Description
A Canadian carnival favorite—these golden, deep-fried pastries are hand-stretched into beaver tail shapes, then dusted in a warm cinnamon sugar coating. Crispy on the outside, soft on the inside, and totally irresistible.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 1/2 cup warm water (110°F/45°C)
- 2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast (1 packet)
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup warm milk
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 1/2 – 3 cups all-purpose flour
- Vegetable oil, for frying
- For cinnamon sugar coating:
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
Instructions
- In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water with a pinch of sugar. Let sit for 5–10 minutes until foamy.
- Add warm milk, melted butter, sugar, salt, and vanilla. Mix in 2 1/2 cups flour and knead until a soft, slightly sticky dough forms. Add more flour if needed.
- Cover bowl with a towel and let dough rise for 1 hour, or until doubled in size.
- Punch down dough and divide into 8 equal portions. Roll each piece into a thin oval (about 1/4-inch thick) to resemble a beaver tail.
- Heat oil in a deep skillet to 350°F (175°C). Fry each dough piece 1–2 minutes per side, or until golden brown. Drain on paper towels.
- While still warm, coat each piece in a cinnamon sugar mixture.
- Serve warm as-is or with toppings like Nutella, lemon sugar, or maple butter.
Notes
- Ensure oil stays at consistent temperature to avoid greasy or undercooked pastries.
- Dough can be made ahead and refrigerated overnight—bring to room temp before frying.
- Experiment with toppings like chocolate spread, whipped cream, or fresh fruit.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Fried
- Cuisine: Canadian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 beaver tail
- Calories: 290
- Sugar: 10g
- Sodium: 120mg
- Fat: 14g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 36g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 5g
- Cholesterol: 20mg
