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    Home » Recipes

    How to Make New Orleans Beignets

    Last Updated: Feb 15, 2023 By: Chef Christina

    Jump to Recipe·Print Recipe

    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.

    Three stacked beignets stacked and covered in powdered sugar.
    Jump to:
    • The Story
    • The Ingredients
    • The Method
    • Storage and Reheating
    • Chef's Tips
    • Frequently Asked Questions
    • More Southern Recipes
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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).

    Looking down on New Orleans beignets in a paper bag covered in powdered sugar.

    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.

    A New Orleans beignet broken in half to show the hollow inside.

    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.😉
    Ingredients for New Orleans beignets on a marble countertop.

    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.

    A shaggy beignet dough in a ceramic mixing bowl that has risen after overnight proofing.

    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.

    1. 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.
    2. 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.
    Yeast and sugar in a white bowl for beignets.
    combine the yeast and sugar
    A spoon stirring yeast with warm water for New Orleans beignets.
    wait for it to foam
    Melted butter in a small glass dish with a small spoon resting in it.
    melt the butter
    One raw egg and granulated sugar in a mixing bowl.
    combine and mix the egg and sugar
    A blue spatula stirring together the wet ingredients for beignets.
    stir in the yeast mixture, milk, and butter
    1. 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.
    2. 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.
    A shaggy dough for New Orleans beignets in the bottom of a stand mixer.
    mix to a shaggy, slightly sticky dough
    Beignet dough shaped into a round on a floured countertop.
    shape into a round
    A round of mixed beignet dough in the bottom of an oiled ceramic bowl.
    place in an oiled bowl
    Beignet dough that has doubled in size after proofing.
    let proof (rise) overnight or until doubled in size
    1. 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.
    2. 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.
    A candy thermometer inserted into a large dutch oven with oil.
    preheat the frying oil
    Beignet dough that has been punched down, or had the air pressed out after proofing.
    punch down the dough
    A hand pressing down on dough for New Orleans beignets.
    press it gently on a floured surface
    A rolling pin on top of dough on a countertop.
    roll it into a square
    A large square of rolled beignet dough cut into squares.
    cut into same-size doughnuts
    A pastry bench scraper with a ruler printed on it on top of rolled-out beignet dough.
    aim for 2¼" to 2½" squares
    A bench scraper underneath a raw square of beignet dough.
    Cut-out squares of dough for homemade beignets on a parchment paper-lined baking pan.
    keep covered until frying
    1. 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.
    2. 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.
    Beignets frying in hot oil in a dutch oven.
    fry on the first side until it's golden
    flip once and remove when second side is golden
    drain fried beignets on a rack or paper towels
    Several beignets in a brown paper bag coated in powdered sugar.
    shake in a bag with powdered sugar (optional)
    A plate full of beignets completely covered in powdered sugar.
    or serve warm on a plate

    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.
    A rolling pin on top of beignet dough rolling it to an eighth-inch thick.
    • 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.
    A large, rolled out square of beignet dough withe edges trimmed away.
    • 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.
    A light golden, puffy New Orleans beignet on a baking rack with the entire batch.
    • 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

    How do you pronounce beignet?

    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.

    How do you make Tiana's beignets from the Princess and the Frog?

    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.

    Can you air fry beignets?

    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.

    What about Café du Monde's box beignet mix?

    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.

    A plate of fried beignets covered in sugar next to coffee with chicory.

    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.


    More Southern Recipes

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    A stack of beignets on a marble countertop covered in powdered sugar.

    Authentic New Orleans Beignets

    ★★★★★ 5 from 2 reviews
    • Author: Chef Christina
    • 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
    Print Recipe
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    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

    Scale
    • 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

    1. 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.
    2. 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.
    3. 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.
    4. 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.
    5. 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. 
    6. 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. 
    7. 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.
    8. 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

    Did you make this recipe?

    Tag @edibletimes on Instagram and hashtag it #edibletimes


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    Filed Under: Breakfast, How To, Recipes Tagged With: beignet recipe, beignets, new orleans beignet

    Reader Interactions

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      Recipe rating ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆

    1. Tara B.

      February 26, 2023 at 8:19 am

      I am from New Orleans and have used the box mix many times. This recipe takes some time to prepare but well worth it.

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    2. Joan

      February 15, 2023 at 12:58 pm

      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!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Chef Christina

        February 15, 2023 at 1:42 pm

        Have no fear, beignets are one of the simplest doughs to make. New Orleans cooks don't fuss over doughnuts.:) Enjoy!

        Reply

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