Best Beignets
These homemade beignets are light, fluffy square doughnuts fried at 350°F and dusted with powdered sugar—a classic Creole breakfast that's crispy outside and airy inside.
These homemade beignets are light, fluffy square doughnuts fried at 350°F and dusted with powdered sugar—a classic Creole breakfast that's crispy outside and airy inside.
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Add ¾ cup lukewarm water and 1 teaspoon active dry yeast to a large mixing bowl and whisk together. Set aside for about 10 minutes, until it is frothy.
In a medium bowl, whisk together ¼ cup granulated sugar, 1 large beaten egg, and ½ cup evaporated milk. Whisk the sugar mixture into the yeast mixture.
In a separate medium bowl, whisk together 3 ½ cups bread flour and 1 teaspoon salt before adding 1 cup at a time to the yeast mixture, mixing until the dough begins to come together and all the flour has been incorporated.
Lightly flour a clean surface and remove the dough from the bowl. Knead it with your hands until it becomes smooth, about 10 minutes. Shape it into a ball and add it back to the bowl. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and set the bowl in a warm place to rise until doubled in size, about 1 ½-2 hours.
Once the dough has doubled, add the vegetable oil for frying to a large, deep pot or a deep fryer. Heat over medium-high heat until the oil reaches 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Roll the dough into a large rectangle about ¼-½-inch thick and cut it into 2-inch squares. Working in batches of 3-4, carefully drop the squares of dough into the oil and fry on each side until golden brown, about 2 minutes per side. Remove the beignets from the oil with a metal spider strainer or slotted spoon and set them on a paper towel-lined baking sheet or plate.
Let the beignets cool for a minute before tossing them in 1 ½ cup powdered sugar. Serve warm with chocolate or caramel syrup for dipping, if desired.
Store cooled beignets in an airtight container at room temperature up to 2 days; reheat in a 300°F oven for 5 minutes before serving warm.
deep pot or deep fryer · thermometer (to reach 350°F oil)
Yes. After the first rise (1½–2 hours), refrigerate the dough overnight, then roll, cut, and fry directly from cold—the oil temperature is 350°F for about 2 minutes per side.
Beignets are cut into squares rather than rings, use evaporated milk in the dough for tenderness, and are traditionally served warm with powdered sugar rather than glazed.
Heat vegetable oil in a deep pot to 350°F on a thermometer. The oil should sizzle immediately when you drop in a small piece of dough; it will brown in about 2 minutes per side.
Bread flour gives beignets their characteristic chew and lift. All-purpose flour works but yields slightly denser, less fluffy results.
Ensure the lukewarm water is 105–110°F (too hot kills yeast, too cold slows fermentation), and place the covered bowl in a warm spot—75–80°F is ideal for 1½–2 hours.
