Easy Beignets Recipe
Servings 25 beignets
New Orleans Style Beignets are a deep-fried treat that is pillowy soft on the inside and lightly crisp and golden brown on the outside! Prep this delicious dessert in just 20 minutes!
Ingredients
- ¾ cup warm water 105°-110°F
- 2¼ teaspoons active dry yeast
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- ½ cup whole milk room temperature
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 cups all-purpose flour plus a little more as needed
- 3 tablespoons salted butter melted
- 4-8 cups vegetable oil for frying
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- chocolate sauce for serving
- vanilla icing for serving
Instructions
- Pour the warm water into a medium-sized bowl, double check the temperature with a kitchen thermometer to make sure it's not too hot or too cold. Whisk in the yeast and sugar and allow it to sit for 5 to 10 minutes. It should become slightly foamy - or your yeast may be bad.¾ cup warm water, 2¼ teaspoons active dry yeast, ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- Whisk in the eggs, milk, and vanilla.2 large eggs, ½ cup whole milk, ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- Mix in 2 cups of the flour, then the melted butter, then the rest of the flour. Knead the mixture with your hands until the dough is smooth. If it is too sticky, you may want to add more flour, a tablespoon at a time, until smooth.4 cups all-purpose flour, 3 tablespoons salted butter
- Shape the dough into a ball and place it in a lightly oiled bowl. Cover the dough with plastic wrap or a damp towel and leave it undisturbed in a warm place. Allow the dough to rise until doubled in size, about 1 to 2 hours.
- Roll out dough to ¼ inch thick. Cut into 2 ½ inch squares. You'll likely have scraps from cutting the dough, don't try to remix these scraps and cut them into squares, this would result in tough beignets. Fry these scrap pieces just the way they are, they may not need to cook for as long but will be just as delicious!
- In a large heavy-bottomed pot, heat oil to 370°F. You want to have at least 2 inches of oil for deep frying.4-8 cups vegetable oil
- Deep fry the beignets in batches so you don’t crowd the pot or cool down the oil too much. They should pop up when you put them in the oil, if they don't, this means the oil is not hot enough. Spoon the oil over the tops of the beignets as the bottoms are frying. Make sure to turn them over so they are golden (not brown) on both sides, about 1 to 2 minutes per side.
- Drain on a plate lined with paper towels.
- Sprinkle generously with powdered sugar and serve hot.2 cups powdered sugar
Notes
- What Other Oils Work Well For Deep Frying? The oils to use for deep frying are ones that are well suited for high heat. These include soybean oil, corn oil, sunflower oil, and peanut oil.
- Can I Use A Standing Mixer To Make The Beignet Dough? You sure can, just be sure to use a dough paddle. Then mix until the dough comes cleanly away from the sides of the bowl.
- What Could I Use Instead of Whole Milk? Feel free to use whatever milk you have on hand, even canned evaporated milk will work! I personally just enjoy the taste and texture of them when they’re made with whole milk.
- How Come My Beignets Didn’t Rise? To start tracing the cause, I’d start by checking the expiration date on the yeast. Did the yeast froth up when it was dissolved in the warm water and sugar? If not then the yeast did not work. Another thing to be cautious of is that the yeast gets dissolved in warm water. If the water is too hot it will kill the yeast.
- What Temperature Should The Vegetable Oil Be Before Frying The Beignets? You’ll want the temperature to be 370 degrees F. To keep track of the temperature of the oil you can use a kitchen thermometer.
- Can I Make Doughnuts Instead Using This Beignet Recipe? Yes! After you roll the dough out just use a doughnut cutter instead of cutting out squares.
- How Should I Store These Once They’re Finished? They’re actually best fresh but you can store them for up to 2 to 3 days at room temperature. You may also freeze them for up to 1 to 2 months.
- Can I Make These Beignets Ahead Of Time? You can certainly make the dough ahead of time! Instead of leaving it out to proof, just pop it into the fridge as soon as it’s mixed. It will take longer for them to proof in the refrigerator, so the dough will be ready when you are the next day.
- What Should I Do If The Dough Is Too Sticky While Kneading It? You can add a tablespoon of flour at a time to help reduce the stickiness of the dough.
Nutrition
Calories: 144kcal | Carbohydrates: 28g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 17mg | Sodium: 21mg | Potassium: 44mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 70IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 12mg | Iron: 1mg
Find it online: www.sugarandsoul.co/new-orleans-style-beignets/