County Fair Elephant Ears

Rating: 4.55 stars
11 Ratings
  • 5 star values: 8
  • 4 star values: 2
  • 3 star values: 0
  • 2 star values: 1
  • 1 star values: 0

Light, pastry-like cookies.

By B. Hanson

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Recipe Summary

Servings:
6
Yield:
1 dozen
Nutrition Info
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Ingredients

6
Original recipe yields 6 servings
The ingredient list now reflects the servings specified

Directions

  • Mix flour, sugar and salt. Cut in butter, as for pastry.

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  • Soften yeast in water. Combine milk, egg yolk and softened yeast. Add to flour mixture and mix well.

  • Cover dough and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

  • Place dough on a lightly floured cutting board and knead lightly. Cover with a cloth and allow to rest for 10 minutes.

  • Roll dough into a rectangle, 10x18 inches, and brush with soft butter. Mix 1/2 cup sugar and 2 teaspoons cinnamon and sprinkle evenly over dough. Roll as for jelly roll, sealing the edge. The roll should be 18 inches long.

  • Cut dough into 1-inch slices.

  • Mix remaining sugar and cinnamon on a large square of waxed paper or aluminum foil. Place slices, one at a time, on sugar mixture and roll into 5-inch balls.

  • Sprinkle nuts on top and press gently.

  • Place dough on ungreased cookie sheets, brush with melted butter and sprinkle with about 1 teaspoon of the sugar-cinnamon mixture.

  • Bake immediately in a preheated 400 degree oven about 12 minutes. Cool on wire racks.

Nutrition Facts

Per Serving:
717 calories; protein 6.9g; carbohydrates 104.8g; fat 31.7g; cholesterol 107mg; sodium 396.2mg. Full Nutrition
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Reviews (9)

Read More Reviews

Most helpful positive review

lohroffe
Rating: 5 stars
08/08/2005
I'm not sure what county fair this is from, but this rolled variety is not what's served at midwestern county fairs. Our elephant ears are plate-sized deep-fried lumps of dough sprinkled with cinnamon sugar. Read More
Helpful
(46)

Most helpful critical review

Haynay
Rating: 2 stars
12/07/2010
Not a bad recipe but tasted like shortbread cookies. Not at all county fair elephant ears that I have had. I'm not sure if they would even work fried because they just don't have the right taste. Read More
Helpful
(4)
11 Ratings
  • 5 star values: 8
  • 4 star values: 2
  • 3 star values: 0
  • 2 star values: 1
  • 1 star values: 0
Reviews:
Most Helpful Most Positive Least Positive Newest
lohroffe
Rating: 5 stars
08/08/2005
I'm not sure what county fair this is from, but this rolled variety is not what's served at midwestern county fairs. Our elephant ears are plate-sized deep-fried lumps of dough sprinkled with cinnamon sugar. Read More
Helpful
(46)
pennycandy
Rating: 4 stars
04/12/2008
it's just what i was looking for but didn't have time to refridgerate for 2 hours following another review i left out the yeast egg and water and used buttermilk in place of scolded milk and reduced baking time down to 5 minutes as mine were rolled very thin. will definatly make again and again. Read More
Helpful
(12)
Rachel
Rating: 5 stars
08/11/2003
I skip the egg yeast and walnuts. Yummy! Read More
Helpful
(10)
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REBEKAHMO
Rating: 4 stars
09/03/2010
Taste: Delicious. Mess in kitchen: substantial. So basically what you're doing is making cinnamon rolls but instead of leaving them as rolls you smash each roll into a large flat circle sprinkle with cinnamon sugar and bake like a cookie. A few notes about the recipe: 1. When it says a "lightly floured surface" - read that to mean dump at least 1/2 cup of flour on there because this dough is so sticky. I had to knead a lot more flour into it to make it work at all. 2. I found it easier to just smash the rolls into circles with my hands rather than using a rolling pin (and faster too). 3. MOST IMPORTANT OF ALL.....The whole bit about ungreased cookie sheets - DON'T do it. Use parchment paper. Seriously. I could barely chisel some of these off and one of my cookie sheets will never be the same. 4. Mine were done in 10 minutes. Altogether a very tasty treat that my children are already begging for me to bake again. Read More
Helpful
(8)
MIGGIE200
Rating: 5 stars
05/22/2005
I have made this recipe several times. It's better than a danish pastry. Light and tender. Read More
Helpful
(6)
Haynay
Rating: 2 stars
12/07/2010
Not a bad recipe but tasted like shortbread cookies. Not at all county fair elephant ears that I have had. I'm not sure if they would even work fried because they just don't have the right taste. Read More
Helpful
(4)
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beannay
Rating: 5 stars
05/03/2007
My daughters 5 and 6 helped me make these for out youth group. They were easy to make and all of the kids love them. Thanks will make again have to the kids are asking for them already! Read More
Helpful
(3)
CORLA
Rating: 5 stars
10/12/2008
I made these for my oldest son and he loved them. How wonderful not to have to wait until fair time! Read More
Helpful
(3)
Charlu
Rating: 5 stars
01/29/2013
I have been making this recipe for years and except for refrigerating the dough after step #4 and again after step #5 (makes it much easier to handle) and using parchment make them as written and they're absolutely delicious. I don't know or care whether or not they're "county fair" but they're pretty close to those made by the small local bakery of my childhood. My family loves them. And skipping any of the ingredients makes this a different recipe. Read More
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