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Best Beignets Recipe is a light, fluffy French doughnut that are cut into squares and puffed up when fried in oil and then end by sprinkling with powdered sugar or dipped in chocolate syrup. The best pillowy-soft and fluffy breakfast to wake up to! 
Easy to Make Beignets Recipe
These popular mini beignets are pillow-y soft and fluffy gems that are found in New Orleans especially during Mardi Gras. I love how cute and mini they are plus simple to make. Beignets are homemade and made from scratch. First making the beignet dough then frying it in oil. Once cooled off we like to sprinkle powdered sugar over top and dip them in chocolate syrup dipping sauce.
Beignets are a smaller version of a donut. The inside of the beignets are a little more puffy with a soft middle. These beignets are SO delicious and won’t last long. If I could make these everyday, I totally would! They are light and fluffy and just melt in your mouth. They do take a little bit longer to make because the dough does need to rise, but they are worth the wait.
What is a Beignet?
Beignets are a French pastry known as an English fritter. They are a pastry made from deep-fried dough that are cut into square shaped pieces. Then sprinkled generously with powdered sugar. It is best to serve them hot and are usually paired with a warm drink. These are known to be a breakfast or a dessert.
What is the Difference between Beignet and a Doughnut?
Beignets Ingredients:
The ingredients are simple to make these beignets recipe. It is best to have fresh ingredients, especially the active dry yeast. This will help the dough rise properly and keep the beignet dough fluffy when fried. These are best made right away and are served hot or warm. Any kind of dipping sauce or syrup is delicious for these beignets.
- Water: Lukewarm water is best to help activate the yeast.
- Active Dry Yeast: Make sure your yeast has not expired and it is active.
- Sugar: This will help activate your yeast but it also gives the beignets a sweeter taste.
- Egg: Large egg is preferable and beaten. An egg will help bind the dough together.
- Evaporated Milk: Thick, rich and creamy milk for your beignets to become that pillow soft and doughy inside.
- Flour: I found that bread flour works the best but all purpose flout will work too.
- Salt: Just a pinch!
- Vegetable Oil: For Deep-Frying the mini beignets.
- Powdered Sugar: Sprinkle over top the beignets once they are fried.
- Chocolate Syrup: Dipping the delicious beignets in.
How to Make Beignets:
You can’t go wrong with this recipe! It is easy to make with a few steps that are time consuming. Don’t let that hold you back though! They are worth every minute of waiting for the dough to rise. Once the dough rises it only takes a few minutes to deep fry the beignets in oil. These are best served hot and with powdered sugar over top to sweeten the beignets.
- Activate the yeast: In a large bowl add the warm water and yeast. Let sit for 10 minutes until it starts to proof.
- Whisk together: In another bowl whisk together the sugar, eggs, and evaporated milk. Whisk the egg mixture into the yeast mixture.
- Mix until it becomes dough: In a separate bowl add the flour and salt. Add the flour mixture one cup at a time to the yeast mixture until the dough starts to come together.
- Knead the beignets dough: Remove the dough from the bowl and lightly flour your surface. Knead until the dough becomes smooth and shape into a ball. Add it back to the bowl and cover and let it rise in a warm place until doubled 1-2 hours.
- Fry the beignets: Preheat oil in the deep fryer to 350 degrees. Roll the dough into a large rectangle and cut into 2 inch squares. Carefully drop each square into the oil and let it get golden brown on each side 1-2 minutes. Remove with a metal spider strainer. Let the beignets cool and toss in powdered sugar. Serve with chocolate or caramel sauce if desired.
Dipping Sauce for Mini Beginets:
Choose your favorite dipping sauces for the square pastries. My favorite is chocolate syrup or my homemade salted caramel syrup.
- Raspberry Sauce
- Strawberry Syrup
- Peanut Butter warmed up
Tips For Making The Best Beignets
- Lukewarm water: The water should be between 110 to 115 degrees Fahrenheit for lukewarm water. If the water is too hot it will essentially kill the yeast and if it is too cold the dough won’t properly rise. It is best to have it lukewarm for the beignets to rise.
- Test your yeast: If the yeast did not start to froth up after dissolving the yeast into the lukewarm water, it is best not to continue with the dough. Unfortunately, your dough will not rise since the yeast was not active.
- Instant or Rapid Rise Yeast: Instead of using active dry yeast, instant or rapid-rise yeast will also work. This will eliminate dissolving the yeast in the lukewarm water. Skip the step and mix the yeast directly into the dough.
- Raising the dough quicker: To speed up the dough rising process, turn your oven on to the lowest degree, usually about 200 degrees Fahrenheit. Either leave the beignets dough on top of the oven and let rise or turn off the oven and place the beignet dough into the oven and the dough will rise quickly.
- Double the recipe: When planning to make these for a crowd, this beignets recipe can be doubled.
- Hot oil: Make sure your oil reaches 350 degrees Fahrenheit before adding the mini beignets dough in the oil. Always try one first to make sure. These beignets will fry quickly 1 to 2 minutes per side if the oil is hot.
- Candy thermometer: If you have a candy thermometer on hand this is best to use to know your oil is hot enough while frying the beignets.
More Delicious Breakfast Recipes:
- Secret Ingredient French Toast Recipe
- Best Ever German Oven Pancakes
- Delicious Cinnamon Roll Pancakes Recipe
- Belgian Waffles
- Perfect Crepes
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Best Beignets Recipe
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup lukewarm water
- 1 teaspoon active dry yeast
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 egg beaten
- 1/2 cup evaporated milk
- 3 1/2 cups bread flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- Vegetable oil for deep-frying
- 1 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- chocolate syrup for dipping optional
Instructions
- In a large bowl add the warm water and yeast. Let sit for 10 minutes until it starts to proof.
- In another bowl whisk together the sugar, eggs, and evaporated milk. Whisk the egg mixture into the yeast mixture.
- In a separate bowl add the flour and salt. Add the flour mixture one cup at a time to the yeast mixture until the dough starts to come together.
- Remove the dough from the bowl and lightly flour your surface. Knead until the dough becomes smooth and shape into a ball. Add it back to the bowl and cover and let it rise in a warm place until doubled 1-2 hours.
- Preheat oil in the deep fryer to 350 degrees. Roll the dough into a large rectangle and cut into 2 inch squares. Carefully drop each square into the oil and let it get golden brown on each side 1-2 minutes. Remove with a metal spider strainer. Let the beignets cool and toss in powdered sugar. Serve with chocolate or caramel sauce if desired.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
How would you make these gluten free? What amount of gf flour would you use along with other ingredients
I am definitely not a gluten-free baking expert but my recommendation would be to use a 1:1 GF flour mix, like Bob’s Red Mill or King Arthur. Other GF flours on their own may not have what they need to add structure that replaces gluten.
Can you make dough, freeze and let thaw then fry?
Yes you can! The beignet dough is great for freezing and using later.
Can you make the dough ahead of time and refrigerate overnight? Would you light the dough rise and roll them out after that.
You can put the dough in the fridge overnight! Just prepare it as directed and cover it before storing it in the fridge.
How thick do you roll out the dough?
And how many does it make?
Thanks
I would roll the dough so it’s a little less than 1/2 an inch thick. This makes around 40+ small beignets and serves about 12 people.
Not even close, I’m pretty sure it feeds 1 😉
You use bread flour for this recipe, not cake flour or all purpose ?
I used bread flour but all-purpose flour will work too!
Gary, I’m not sure if u will end up getting this message, but I just had to contact you. My maiden name was Hohenstein….it’s just not that often that I come across that name so I just wanted to say hello!! & possibly find out where in the world you call home. I am in Lakeland, FL, USA.
Can they be baked?
I have not tried baking them with this recipe but I am sure it can be done! I would try baking them at 350 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes or until they puff up and are done on the inside.
Plan on making these this weekend. Wondering if I can make them ahead of time. If I can make them ahead of time how would I store them
It is best to make these the day of but you can make in advance and store in an air tight container up to two days.
I love love beignets. In my country we call them “mitai” but we cover them with sugar syrup.
you have mentioned your recipe so nicely.b