Easy Beignets New Orleans Style
These Easy Beignets New Orleans Style are fluffy, melt-in-your-mouth, fried pastries that you can easily make at home! Sweet yeasted dough is fried to golden perfection and topped with a generous dusting of powdered sugar to create this donut-like treat.
When it comes to fried dough desserts, beignets are one of the best. They’re pillowy, decadent, perfectly sweet, and shockingly easy to make at home! Toss together a few pantry-staple ingredients and in a matter of minutes, you’ll have a yeasted dough perfect for shaping and frying into beignets.
My easy beignet recipe is a must-try for budding chefs learning how to deep fry, make yeasted doughs, or both! This recipe is pretty foolproof; even your littlest chefs will be able to help prepare and knead the dough. Plus, you can find comfort in knowing that when a pastry is coated in this much-powdered sugar, it’s sure to be tasty! For an extra sweet taste dip this in our Oreo dip or make our Apple Rose Tart while you have the powdered sugar out.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup evaporated milk, room temperature
- 1 ¾ tsp active dry yeast
- ¼ cup granulated sugar, divided
- 1 large egg
- ½ cup salted butter, melted
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- Vegetable oil for frying
How to Make Easy Beignets New Orleans Style
- In a large mixing bowl, gently whisk the evaporated milk, yeast, and 1 Tbsp of sugar. Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel and allow the yeast to sit for 5 minutes, or until foamy.
- Once the yeast is foamy, whisk in the egg and melted butter.
- Gently whisk in the flour and remaining sugar until the dough pulls away from the bowl.
- Dump the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 5 minutes. This works the yeast and will give you soft, chewy beignets.
- Place the dough back in the mixing bowl, cover it with plastic wrap, and allow it to rise for about an hour, or until it has doubled in size.
- Roll out the dough into a 10×8-inch sheet and cut it into squares.
- Heat 5-6 inches of vegetable oil in a large pot until it reaches 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Cook the beignets 4-5 at a time for about 2 minutes on each side, or until golden brown.
- Allow the beignets to cool for 15 minutes before tossing them in powdered sugar in a large mixing bowl.
- Serve and enjoy!
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between a beignet and a donut?
These two fried pastries are very similar but do have some key differences. Starting with the obvious, beignets are typically square in shape while donuts are round and usually have a hole in the center. Beignets also typically have fewer eggs and more yeast in them, making them lighter and more pillowy than donuts.
Are beignets French or Cajun?
It’s believed that beignets were first introduced to America by French immigrants. However, today this light and sweet fried pastry are most commonly found in the French Quarter of New Orleans, Louisiana.
Can you make these easy beignets New Orleans style with no yeast?
Yes! Swap out the yeast for 2 tablespoons of baking powder. This quick beignet dough won’t need to rise but will be denser and chewier than your typical yeasted beignets.
How to Store and Reheat Leftover Beignets
Any leftover homemade beignets can be stored in an airtight container on the counter for up to 4 days. No need to refrigerate or freeze these pastries! You can enjoy these beignets at room temperature or reheat them by tossing them into a 350°F oven or air fryer until warmed through.
Recipe Variations
Did you know that you can turn these New Orleans beignets into chocolate beignets by adding a little cocoa powder? A quarter cup of regular or Dutch-processed cocoa powder should do the trick!
Impress your kids by making fun-shaped beignets. Instead of cutting your beignet dough into squares, use cookie cutters to shape your dough into circles, hearts, or stars! Just keep in mind that simpler shapes tend to hold up better when fried.
Switch up the flavor of your beignets by dusting them in powders other than powdered sugar. Peanut butter powder, cocoa powder, and sweet or sour candy powder are a few of my favorites.
Expert Tips and Tricks
- The warmer your beignets are when you add the powdered sugar, the more likely it is that the sugar will melt. I recommend letting these fried pastries cool for at least 15 minutes before garnishing and serving.
- If you don’t have any evaporated milk on hand, you can swap it out for some regular milk or buttermilk. This swap will work best if the milk you choose to use is at room temperature.
- It’s essential that you let your yeast get foamy before you continue making your beignet dough. If your yeast doesn’t foam, this means that your yeast is dead and you will need to start again with new yeast.
More Recipes:
Easy Beignets New Orleans Style
These Easy Beignets New Orleans Style are fluffy, melt-in-your-mouth, fried pastries that you can easily make at home! Sweet yeasted dough is fried to golden perfection and topped with a generous dusting of powdered sugar to create this donut-like treat.
Ingredients
- 1 cup evaporated milk, room temperature
- 1 ¾ tsp active dry yeast
- ¼ cup granulated sugar, divided
- 1 large egg
- ½ cup salted butter, melted
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- Vegetable oil for frying
- Ingredient Notes
- Flour—All-purpose will give these beignets a light and fluffy texture.
- Evaporated Milk—Gives this fried dough tons of rich flavor without adding too much liquid.
- Sugars—Granulated white for sweetening your pastry dough and powdered for dusting your finished beignets.
- Active Dry Yeast—Helps these delicate pastries to puff up nice and big when fried.
- Butter—Salted and melted.
- Egg—Gives your beignet dough a nice bounce.
- Vegetable Oil—For frying.
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, gently whisk together the evaporated milk, yeast, and 1 Tbsp of the sugar. Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel and allow the yeast to sit for 5 minutes, or until foamy.
- Once the yeast is foamy, whisk in the egg and melted butter.
- Gently whisk in the flour and remaining sugar until the dough begins to pull away from the bowl.
- Dump the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 5 minutes. This works the yeast and will give you soft, chewy beignets.
- Place the dough back in the mixing bowl, cover with plastic wrap and allow the dough to rise for about an hour, or until it has doubled in size.
- Roll out the dough into a 10x8inch sheet and cut into squares.
- Heat 5-6 inches of vegetable oil in a large pot until it reaches 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Cook the beignets 4-5 at a time for about 2 minutes on each side, or until golden brown.
- Allow the beignets to cool for 15 minutes before tossing them in powdered sugar in a large mixing bowl.
- Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- I like to let the beignets cool before tossing them in powdered sugar so less of the powdered sugar dissolves, but you still get a warm beignet.
- You can also let these beignets cool completely on the fridge or on the counter before tossing them if you do not care about having a warm beignet. They are great both warm and cold.
- It is important to let your yeast sit until foamy. This serves as a test to make sure your yeast is alive. If your yeast does not foam up, you will need to start again with new yeast.
- If you do not have evaporated milk, you can also buttermilk that has been warmed to room temperature.
- You can store these beignets on the counter in an airtight container for up to 4 days before they start to get a little stale.
- You want to knead the dough for the entire five minutes. If you have a stand mixer, it will be easier to throw the dough in there and let the mixer do the work for you.
Nutrition Information
Yield
12Serving Size
1Amount Per Serving Calories 607Total Fat 27gSaturated Fat 12gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 13gCholesterol 56mgSodium 381mgCarbohydrates 81gFiber 3gSugar 22gProtein 10g
