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    Home » Recipes » Desserts

    Cinnamon Sugar Beaver Tails

    Published by Rodney on March 19, 2017 - Jump to Recipe - 51 Comments

    A great pastry from my childhood. These beavertails were a must have growing up in Ottawa, Canada and going skating on the Rideau Canal.
    Cinnamon Sugar Beaver Tails

    Cinnamon Sugar Beaver Tails? What the heck is that and what is it doing on my Food blog?

    Well because Canadian Beaver Tails are a popular pastry (basically fried dough coated in cinnamon sugar) from my birthplace of Ottawa, Canada (home of the NHL Hockey Team the Ottawa Senators).

    They are so good that I think everyone needs to try a beaver tail once in their lifetime.

    Cinnamon Sugar Beaver Tails

    Growing up in Ottawa, I spent many hours skating on the world's longest skating rink, the Rideau Canal.

    They used to have these little huts on the world's longest outdoor skating rink that sold coffee, hot apple cider, and beaver tails!

    What I remember from my younger days is that beavertails were a yummy pastry that you could get with different toppings like jam, sugar and cinnamon or garlic and cheese.

    Apparently, it's now big business. But why bother when you can make your own at home with simple ingredients?

    💭 Deep Frying Oils

    When it comes to Deep Frying food you want to choose an oil that has a high smoke point and neutral in flavor so it won't affect the flavor of whatever you are frying. Vegetable Oil, Corn Oil, Canola Oil and Peanut Oil are some of the more popular and affordable options.

    When I started writing my Recipe Book and launching this food blog, I was on a mission to find an authentic Beaver Tail recipe.

    After experimenting with different techniques, this is the recipe that I believe is the closest to the beavertails I had 40 yrs ago. So whether you spell it beaver tails or beavertails, this is one pastry recipe you will not want to miss!

    💭 Ingredient Substitution

    I often used Canola Oil when I am deep frying but you can use whatever type of oil you have on hand as long as it has a neutral flavor. Vegetable Oil is fine as well as Peanut Oil except the latter is usually more expensive. I like to buy my oil in bulk at Costco.

    Cinnamon Sugar Beaver Tails

    By the way, have you tried one of the most popular recipes on this blog yet? Then you must try my Cinnamon Donut Bread recipe. Similar to this beaver tail recipe in that they are both cinnamon sugar-coated.

    Looking for another delicious pastry dessert you can make in the comfort of your own kitchen? Then check out my Awesome Baklava recipe.

    While you are here I suggest you check out all my other delicious Canadian Recipes. Some of the recipes are new while others are well over 50 years old but they all originated in Canada.

    For more great recipes with Active Dry Yeast, I suggest you check these recipes out:

    • whole wheat skillet bread
      Whole Wheat No-Knead Skillet Bread
    • Gluten Free Pizza Dough
      Gluten Free Pizza Dough
    • Homemade Sesame Hamburger Buns
      Homemade Sesame Hamburger Buns
    • pretzel buns
      Easy Pretzel Buns

    📋 Gather your Ingredients

    You will need the following ingredients for this Cinnamon Sugar Beaver Tails recipe (see recipe card for quantities): Active Yeast, White Sugar, Milk, White Sugar, Salt, Vanilla Extract, Eggs, Canola Oil, All Purpose Flour, Corn Oil, White Sugar and Ground Cinnamon.

    🥣 How to Make Cinnamon Sugar Beaver Tails

    MAKE THE DOUGH
    In a large bowl, mix the yeast, warm water, and ¼ teaspoon of sugar. Allow the water mixture to stand for a couple of minutes to allow the yeast to swell and dissolve. Depending on various factors (temperature, humidity, etc.) this could take as long as 10 minutes.
    Add the ⅓ Cup of sugar, milk, vanilla, eggs, oil, salt, and most of the flour to the yeast mixture. Knead for 5 to 8 minutes using a dough hook, adding flour as needed to form a firm smooth, elastic dough.
    Place dough in a lightly greased bowl. Place a warm towel on top of the bowl and "seal". If you are not going to use the dough right away, you can refrigerate the dough at this point. Let rise for about 30 to 40 minutes.
    Gently deflate the dough. (If the dough is coming out of the fridge, allow to warm up for about 40 minutes before proceeding).

    MAKE THE BEAVER TAILS
    Pinch off a golf ball-sized piece of dough. Roll out onto a floured surface into an oval and let rest, covered with a tea towel, while you are preparing the remaining dough.
    Heat about 4 inches of corn oil in the fryer (or whatever you usually use for frying). The temperature of the oil should be about 385°F.
    Stretch the ovals into a tail shape, like a beaver's tail, thinning them out and enlarging them as you do. Add the dough pieces to the hot oil one at a time.
    Turn the beaver tail once to fry until both sides are a deep brown. Lift the beaver tails out with tongs and drain on paper towels.
    Fill a large bowl with a few cups of white sugar and cinnamon. Toss the beaver tails in the sugar mixture, coating both sides and then shake off the excess.

    📖 Recipe

    Cinnamon Sugar Beaver Tails

    Cinnamon Sugar Beaver Tails

    A great pastry from my childhood. These beavertails were a must have growing up in Ottawa, Canada and going skating on the Rideau Canal.
    4.53 from 157 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Text Recipe Rate Recipe
    Prep TimePrep Time 2 hours hrs
    Total TimeTotal Time 2 hours hrs 30 minutes mins
    Course Dessert
    Cuisine Canadian
    Author Rodney
    Servings 25
    Calories 141 kcal

    Ingredients
     

    • ½ Cup Water, warm
    • 5 teaspoon Active Dry Yeast
    • ¼ teaspoon White Sugar
    • 1 Cup Warm Milk
    • ⅓ Cup White Sugar
    • 1 ½ teaspoon Salt
    • 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
    • 2 Eggs
    • ⅓ Cup Canola Oil
    • 5 Cups All Purpose Flour
    • Corn Oil
    • White Sugar
    • Ground Cinnamon

    Instructions
     

    • In a large bowl, mix the yeast, warm water and ¼ teaspoon of sugar. Allow to stand a couple of minutes to allow yeast to swell and dissolve. Depending on various factors (temperature, humidity, etc.) this could take as long as 10 minutes.
    • Add the ⅓ Cup of sugar, milk, vanilla, eggs, oil, salt, and most of the flour to the yeast mixture. Knead for 5 to 8 minutes using a dough hook, adding flour as needed to form a firm smooth, elastic dough.
    • Place dough in a lightly greased bowl. Place warm towel on top of bowl and "seal". If you are not going to use the dough right away, you can refrigerate the dough at this point. Let rise for about 30 to 40 minutes.
    • Gently deflate dough. (If dough is coming out of the fridge, allow to warm up for about 40 minutes before proceeding).
    • Pinch off a golf ball sized piece of dough. Roll out onto a floored surface into an oval and let rest, covered with a tea towel, while you are preparing the remaining dough.
    • Heat about 4 inches of corn oil in fryer (or whatever you usually use for frying). Temperature of the oil should be about 385 degrees.
    • Stretch the ovals into a tail shape, like a beavers tail, thinning them out and enlarging them as you do. Add the dough pieces to the hot oil one at a time.
    • Turn the beaver tail once to fry until both sides are deep brown. Lift the beaver tails out with tongs and drain on paper towels.
    • Fill a large bowl with a few cups of white sugar and cinnamon. Toss the beaver tails in the sugar mixture, coating both sides and then shake off the excess.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 141kcalCarbohydrates: 22gProtein: 3gFat: 3gCholesterol: 14mgSodium: 149mgPotassium: 52mgSugar: 3gVitamin A: 35IUCalcium: 17mgIron: 1.2mg

    Nutritional information provided for this recipe is based on 1 serving. This information is an estimate and may vary based on several factors. If nutritional information is important to you and your diet, please verify this recipe with a Registered Dietitian.

    Tried this Recipe?Leave a Comment below and share a picture on Instagram and tag @hot_rods_recipes and hashtag #hotrodsrecipes!

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Cassandra

      March 16, 2020 at 3:52 am

      Delicious! 😀

      Reply
      • paige

        November 16, 2021 at 6:28 pm

        amazing

        Reply
      • Carole

        July 01, 2022 at 6:26 am

        I also make these and sometimes coat with powered sugar, regular sugar and cinnamon and sugar together yummy

        Reply
    2. Michelle

      April 04, 2020 at 4:17 pm

      Just made these for my family of 5. They were so delicious and easy. We sent some to neighbours and they agreed that they were yummy!!!

      Reply
      • Liza

        July 02, 2022 at 5:28 am

        Made these for our friends Canada Day Party. Tasted just like Toronto😂 They were a huge hit!! I shared this recipe with everyone who asked. Thank you!!

        Reply
    3. Obito

      April 22, 2020 at 12:12 pm

      Looks good enough....
      I'll try it with a couple of people later

      Reply
      • Chef Rodney

        April 24, 2020 at 12:45 pm

        They are delicious!

        Reply
      • Sarah

        February 19, 2021 at 10:24 am

        These look delicious! Have you tried shaping them and then refrigerating them for later? I’d like to have them ready in advance so that I can take them somewhere else to cook. Thanks!

        Reply
    4. Richard Shushack

      June 10, 2020 at 12:46 pm

      The sugar beaver tails... WOW WOW.. WOW..EASY TO MAKE AND THEY GO WITH SO MANY DIFFERENT TOPPINGS ... CHEF RICHARD...

      Reply
      • Chef Rodney

        June 10, 2020 at 7:15 pm

        Yes these Cinnamon Sugar Beaver Tails are Awesome!

        Reply
        • Isela

          January 12, 2022 at 3:04 pm

          WOW!! They really are delicious

          Reply
    5. Brandi

      August 16, 2020 at 7:31 pm

      I love these and can eat EVER LAST ONE OF THEM.

      Reply
    6. Inga Calvert

      November 20, 2020 at 5:28 pm

      OMG! I made these today and they are amazing! Made so many I had to share with the neighbours 😄 Thank you so much for this recipe!

      Reply
    7. A Chef

      December 04, 2020 at 2:53 pm

      LOVE them!!!!!!!!!!! Thanks for posting!!!!!

      Reply
    8. Ell

      December 10, 2020 at 9:50 pm

      I made this for my family of 5 and we finished the 25 serving recipe in one night! We added a bit of our own toppings to give it a bit more of a punch. But overall this was a really amazing recipe for beaver tails!!!

      Reply
    9. michelle s

      February 01, 2021 at 10:27 am

      North Bay - Jan 2021- Since we can't get to the Canal in Ottawa because of lockdown, we decided to try making these at home. What a success!! The recipe made 30 tails for us, and we used half for a savoury dinner with different dips like southwest ranch, dill and garlic hummus. Then we had the rest for dessert with cinnamon sugar & lemon, nutella and dulce de leche toppings. Thanks for perfecting this recipe - we will be making it again!

      Reply
    10. oscar schneider

      February 05, 2021 at 1:58 pm

      Why do we have to pinch off a golf-ball size piece?

      Reply
      • Chef Rodney

        February 06, 2021 at 3:46 pm

        That size piece of dough, once flattened, will yield about the exact size of authentic beaver tails. Feel free to use whatever size you want.

        Reply
    11. Ray

      February 11, 2021 at 4:18 pm

      So happy I found this recipe since you can't get BeaverTails out west. I ended up using closer to 6 cups of flour, but these taste just like the real thing! My favourite topping is cinnamon sugar with lemon 🙂

      Reply
    12. Lisa

      April 22, 2021 at 8:52 am

      Absolutely delicious! Turned out very yummy!
      The only thing is I used vegetable oil instead, no difference.
      Thanks for the recipe!!!

      Reply
      • Chef Rodney

        April 22, 2021 at 9:06 am

        Glad you enjoyed the recipe. Yes you can use pretty much any type of oil that is suitable for deep frying. Vegetable oil or even peanut oil will work. Mind you peanut oil is a little more expensive!

        Reply
    13. Eileen Mills

      May 28, 2021 at 4:56 pm

      They were fantastic and I loved your recipe but the recipe makes too many. Can I shape the beavertails then freeze them and deep fry them from frozen?

      Reply
      • Chef Rodney

        May 28, 2021 at 6:36 pm

        While I have never had to freeze the dough, I don't see why not. Just make sure it's airtight. I would then suggest letting the dough come to room temperature before deep frying. If you do try it I would love to get your feedback on this. Enjoy!

        Reply
    14. Jenny

      July 01, 2021 at 1:59 pm

      Just made these for my family today to celebrate Canada day. Topped with cinnamon sugar and served with a squeeze of fresh lemon. I halved the recipe, then only prepared half of that as we are a family of 4. A quarter of this recipe made me 6 moderately large beavertails (a bit smaller than what you'd get at the beavertail shack.) I froze the other half of the dough for another time. I fried the tails in my 12" cast iron skillet on medium heat. This recipe was easy and delicious!

      Reply
    15. adorabullgirl

      July 19, 2021 at 1:15 pm

      I would give this recipe ten stars if I could!
      I had a craving for some elephant ears so I went to google and searched recipes for inspo. I found a few but under the ratings were a band of comments from Canadians declaring how elephant ears are actually called "beaver tails"
      Hmmm? Beaver Tails? I am USA-based and never heard of the term but was open to the idea.
      A few more searches revealed the recipe for beaver tails was nearly identical to that of elephant ears except for the addition of eggs.
      I noted the difference and decided to cook both recipes. I told myself "why not?" There is no such thing as too much dessert. I prepared the elephant ear recipe and the beaver tail recipe by Chef Rodney and let them both rest, then proceeded to fry them. I did the elephant ears first. They were hot and fresh (used powdered sugar on top) and it was good. No complaints.
      I cleaned up the mess and proceeded to try Chef Rodney's beaver tails. How much of a difference could 2 eggs make?
      MY OH MY! What a difference. The dough was flaky, FLUFFY, moist, and decadent. I was transported back to the South Florida Youth Fair that came every Fall. Powdered sugar trickled down my chin, painting my black shirt and blue jeans. I felt like a little kid again. DELICIOUS.
      I printed this recipe and cut it out to save in my kitchen cookbook.
      Maybe you Canadians are onto something Eh?
      Bravo Chef Rodney and thank you for the delicious recipe!

      Reply
      • Chef Rodney

        July 25, 2021 at 5:22 pm

        Thank you for the feedback! Good to know what the difference is between elephant ears and beavertails. I think I had my first beaver tail over 40 yrs ago. A keeper for sure!

        Reply
    16. Robin McLeod

      September 06, 2021 at 5:16 pm

      Before I try them, can you cook these in an air fryer? If so, what temperature should be used?

      Reply
      • Chef Rodney

        September 07, 2021 at 10:56 am

        I have not made beaver tails in my air fryer yet. When I do I will update this post.

        Reply
        • Dawn

          February 06, 2022 at 4:47 am

          I haven’t made them yet, just wondered if anyone has tried them using an air fryer yet. I’m thinking about giving them a try today.

          Reply
    17. Gisele Desmarais

      October 16, 2021 at 11:29 am

      I’m from up northern Ontario (Val Gagne) beaver tails are a great delicacy during the VG carnival. I made this receipt the other day for my family it was a great hit.

      Reply
    18. Connie Cassidy

      October 24, 2021 at 7:09 pm

      4" of oil? What is done after you make this recipe? Can you save the oil? I cook pretty much all our meals, but I never deep fry, so I'm clueless about it. Do you discard all this oil after one use? It seems like such a waste...? Thanks for any insight!!

      Reply
      • Chef Rodney

        October 25, 2021 at 10:18 am

        how much oil you use depends on the size of the fryer you are going to use. Since you don't deep fry often you may want to discard the used oil but if you decided to keep it I would suggest straining it to remove any impurities and store it in a jar.

        Reply
        • Connie Cassidy

          October 27, 2021 at 6:32 pm

          Thank you!

          Reply
    19. Debra

      November 03, 2021 at 4:30 pm

      Crazy good!

      Reply
      • Rita

        June 13, 2022 at 1:09 pm

        I was lucky to have one of these at a pastry shoppe in downtown BANFF, ALBERTS. This was the only thing they sold. They displayed all the many toppings, etc you can chose from. Like an Ice Cream shoppe does. I chose chocolate and bananas 🍌. OMG. I have never had a dessert so wonderful! Thought about opening a pastry shoppe in TEXAS just like it. Never got around to it.......If I did you'd be reading the post/review of a BILLIONAIRE 💰🤑for sure!🤪😘❤️💕

        Reply
    20. Martin

      January 01, 2022 at 9:51 am

      So good! I’ve never made any type of doe in my life and the other day for New Year’s Eve I decided to give it a try. My wife and friends loved them so I’ve decided to make them for my next family gathering. My question is would be able to premake them and keep them in the fridge till the next day before I fry them? Does the doe keep rising in the fridge?

      Reply
      • Chef Rodney

        January 02, 2022 at 10:21 am

        Glad you liked them. I don't see any issues keeping the dough in the fridge overnight. Just make sure you keep it airtight.

        Reply
    21. samee

      May 22, 2022 at 9:35 am

      Hi~ I was wondering if anyone has tried to make this recipe for the air fryer? And if so, then at what settings?

      Reply
    22. Priscilla

      May 30, 2022 at 11:37 am

      I love this recipe. First time I've ever made homemade beaver tails.
      Thank you

      Reply
    23. Joyce lewisjmt8741@gmai?.com

      June 06, 2022 at 8:18 am

      Very good! Will be making these again. How long do the stay fresh? In the fridge? Thanks

      Reply
    24. Berbara Fariesh

      June 11, 2022 at 3:51 am

      This was amazing! I made this with my grandma. This was so useful for a beginner like me, thank you!

      Reply
    25. Gabrielle

      July 20, 2022 at 4:44 pm

      Just wondering if these could be done in the air fryer or oven? Yes, I know the deep fried ones taste sooooo good, but for those of us who are trying to eat a little healthier....

      Reply
    26. Estela

      September 29, 2022 at 3:48 pm

      I recently visited Eastern Canada and our tour guide offered beaver tails to taste. I loved them! I went looking in Amazon to buy some but obviously they are not shipped abroad. So…
      Im glad I saw your recipe and will make it soon.
      Thank you!

      Reply
    27. Kati

      September 30, 2022 at 9:41 am

      I also grew up skating in Rideau canal eating these! This recipe was amazing!! And so easy my 5 year old was able to help me (don’t ask what my kitchen looks like though!!)
      We will definitely do this again 🙂

      Reply
    28. Maria leonor

      October 03, 2022 at 8:13 am

      Saludos desde ESPAÑA, Por favor me gustaria saber la receta en gramos, seria tan amable? Se ve deliciosa y me apetece hacerla. GRACIAS!!!

      Reply
    29. Linh

      February 01, 2023 at 10:54 am

      It was great! Very spread-out, though. I loved the BeaverTails, and would absoloutly do this again!

      Reply
      • Chef Rodney

        February 06, 2023 at 3:01 pm

        Glad you liked it! A favorite of ours.

        Reply
    30. jerry

      April 16, 2023 at 1:53 pm

      My mother made similar... called them doe jacks, was so happy to try them and make them... went back 30 yrs since I had them last. Thanks!!! Came out perfect!

      Reply
    31. Genevieve

      July 23, 2023 at 2:07 pm

      Love this recipe! I tried both methods and highly recommend deep frying over air frying. Air frying left the dough with a dry, almost flaky consistency. Deep frying is the best and reminds me of my wonderful days in Canada.
      I made half the dough and will try freezing the rest.
      Does using vegetable oil versus corn oil alter the taste? Asking for health reasons. 🙂

      Reply
    32. K.

      November 03, 2023 at 8:58 pm

      Where I’m from, this is called fry bread and they’re sold as Indian tacos with taco toppings on them, both are delicious. Great recipe.

      Reply
      • Rodney

        November 04, 2023 at 10:54 am

        Very similar indeed but Beaver Tails use a yeasted dough while Fry Bread typically does not. Here is our recipe for Fry Bread: https://www.hotrodsrecipes.com/navajo-tacos/

        Reply

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