Authentic New Orleans beignets are pillowy doughnuts served in a thick coating of powdered sugar. This traditional recipe can be done entirely by hand and is incredibly scrumptious. In place of flavorless shortening, butter adds a bit of richness. Mix the dough the night before for a true Big Easy morning.
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The Story
If you've been to New Orleans there's a good chance you strolled around Jackson Square and then popped into Café du Monde for the quintessential beignet experience. The historic coffeehouse serves thousands daily with its signature coffee with chicory (café au lait, or coffee with milk). The yeast-leavened doughnuts are whisked out of the kitchen in paper bags coated in an obnoxious amount of powdered sugar. And they're sinfully delightful (I've been more times than I care to admit).
And while copycat recipes are endless, I find many of them miss the mark when it comes to the details: the frying, shape, and serving (yes, we New Orleans natives are particular about our beignets). Authentic French Quarter beignets should be lightly golden, square, a little hollow, and downright fluffy. And with this recipe and careful frying, your homemade beignets can be just as memorable.
The Ingredients
- Active dry yeast. Active dry yeast is traditional and creates a slightly slower rise and more flavor. Instant yeast in the same amount works, too, and the dough will rise a little faster.
- Granulated sugar. You can cut back on the bulk of the sugar in the recipe if you like. But use at least a teaspoon to feed the yeast.
- Evaporated milk. I've made this recipe with buttermilk and whole milk, too. With both the beignets are delicious.
- Large egg. There isn't a substitution for the egg in this one. The dough relies on the proteins in the whites for stability and the enriching properties of the yolk.
- Salt. The amount listed in the recipe is based on kosher salt. If you use table salt, use a bit less.
- Unsalted butter. The better the butter, the better the flavor.
- All-purpose flour. Doughs like the ones for beignets rely on the protein content of the specific flour called for in the recipe. In a pinch, you could substitute bread flour.
- Neutral oil. Café du Monde reportedly uses cottonseed oil. Look for any neutral-flavored oil that's high-heat tolerant such as canola or avocado.
- Confectioner's (powdered) sugar. Buy the brand on sale because you'll be using a lot of it.😉
The Method
Beignets are yeast-leavened doughnuts or fritters (fried dough). Like its fellow Creole tradition the king cake, the dough is an enriched one with egg, milk, and a little butter (shortening, historically). And it benefits from an overnight rise in the refrigerator, which also breaks up the process.
Knead and roll with a light touch so you don't overwork and toughen the dough. And roll it out to an eighth-of-an-inch thick for the fluffiest doughnuts.
The Steps
The entire process can be done by hand. If you use a mixer, only beat on low speed. And you might find it easier to mix in the last of the flour with a wooden spoon or spatula.
- Proof the yeast and melt the butter. In a small bowl, stir together the yeast, a teaspoon of granulated sugar, and warm water. Let stand for five minutes, until a layer of froth forms on top. If it doesn't foam, the yeast is bad so start over. Melt the butter, and set it aside to cool.
- Beat the egg and sugar, then add the milk. In a large mixing bowl or bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, stir, whisk, or beat the egg and sugar until combined. Add the evaporated milk, melted butter, and yeast mixture, and beat on low speed (or stir) until somewhat smooth.
- Mix the dough. Add the flour a little at a time on low speed or stir it in with a wooden spoon until a shaggy dough forms. The dough will be loose but cohesive. If the dough is really sticky, add a spoonful of flour at a time until you can handle it.
- Proof. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and shape it gently into a ball. Then place it in an oiled bowl and cover it well (I like to cover the bowl with plastic wrap). Let it rise in a warm spot until doubled in size. Or proof it in the refrigerator overnight for the most flavorful and tender beignets.
- Heat the frying oil. Heat three to four inches of oil to 370° F in a large pot over medium-high heat. Use a candy or meat thermometer to measure the temperature. Don't fill the pot more than halfway with oil, or it will overflow when you add the beignets.
- Roll and cut the beignets. Press the air out of the risen dough and turn it out gently onto a floured surface. Roll it into a loose 14-inch square that's about an eighth-inch thick. Then with a floured knife or bench scraper, cut the dough into squares that are 2¼ or 2½-inches in size. Keep the cut beignets covered with plastic wrap or a towel until you fry them. Exposure to air will dry out the dough and the beignets won't puff as well in the fryer.
- Fry to a light golden. Fry the beignets in small batches until just cooked through and lightly golden on both sides, flipping once the first side is golden. I recommend frying a single beignet first so you can adjust the temperature of your oil as necessary. Beignets don't need more than a minute or two in the oil. Don't overcrowd the pot or the oil will have difficulty maintaining temperature.
- Drain and coat in powdered sugar. Drain the fried beignets on a rack or paper towels. Then sift a heavy coating of powdered sugar over the doughnuts. Or for a true French Quarter beignet experience, place the doughnuts in paper bags with a cup of powdered sugar. Seal and shake the bag to coat the doughnuts. Serve warm.
Storage and Reheating
Store beignets in an airtight container for a day or two. Or seal the leftovers tightly and freeze, which is actually the better choice. As for reheating most fried food, we, chefs, dunk said food back in hot oil for a quick moment. But the next best reheating method is in the oven at 350° F until hot.
Worst-case scenario you pop them in the microwave for just a few seconds. And don't walk away if you choose this route. More than just a few seconds and your light, pillowy beignets will go from tender to tough.
Chef's Tips
- Don't overwork the dough. No need to go to great lengths kneading. If you use a stand mixer, use the paddle attachment to start, but mix in the last cups or so of flour with a wooden spoon. Hands are truly the best tools for mixing beignets.
- Proof the dough overnight. This is called retarding the dough because it will rise slower at cooler temperatures where yeast is less active. And the longer proofing results in a more tender, more flavorful beignet. It also breaks up the bread-baking process and makes for an easier morning.
- Roll the dough fairly thin. French Quarter beignets from Café du Monde and the like are incredibly light and hollow. To achieve this texture, the dough needs to be rolled thin.
- Trim the rolled-out dough before cutting. To ensure like-sized beignets that will fry up in similar amounts of time, trim any misshapen sides of the large square before you cut the individual beignets (I use my chef's knife). This helps you see how many you should cut. And also gives you an edge for cutting pretty squares.
- Fry the beignets just until cooked through. If the doughnuts turn a dark brown within the first minute of frying, turn down the burner a bit. Authentic New Orleans beignets are a light golden brown.
- Dust beignets with sugar when warm and only right before serving. Leftover beignets will store better if not smothered in powdered sugar. So while best served hot out of the fryer, hold off on coating any you might enjoy another day.
Frequently Asked Questions
Beignet is the French word for a doughnut and is pronounced ben-yay. The city of New Orleans is ripe with French culture and influence. So many dishes in Creole and Cajun cuisine are rooted in classical French cooking. And have French names like beignet to prove it.
In the popular Disney movie, Tiana's adventures take place around New Orleans. So "Tiana's beignets" are simply New Orleans beignets. And you don't need any specific recipe (although I recommend the one below). In Tiana's Cookbook, the recipe calls for baking soda and baking powder instead of yeast to leaven the dough. But this is to make the recipe faster and easier for young chefs, princes, and princesses.
You most certainly can (I've tested it out of sheer curiosity). But be aware that air-fried beignets turn out lighter and a little dry, more like a breadstick. Preheat the air fryer to around 340° F, and fry for two to four minutes (timing in your air fryer will take a little trial and error). Flip the beignets halfway through frying. Unlike frying in oil, coat the hot beignets in powdered sugar the moment you take them out.
I've fried beignets made with the café's mix plenty of times. And it's perfectly delicious. But it lacks the yeast-leavened goodness of homemade beignets because it uses baking powder and baking soda to create rise. It's certainly great in a pinch, and an easy option for kids.
Edible Epilogue
On any given morning in the French Quarter of New Orleans, you'll find the tables of Café du Monde stuffed with tourists and locals alike. Sipping bitter, earthy coffee with chicory. And biting into fluffy, fresh-from-the-fryer doughnuts suffocating in powdered sugar.
The ground on the patio is literally white from all the sugar that puffs off the doughnuts and falls from the bags. Stone-faced servers bustle about, delivering orders with minimal fanfare. And the scene hasn't changed in a century. Because if a beignet ain't broke, don't fix it.
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📖 Recipe
Authentic New Orleans Beignets
- Prep Time: 2 Hours, 15 minutes (2 Hours Inactive)
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 35 Active Minutes
- Yield: 24 to 28 Beignets 1x
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: Southern
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
Light, fluffy, and charmingly traditional homemade New Orleans beignets. Mix the dough the night before for a more tender, fluffier doughnut. How thin you roll the dough and how large you cut the doughnuts will determine the exact number of beignets you get from the recipe.
Ingredients
- 1¼ teaspoons of active dry yeast (⅛ ounce)
- ½ cup of warm water (around 110° F)
- ¼ cup plus 1 teaspoon of granulated sugar (2.45 ounces)
- ½ cup of evaporated milk*
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- ½ teaspoon of kosher salt (less if table salt)
- 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter, melted
- 4 cups of all-purpose flour (about 18 ounces)
- 2 to 4 quarts of neutral oil (enough to fill your large pot halfway)
- Confectioner's (powdered) sugar, for dusting
Instructions
- Proof the yeast and melt the butter. In a small bowl, stir together the yeast, a teaspoon of granulated sugar, and warm water. Let stand for five minutes, until a layer of froth forms on top. If it doesn't foam, the yeast is bad so start over with new yeast. Melt the butter, and set it aside to cool.
- Beat the egg and sugar, then add the milk. In a large mixing bowl or bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, whisk or beat the egg and sugar until combined. Add the evaporated milk, melted butter, and yeast mixture, and whisk or beat on low speed until smooth.
- Mix the dough. Add the flour a little at a time on low speed or stir it in with a wooden spoon until a shaggy dough forms. The dough will be loose but cohesive. If the dough is really sticky, add a spoonful of flour at a time until you can handle it.
- Proof. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and shape it gently into a ball. Then place it in an oiled bowl and cover it well (I like to wrap the bowl in plastic wrap). Let it rise in a warm spot until doubled in size. Or proof it in the refrigerator overnight for the most flavorful and tender beignets.
- Heat the frying oil. Heat three to four inches of oil to 370° F in a large pot over medium-high heat. Use a candy or meat thermometer to measure the temperature. Don't fill the pot more than halfway with oil, or it will overflow when you add the beignets. If you don't have a thermometer, start with medium-high heat and adjust it once you start frying. It should be hot enough that the beignets float nearly immediately, and are done in a couple of minutes.
- Roll and cut the beignets. Press the air out of the risen dough and turn it out gently onto a floured surface. Roll it into a loose 14-inch square that's about an eighth-inch thick. Then with a floured knife or bench scraper, cut the dough into squares that are 2¼ to 2½-inches in size. Keep the cut beignets on a floured surface and cover them with plastic wrap or a towel until you fry.
- Fry to a light golden. Fry the beignets in small batches until just cooked through and lightly golden on both sides, flipping once the first side is golden. I recommend frying a single beignet first so you can adjust the temperature of your oil as necessary. Beignets don't need more than a minute or two in the oil. Don't overcrowd the pot or the oil will have difficulty maintaining temperature.
- Drain and coat in powdered sugar. Drain the fried beignets on a rack or paper towels. Then sift a heavy coating of powdered sugar over the doughnuts. Or for a true French Quarter beignet experience, place the doughnuts in paper bags with a cup of powdered sugar. Seal and shake the bag to coat the doughnuts. Serve warm.
Notes
On Milk
Whole, reduced fat, or even buttermilk can substitute for evaporated milk.
Storage and Reheating
Store beignets in an airtight container for a day or two. Or seal the leftovers tightly and freeze, which is actually the better choice. Reheat beignets by dunking them back in hot oil for thirty seconds, in the oven at 350° F until hot, or in the microwave. If you nuke them, don't walk away. More than just a few seconds in the microwave and your light, pillowy beignets can go from tender to tough.
Chef's Tips
- Proof the dough overnight. The longer proofing results in a more tender, more flavorful beignet. It also breaks up the bread-baking process and makes for an easier morning. You can leave the dough in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours.
- Roll the dough fairly thin. French Quarter beignets from Café du Monde and the like are incredibly light and hollow. To achieve this texture, the dough needs to be rolled thin.
On the Nutrition
The amounts below assume each beignet absorbs about two ounces of oil during frying. But this is not a hard and fast amount. The carbohydrates don't account for the powdered sugar, since that varies from cook to cook.
Keywords: how to make beignets, authentic beignets recipe, New Orleans beignets, French Quarter beignets
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Tara B.
I am from New Orleans and have used the box mix many times. This recipe takes some time to prepare but well worth it.
★★★★★
Joan
So glad to have the tips to go with this recipe. I sometimes struggle with pastry items. This is one of my favorite indulgences and so happy that I can make these at home now!
★★★★★
Chef Christina
Have no fear, beignets are one of the simplest doughs to make. New Orleans cooks don't fuss over doughnuts.:) Enjoy!