These homemade Beaver Tails are crisp on the outside and soft and fluffy on the inside. They're made from a yeasted dough fried to golden-brown perfection and then coated in an irresistible cinnamon sugar topping.
Can't get enough of fried Canadian pastries? Check out my Timbits recipe!
This copycat Beaver Tails recipe is the real deal. Aside from a short proofing time, they take less than 15 minutes to make! They taste delicious, like the ones you get at the county fair!
In this recipe, I'll show you how to make your own pastry dough, but if you're short on time or don't want to, you can also use store-bought pizza dough for equally delicious results.
⭐ My Copycat Guarantee
I will only post a copycat recipe if I believe it to be the same or better than the original.
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🥖 What are BeaverTails?
Beaver Tails are an iconic Canadian fried dough invented in 1978 by Pam and Grant Hooker. Beaver Tails have become a cultural symbol of Canada. You'll find them at outdoor events, fairs, franchises, and even ski resorts.
Canadian Beaver Tails are made from a dough consisting of flour, water, salt, sugar, and yeast. They're shaped into flat doughnuts resembling beaver tails and then fried until golden brown and crispy.
❓Do Beaver Tails contain milk and eggs?
The short answer is No. According to BeaverTails' website, their classic beaver tail recipe contains no dairy or egg products. You'll notice that the top 20 search results for Beaver Tail recipes all include milk or egg - but real beaver tails do not use them.
My recipe is the real deal. It's authentic and true to the taste of a real beaver tail.
I've tried making Beaver Tail recipes with milk and eggs, and the texture isn't right. The milk and eggs make the Beaver Tail dense and cake-like, whereas it should be light and airy, like pizza dough.
🧂 Ingredients
- Flour - This recipe was tested using unbleached all-purpose flour, but bleached will also work fine.
- Water - Ensure the water is lukewarm (between 100-110°F) to ensure the yeast can grow steadily without being killed off.
- Yeast - This recipe calls for instant yeast. You can also use active yeast, but you'll need to activate it in water. I prefer instant yeast because it doesn't need to be activated, and you can mix it directly with the dry ingredients.
- Sugar - We add a small amount of sugar for flavor and to help with browning in the fryer.
- Salt - Added at a 2% concentration to flavor the dough without being salty.
- Butter - Makes the finished dough softer and fluffier.
- Cinnamon - Grind your own cinnamon sticks in a spice grinder for the most aromatic flavor. Otherwise, pre-ground cinnamon works just fine.
🔪 Instructions
Step 1. Make dough
Combine flour, sugar, salt, and instant yeast in a large bowl. Pour in water and melted butter and mix until a shaggy dough forms.
Transfer dough to a floured work surface and knead for two minutes until smooth. You may need to add up to two tablespoons of flour if the dough is too sticky.
Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl and cover it with saran wrap. Allow it to proof for one hour or until doubled in size.
💡 Proofing Time
Proofing time depends heavily on your home's ambient temperature. If it's the summer, you might only need 30 minutes. But if it's the winter, you might need much longer - maybe 90 minutes.
Step 2. Make Cinnamon Sugar
Combine cinnamon and sugar in a large, flat-bottomed container and mix well.
Step 3. Shape Beaver Tails
Pinch off a tennis ball-sized amount of dough and stretch it into the shape of a beaver tail using your hands or a rolling pin. Set aside and repeat with the remaining dough. Try to make each dough about the same size so they cook evenly in the next step.
Step 4. Deep Fry
Heat 1 inch of oil to 350°F in a Dutch oven, high-walled pot, or wok. Fry 1-2 beaver tails at a time for 2-3 minutes on each side until golden brown.
Use a metal spider to remove them from the oil, then immediately coat both sides with cinnamon sugar. Transfer to a wire rack and serve immediately. Enjoy!
📋 Note
If you aren't going to eat these right away, don't sprinkle them with cinnamon sugar. The cinnamon sugar will draw moisture from the dough as the Beavertails sit, causing them to dry out within a day. Instead, sprinkle sugar on them just before eating.
💭 Top Tips
- Proof the dough in an oven with the light on if you're baking in the winter and your home is cold. The oven temperature will provide the perfect conditions for the dough to rise.
- Make each Beavertail the same thickness so they cook evenly in the fryer.
- Make sure the oil is at the right temperature before frying! The ideal temperature is around 350°F. Use an instant-read thermometer to monitor the temperature.
- Immediately coat the beaver tails after frying so that the cinnamon sugar sticks to the Beaver Tails. If you wait too long, the cinnamon sugar will not stick properly.
👩🏻🍳 Substitutions
- Pizza Dough - If you don't want to make your own dough, you can use store-bought pizza dough. I tried it, and it tastes pretty close! Homemade dough has a better texture, though.
- Baking powder - If you don't have yeast, substitute it with 1 teaspoon of baking powder and skip the step to proof the dough.
- Whole wheat flour - For a healthier option, substitute half of the all-purpose flour with whole wheat flour.
👨🏻🍳 Variations
- Nutella - Spread on a small amount of Nutella or your favorite hazelnut chocolate spread for a flavor explosion!
- Bananarama - Spread on a small amount of Nutella or your favorite hazelnut chocolate, then top with sliced bananas. Yum!
- Garlic parmesan - Melt a ½ cup of butter, 1 tablespoon of minced garlic, ½ teaspoon garlic salt, ½ teaspoon of black pepper, and ½ teaspoon of dried oregano in a small saucepan and cook on medium-low heat for 3 minutes. Drizzle on top of the Beaver Tails and then sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
- Honey butter - Brush Beaver Tails with melted butter and drizzle on honey.
🥡 Storage & Leftovers
Storing: Beaver Tails are best eaten fresh since they dry out relatively quickly. However, you can store leftovers in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Don't sprinkle sugar on them before storage, as the sugar dries out the dough.
Reheating: Reheat leftovers by baking for 5-7 minutes at 325℉ until heated through. If you have an air fryer, pop them in at 350℉ for 2-3 minutes until warm and crisp.
Make ahead: The dough can be made up to 3 days in advance. Cover it with plastic wrap and transfer it to the fridge. When you're ready to fry, remove the dough from the refrigerator and allow it to come to room temperature (about one hour), then proceed with the recipe as usual.
📖 Recipe FAQs
Beavertails are made from a pastry dough that contains flour, water, yeast, sugar, and salt. They do not contain milk or eggs. I add butter to my recipe to give it a more tender crumb.
Yes, definitely! Pre-made pizza dough is more convenient and tastes close to the real thing. Of course, homemade will always be better, but pre-made dough will do fine if you're pressed for time.
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📋 Recipe
Best Beaver Tails Recipe
Equipment
- 1 deep fryer, dutch oven, wok, or high-walled pot (for frying)
Ingredients
- neutral oil (for frying)
Beavertail dough
- 2 cup all-purpose flour (plus more for dusting)
- 2 tablespoon sugar
- ¾ teaspoon instant yeast
- ½ teaspoon coarse kosher salt
- 1 cup lukewarm water
- 2 tablespoon butter (or oil, melted)
Cinnamon sugar
- ½ cup sugar
- 2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Make dough: In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, salt, and instant yeast. Pour in water and melted butter and mix until a shaggy dough forms. Transfer dough to a floured work surface and knead for two minutes until smooth. You may need to add up to two tablespoons of flour if the dough is too sticky.Place the dough back in the bowl and cover it with saran wrap. Allow it to proof for one hour or until doubled in size.
- Make cinnamon sugar: Combine cinnamon and sugar in a large, flat-bottomed container and mix well.
- Shape dough: Pinch off a tennis ball-sized amount of dough and stretch it into the shape of a beaver tail using your hands or a rolling pin. Set aside and repeat with the remaining dough. Try to make each dough about the same size so they cook evenly in the next step.
- Fry: Heat 1 inch of oil to 350°F in a Dutch oven, high-walled pot, or wok. Fry 1-2 beaver tails at a time for 2-3 minutes on each side until they're golden brown. Use a metal spider to remove them from the oil, then immediately coat both sides with cinnamon sugar by dropping them into a container of cinnamon sugar and flipping them.Transfer to a wire rack and serve immediately. Enjoy!
Notes
- Proof the dough in an oven with the light on if you're baking in the winter and your home is cold. The temperature of the oven will provide the perfect conditions for the dough to rise.
- Make each Beavertail the same thickness so they cook evenly in the fryer.
- Make sure the oil is at the right temperature before frying! The ideal temperature is around 350°F. Use an instant-read thermometer to monitor the temperature.
- Immediately coat the beaver tails after frying so that the cinnamon sugar sticks to the Beaver Tails. If you wait too long, the cinnamon sugar will not stick properly.
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