Elephant Ears Cinnamon Sugar (Printable)

Golden, fried dough with cinnamon sugar, crisped to perfection and ideal 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

→ Topping

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

# How To Make:

01 - Dissolve yeast in warm milk with 2 tablespoons sugar in a large bowl and allow mixture to become foamy, approximately 5 minutes.
02 - Incorporate melted butter and salt, then gradually add 2 1/2 cups flour, stirring to form a sticky dough. Add extra flour as needed up to 1/2 cup for a soft, smooth consistency.
03 - Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface for about 5 minutes until elastic. Place in a greased bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm spot until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
04 - Combine granulated sugar and cinnamon in a shallow dish and set aside.
05 - Punch down dough and divide into 8 equal portions. Roll each into a ball, then stretch or roll to a thin oval approximately 8 inches long.
06 - Heat vegetable oil in a deep skillet or Dutch oven to 350°F.
07 - Fry one or two pieces at a time, turning once, until golden brown and puffed, about 1 minute per side. Drain briefly on paper towels.
08 - Optionally brush with melted butter, then immediately coat both sides with cinnamon sugar. Serve warm.

# Top Tips:

01 -
  • They're impossibly easy to make despite looking like you learned them at culinary school.
  • The smell alone will make everyone in your house materialize in the kitchen asking when they'll be ready.
  • You can eat them still warm without any guilt because sharing them feels like the whole point.
02 -
  • The moment they come out of oil is when they're best—still warm and almost melting into the cinnamon sugar—so try to eat them immediately rather than letting them sit.
  • If your dough shrinks back when you stretch it, let it rest for a few minutes and try again; gluten has a memory and sometimes needs a moment to relax.
03 -
  • Don't skip the blooming step with the yeast—those 5 foamy minutes tell you everything is alive and ready to work for you.
  • Stretch the dough gently and let it tell you when it's thin enough; it'll become more translucent and fragile-looking, which is exactly what you want.
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