Making beignets is easier than pronouncing the name of this classic French dessert. 

Beignets, pronounced ben·yayz, are a deep-fried pastry made with pâte à choux, a special dough containing butter, water, flour, and eggs. Instead of relying on yeast to achieve a fluffy, airy texture, this pastry dough’s high moisture content helps keep things light. 

If you’re not a professional pastry chef, making pâte à choux could be daunting. However, don’t let that stop you from making your favorite buttery fried and baked pastries. 

The following recipe for beignets is easy—perfect for a home chef who’s never set foot in culinary school. It uses yeast instead of pâte à choux, which is characteristic of the New Orleans beignets. You’ll feel like you’re in New Orleans’ French quarter at Café du Monde instead of France, but that still sounds great to us. 

With this new knowledge about the dessert’s name and variations, you’re ready to walk into a café to order a beignet. If you don’t have time for a vacation right now, we’ll teach you how to make authentic homemade beignets all by yourself.

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Cooking time: 20 minutes

Total time: 35 minutes (and rising time)

Servings: 12

Ingredients

• 3 cups of all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting

• ¾ teaspoon kosher salt

• 3 tablespoons sugar

• 1 cup warm whole milk

• 2 teaspoons active dry yeast

• 1 large egg

• 3 tablespoons butter, melted

• 1 ½ to 2 quarts vegetable oil

• 3 cups powdered sugar

Preparation instructions 

1. Combine the 3 cups of flour, the salt, and 2 tablespoons of the sugar in a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer. (If you’re using a stand mixer, we recommend the paddle attachment.)

2. In a separate small bowl, whisk together the warm milk, the remaining tablespoon of sugar, and the 2 teaspoons of yeast. Let the yeast bloom. It should take about 5 minutes to become foamy. 

3. Beat the egg into the yeast mixture, and then transfer this liquid into the dry ingredients. If working by hand, use a wooden mixing spoon to combine all of the ingredients. If using a stand mixer, run the machine on low. Mixing shouldn’t take more than 2 minutes, even if you’re working by hand. The ideal dough consistency is moist and shaggy. 

4. Add the melted butter to the dough. You’ll need to mix for around a minute to incorporate the butter with whichever tools you’re using. (If using a stand mixer, you should change the paddle attachment to a dough hook.)

5. Knead the dough. If you’re using a stand mixer, do so for 6 minutes on medium. If kneading by hand, work the dough on a lightly floured surface until the dough is still moist but easy to handle.

6. Roll the dough into a ball and place it in a greased bowl. If you live in a cooler climate, you’ll want to put this bowl in a warm place. It will still rise at room temperature, but not as quickly. Covering the dough with plastic wrap can help trap some heat to accelerate the process, too. Let rise for about 2 hours, or until doubled in size.

7. Sift the 3 cups of powdered sugar into a bowl and put it aside for later. 

8. Roll out the risen dough on a floured surface. Aim for a large oval that is roughly one-quarter inch thick.  

9. Cut the dough into 12 roughly rectangularly shaped pieces. 

10. Fill a large pot halfway with vegetable oil. We recommend putting on oven mitts so that your arms don’t get splattered with hot oil as you work. 

11. Set up a cooling rack in preparation of frying. 

12. Heat the oil to 325°F. We recommend picking up an oil-resistant thermometer before doing any extensive deep frying. With this high quantity of oil, checking the temperature with a thermometer is the best way to know if the liquid is hot enough for frying.  If you have a deep fryer, this is a great opportunity to use it.

13. Fry out the beignets in batches, being careful to not overcrowd the pot. Lower each rectangle of dough into the hot oil with tongs or a slotted spoon. Fry for about 1 ½ minutes on each side, or until the dough is crispy and golden brown. Remove the fried dough from the hot oil, again using tongs or a slotted spoon, and transfer them onto the cooling rack. 

14. Let the beignets cool for a few minutes. You may want to blot off extra oil with paper towels, then dip them in the powdered sugar. Coat them generously on all sides. Enjoy these pillowy, golden donuts warm. 

Recipe adapted from Simply Recipes

f11photo - stock.adobe.com

Nutrition information

• Calories: 262

• Fat: 8.5 grams

• Saturated Fat: 2.1 grams

• Cholesterol: 23 milligrams

• Sodium: 135 milligrams

• Potassium: 93 milligrams

• Carbohydrates: 40 grams

• Fiber: 1.3 grams

• Sugars: 7.7 grams

• Protein: 6 grams

This nutritional information is a rough estimate.

FAQs

How to make beignets using biscuits?

In this quick and easy version of the recipe, you fry up slices of ready-made biscuits (the kind that come ready-made in a compressed can) and then roll them around powdered sugar to finish. If you’re short on time, this is the recipe for you.  

How to make beignets with pancake mix?

This is another quick preparation style for making beignets quickly. To make, stir together 1 ¼ cups of pancake mix and ⅓ cup of milk until a moist dough forms. Roll the dough into a ball and then flatten, cut, and fry as described in the more traditional recipe given above. 

How to make beignets without yeast?

This is the traditional French preparation of beignets. To make no-yeast beignets, follow the oldest recipe in the book: the one containing pâte à choux. In this version, the dough is 1 cup water, 1 stick of unsalted butter, 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar, 1 cup of all-purpose flour, and 4 large eggs. This dough comes together on the stove, so combine the water, butter, sugar, and salt in a saucepan, then reduce the heat and add in the flour. Stir until the dough starts to form a ball, then beat in the eggs. Once everything is mixed, follow the frying instructions above.

kcuxen - stock.adobe.com

Put on your oven mitts because it’s time to deep fry some delicious treats, and Gopuff is here to help. Order everything you need in seconds and have it at your door in a matter of minutes.