Canadian Beavertails (Fried Pastry)
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Beavertails are a hallmark of Canada! No, they’re not ACTUAL tails of beavers! Beavertails are fried dough shaped like a beaver’s tail. They are puffy, hot, and crispy yet soft, and the topping possibilities are endless! No need to stand out in the Canadian cold to enjoy Beavertails - now you can enjoy them anywhere in the world right in the comfort of your own kitchen!
The day that this recipe is going live, it’s the last day of the famous Winterlude in Canada. What does everyone eat at Winterlude? Beavertails!
No, no beavers were harmed in the making of this dessert! It seems when nearly everyone who is new to Beavertails hears the name for the first time, that they think of eating REAL Beavertails! As you’ll see below, these pastries are simply just shaped like a beaver’s tail, a key animal to represent Canada.
Beavertails aren’t enjoyed only during Winterlude, however! They’re available all year long at some locations, but this is mostly a winter treat.
While I can’t remember my first memory of beavertails very clearly, I do remember it being in my first year in Canada, back in 2013, and I probably had the Nutella and powdered sugar one, Hazel Amour!
Beavertails has expanded a little bit internationally, but as far as I know, not too much. Wherever you are in the world and at any time of the year, you can enjoy Beavertails! To explore Canada a little more and have it no longer be a destination unseen, you can prepare this easy Beavertails recipe as part of your Live to Cook one-month challenge! Be sure to start your cooking journey today by signing up to my free email newsletter to get your Live to Cook challenge right now, plus all of my latest recipes will be sent straight to your inbox!
For a visual representation of how to make these Canadian delights, be sure to watch the video at the bottom of this post! If you’re not already, don’t forget to subscribe to my YouTube channel, and please hit the bell button so you’re notified when all of my video recipes are live! Let’s get cooking!
What is a Beavertail?
A Beavertail is a Canadian dessert, described as a flat donut, which was invented in 1978 by Pam and Grant Hooker at the Killaloe Fair, located west of Ottawa, Ontario. After its success, Beavertails locations, identified by little shacks, were established at the Ottawa landmarks the Rideau Canal and in the Byward Market. Then, they further expanded across Canada. In particular, Quebec ended up being a more popular spot for Beavertails than Ottawa! Now, you can even get Beavertails at some spots in the United States and internationally! Additionally, the stores sell more than just Beavertails now. You can buy hot and cold beverages, “Beaverbites” (little round donuts with your choice of sauce and toppings), and even savory items, such as poutines, hot dogs, and a savory Beavertail with poutine on top!
I give more details on how going out to eat can inspire you to make new creations in the kitchen in my free motivational guide, Make Cooking Fun!. While these desserts seem to be a simple outing, trying to make them at home will certainly be very rewarding and fun for children!
What are beavertails made of?
According to Beavertails’ official website, the base recipe is actually vegan! The pastry itself is made without any butter or eggs or milk. While we don’t have the full ingredient list available (that I know of!), it appears that the base recipe is made with wheat, barley, and soy. I’m personally going to omit the barley and soy since I’m not sure why exactly those would be needed.
I actually based this Beavertail recipe on my naan dough recipe! You’ll see some similarities in terms of the oblong shape of the Beavertail pastry and how it gets puffy! However, believe it or not, I definitely consider making Beavertails much easier to make than naans!
What’s the Best Way to Top the Beavertails with Cinnamon Sugar?
Wrong Way
You would think that just sprinkling the cinnamon sugar over the hot BeaverTails will give you the same experience and look as you remember from your favourite store, but it won’t.
Right Way
Instead you need to be quite generous and literally mop up all the cinnamon sugar from a plate or a baking sheet with the BeaverTail and it turns out so, so well.
Tools Needed to Make Canadian Beavertails
Squeeze bottle (if drizzling sauce)
Ingredients for Beavertails
For all ingredient quantities and their measurements, in addition to the ability to save the recipe for later, press the “Jump to Recipe” button for the FULL PRINTABLE RECIPE CARD. You can also scale the recipe based on how many Beavertails you want so all the ratios are perfect to give the best results!
All-purpose flour: The base of the dough.
Instant yeast: To get the pastry dough to rise and to result in a fluffy and chewy Beavertail!
Salt: Adds flavour to the pastry dough.
Table sugar: To sweeten the pastry.
Vegetable oil: For frying
Toppings: Toppings of your choice. See below for plenty of ideas!
How To Make Beavertails
Add the yeast to a bowl and then add 1/4 Cup of room temperature water. Whisk vigorously for 30 seconds or until you see bubbles. In case you don't see bubbles, discard this mixture and start again with fresh yeast.
Mix all of the dry ingredients together and add yeast-water mixture. Slowly pour in 1/2 to 3/4 Cups of room temperature water and knead until you get a smooth, soft and tacky dough. You can knead manually or using a stand mixer.
Transfer the dough to a clean work surface and stretch and fold the dough for 1-2 minutes.
Form the dough into a ball, lightly grease a large bowl with olive oil and toss the dough ball in the oil.
Cover with plastic wrap and let it rest for 1-2 hours.
Heat a neutral oil in a large wok on medium heat, to about 375-385 F.
Divide dough into 6 equal portions. Working with one portion at a time, pat the dough out into a circle and then start to stretch and spread the dough into a long oval shape.
The dough once stretched out should be around 1/4 of an inch thick.
Working with one portion at a time, pat the dough out into a circle and then start to stretch and spread the dough into a long oval shape.
The dough once rolled out should be around 1/4 of an inch thick.
Check the oil by putting a tiny piece of dough and see if it floats and bubbles gently.
Once ready, add the rolled out dough away from you into the oil. Use a slotted spoon to gently press down the beavertail. Once the underside is golden brown, carefully flip and cook the other side.
Set aside and drain on paper towels and then transfer to a wire rack.
For Cinnamon Sugar flavoured BeaverTails, spread the cinnamon sugar on a large plate or baking sheet and then press the hot beavertails on the cinnamon sugar.
For S'mores BeaverTails, spread 2-3 Tbsp of Nutella over the beavertails, spread marshmallows over the top and then roast the marshmallows with a bakers torch.
Enjoy hot and fresh.
Tips for Hot and Fresh Beavertails
Make sure to check if the yeast is not dead or you will waste a batch of dough.
Use the proof setting if your oven has one for the most consistent proofing times if you are living in a cold place or if your kitchen has drafts.
Don’t worry if the BeaverTails cool down slightly while you add the toppings, they can be easily zipped in the microwave to refresh them
Any extra dough portions can be frozen for later. So get on that batch, and have dessert ready for you at all times.
Topping iDeas
When you get Beavertails at their stalls, there is actually quite a wide range of options if you check out their menu! Here are some of the items you can purchase and try to make, and some of my own ideas!
Cinnamon-sugar: This is the standard Beavertails recipe, referred to as “The Classic”. Completely vegan to be enjoyed by all! While it’s not super crazy, sometimes you just crave the classic recipe. It’s super easy to make cinnamon sugar! All you need is one part cinnamon, two parts white sugar, and one brown sugar!
Nutella and powdered: Called the “Hazel Amour” on the Beavertail menu. Just spread chocolate hazelnut spread and add a sprinkle of powdered sugar! For the chocolate hazelnut spread, of course you can use the brand name Nutella or your favourite off-brand. Of course, for bonus points, you can make your own Coconut Nutella! My recipe is vegan!
Nutella banana: I love this combination! On the Beavertails menu, it is listed as “Bananorama.” As this suggests, just Nutella or whatever hazelnut spread you want, topped with sliced bananas. For bonus points, you could caramelize the bananas!
Skor and caramel: Cream Cheese Glaze along with Skor bits and Caramel Sauce. On the menu, this is the “Avalanche” option.
Apple pie: Take some apple pie filling, either from a can or homemade, and spread it over the Beavertail, along with a drizzle of Caramel Sauce.
Oreo vanilla: Called “Coco Vanil” on the Beavertails menu. This uses a vanilla icing (my hunch is that you could make a vanilla icing as I do in my Huge New York Black and White Cookies!), crushed Oreo cookies, and a chocolate drizzle.
Lemon and sugar: On the Beavertails menu, this is called the Killaloe Sunrise, referring to the Killaloe Fair where the Beavertail was first introduced. This is simply topped with cinnamon sugar and some lemon juice, topped with a lemon wedge.
Maple-sugar: Add a drizzle of maple syrup along with the cinnamon-sugar. Labelled “Mehple” on the Beavertails menu.
Other sauces: Have fun with a variety of different sauces to drizzle over your Beavertails! Try Mocha Sauce, Pumpkin Sauce, or Caramel Sauce! If this is going to be prepared for adults, you could even play with Coffee Whiskey Caramel Sauce.
Strawberry cheesecake: This has a Cream Cheese Glaze and strawberry sauce, topped with crushed graham crackers.
Nutty delight: The Beavertails menu refers to this amazing combination as the “Triple Trip!” This is topped with Nutella, Reese’s pieces, and a drizzle of peanut butter. A squeeze bottle can help with this!
Oreo cheesecake: Oreos over a Cream Cheese Glaze. Oreo goodness over a Beavertail, this is one of my favourites too!
Brownies: On the Beavertails menu, this is called the “BrWOWnie!” It’s got brownie pieces and chunks of white chocolate over Nutella. Yum! This one is one of my favourites, and it’s perfect for chocolate lovers!
S’mores: Spread chocolate sauce or Nutella over the Beavertail and top with marshmallows and graham crackers. Bonus points to torch the marshmallows with a flambé torch! In this video, this is what I show along with the classic cinnamon-sugar.
Birthday cake: Add cream cheese glaze and some sprinkles!
Cookie dough: Top with some Edible Cookie Dough, or you could just add pieces of a chocolate chip cookie!
Other spreads: You can spread or drizzle other nut butter, like almond butter or cashew butter.
Other garnishes: You could top with various types of chocolate chips, such as semi-sweet chocolate chips, cream cheese chips, sea salt caramel chips, or white chocolate chips. Additionally, try Reese’s pieces or mini Reese’s peanut butter cups. M&Ms would also be amazing!
Savory: I’ve never tried this, but at some Beavertails locations you can get garlic-Parmesan! You could also top with other savory combinations, such as bacon, your choice of cheese, or even pepperoni!
Can I Bake Beavertails in the oven or Air Fryer?
Lets say you could, I don’t think you should. I’m just coming from the basis that BeaverTails are a celebration, so if you can, celebrate, not look for alternatives. But, sometimes there are no other options which is why for the oven you would need to preheat to 375 F. Bake the BeaverTails until they are golden brown on each side. Similarly do the same for an air fryer at 350 F. To get a similar flavour as deep fried, brush the tops once baked with butter and the proceed to add toppings as you see fit.
Can I use a premade dough to make beavertails?
You can do that, making bread from scratch can be intimidating and scary for some people. Also, if you are in a pinch, this can be quite useful. While it really depends what kind of premade dough you have access it to, try and experiment around with the flavour, texture and fragrance of the final product made from premade pastry dough or pizza dough or even bread dough. Pastry dough would work best given they would likely have a higher ratio for flour to sugar.
Can I make Beavertails ahead of time?
You can make the dough but why the heck would you want to make these ahead of time? They just won’t be good! The magic when they are freshly fried will be fried! This is a case of you CAN do it, of course, but should you? Most definitely not! You wouldn’t get reheated Beavertails at a stall so why would you not the best at home? Please fry and enjoy these fresh!
What do I serve Beavertails with?
Beavertails definitely are a very special treat, so they’re enough on their own! However, the classic Canadian thing to do is to go have some Beavertails with a good hot chocolate on the canal. Try out my Decadent White Hot Chocolate, S’mores Hot Chocolate or Nutella Hot Chocolate recipes to switch things up! Of course, you can have other hot drinks, such as coffee. Some great lattes to pair with a Beavertail would be a Sugar Cookie Latte, Caramel Brûlée Latte, or Gingerbread Latte. Other excellent coffee choices would be a French Vanilla (now on the Beavertails menu at some locations!) or a Cocoa Cappuccino.
If you really want to make this an incredible outing, you can recreate the experience of following up a meal from a nearby stall on the Rideau Canal. Make yourself a Classic Poutine (or perhaps a Mexican Poutine, Indian Chicken Keema Poutine, or Bacon-Mushroom Poutine for an extra kick!) for lunch or dinner, and then enjoy the sweetness of Beavertails!
Watch How to Make Canadian Beavertails here:
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Canadian Beavertails Recipe (Fried Pastry)
Ingredients
Instructions
- Add the yeast to a bowl and then add 1/4 Cup of room temperature water. Whisk vigorously for 30 seconds or until you see bubbles. In case you don't see bubbles, discard this mixture and start again with fresh yeast.
- Mix all of the dry ingredients together and add yeast-water mixture. Slowly pour in 1/2 to 3/4 Cups of room temperature water and knead until you get a smooth, soft and tacky dough. You can knead manually or using a stand mixer.
- Transfer the dough to a clean work surface and stretch and fold the dough for 1-2 minutes. Form the dough into a ball, lightly grease a large bowl with olive oil and toss the dough ball in the oil. Cover with plastic wrap and let it rest for 1-2 hours.
- Heat a neutral oil in a large wok on medium heat, to about 375-385 F. Divide dough into 6 equal portions. Working with one portion at a time, pat the dough out into a circle and then start to stretch and spread the dough into a long oval shape. The dough once rolled out should be around 1/4 of an inch thick.
- Check the oil by putting a tiny piece of dough and see if it floats and bubbles gently. Once ready, add the rolled out dough away from you into the oil. Use a slotted spoon to gently press down the beavertail. Once the underside is golden brown, carefully flip and cook the other side. Set aside and drain on paper towels and then transfer to a wire rack.
- For Cinnamon Sugar flavoured BeaverTails, spread the cinnamon sugar on a large plate or baking sheet and then press the hot beavertails on the cinnamon sugar.
- For S'mores BeaverTails, spread 2-3 Tbsp of Nutella over the beavertails, spread marshmallows over the top and then roast the marshmallows with a bakers torch.
- Enjoy hot and fresh.
Nutrition Facts
Calories
190.95Fat (grams)
2.83 gSat. Fat (grams)
0.25 gCarbs (grams)
36.19 gFiber (grams)
1.4 gNet carbs
34.79 gSugar (grams)
4.1 gProtein (grams)
4.7 gSodium (milligrams)
292.23 mgCholesterol (grams)
0 mgNutrition info is an estimate.
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Welcome to Cooking With Anadi. This platform is all about making cooking exciting and finding new ways to bring classic flavours and recipes at your service. Join me in my personal journey in the world of cooking. Hope you have a great ride!
