BeaverTails

Name: BeaverTails
Prep time: 13 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 38 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Canadian
Ingredients: 1/2 cup Water; 2 parts Yeast; 1/2 cup Sugar; 1/2 cup Milk; 6 tblsp Butter; 2 Eggs; 1 ½ tsp Salt; 2-1/2 cups Flour; for frying Oil; garnish Lemon; garnish Sugar; garnish Cinnamon

By The Spice & Simmer Kitchen · Published May 3, 2026

A one-pot Dessert recipe with Canadian flavors, built for busy weeknights when you want real food without a sink full of dishes. Comes together in roughly 57 minutes, serves about 4, and uses ingredients you can find at any normal grocery store. The technique is simple: build a base in your pot, layer in the main ingredients, simmer until everything has had time to talk to each other, and serve straight from the pan. If you're cooking for picky eaters, this one tends to land — the flavors are recognizable, the texture is comforting, and there's nothing weird hiding in the ingredient list. Perfect for the kind of evening where you want dinner on the table by 7pm and the kitchen empty by 7:30.

Ingredients

Makes 4 servings · 38 min total

1/2 cup Water
2 parts Yeast
1/2 cup Sugar
1/2 cup Milk
6 tblsp Butter
2 Eggs
1 ½ tsp Salt
2-1/2 cups Flour
for frying Oil
garnish Lemon
garnish Sugar
garnish Cinnamon

Step-by-step instructions

In the bowl of a stand mixer, add warm water, a big pinch of sugar and yeast. Allow to sit until frothy.
Into the same bowl, add 1/2 cup sugar, warm milk, melted butter, eggs and salt, and whisk until combined.
Place a dough hook on the mixer, add the flour with the machine on, until a smooth but slightly sticky dough forms.
Place dough in a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and allow to proof for 1 1/2 hours.
Cut dough into 12 pieces, and roll out into long oval-like shapes about 1/4 inch thick that resemble a beaver’s tail.
In a large, deep pot, heat oil to 350 degrees. Gently place beavertail dough into hot oil and cook for 30 to 45 seconds on each side until golden brown.
Drain on paper towels, and garnish as desired. Toss in cinnamon sugar, in white sugar with a squeeze of lemon, or with a generous slathering of Nutella and a handful of toasted almonds. Enjoy!

Why this works on a weeknight

BeaverTails lands at about 38 minutes total — a little longer than our 30-minute target, but most of that time is hands-off simmering, which is why it earned a spot in our Sweet Finishes collection. The technique is forgiving, the ingredient list is grocery-store standard, and the active cooking time is short enough that you can answer a text message in the middle without ruining dinner.

Cleanup notes

This is a single-pan recipe, so the cleanup is exactly one pan, one cutting board, and one knife. While the dish rests, fill the pan with hot soapy water — by the time you are done eating, the residue lifts off with a single pass of a sponge. Skip the steel wool on cast iron; a stiff brush and warm water are all you need to keep the seasoning intact.

Make-ahead and leftovers

Leftovers keep covered in the fridge for up to three days. Reheat in a dry pan over medium-low with a splash of water or stock to loosen the sauce. BeaverTails actually improves overnight as the flavors keep talking to each other, so doubling the recipe and packing tomorrow's lunch is a high-leverage weeknight move.

Filed under 🍮 Sweet Finishes Dessert Canadian Treat Pudding Speciality