Elephant Ears Recipe (Quick and Easy)

This elephant ears recipe brings the classic fair food straight to your kitchen. With just a few simple ingredients, you’ll make crispy fried dough that’s soft inside and coated in cinnamon sugar toppings that melts in your mouth. It comes together in a few easy steps, so it’s quick enough for a fun family treat. If you’ve tried my popular fried dough recipe, you know this one will be just as foolproof—and maybe even more irresistible.

The Best Elephant Ear Recipe

If you’ve never had elephant ears food, think of it as a close cousin to fried dough, funnel cake, or fry bread—those nostalgic fair favorites you can smell from a mile away. Out of all the carnival-style fried treats, though, this elephant ears recipe might just be my favorite.

It starts with a sweet pastry dough that fries up pillowy-soft and fluffy on the inside while staying crispy and golden on the outside. Then each piece is coated in cinnamon sugar to finish it off in the best way. Every bite is sweet, crunchy, and buttery—you’ll swear it came straight from the county fair.

The best part? You don’t have to wait for carnival season to have it. These homemade elephant ears are easy to make in under 20 minutes at home, so you can enjoy them anytime a craving hits.

Oh, and if you want to go all-in on classic fair food, pair them with a batch of Fried Oreos for the ultimate treat-yourself moment.

Don't just take my word for how good these elephant ears are though, here's what one of our readers who made them had to say about them:

These are the best homemade elephant ears I’ve ever made. -Janelle

Why This Recipe Works

• Easy to make. Whisk together a simple sweet dough, roll it into the signature elephant ear shape, fry until golden, and finish with cinnamon sugar. That’s it!
• Crowd pleaser. Crispy, sweet, and crunchy, this fried dough dessert is loved by both kids and adults. You don’t have to wait for the fair to impress your family with this carnival-style treat.
• Fun family activity. Making homemade elephant ears is a great kitchen project to do together with family. Kids can help roll and shape the dough, which makes the final product even more special.

Ingredients

Like I said earlier, this easy elephant ears recipe is made with all common baking ingredients. In fact, I can almost guarantee you have everything you need to make them on hand already! 

Anyway, here's everything you'll need to make elephant ears food:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• ⅔ cup warm milk
• 2 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 tablespoon butter, melted
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 2 tablespoon cinnamon and sugar
• Oil, for frying

Pretty simple, right?

Now when it comes to the oil, I suggest using peanut oil because it has a high smoke point, and that's what they typically use at the fair. But with that said, any neutral cooking oil with a high smoke point will work just fine.

Oh, and you can use basically all of the ingredients from this recipe to make this fried dough and these funnel cakes, so definitely give those a try next!

How To Make Elephant Ears Food

Now it's almost time to make some elephant ears food!

This recipe is honestly easier to make than walking through the fair to get this delectable treat. And I know I'm a little biased, but I think it's tastier too.

Anyway, let's not waste another second and jump right into the recipe!

Step 1: Make The Dough

First things first, you'll want to grab a large bowl and whisk the flour together with the baking powder and sugar. Then, you can add the warmed milk and melted butter to the bowl of dry ingredients.

Next, you'll want to stir this mixture until the ingredients come together and a dough forms. Then you can transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and knead it a few times.

Once kneaded and combined, you can cut the dough into 8 equal-sized pieces and then roll out each piece of dough into a thin circle.

Step 2: Fry The Dough

When all of the elephant ears have been rolled out, you'll want to heat 1 inch of oil in a large skillet set over medium high heat and line a plate with paper towels.

Once the oil is nice and hot, you can add the rolled dough to the hot oil and cook it for 1 minute per side or until it's nice and golden brown and crispy. If the oil seems too hot, you can turn the heat down to medium heat in between batches.

Now, depending on the size of your skillet, you may be able to fry 1-2 pieces of dough at a time. But with that said, be careful not to crowd the skillet as it'll lower the temperature of the oil, and the elephant ears won't' fry evenly.

Step 3: Serve The Elephant Ears

As soon as you fry each elephant ear to perfection, you can transfer it to the plate lined with paper towels to drain the excess oil.

When you're done frying the dough, you can sprinkle the fried elephant ears with the cinnamon sugar mixture and serve them warm. Enjoy!

Recipe Variations To Try

You might be wondering, can I coat these elephant ears with something other than cinnamon sugar? And the answer is—absolutely! One of the best things about this elephant ears recipe is how versatile it is. There are endless ways to top this crispy fried dough, from classic to untraditional and creative. Here are some of my favorite variations you have to try:

• Powdered Sugar: For a true carnival-style treat, dust your elephant ears generously with powdered sugar, just like funnel cake.
• Honey or Maple Syrup: Drizzle warm honey or maple syrup over the fried dough for a sticky, sweet finish.
• Chocolate Drizzle: Melt chocolate chips and drizzle over the top, or go all out with a spread of Nutella for an extra decadent twist.
• Fruit & Whipped Cream: Top with fresh strawberries, blueberries, or bananas and a dollop of whipped cream for a lighter, fresher version.
• Savory Spin: Skip the sugar and brush with garlic butter, then sprinkle with Parmesan and herbs—like a fair food take on garlic bread.

How To Store Elephant Ears Food

• At room temperature: Store the leftover elephant ears food in an airtight container and store for up to 2 days. 
• In the fridge: Wrap the elephant ears food in plastic wrap and store them in a ziploc bag or put them in an airtight container. Store in the fridge for up to a week.
• In the freezer: Transfer to a freezer-safe bag and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. 
• Reheating: Wrap the elephant ear food in aluminum foil and place it on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Heat in the oven at 350°F for about 10 minutes. Thaw the frozen dough at room temperature before reheating.

Elephant Ears Recipe FAQS

What are elephant ears?

Elephant ears are a type of fried dough dessert that you’ll often find at state fairs, carnivals, and theme parks. They’re made with simple pantry ingredients—flour, sugar, butter, baking powder, and milk—rolled out into thin discs, fried until golden brown, and coated in cinnamon sugar or powdered sugar. Their large, round shape resembles an elephant’s ear, which is how they got their name.

Can I bake elephant ears instead of frying?

Yes, but they won’t be quite the same. Baking will make them lighter and less crispy, closer to a flat pastry than a fried dough. To try it, brush the rolled-out dough with butter, sprinkle with cinnamon sugar, and bake at 400°F for 10–12 minutes until golden.

Can I make this ahead of time?

Fried foods like elephant ears always taste best fresh, when they’re hot and crispy. That said, you can make them ahead of time if needed. Let them cool completely, then store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. To reheat, place in a 350°F oven for 5–7 minutes to bring back some of the crispness. Avoid the microwave, which will make them soft and chewy.

Are elephant ears and funnel cakes the same thing?

The dough is very similar but formed into a different shape. Funnel cakes are made by pouring the batter into a piping bag, then frying them in a stringy, circular pattern. An elephant ear, on the other hand, is made up of dough that is rolled into a thin flat round disc. 

Are elephant ears and fried dough the same thing?

Elephant ears and fried dough are made with all of the same ingredients, but elephant ears food dough is rolled out into a thin disk, and the fried dough is not typically rolled out. Also, fried dough traditionally has powdered sugar on top, and elephant ears food has cinnamon and sugar.

Where do elephant ears food come from?

Elephant ears food was created in America, inspired by the fry bread of Native Americans. The Navajo tribe invented fry bread in the southwestern United States in 1864 using flour, sugar, salt, and lard that was given to them by the government. Elephant ears food was adapted from that original creation. 

Wrapping It Up

Well, that's how to make elephant ears food that tastes like it came straight from the fair!

Seriously, this easy elephant ears recipe couldn't be closer to the ones right off the food trucks. It's just so crispy and golden brown on the outside, yet soft and fluffy on the inside. Each bite melts in your mouth, and the combination of textures leaves you craving more and more. 

So I hope you enjoy this elephant ears recipe as much as I do. If you give it a try, be sure to leave a comment and review below and tell me all about it!

More Dessert Recipes To Try

If this elephant ear food recipe has you craving even more easy dessert recipes, we have a ton on the blog that you can try next!

Here are some reader favorites:

• Coffee cake
• Fried ice cream
• Fried cheesecake
• Oreo balls
• Oreo cupcakes
• Small batch sugar cookies
• Churro cheesecake bars

Oh, and makes sure to follow us on Youtube, TikTok, and Instagram for some delicious dessert recipes too!