – Cover bowl with a damp cloth and let rise 45-60 minutes or until it has doubled in size.
  • Make Cinnamon Sugar – Combine cinnamon and reserved 6 Tbsp of sugar, set aside.
  • Heat Oil – In a large pot or 12 inch deep skillet, heat 2-3 inches of oil to 360-365°F. Keep roughly in this range.
  • Roll Dough – Pinch balls of dough about the size of an egg. Roll out into thin sheets.
  • Fry – Drop dough sheets into the hot oil and fry for 1-2 minutes per side or just until puffed and golden.
  • Coat with Cinnamon Sugar – Drain on paper towels and immediately sprinkle with cinnamon sugar. Serve and enjoy.
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How to Make the Best Homemade Elephant Ears Recipe

What kind of dough is used for making Elephant Ears? They’re made using deep fried rounds of sweet pastry dough that’s been made with yeast. They’re coated in cinnamon-sugar and at times served with maple syrup or honey on the side for dipping. I’ve seen some recipes for elephant ears that use puff pastry for a shortcut. However, this recipe is the classic way to make them from scratch. A few tips for Elephant Ears making success:

  • Ingredients you’ll need to make Elephant Ears Pastry: All purpose flour, whole milk, salt, butter, rapid rise yeast, ground cinnamon and vegetable oil for frying.
  • Kitchen gadgets you’ll need: A small saucepan, measuring cups and spoons, a whisk, mixing bowls, a stand mixer or a hand mixer fitted with a dough hook, a Dutch oven fitted with a fry thermometer or a deep fryer and a baking sheet lined with paper towels or parchment paper. You’ll also need a spoon or spatula to stir together the cinnamon and sugar for the coating.
  • If you don’t have a stand mixer, you can knead the dough on a flat surface by hand.
  • Please note, you’ll need two 1/4 ounce each packets of dry yeast for this recipe.
  • Depending on the size of the dough rounds, you could yield anywhere from 8-12 elephant ears with this recipe.
  • That said, you can also divide the dough according to how many you want to make. If you’re treating a larger group, make them smaller and stretch the servings to accommodate.
  • I recommend using vegetable oil for frying, not olive oil.
  • Tongs will be your best friend for turning and removing fried dough from the oil safely.
  • It’s important to dust the pastries with cinnamon sugar immediately after removing from the oil so it will adhere to the surface.
  • If you’re working alone and get a bit behind in the process, you can brush on both sides lightly with melted butter to help the cinnamon and sugar to adhere.
  • These types of pastries are best made and eaten while warm. That said, you can store them in an airtight container and reheat leftovers gently in the microwave. Just note, fresh is best.
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More Desserts to Make

Handheld desserts are always on the dessert table at our house, due to the nature of grab-n-go. A few other fun handheld sweet treats you may like to try:

  • Make your own warmGlazed Yeast Doughnutsat home.
  • Bakery style homemadeChocolate Eclairsfilled with homemade pastry cream.
  • The always deliciousFunnel Cakeswith your favorite toppings. You may need a fork for this one.
  • For breakfast, brunch or dessert easyGlazed Apple Turnovers.
  • New Orleans Style Beignetsdusted with copious amounts of powdered sugar. Granted, this one will need a plate.
  • You may also enjoy this recipe for Italian donuts calledZeppolefrom Natasha’s Kitchen.
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Elephant Ears

Prep Time10 minutes mins

Cook Time5 minutes mins

Rise time1 hour hr

Total Time1 hour hr 15 minutes mins

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American, Southern

Keyword: elephant-ears, elephant-ears-recipe

Servings: 10 servings (may vary)

Calories: 401kcal

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cup whole milk
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 8 Tbsp granulated sugar divided
  • 6 Tbsp unsalted butter
  • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 2 (1/4 oz each) packets rapid rise yeast
  • 4 cups all purpose flour
  • 2 Tbsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 quart vegetable or peanut oil for frying

Instructions

  • Dough: In a small saucepan, combine milk, salt, butter and 2 tablespoons of sugar on medium heat. Heat while stirring until butter melts and sugar dissolves. Remove from heat, Let cool until warm, about 110°F. Sprinkle yeast on top and let sit for 10 minutes until mixture is foamy and yeast has bloomed.

  • Pour mixture into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook. Add vanilla. Mix on low gradually adding the flour until a dough forms. Once all is added, increase the speed and knead for 5 minutes, or until smooth and dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl.(Alternately, knead by hand on a lightly floured non-stick surface.)

  • Cover bowl with a damp cloth and let rise 45-60 minutes or until it has doubled in size. Combine cinnamon and reserved 6 Tbsp of sugar, set aside.

  • Fry: In a large pot or 12 inch deep skillet, heat 2-3 inches of oil to 360-365°F. Keep roughly in this range.

  • Pinch balls of dough about the size of an egg. Roll out into thin sheets. Drop into oil and fry for 1-2 minutes per side or just until puffed and golden. (It may take less time depending on the oil temp and thickness)

  • Drain on paper towels and immediately sprinkle with cinnamon sugar. Serve and enjoy. (May brush with melted butter if desired, then sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.)

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 401kcal | Carbohydrates: 51g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 22mg | Sodium: 251mg | Potassium: 113mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 274IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 67mg | Iron: 2mg

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Elephant Ears Recipe - melissassouthernstylekitchen.com (2024)

FAQs

What's the difference between elephant ears and fried dough? ›

Yes, they are both fried dough covered in sugar but they are two completely different items. An Elephant Ear is a huge piece of dough stretched out to be as big as an elephant's ear then it's deep fried and topped with cinnamon sugar.

Why are my elephant ear leaves crispy? ›

Elephant Ear (Alocasia) Common Symptoms

Leaves are dry or crispy: Dry, crispy leaves are often caused by low humidity. Increase humidity by either spritzing regularly or placing your plant on a pebble tray to address this. Also ensure that your plant is not standing in a cool breeze. If this is the case, relocate.

What is the toxic substance in elephant ears? ›

Elephant ear is a common name for several genera of plants. These plants contains insoluble calcium oxalate crystals similar to other plants in the Araceae family. Chewing or biting into this plant will release these crystals causing tissue penetration and irritation the mouth and GI tract.

Why do they call it elephant ears? ›

Inspired by the fry bread of Native Americans, elephant ears get their name from their big, “ear”-like shape.

Can you eat elephant ear plant raw? ›

The leaves are edible, but they (and all parts of the plant) contain needle-like crystals of calcium oxalate which are a skin irritant, so they must be cooked first.

What is the difference between taro and elephant ears? ›

Also known as elephant ears (Colocasia esculenta), taro produces large, 1 to 2 feet long leaves, similar to an elephant's ear. The entire plant will reach about 2 to 3 feet tall. This one will have green foliage but there are Colocasia cultivars with beautifully colored foliage.

Do elephant ear plants like coffee grounds? ›

Good choices for a coffee ground treatment are moisture-loving plants like hibiscus, elephant ear, forget-me-not, iris, lily of the valley, marigold, and meadowsweet.

Is Miracle Grow good for elephant ears? ›

They like moist soil, bright shade and an occasional feeding. Use a diluted 10-10-10 or 20-20-20 fertilizer to feed them. Half strength water soluable fertilizer such as Miracle Gro or Peter's houseplant fertilizer will give them the nutrients they need without the fear of overfeeding and burning the roots.

Can I use Epsom salt on elephant ear plants? ›

When ferns are yellow and dull-looking, they don't look great. Epsom salt helps ferns and plants similar to ferns, such as elephant ear, have rich, dark foliage. Add 1 tablespoon of Epsom salt to a gallon of water and spray ferns and elephant ears to achieve the look.

Is fry bread the same as an elephant's ear? ›

Fried dough is also known as fry dough, fry bread (bannock), fried bread, doughboys, elephant ears, beaver tails, scones, pizza fritte, frying saucers (in the case of smaller pieces).

Is fried dough and funnel cake the same thing? ›

Fried dough doesn't put on airs or pretend to be something it isn't. It's simply fried dough. You can use bread dough or pizza dough, stretch it into a circle, drop it in hot oil and voila! Funnel cake, on the other hand, isn't dough at all.

What is another name for elephant ears? ›

Colocasia esculenta, commonly called taro or elephant ear, is a tuberous, stemless, frost-tender perennial of the arum family (see also calla lily and jack-in-the-pulpit) which typically grows 3-6' tall and as wide.

What is fried dough called in the South? ›

Besides just calling it fried dough, it's also called fry bread, doughboys, elephant ears, beaver tails, pizza fritte (fried pizza dough), frying saucers, and buñuelos. And my friends in South America call it sopaipillas.

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