Elephant Ears Cinnamon Sugar (Printer-Friendly)

Crispy fried dough coated in cinnamon sugar offers a sweet and crunchy delight for sharing.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Dough

01 - 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast (1 packet)
02 - 1 cup warm milk (about 110°F)
03 - 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
04 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
05 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
06 - 2 1/2 to 3 cups all-purpose flour

→ For Frying

07 - 3 cups vegetable oil (for deep frying)

→ Topping

08 - 1/2 cup granulated sugar
09 - 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
10 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted (optional for brushing)

# How-To Steps:

01 - Dissolve yeast in warm milk with 2 tablespoons sugar in a large bowl; let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes.
02 - Stir in melted butter and salt. Gradually add 2 1/2 cups flour, adding more flour by tablespoon as needed until soft and smooth.
03 - Knead dough on a lightly floured surface for 5 minutes until elastic. Place in greased bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm area until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
04 - Combine granulated sugar and cinnamon in a shallow dish; set aside.
05 - Punch down dough and divide into 8 equal parts. Roll each into a ball and stretch or roll into an 8-inch thin oval.
06 - Heat vegetable oil in a deep skillet or Dutch oven to 350°F.
07 - Fry one or two ovals at a time, turning once, until golden and puffed, approximately 1 minute per side. Drain on paper towels briefly.
08 - Brush warm fried dough with melted butter if desired, then dredge both sides in cinnamon sugar. Serve immediately.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • They're impossibly simple to make but taste like you spent hours in a pastry kitchen.
  • The contrast between crispy exterior and soft, pillowy interior is genuinely addictive.
  • You can have warm, fresh elephant ears in under an hour from start to finish.
02 -
  • Oil temperature is everything—too cool and they'll absorb oil and become greasy; too hot and the outside browns before the inside puffs.
  • Don't overcrowd the pan; frying more than two at a time drops the oil temperature and ruins the texture.
  • The dough needs to rest and rise fully, but you can also refrigerate it for up to 12 hours and fry it straight from cold—it actually works beautifully.
03 -
  • If your dough is too sticky after mixing, add flour one tablespoon at a time rather than dumping it all in at once—the dough will tell you what it needs.
  • The thin stretch is what makes them crispy and puffed; don't be afraid to stretch the ovals thin, and let gravity help you by gently tugging at the edges.
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