New Orleans Beignets Recipe (2024)

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  • Breakfast
  • Brunch

Enjoy pillowy, sugary New Orleans-style Beignets right at home. Start the dough the night before, and let it rise slowly overnight for a sweet breakfast, or do it all in the morning. It's a trip to Cafe du Monde without the ticket price!

By

Cindy Rahe

New Orleans Beignets Recipe (1)

Cindy Rahe

Cindy has over 10 years experience as a recipe blogger and was a contributor at BettyCrocker.com. Cindy began contributing to Simply Recipes in 2017.

Learn about Simply Recipes'Editorial Process

Updated March 01, 2023

11 Ratings

New Orleans Beignets Recipe (2)

Have you ever had a beignet? These sweet, squares of fried dough buried in powdered sugar are a staple of New Orleans food culture, with tourists making the trek to the famous Café du Monde just for beignets and coffee.

My NOLA beignet experience has remained a lasting memory. I was lucky enough to be in great company, music played all around us, and as we approached the café, the humid air was thick with the smell of frying dough, sugar, and coffee. It was heaven.

While I can’t just jet off to New Orleans for a beignet experience anytime I’d like to, I can recreate something similar at home and share it with all of you!

What To Expect From a Beignet

When I was working on this recipe, I channeled my memory of those beignets. Each bite needed to begin in a cloud of sugar with a just-crisp golden edge that gave way to a pillowy, warm interior.

New Orleans Beignets Recipe (4)

How Are Beignets Different From Doughnuts?

Beignets only have a single rise, unlike doughnuts, which have a second rise after they are cut out. Instead, beignets go from the initial rise to cutting and frying in pretty quick succession.

Once fried, they are coated, and I mean absolutely covered, in powdered sugar.

New Orleans Beignets Recipe (5)

How Are Beignets Served?

Sometimes beignets are served with a side of jam for dipping, but not always. They are usually served warm, covered in powdered sugar, with coffee on the side. I’m personally a fan of the classic combo of sugary, warm beignet and bitter coffee.

Time Saving Beignet Tips

If you want to prepare the dough ahead of time, you can do a slow rise in the refrigerator overnight. Then you can roll it out and cut the beignets. Since the dough will be cold, let the cut beignets come to room temp for about 30 minutes before frying.

To reheat beignets: A quick 10 seconds in the microwave will perk them up just enough.

New Orleans Beignets Recipe (6)

More Recipes That Go Well With Coffee!

  • Apple Cider Glazed Donut Holes
  • Gluten-Free Chocolate Cake Donuts
  • Classic Coffee Cake
  • Blueberry Cake
  • Lemon Pound Cake

New Orleans Beignets

Prep Time15 mins

Cook Time20 mins

Rising Time2 hrs

Total Time2 hrs 35 mins

Servings8 servings

Yield16 beignets

Ingredients

  • 3 cups (415g) all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting

  • 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt

  • 3 tablespoons sugar, divided

  • 1 cup warm whole milk, about 100°F

  • 2 teaspoons active dry yeast

  • 1 large egg

  • 3 tablespoons butter, melted

  • 1 1/2 to 2 quarts vegetable oil

  • 3 cups powdered sugar

Special Equipment

  • Stand mixer

Method

  1. Start the dough:

    In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine 3 cups of flour, salt, and 2 tablespoons of sugar.

  2. Bloom the yeast:

    In a 4 cup measuring glass or medium bowl, combine the warm milk (it should be about 100°F), remaining tablespoon of sugar, and yeast, and allow it to sit until foamy, about 5 minutes.

  3. Make the dough:

    Beat the egg into the foamy milk mixture and add the mixture to the mixing bowl of flour. Mix by hand or using the paddle attachment with your stand mixer set to low or medium low, until you get a wet dough with shaggy dry bits throughout. This can take anywhere from 30 seconds to 1 1/2 minutes depending on how you’re mixing.

    Swap out the paddle attachment for the dough hook. Add the melted butter. Set the mixer to medium-low until the butter is incorporated, about 1 minute.

  4. Knead the dough:

    Turn the mixer up to medium or medium-high (depending on the size and weight of your mixer) and knead on the hook for about 6 minutes. The dough should be tacky to the touch but not so wet that you can’t handle it.

  5. Shape the dough and let it rise:

    Shape the dough into a ball and place it in a greased bowl. Cover with plastic and allow it to rise until doubled in size, 1 to 2 hours depending on the temperature of the room.

    New Orleans Beignets Recipe (7)

    New Orleans Beignets Recipe (8)

  6. Set up your frying and dusting stations:

    Fill a large 4-quart pot with a few inches of vegetable oil (about 2 quarts). Set a cooling rack over a baking sheet and place it next to the pot of oil along with tongs.

    Sift 3 cups of powdered sugar into a medium-sized mixing bowl and set next to the rack and a sheet pan.

  7. Cut the dough and heat the oil:

    Once the dough has risen, turn it out onto a floured surface and roll it out into an oblong shape (about 10 inches by 14 inches and 1/4 inch thick). Cut the dough into 16 rough rectangles and cover with a flour-dusted tea towel to rest while you heat the oil.

    New Orleans Beignets Recipe (9)

    New Orleans Beignets Recipe (10)

  8. Fry the beignets:

    Heat the frying oil to 325°F. Fry the beignets in batches until golden, about 1 1/2 to 2 minutes per side.

    New Orleans Beignets Recipe (11)

    New Orleans Beignets Recipe (12)

  9. Drain and coat the beignets in sugar:

    Use your tongs or a frying spider to lift the beignets out of the frying oil and place them on the baking rack.

    Let some of the fat drain off for about a minute before covering in powdered sugar. You want to coat them with sugar while the beignets are still hot, but not straight out of the fryer dripping in oil. Drop the drained beignets into the bowl with the powdered sugar. Turn to coat. Repeat with the remaining beignets.

    New Orleans Beignets Recipe (13)

  10. Serve:

    Serve warm with another generous dusting of powdered sugar and hot coffee on the side.

  • Brunch
  • Donuts
  • Southern
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
458Calories
20g Fat
63g Carbs
7g Protein

×

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 8
Amount per serving
Calories458
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 20g26%
Saturated Fat 5g23%
Cholesterol 38mg13%
Sodium 176mg8%
Total Carbohydrate 63g23%
Dietary Fiber 2g5%
Total Sugars 27g
Protein 7g
Vitamin C 0mg0%
Calcium 47mg4%
Iron 2mg13%
Potassium 110mg2%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.

New Orleans Beignets Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What are New Orleans beignets made of? ›

What is a beignet? Beignets were first introduced to the city by the French-Creole colonists in the 18th century. The concept is simple – dough is fried then covered with mounds of powdered sugar – but the result is extraordinary.

What's the difference between a donut and a beignet? ›

The texture of donuts and beignets is different due to the ingredients used. While both of these pastries fall on the side of light and fluffy, donuts are typically more dense than beignets. This is in part because of the difference in the dough; donuts aren't made with choux pastry like beignets.

What is the difference between French and Louisiana beignets? ›

New Orleans beignets are different from the classic French beignet in that they are made with yeast to help the dough rise. French beignets, meanwhile, are a choux pastry, a pastry that relies on moisture content instead of yeast to facilitate rising. Today, beignets are considered the official donut of Louisiana.

Why are my beignets raw on the inside? ›

Why are my beignets raw in the middle? Oil that's too hot will quickly brown the beignets before the centers have a chance to cook. Make sure to check your oil temperature, and reduce the heat if your beignets are browning too quickly.

What kind of dough are beignets made of? ›

A beignet is a yeast-risen dough that is rolled out, cut into square shapes, and deep-fried until golden brown. A hollow pocket forms in the center of the beignet when frying. Right when the beignets come out of the frying oil, they are rolled in copious amounts of powdered sugar.

Why are my beignets not fluffy? ›

Do not add too many pieces to the oil or else the oil temperature will drop and your beignets will be fry up flat. They will not puff up. The only other reason the dough does not puff up would be if you rolled the beignet dough too flat. Try rolling the dough a little thicker.

What oil does Cafe Du Monde use for beignets? ›

If it isn't, the beignets absorb too much oil and the powdered sugar melts when served and the beignet is greasy, sticky, and a hot, sweet mess of soggy dough. Cafe du Monde fries their beignets in cottonseed oil, even though most recipes call for vegetable oil.

What kind of flour does Cafe Du Monde use? ›

Enriched wheat flour, enriched barley flour, milk, buttermilk, salt, sugar, leavening (baking powder, baking soda, and/or yeast), natural and artificial flavoring. Do you use eggs in your beignet mix? We do not use eggs in our mix.

Why do beignets come in threes? ›

At that time, beignets were generally called “French Market doughnuts,” something Fernandez rectified in 1958 when he rebranded them “beignets.” Asked why beignets are always served in threes, Roman had a very simple explanation: “My grandfather always sold them in threes, so that is what we still do today.”

What is the most famous beignet place in New Orleans? ›

Sweet and Traditional Beignets. Café du Monde — Home of the original New Orleans beignet, Café du Monde has been serving customers since 1862.

Are beignets just funnel cake? ›

The texture of a good beignet is also juicier and the individual doughs balls are less splintered than the funnels of a funnel cake. A beignet looks more similar to a powdered donut than a funnel cake.

What is the nickname for beignets? ›

For many years, especially in the early 20th century, Cafe du Monde's beignets were referred to as just doughnuts or French Market doughnuts.

What are Popeyes beignets? ›

Much like Popeyes' original Beignets, the New Orleans delicacy features a golden brown fried pastry sprinkled with powdered sugar. This time, they're also stuffed with berry filling. The Wild Berry Beignets come in 3-, 6-, and 12-piece orders for $1.99, $3.99, and $7.49, the outlet reports.

What is the Spanish version of beignets? ›

noun
FromToVia
• beignet→ buñuelo de vientobuñuelo↔ beignet
• beignet→ anillorosquilladona↔ doughnut
• beignet→ bollo de Berlínbollo relleno de mermeladaberlina↔ Berliner
• beignet→ berlín↔ Pfannkuchen

What are Cafe du Monde beignets fried in? ›

We use cottonseed oil at the Cafe Du Monde, and we recommend you use cottonseed oil. However you may use any vegetable oil you wish. Remember that the temperature of the oil will drop when you add the beignet dough to the oil.

Are beignets the same as fried dough? ›

A beignet is a sweet fried dough with origins in the fine pastry capital of the world: France. It's also common to find these in areas with heavy French influence, like New Orleans, where they are ubiquitous.

Are Cafe du Monde beignets hollow? ›

Café du Monde beignets have a hollow bump. I know from the box mix that their beignets do not have a rise-- just mix, cut, and fry.

What is Cafe du Monde made of? ›

The Original Cafe Du Monde is a traditional coffee shop. Its menu consists of dark roasted Coffee and Chicory, Beignets, White and Chocolate Milk, and fresh squeezed Orange Juice. The coffee is served Black or Au Lait. Au Lait means that it is mixed half and half with hot milk.

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