Homemade Canadian Beavertails Recipe

Q: What is a Beaver Tails Dessert?

A Beavertail is a Canadian delicacy, 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 Canada 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!

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Watch the recipe

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!

Canadian Beavertails are a classic fried dough pastry known for their signature hand-stretched shape and crispy, golden exterior. Popular across Canada, this treat is typically finished with simple toppings like cinnamon sugar, chocolate hazelnut spread, or fresh fruit.

Despite the name, this dessert is all about texture and flavor—a soft, airy interior with lightly crisp edges that make it perfect for loading up with your favorite toppings.

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 these easy beavertails 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 this beavertails recipe, be sure to watch the video! 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 Beaver Tails Dessert?▼

A Beavertail is a Canadian delicacy, 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 Canada 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!

S'mores BeaverTail pastry topped with chocolate spread and roasted marshmallows, held in hand.

What is This Beavertails Recipe Made Of?▼

According to Beavertails’ official website, the base Beavertails 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 Beavertails 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!

Beaver tail pastry topped with chocolate spread, cinnamon sugar, and white marshmallows on a wooden board.

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.

Golden-brown Beavertail pastry on wooden paddle board, generously coated with cinnamon sugar.

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.

Hand pressing a fried pastry into cinnamon sugar on a white plate.

Hands mopping up cinnamon sugar from a plate with a fried pastry beavertail.

Tools Needed to Make Beavertails

Ingredients for Canadian Beavertails Recipe

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!

Ingredients for Canadian Beavertails laid out including flour, yeast, salt, and liquid in measuring cups and bowls.

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.
Water: Warm water to mix in the yeast.
Table sugar: To sweeten the pastry.
Vegetable oil: For frying.
Toppings: Toppings of your choice. See below for plenty of ideas!

How to Make This Canadian Beavertails Recipe

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.

Spooning granulated yeast into a white bowl during beavertails dough preparation.

Water being poured into a bowl of yeast mixture for Canadian Beavertails dough.

Yeast mixture with bubbles whisked in a white bowl, ready to be added to dry ingredients.

Mix all of the dry ingredients together and add water yeast 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.

Dough being kneaded in a stainless steel mixing bowl attached to an electric stand mixer.

Wooden bowl containing white salt or sugar ingredient during dough preparation for Beavertails recipe.

Stand mixer with dough hook mixing beavertail dough in stainless steel bowl.

Stand mixer with flat beater mixing white dough for Canadian Beavertails, showing soft dough texture in stainless steel bowl.

Stand mixer with flat beater mixing smooth dough for Canadian Beavertails in stainless steel bowl.

Dough mixture in stand mixer bowl with dough hook, showing kneaded dough ready for next step.

Transfer the dough to a clean work surface and stretch and fold the dough for 1-2 minutes.

Stand mixer kneading dough for Beavertails in stainless steel bowl with dough hook attachment.

Stand mixer with paddle attachment mixing white dough for beavertails in stainless steel bowl.

Hands kneading smooth, pale dough on a work surface during bread preparation.

Form the dough into a ball, lightly grease a large bowl with olive oil and toss the dough ball in the oil.

Hands stretching and folding dough on a dark work surface with a whisk and bowl nearby.

Hand stretching and folding a ball of dough on a dark countertop during preparation of Canadian Beavertails.

Hands holding a smooth, round ball of white dough after stretching and folding.

Cover with saran wrap and let it rest for 1-2 hours.

Dough ball resting in oiled glass bowl covered with plastic wrap, with whisk and eggs nearby on dark counter.

Dough ball resting in greased glass bowl covered with plastic wrap during proofing stage.

Ball of dough covered with plastic wrap resting in a greased glass bowl.

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.

Hand stretching pale yellow dough into an oval shape on parchment paper for Beavertails pastry.

Ball of stretchy dough on gray surface, ready to be shaped into oval for Canadian Beavertails.

Hands stretching pale dough into a thin, oval shape on a dark work surface.

Six portions of dough divided and shaped into balls on a dark surface, ready to be stretched.

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.

Hands stretching oval-shaped dough into a thin, flat beaver tail shape for frying.

Hands stretching and shaping pale dough into an oval on a dark surface, with additional dough portions visible.

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 hot oil. Use a slotted spoon to gently press down the beavertail. Once the underside is golden brown, carefully flip and cook the other side.

Hand dropping small piece of dough into hot oil in a wok to test temperature for frying beavertails.

Oil heating in a wok on stovetop with a small piece of dough testing if it's ready for frying.

Hand placing a fried pastry dough into hot oil in a wok using a slotted spoon.

Frying beavertail dough in hot oil with a slotted spoon pressing it down in a wok.

Golden fried beavertail dough frying in oil in a wok, being pressed with a slotted spoon.

Golden-brown beavertail frying in a dark wok with a slotted spoon pressing it down in hot oil.

Golden-brown beavertail dough frying in hot oil in a wok, being pressed down with a slotted spoon.

Set aside and drain on paper towels and then transfer to a wire rack.

Golden-brown fried beavertail pastry draining on white paper towels on a wire rack.

Hot fried beavertail pastry draining on white paper towels, golden-brown and glistening.

Golden-brown fried beavertail pastry cooling on a wooden board with 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.

Hand holding a cinnamon-sugar coated beavertail pastry over a white plate

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.

Chocolate being drizzled over a hot, freshly fried Canadian BeaverTail pastry on a wooden board.

Chocolate and marshmallow-filled beavertail being spread with Nutella on a wooden board.

S'mores BeaverTail pastry topped with Nutella and roasted marshmallows on a wooden board.

Enjoy hot and fresh.

S'mores BeaverTail pastry topped with Nutella and toasted marshmallows on a wooden board.

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 Variations

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!

Beavertails Pastries menu showing 12 fried pastry options with various toppings including cinnamon sugar, chocolate hazelnut, banana, and cheesecake.

Cinnamon-sugar: This is the standard Beavertails creation, 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 Glazealong with Skor bits and Caramel Sauce. On the menu, this is the “Avalanche” option.
Apple pie: Take someapple 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 a tablespoon 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?▼

We could say that it’s POSSIBLE to bake the beaver tail dessert in the oven or the air fryer, however, 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 (if you’re not vegan!) 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 Chocolateor 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 Beaver Tails Canada 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 Poutinefor an extra kick!) for lunch or dinner, and then enjoy the sweetness of Beavertails!

Homemade beavertail pastry topped with chocolate spread and white marshmallows on a wooden board.