Bring the flavors of the French Quarter to your home with my easy beignet recipe! They’re crisp yet pillowy and dusted with powdered sugar!
Craving all things fried dough? Check out my funnel cakes, doughnut holes, and sopapillas next!
I’ll never forget the first time I visited New Orleans. As soon as we hopped off the plane, we beelined to the historic Café du Monde for a basket of beignets.
The first bite was ‘chef’s kiss,’ and I knew I HAD to make them when I got home. Now my family and I make them all the time, and you can too!
What is a beignet?
Beignets (pronounced ‘ben-yay’) are a New Orleans coffee shop staple dating back to the 1800s. They’re a soft fritter-like dessert made from yeast dough cut into small rectangles, deep fried until golden, then smothered in powdered sugar. They’re the perfect treat for dunking in your coffee–or cafe au lait!
Table of Contents
Why I love this recipe
- Better than Cafe du Monde beignets. I bought a few of the boxed mixes they sell online AND ate them in person. I’m sorry, but they don’t do it justice. My beignet recipe has the perfect texture and sweet flavor as the real deal.
- Hot and fresh. Nothing beats the taste of a warm, fluffy beignet straight from the fryer.
- Deceptively easy. Even if you’re new to baking and deep frying, you’ll have no trouble with this recipe.
- Out of the ordinary. I love whipping up a batch of beignets for special occasions. No one will see them coming!
Ingredients needed
- Active dry yeast. This helps the dough rise and achieve its airy texture. Make sure it hasn’t expired.
- Sugar and lukewarm water. When combined, this will activate the yeast so the dough rises.
- Egg. Adds moisture and richness and binds the dry ingredients.
- Condensed milk. Adds a creamy sweetness and caramelized taste.
- Vanilla extract. For flavor.
- Bread flour. Bread flour has more protein than all purpose flour, which helps the dough develop more gluten and gives the beignets a more authentic flavor and texture.
- Salt. Enhances flavor and helps control the fermentation process.
- Unsalted butter. For richness and getting a golden brown exterior.
- Vegetable oil. Or any neutral-tasting oil with a high smoke point, like peanut, safflower, or canola oil.
- Icing sugar. Also known as powdered sugar or confectioner’s sugar. It’s used to coat the fried beignets.
How to make New Orleans-style beignets
I’ve included step-by-step photos below to make this recipe easy to follow at home. For the full printable recipe instructions and ingredient quantities, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Step 1- Activate the yeast. Combine yeast, luke warm water, and sugar in the bowl and let it sit for 5 minutes.
Step 2- Add wet ingredients. To the mixer, add the egg, milk, and vanilla. Mix to combine.
Step 3- Add dry ingredients. Whisk together the flour and salt. Add butter and mix at low speed until a dough forms.
Step 4- Rest. Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl, cover with a kitchen towel, and rest for 1-2 hours.
Step 5- Shape. Roll the dough onto a lightly floured surface and roll it into a rectangle 1 cm in thickness. Cut it into 4×4-inch squares.
Step 6- Fry and serve. Heat oil in a deep pot and fry the beignets until golden brown. Remove them from the oil using a slotted spoon and dust with confectioners’ sugar before serving.
Arman’s recipe tips
- Is the sugar and yeast mixture bubbling? If not, it could be a sign that it’s expired, and you’ll need to start over with fresh yeast.
- Don’t overmix the dough. Too much mixing will cause the dough to lose air and make for tough beignets. My rule of thumb is to only mix until all ingredients are incorporated.
- Check the oil temperature. Use a candy thermometer and check the oil has reached 350F/175C. If it’s hotter, the outside of the fritters will burn. Too cool, and they’ll absorb too much oil and become greasy.
- Work in batches. Too many fritters in the pot will drop the temperature of the oil and lead to uneven cooking. I used an 8-quart Dutch oven and could fry 2-3 beignets at a time.
Storage instructions
To store: Beignets are best enjoyed fresh from the fryer, but leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 1-2 days.
To freeze: Place the fritters in a single layer on a large plate and freeze until solid. Transfer them to a freezer-safe container and freeze for 2-3 minutes. Thaw overnight before reheating.
To reheat: Reheat on a large baking sheet in an oven at 350F/175C or air fry at 300F/149C until warm.
Frequently asked questions
Yes! The dough can be made up to 1 day in advance. To do so, prepare the dough as directed and store it in a lightly oiled bowl covered with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for up to 24 hours. Let the dough come to room temperature before shaping and frying.
Beignet dough is made with more milk and is less sweet than a donut dough. Beignets are also cut into squares, whereas donuts are round with a hole in the middle.
More creative desserts to try
TO FREEZE: Place the fritters in a single layer on a large plate and freeze until solid. Transfer them to a freezer-safe container and freeze for 2-3 minutes. Thaw overnight before reheating.
TO REHEAT: Reheat on a large baking sheet in an oven at 350F/175C or air fry at 300F/149C until warm.
Serving: 1beignetCalories: 123kcalCarbohydrates: 23gProtein: 3gFat: 2gSodium: 115mgPotassium: 46mgFiber: 1gVitamin A: 55IUVitamin C: 0.1mgCalcium: 20mgIron: 0.2mgNET CARBS: 22g
Originally published June 2023, updated and republished October 2024
