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Beignets

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desserts•creole•vegetarian, contains eggs, contains dairy, contains gluten
3 hours•24 beignets•

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup water – warmed to 105–115°F
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar (50g)
  • 2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast
  • 3/4 cup evaporated milk
  • 1 large egg – beaten
  • 3 tbsp unsalted butter – melted and cooled
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 4 cups all-purpose flour (480g)
  • 2 quarts vegetable oil – for deep-frying
  • confectioners' sugar – generous dusting (for serving)
beignets

Instructions

  1. 1.

    Bloom the yeast: In a large bowl, stir the yeast into the warm water with 1 tsp of the measured granulated sugar. Let stand until foamy, 5–10 minutes.

  2. 2.

    Make the wet base: In a separate bowl, whisk the evaporated milk, egg, remaining granulated sugar, kosher salt, and melted butter until smooth.

  3. 3.

    Combine: Pour the milk mixture into the yeast mixture and whisk to combine.

  4. 4.

    Add flour and knead: Add about half the flour and stir to form a thick batter. Add the remaining flour and mix until a shaggy dough forms. Turn out and knead until smooth and slightly tacky (not dry), 3–5 minutes, resisting the urge to add extra flour.

  5. 5.

    First rise: Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover, and let rise at warm room temperature until doubled in size, 1–1.5 hours.

  6. 6.

    Chill to firm: Gently deflate, re-cover, and refrigerate until slightly firm and easier to roll, at least 1 hour.

  7. 7.

    Heat the oil: Pour the vegetable oil into a heavy 5–6 qt pot to a depth of about 2 inches and heat to 360–370°F, maintaining 365°F as you fry.

  8. 8.

    Roll and cut: On a lightly floured surface, roll the chilled dough to 0.25 inch thick. Cut into 2–3 inch squares or diamonds, gathering and rerolling scraps once.

  9. 9.

    Fry: Fry 3–4 pieces at a time, turning once or twice, until puffed and deep golden brown, 1–2 minutes per side. Adjust heat to keep the oil near 365°F.

  10. 10.

    Drain and sugar: Transfer beignets to a rack or paper towels to drain briefly, then dust generously with confectioners' sugar while hot.

  11. 11.

    Serve: Pile onto a warm platter and serve immediately, with extra confectioners' sugar at the table if desired.

Beignets are New Orleans’ iconic square, yeast-raised pastries—light, pillowy, and cloaked in a blizzard of confectioners’ sugar. Fresh from the fryer, they have crisp, delicate edges and a tender, airy interior that practically steams when torn open. Their flavor is gently sweet, enriched by milk and a touch of butter, making them as welcome at breakfast with café au lait as they are for dessert.

The beignet traces its lineage to French pâtisserie and arrived in Louisiana with French and Acadian settlers, evolving within Creole kitchens. In New Orleans, the style became distinct: rolled dough cut into squares and fried to an impressive puff rather than shaped into rings. Mid‑20th‑century coffee stands popularized the tradition, cementing beignets as a culinary emblem of the city and a must‑taste for visitors and locals alike.