My local state fair calls these “tiger ears” for some reason, but they’re known as “elephant ears” nearly everywhere else. Really, they’re very similar to the “Indian fry bread” I used to get in Arizona and the sopaipillas I’ve occasionally come across in Mexican restaurants. It’s really just fried bread dough.

At least once a year (usually in the fall, at fair time) I get a craving for them, but it’s just not worth the price or effort to go to the fair anymore. So I make my own now, and they usually turn out better than the ones I got there anyway. The dough is salty, which makes a wonderful counterpoint to the cinnamon sugar coating, and the addition of melted butter makes them absolutely decadent.

They store well at room temperature in a plastic bag for a few days (just cool them completely first), and 20 seconds in the microwave brings one back to nearly as good as fresh.

Ingredients

  • 2 teaspoons active dry yeast
  • 1 cup warm water (110°F)
  • 1 cup warm milk (110°F)
  • 3 tablespoons sugar
  • 1 tablespoon salt
  • 3 tablespoons shortening
  • 4 to 4-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • About 2 quarts of oil for deep-fat frying

Coating

  • 1/4 cup butter, melted
  • 1/2 cup light brown sugar
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1-1/2 tablespoons ground cinnamon

Directions

  1. In stand mixer bowl, dissolve yeast in water. Add milk, sugar, salt, shortening, and 2 cups flour; using paddle attachment, beat until smooth. Cover bowl and let sponge for 30–60 minutes.
  2. Fit mixer with kneading hook, and add flour until dough forms a soft ball and pulls away from the bowl. Knead until smooth and elastic (about 6–8 minutes).
  3. Place in a greased bowl, flipping once to grease both sides. Cover and let rise in a warm location until doubled (about 1 hour).
  4. Punch down dough and divide into 16 even balls. Place balls on baking sheet and cover to avoid drying out.
  5. Prepare the coating by sifting together the brown sugar, granulated sugar, and ground cinnamon into a shallow bowl.
  6. Heat oil in large, heavy-bottomed pot to 375°F. Roll individual dough ball as thinly as possible (roughly 6-inch diameter and 1/8-inch thick) on unfloured surface, and then carefully transfer to hot oil. Fry until deep brown on underside, then flip with tongs and repeat on the other side. Drain and place on cooling rack lined with paper towels.
  7. Immediately use pastry brush to baste with melted butter, then sprinkle generously with cinnamon sugar. Flip the elephant ear and repeat.
  8. Repeat for each dough ball.
  9. Serve immediately.