Beignets – These New Orleans doughnuts are the best! Soft, pillowy and light just like the ones eat at Cafe du Monde but taste even better! You can’t beat homemade.
I grew up eating and adoring Puff Puff – a popular traditional West African deep fried dough. Eating them all day long would be easy peasy, if only my waist and thighs would allow it. But not to speak any lesser of it, my first experience with New Orleans Beignet is different – a good different.
It was during my first Mardi Gras experience in New Orleans that I got to have my first heavenly bite of this magical light as a feather fried dough generously covered in powdered sugar. Ooohh! I finished the entire beignet before I even spoke a word. From them on, Cafe du Monde’s Beignets (and beignets in general) will always have a special place in my heart.
What is a Beignet?
Beignets are sweet treats you’ll find almost every patisserie in New Orleans. Dubbed as the official state doughnut of Louisiana, these rectangular treats are deep-fried, pillowy, light and puffy doughnuts made with yeast dough with just the right touch of sweetness dusted with powdered sugar. They are also heavily tied with the Mardi Gras celebrations which is just a few weeks away.
Homemade Beignet Recipe
Guess what? You don’t have to travel to The South for this delicious experience. In fact, you can enjoy the warm, fluffy pastries in the comfort of your own home. And it’s absolutely going to be an experience to remember without the hefty price tag.
This recipe is fantastic and yields the lightest and fluffiest beignets minus the effort.
A combination of Paula Dean and Anne Burrell ‘s recipe. Paula Dean uses shortening, less yeast, and bread flour while Anne Burrell uses butter, all-purpose flour and doubles the amount of yeast. I think they both taste AH- mazing!! You just can’t go wrong with either.
For those unfamiliar with beignets, they’re in a league of their own but are a cross between a donut and fritter – just with a lot more to offer.
To achieve that light, airy result, the dough is everything. As you may have guessed, beignet dough requires some TLC. You must have your ingredients measured just right, pay attention to the consistency of the dough and we can’t forget the shortening or butter since every good pastry needs some fat. After cutting the dough, let it rest for about 15 minutes.
Furthermore, a well-made dough and a hot oil mean your beignets will puff up beautifully and develop a golden brown exterior. Yes, of course, they are delicious right out of the fryer but a beignet is not a true New Orleans beignet without a coating of confectioners’ sugar.
Upon taking that first bite, a soft cloud of powdered sugar escapes as you make your way through the pillowy pastry. You can’t help but make a mess and all the yummy flavors come soon after.
Can I Bake Beignets?
Although nothing compares to a perfectly deep-fried beignets, you can actually bake them in the oven if you’re trying to cut back with the oil. You can check out Serious Eats’ baked beignets recipe HERE.
The level of sweetness is just right, there is a nice toasty hint from the golden brown exterior, and a buttery note and you’ll keep going back for more. Be sure to enjoy with a café au lait!
Enjoy!!!
Watch How To Make It
This post was first published in February 2017 and has been updated with new photos and content.
New Orleans Beignets
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup lukewarm water
- 1 (.25-ounce) (or 7 g) packet active dry yeast
- 1/2 cup evaporated milk
- 1/3 cup sugar
- Pinch of salt
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 3/4 – 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 3 tablespoons melted butter
- corn oil or any flavorless oil , for frying
- powdered sugar , for dusting
Instructions
- In a large bowl or stand mixer, combine lukewarm water and yeast. Let it sit until dissolve for about 5 minutes.
- Lightly whisk evaporated milk, sugar, salt, egg and vanilla extract. Add it to the yeast mixture.
- Mix in about 2 cups flour and continue mixing with hand or dough mixer. If using a stand mixer, mix for about a minute or 2.
- Finally add melted butter, mix until dough is sticky but smooth. Add in additional flour (if needed) to make soft dough.
- Turn dough on lightly floured surface and knead for 1-2 minutes Place dough in a greased bowl, turning once to coat the dough. Cover loosely with a clean cloth and let rise in a warm, draft-free place for about 2 hours or until doubled.
- Punch the dough down- remove the dough from the bowl.
- Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface into ¼ - 1/3 inch thick. Then cut out dough into 1 1/2 or 2″ squares, you can use a sharp knife or pizza cutter. Let it rest for about 10 minutes before frying.
- Working in batches so as to not crowd the oil, fry the dough squares until they are puffy and golden brown. Remove from the oil, make a pit stop on the paper towels and immediately dust with powdered sugar.
- Serve hot with Café au lait!!!!!
Tips & Notes:
- You can substitute butter with vegetable shortening. But I prefer the texture and the buttery notes of my beignets.
- You can make the dough a day ahead and fry them in the morning. Just make sure you let it rest for about 30 minutes at room temperature before frying.
- Oil should be at 375 Degrees F when frying.
- Any regular milk would work fine if in case you wish to substitute the evaporated milk.
- Recipe would also yield about 35-40 pieces of 2-inch beignets.
- Corn oil or any flavorless oil are great for frying these beignets.
Nutrition Information:
How to Make New Orleans Beignets
In a large bowl or stand mixer combine lukewarm water and yeast. Let it sit until dissolve for about 5 minutes. Lightly whisk eggs, evaporated milk, vanilla extract and sugar. Add to the yeast mixture. Mix in about 2 cups flour and continue mixing by hand or dough mixer is using a stand mixer for about a minute or 2. Next, add melted butter.
Mix until dough is sticky but smooth. Add in enough additional flour (if needed) to make soft dough. Turn dough on lightly floured surface and knead for 1-2 minutes. Place dough in a greased bowl, turning once to coat the dough. Cover loosely with a clean cloth and let rise in a warm, draft-free place for about 2 hours or until doubled.
Punch the dough down- remove the dough from the bowl. Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface into ¼ – 1/3 inch thick. Then cut out dough into 1 1/2 or 2″ squares, you can use a sharp knife or pizza cutter. Let it rest for about 10 minutes before frying.
Working in batches so as to not crowd the oil, fry the dough squares until they are puffy and golden brown. Remove from the oil, make a pit stop on the paper towels and immediately dust with powdered sugar.
Regina Chan says
We love these soooooo much! My 15 y.o says it’s 11 out of 10!!
Immaculate Bites says
Yay!!! Thank you!
Kelly says
I’ve made this recipe many times and it always comes out great! I love how easy and beginner friendly it is. The only change I’ve made is it seems like every time I usually need a good 1- 1.5 additional cups of flour than the recipe calls for. Not sure if I’m just doing something wrong but before I add more, the consistency is usually more of a batter until I add more flour. But it always works out! Also, I’ve made this recipe when I had no eggs in my house by swapping with unsweetened applesauce and they still came out awesome! Love this one.
ImmaculateBites says
Hi Kelly. It seems to work out just fine on my end. Can you please double check your measurements?
Jeannine Jones says
Came out perfect! Enjoyed with a cup of cafe au lait…..the recipe was easy… tasted better than Cafe du Monde… lol
ImmaculateBites says
Great! Thanks
Sarah says
Do you think peanut oil would be okay? Only because we have our frier filled with that at the moment. Can’t wait to try these!
ImmaculateBites says
Yes it would work out just fine . Enjoy!
RBeckyB says
These came out so delicious. Your recipe was very easy to follow. My whole family enjoyed them. Will definitely make them again. Thanks for sharing your recipe.
DizzyDetroitDame says
OK, so I first tried a different beignet recipe and for some reason the dough didn’t come together right. I found your recipe and gave it another try. I’ve never made beignets or any type of doughnut before. In any case, OMG, they were delicious. I knew immediately as I was mixing the dough that they would be yummy. My son-in-law had been asking me to make them and this was a special treat for him and the rest of the family. They all loved them. There was a slight crunch to the crust and the crumb was moist and delicious. We will definitely be making this again!!! THANK YOU!!!!!!!
NBD says
Could I replace APF with Self rising flour, and if can does that mean I take out the yeast?
ImmaculateBites says
Yes you can do that . But it will definitely affect the Taste and structure .
Hope this helps!
B says
can I replace apf with bread flour? will it make it softer?
ImmaculateBites says
Yes you can . However, it really would not make it tender. Let it proof until double in size.
Coby says
These are fantastic!!! Or, as my husband and I exclaimed with powdered sugar covering our lips, “These are freaking amazing!” We went to Cafe du Monde a few years ago and had beignets for the first time, and ever since then I’ve wanted to try making them but was always intimidated. Your recipe was super easy to follow, and my husband said I HAVE to make these again. Thanks for a great recipe!
ImmaculateBites says
So happy I could be of help. Thanks for the feedback!
Lala says
Can I use an air fryer to cook these?
imma africanbites says
Hi, Lala. I haven’t tried it so I can’t say for sure.
Tea says
Really easy to follow. I didn’t have the stand mixer, so everything was by hand. Wasn’t too bad. If I make the batch the day before, how do I store it? Do I still let the dough rise to double size then put it in the fridge?
imma africanbites says
Hi, Tea. You can cut the dough a day ahead, cover, and place them in the fridge. And then fry them the next day. Just make sure to let the dough rest for about 30 minutes at room temperature before frying.
Leisl says
There may not actually be 5000 recipes for beignets online but when you want to make them and you start looking it sure feels like there are. Ultimately I chose this recipe because I wanted to try making them with evaporated milk and vanilla and this one has both plus the great reviews. They were wonderful! After the first couple of regular size batches it occurred to me that I could shrink them to bite-sized just because it would make them a little less messy and a lot easier to eat. I’m so glad I did! From now on I think I’ll always go the bite-sized route. That’s the main reason I’m taking the time to leave a comment with my review- it’s definitely worth trying a batch that way at least once.
imma africanbites says
Hi, Leisl. Thank you so much for taking the time to let me know. I totally like your bite-sized version of this. Glad you enjoyed them.
Lauren says
Any suggestions for my dough? It’s more like thick pancake batters. I added all cups of flowers and it never turns into dough no matter how much i knead it.
Nubian says
So happy I stumbled on your recipe. This was my first attempt and they turned out great! Thanks to your easy to follow directions.
Siana Robertson says
Can I put these in the oven instead of frying them?
ImmaculateBites says
Yes you can. However, there would be a difference in taste and texture. Do let me know how it works out for you.
Rochelle says
Hi! I am a 21 year old baker enthusiast, and I have been craving beignets forEVER! I live in Ontario Canada, so unfortunetly, no beignets in cafes, grocery stores, or restaurants for me here; trust me, I tried researching and shopping around for some. No luck! Anyways, I decided to make my own, and I stumbled across your recipe that looks so delicious and fairly easy to make. However, I do have a few questions regarding the recipe just so I can get the most out of the beignets for when I make them.
1. Do you use salted or non-salted butter? I am fairly sure non-salted is preferred, but I wanna make sure.
2. I see you use a large iron pan for frying the beignets; how much oil do you use or recommend for the frying?
3. I want my mother to try the beignets too but she is lactose and tolerant. Can I use lactose-free milk instead of evaporated? Or is lactose-free evaporated milk a thing?
I think that’s all. Thank you for sharing this recipe and I look forward to hearing from you, Cheers!
ImmaculateBites says
Hi Rochelle,
Glad you are ready to give this a try.
1. You are right use unsalted butter
2. Make sure you fill your ring pan at least half full, for best results
3. Lactose free milk would do just fine.
Hope this helps and Happy Cooking!
J says
i realised when i finished making it into a dough i forgot to add butter and then i tried to mix it together will that affect the beignets?
ImmaculateBites says
It’s quite a challenge to add butter to the beignet after it has been mixed.
sussana obot says
IT IS TASTY, GOOD LOOKING AND APPETIZING AND EASY TO PREPARE
ImmaculateBites says
Thanks so much!!
Ngozi Fred says
Hi! This is my 4th time coming here for this recipe and each time has been a hit back to back. Thank you for this and detailed explanation. God bless.
ImmaculateBites says
Awesome! I am so glad you love this recipe, Ngozi :)!
Fe says
Hello, Can I use coconut milk?
ImmaculateBites says
Hi Favour! Coconut milk will work just fine.
Ana says
Is it okay if I use instant dry yeast? If so, how will I do that with the recipe?
ImmaculateBites says
Hi Ana,
Yes instant dry yeast would work out just fine. No changes needed.
Simran says
Hey! I have an egg allergy and I really want to use this recipe. Are there any egg replacements I could use or can I just omit it completely ? Would a flax egg be okay??
ImmaculateBites says
Hi Simran. To replace one egg, whisk together 1 tablespoon (7 grams) of ground chia or flaxseeds with 3 tablespoons (45 grams) of water until fully absorbed and thickened. Do let me know how it works out for you :).
Ene says
Hi lovely dish
ImmaculateBites says
Thanks, Ene :)!
Esther says
Hello, I tried your recipe and the beignets were delicious. Although, the dough was too sticky ( I wasn’t careful with water). I’m sure next time would be better. P.S: I got to know about this snack in the Disney cartoon ‘The princess and the frog’. Thanks
ImmaculateBites says
Awesome! I am glad you loved this recipe.
Oh, I love ‘The Princess and the Frog’. And Tiana is into cooking too :). Thanks for stopping by, Esther.
Amanda Lawrence says
Hey girl! I just made these & they are resting in the bowl. I just realized I used 1 tablespoon instead of 2 teaspoons dry yeast! Will it mess these up? My kids were talking to me & I grabbed the 1\2 tablespoon.
ImmaculateBites says
Hey Amanda,
I really don’t think it would. Let me know how it works out for you.
Blessing says
Wow!!! Is my first time commenting on your post. I must say your recipes are so unique. I tried the orleans beignets. Wow come and see hubby and the kids dragging for it even before I finished frying. A million thanks for all your recipes. More grace
ImmaculateBites says
Hahaha. I can imagine the scene. That is exactly what happens at my house too when I make these Beignets. I am so glad it was a hit with your family, Blessing!
Gisele says
Can regular active yeast be good to use too? Or is dry yeast the only one best for this recipe?:)
Thanks!!
ImmaculateBites says
Hi Gisele! Regular active yeast would work just fine. Let me know how it turns out for you!
Nelvina Jones says
I did this last night as a test run, came out delicious! Thank you for the recipe and simple directions
ImmaculateBites says
Fantastic!! For a test run, I am so glad it worked out great for you :). Thank you for stopping by, Nelvina!
Antoinette Conteh says
I really loved this recipe. We did it for the first time yesterday and it turned out great. My 5 year old enjoyed rolling out the dough. Lol
ImmaculateBites says
Awwww… This is definitely the kind of recipe kids would love to help out with! And eat too :). So glad it was a hit with your family. Thanks for the feedback, Antoinette!
sejal says
At what stage can I refrigerate over night?
ImmaculateBites says
Hi Sejal! After your dough rises for the first time and you cut out the Beignets, wrap each in a plastic film, put in an air-tight container and freeze. When you are ready to fry, put them out to thaw and rise for about an hour. Hope this helps. Do let me know how this works out for you!
Ida N says
Spectacular, fluffy, delicious. Just made these with my daughter. We love it.
Thank you.