How To Make Elephant Ears | Recipes (2024)

By: T Worthey»Updated: April 7, 2023» View our disclosure policy

Here’s an easy recipe on how to make Elephant Ears! Get the love and smell of the ears from the county fair right in your own kitchen!

How To Make Elephant Ears

Remember going to the county fair and the FIRST thing you wanted to put in your mouth was Elephant Ears? Ah, yes! I absolutely love Elephant Ears and Churros. It’s no secret that we are foodies around here, and we totally dig food from the fair. However, the fair only comes around a few times per year. So, it was time to take matters into my own hands. Here’s my version of Elephant Ears. This is an easy recipe to show you how to make Elephant Ears!

Related fair recipes to check out

• Churros Grazing Board
• Apple Crisp Funnel Cake With Homemade Caramel
• Cupcake Brownie Funnel Cake with Caramel Sauce

Elephant Ears Recipe

Ingredients for Elephant Ears:

• 1 1⁄2 tbs. of yeast
• 1 3⁄4 Cup of water + 1/8 cup water
• 5 tsp. sugar
• 3 tbs. vegetable oil
• 2 Cup flour + 2 1⁄2 cup flour
• 2 tsp. salt
• 2 tsp. cinnamon
• melted butter for brushing over the hot elephant ears
• cinnamon & sugar mixture (1 cup of sugar & 2 tsp of cinnamon)
• oil for frying
• non­stick spray (optional)

Directions ­for Elephant Ears:

Dissolve the yeast in the 1 3⁄4 cupof water + 1/8 cup of water for 5 minutes.

After 5 minutes, stir in the sugar, 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil, 2 cups of flour, salt, and cinnamon.

Mix well but don’t over mix.

Next, add in the other 2 1⁄2 cups of flour.

The dough will be sticky and that is OK!

Knead the dough for 2 ­ – 3 minutes and put back into the bowl. Cover with a towel for 40 minutes to allow the dough to rise.

After 40 minutes heat about 2” of oil in a large frying pan. Split the dough into 10-­12 pieces and flatten.

I rolled my pieces into balls and then flattened and stretched it out as much as I could without ripping them.

You want to make them as thin as possible because they will puff up as soon as they hit the hot oil.

**I used the non­stick spray on my hands because the dough was sticky. 1­2 squirts of the non-stick spray and I could handle the dough a lot easier.

Fry the pieces one at a time in the hot oil for about 2 ­- 3 minutes – flipping once.

Remove with tongs and lay on a paper towel. Brush with melted butter and sprinkle with cinnamon & sugar mixture.

Best served warm.

*Makes approximately 10 -­ 12 servings

Don’t forget to grab your tongs, here!

Be sure to check out some of our other summer treats:

Patriotic Snow Cones

Red-White-and-Blue-Ice-Cream-Cake-Parfaits

Popcorn S’mores Brownie Dessert

Caramel Apple Coffee Cake

Red Velvet Cake Shots

Original recipe posted 2015 | recipe updated 9/1/2020