Beignets New Orleans
New Orleans is famous for its beignets (sometimes misspelled as benya). Cafe Du Monde in New Orleans is world famous because of its legendary beignets and coffee.
Beignet is a specialty in the French Quarters in the Big Easy. They are square in shape, about 2 inches x 2 inches deep fried nuggets of sweetened dough.
After deep-frying, they are dusted and sprinkled with lots of powdered sugar. Beignets are served as a dessert with French cafe au lait.
Cafe Du Monde Beignet Copycat Recipe
I have an easy beignets recipe using choux pastry. This is the real and authentic New Orleans beignets recipe and Cafe Du Monde copycat.
What Does a Beignet Taste Like?
Beignets are fried fritters with a dense and doughy interior. These sweet fried dough are crispy on the outside but soft and pillowy on the inside.
They taste lighter and airy to the palate. They are basically donuts in squares without a hole.
Beignets Main Ingredients
- Cake flour and bread flour
- Yeast
- Eggs
- Butter
- Milk powder
- Sugar and salt
How to Make Beignets New Orleans?
New Orleans beignets are made with a yeast dough.
First, you make the dough by mixing sugar, salt, milk powder, unsalted butter, eggs, yeast and flour to form the dough.
Next, you wait for the beignets dough to rise for one hour.
The final step is cutting the dough into squares and deep fry in batches until golden brown. To serve, dust powdered sugar generously on the beignets and serve warm.
This beignet recipe is very easy, fail-proof and delivers amazing results. If you love sweet desserts, you will definitely love this easy recipe!
Frequently Asked Questions
Difference between Donuts and Beignets?
Donut and beignets are very similar. Both are made with a yeast dough. The dough needs to rise before deep-frying. The real difference is in its shape.
Donuts are round with a hole and have a variety of sweet glazes. Beignets are squares or rectangles in shape without holes. They don’t have a glaze but dusted with powdered sugar.
How Many Calories per Serving?
This recipe is only 165 calories per beignet.
What to Serve with This Recipe?
This dish is best served with a cup of coffee. For an afternoon tea or dessert party, I recommend the following recipes.
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New Orleans Beignets
Soft, pillowy and the best New Orleans beignets. This beignet recipe is fail-proof and easy. Dust with powdered sugar and serve warm.
Ingredients
- 8 oz. warm water
- 1 oz. active dry yeast
- 1 oz. sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 oz. milk powder
- 3 oz. unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
- 6 oz. cake flour
- 11 oz. bread flour
- 1/2 tablespoon baking powder
- oil for deep-frying
- powdered sugar
Directions
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1Mix the water and active dry yeast together, let sit for 10 minutes.
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2
On a stand mixer using a whip attachment, mix the sugar, salt, milk powder, unsalted butter and vanilla extract until light and foamy on high speed. Add the eggs, one at a time, on medium speed. Add the yeast mixture to it.
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3
Change the whip to hook attachment and add the cake flour, bread flour and baking powder. Beat on low speed and then on high speed, until the dough separates from the side of the bowl. Let the dough rise for one hour.
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4
Transfer the dough onto a lightly floured surface, roll it out to about 1/4-inch thickness and cut into 1-inch to 2-inch squares. Heat 3 inches of oil in a frying pan on medium-low heat.
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5
When the oil is fully heated, drop the dough and fry them in batches. Keep turning the beignets and deep fry until golden brown. Transfer the beignets out with a strainer and drain on paper towels. Sprinkle the powdered sugar generously and serve warm.
Barbara
I’m happy to find another version for beignets. My butter horn roll recipe is pretty darn good and I can keep the extra dough in the refrigertor for a few days and it still works. I’m going to try this recipe but don’t really have the time to convert ounces, etc. Rasa, since this is your recipe it would be really appreciated if you would convert it for the American crowd. More Americans would follow you that way.
Thank you.
Rasa Malaysia
Barbara – did you scroll down to see my recipe? It’s in American measurement and ounces. All my recipes are in ounces.
Pastrymeister
I made these tonight with no mixer, was too lazy to carry that heavy thing at 8 months pregnant ? mixed all the dried and RT butter, substituted milk powder for milk. Half water/ half milk for the liquids. Added an extra cup flour, used all purpose flour and kneaded just until dough came together. Let rise 40 minutes come cut and fried. Also I only used 3/4 oz yeast. Oh mamma… good stuff ❤️ Thank you for sharing your recipe!
Adriana
I second the coment left by Hollis.
You took the words right out of my mouth. What is wrong with people these days?
Thank you for your great recipes, and keep on rockin, Rasa!
Rasa Malaysia
Thanks Adriana for your kind words and support.
Tatiyana Edmondson
Agree! xox thanks for your recipes!
Hollis
For those many questions on measurements and/or obvious KitchenAid attachments and speeds…a Google home is an amazing device, as well as an Alexa Dot. Both devices will very easily convert all measurements into fractions of teaspoons all the way through gallons. They can even tell you tomorrow’s weather and that you look beautiful; even if you don’t. Just ask the right questions. As far as typos in anyone’s blogs…I’m pretty sure we can all figure it out with snide remarks or implied ignorance. The recipes posted here have typically been amazing. To each their own I have different acquired tastes. Don’t discourage talent just because you’re bored at home and need a chew toy to make yourself feel superior. Keep up the fabulous work Rasa Malaysia.
Ginnie
Hollis, I loved your comment! You are right on target and I had a great chuckle over your “chew toy” reference!
Sharlene
I never actually had the ones from new Orleans…But the beignets from Disney French Quarter was nothing special… Couldn’t you just roll out some can biscuits, deep fry them in oil and sprinkle or dump powder sugar over them and or Carmel/Chocolate?
Azza
Hi Rasa,
Thank you so much for the recipe
Can you please if possible write the recipe in spoon and cups.
I like to try it but I’m not sure about the measurements
Rasa Malaysia
I don’t write in spoons and cups, they are all weighted.
Natasha
Thanks for the recipe !
I am not sure about yeast amount – is it 1 ounce ? Sounds it is too much !
Can you convert the measuerments into cups and spoons please
Rasa Malaysia
Yes 1 ounce. I don’t have the measurement in cups and spoons.
Awesome
1 ounce is 1/8 cup.
John Hayes
He weighs things. He is referencing an ounce by weight, no by volume. Measuring an ounce as 1/8 of a cup won’t work. You need a scale.
Carmela
Hi Bee,
Thank you for this recipe and many others wonderful ones, which I have made before.
This recipe, however, left me wondering.
I’m an not understanding the instructions.
My mixer does not have a “cook attachment”. What is that? What about “beat on low heat”?
Could please explain?
Thanks
Rasa Malaysia
Hi Carmela, so sorry they were typos. I have updated the recipe.
Kathie
OMG…you couldn’t tell it was a typo and just insert the right word instead of making an issue of it. Feel better now, more superior??
Carmen Carlton
How delightful it was to open up your email and see this recipe! I had just been googling beignets. I’ve had good luck with your recipes so I am eager to try these. One question though. Many recipes suggest cutting them into 3″ squares. Do yours basically resemble beignet puffs after frying? Can they be made bigger without sacrificing anything overall?
Rasa Malaysia
Hi Carmen, I like mini everything, so you can cut them to be bigger. The thing about bigger beignets are sometimes the inside is not cooked through but outside is already so brown. So I would try with smaller ones first maybe 2-inch, or 1-1/2 inch. They also puff up a bit after frying. :)
Don
Sorry Bee, but that is not an authentic recipe for beignets. Try the ones from Southern Living or NOLACuisine. We almost always use evaporated milk in the recipe. The variations are with the flour; AP, self raising or bread. The box versions in the grocery stores may use powdered milk. Two inch squares are more traditional.
Rasa Malaysia
Hi Don, thanks for the feedback. I like everything mini, so it’s easier for my son to eat them. Also I noticed that bigger squares are harder to cook inside as the outside is already brown and inside is still doughy. But thanks so much for your feedback. If you have a recipe, please share with me! :)