Elephant Ears
Elephant Ears are a state fair staple that you can make at home.
Makes: 16-18 elephant ears
Prep Time: 2 hours 15 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 2 hours 25 minutes
Recipe Created By: Kim Galeaz
Featured In: My Indiana Home
Prep Time: 2 hours 15 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 2 hours 25 minutes
Recipe Created By: Kim Galeaz
Featured In: My Indiana Home
Ingredients
- ¼ ounce (1 packet) active dry yeast
- ¼ cup warm water (110-115 degrees)
- 2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup (1 ½ sticks) unsalted butter, cold
- ⅓ cup whole milk
- 1 large egg
- 1 egg white
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Topping
- 1 ½ cups sugar
- 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
- ½-¾ cup butter, melted
Instructions
- In a small bowl, add yeast to warm water and let rest 5 minutes. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar and salt. Cut in ¾ cup cold butter with a pastry cutter until crumbly and pieces are no bigger than tiny peas.
- In a separate bowl, combine egg and egg white and beat together slightly. With a fork, stir milk, eggs, vanilla and yeast mixture into flour mixture until all flour is incorporated.
- Cover with towel and set aside in a warm place to rise for 1 ½ to 2 hours. It will only rise slightly.
- While dough rises, mix 1 ½ cups sugar and cinnamon together in a medium bowl. Set aside. Thoroughly grease 3 baking sheets with butter and set aside.
- Heat oven to 400 degrees. Divide dough equally into 16 to 18 pieces and roll each piece in cinnamon-sugar mixture. Pour some cinnamon-sugar mixture on a clean surface and pat/stretch each ball into a 5-inch irregular circle. Place 5 or 6 ears on greased baking sheet. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until light golden brown.*
- Remove to wire racks and immediately brush each ear with melted butter and sprinkle with additional cinnamon-sugar mixture. Enjoy warm or cooled.
*8 minutes for a softer/doughier elephant ear, 10 minutes for a slightly crispy ear.