Beignet Recipe (New Orleans-Style)

What Are Beignets?

Beignets (pronounced “ben-YAYS”) are soft, fluffy fried pastries, usually cut into squares and covered with powdered sugar. They’re especially famous in New Orleans, where Café du Monde has been serving them since 1862. They’re traditionally enjoyed warm with café au lait, and they’re one of my favorite treats from visiting New Orleans.

You can also find Mickey-shaped beignets at Disneyland’s Mint Julep Bar in New Orleans Square. I think they’re some of the closest to the original Café du Monde beignets that I’ve tasted. They’re also a fun nod to Disney’s The Princess and the Frog, where Tiana makes beignets. If you want the Disneyland experience at home, serve this recipe with our Disneyland Mint Julep Recipe!

Ingredients You’ll Need

You only need a handful of ingredients to make homemade beignets. The dough does need time to rise, so plan ahead and allow at least four hours before serving.

• Active dry yeast: Use regular active dry yeast, not instant yeast, since this recipe starts by activating the yeast in warm water.
• Warm water: Aim for about 110°F. Water that’s too hot can damage the yeast and prevent the dough from rising.
• Granulated sugar: Mixed with the yeast and water to start the dough.
• Egg: Beat the egg before adding it to the dough.
• Salt: Regular table salt works well.
• Evaporated milk: Use unsweetened evaporated milk, not sweetened condensed milk.
• All-purpose flour: Use regular all-purpose flour, not self-rising flour. You may need a little extra for handling the dough.
• Shortening: Regular vegetable shortening, such as original Crisco, works well. There’s no need to use butter-flavored shortening.
• Vegetable oil: Use a neutral-flavored oil for frying.
• Powdered sugar: You’ll need plenty for coating the beignets while they’re still warm.

You’ll also need a rolling pin, pizza cutter or sharp knife, deep frying pan or heavy pot, frying thermometer, slotted spoon, and a small paper bag for coating the beignets in powdered sugar.

Ingredient Additions and Substitution

• Whole milk: You can substitute whole milk for the evaporated milk if needed. The original recipe uses evaporated milk.
• Gluten-free flour: This recipe was developed with regular all-purpose flour. Rice flour alone isn’t a reliable one-for-one substitute for this yeast dough, and a gluten-free version would need separate testing.

How to Make Beignets

The most important things are giving the dough enough time to rise and keeping the frying oil at the right temperature. Once the dough is ready, the beignets cook very quickly.

1. Activate the yeast. Combine the warm water, yeast, and sugar in a small bowl. Let the mixture sit for about 5 minutes, until it becomes foamy.

2. Make the dough. Mix the yeast mixture with the beaten egg, salt, and evaporated milk. Add about half the flour, mix in the shortening, then add the remaining flour. Knead for 2 to 3 minutes until the dough is soft and just barely stops sticking to the sides of the bowl. Add a little more flour if needed.

3. Let the dough rise. Transfer the dough to a lightly greased bowl, cover loosely, and refrigerate for at least 3 hours or overnight. This resting time is important for the dough.

4. Roll, cut, and rise again. Punch down the dough and roll it into a 12-inch square, about ½ inch thick. Cut into 2-inch squares for mini beignets or 4-inch squares for larger ones. Place on a lightly greased baking sheet, cover loosely, and let rise for another 30 to 40 minutes.

5. Fry until golden. Heat vegetable oil in a deep frying pan to 360°F to 365°F. Carefully add 3 to 4 pieces of dough at a time. Fry for approximately 45 seconds on the first side, then flip and cook for another 35 to 45 seconds, until golden brown and cooked through.

6. Coat with powdered sugar. Remove the beignets with a slotted spoon and let them drain on paper towels for about 30 seconds. Place two at a time into a paper bag containing powdered sugar, close the bag, and gently shake to coat. Serve immediately while they’re warm.

Recipe Tips for the Best Beignets

• Make sure your yeast is active. The mixture should look foamy after about 5 minutes. If nothing happens, the yeast may be old or the water may have been too hot.
• Don’t add too much flour. The dough should be soft and only slightly tacky after kneading. Adding too much flour can make the beignets dense instead of fluffy.
• Roll the dough to ½ inch thick. If the dough is rolled too thin, the beignets may not puff up properly when fried.
• Give the cut dough time to rise. The additional 30 to 40 minutes helps the beignets puff up when they hit the hot oil.
• Use a frying thermometer. Keep the oil between 360°F and 365°F. Oil that’s too cool can make the beignets greasy, while oil that’s too hot can brown the outside before the center cooks.
• Fry in small batches. Cooking just 3 to 4 beignets at a time helps keep the oil temperature from dropping too much. Let the oil return to temperature between batches.
• Have everything ready before frying. Set out your paper towels, slotted spoon, powdered sugar, and serving plate. The frying process goes quickly.
• Don’t be shy with the powdered sugar! Traditional New Orleans beignets are generously coated. Tossing them in a paper bag makes it easy to cover every side.
• Serve the beignets warm. That’s when they’re at their best, with a lightly crisp outside and soft center.

Dipping Sauces for Beignets

Traditional New Orleans beignets are delicious with nothing more than powdered sugar, but I also love serving them with dipping sauces. We’ve enjoyed beignets with sauces at Disneyland, and it’s a fun way to serve them at home.

I like to make three different sauces so everyone can choose their favorite:

• Chocolate Hazelnut Sauce: A rich chocolate dipping sauce that goes especially well with warm beignets.
• Butterscotch Caramel Sauce: Sweet and buttery, with a caramel flavor.
• Vanilla Raspberry Sauce: A fruity option that’s really good with the fried dough.

You can find all three in our Chocolate Hazelnut, Butterscotch Caramel, and Vanilla Raspberry dipping sauce recipes.

If you want something simpler, chocolate sauce, caramel sauce, or raspberry preserves are also good choices.

Make Ahead and Storage

Make ahead: You can prepare the beignet dough the night before and let it rise, covered, in the refrigerator overnight. When you’re ready to make the beignets, roll out the dough, cut it into squares, allow the second rise, and fry as directed.

Storing: Beignets are best eaten fresh, but leftovers can be kept in an airtight container at room temperature for 2 to 3 days. They will lose some of their crisp texture as they sit.

Freezing: You can freeze cooked beignets in an airtight freezer bag for 1 to 2 months. For the best results, freeze them without the powdered sugar coating and add fresh powdered sugar after reheating.

Reheating: Warm leftover beignets in a 350°F oven for 3 to 5 minutes, or until heated through. You can also microwave them for 15 to 20 seconds, although they won’t be as crisp. Add more powdered sugar before serving.

More Yummy New Orleans Recipes

If you enjoy this Beignet Recipe, here are a few more recipes inspired by New Orleans and Disneyland that you might like:

COPYCAT

Disneyland Mint Julep Recipe

Dinner

Cajun Shrimp Pasta

Dinner

Fried Chicken Po Boy

Dinner

One Pot Jambalaya Pasta