Have the wonderful experience of eating New Orleans Beignets right in your home with this easy Homemade Beignets recipe.
Think you have to live in New Orleans to enjoy Beignets? Think again. These pillowy pieces of deep fried dough coated in powdered sugar can be enjoyed at home. They’re really not hard at all to make.
All it takes to make beignets is some dough and some hot oil. They can be enjoyed for breakfast, dessert, or a snack and are especially good with a cup of coffee.
That’s a mound of beignets isn’t it?
This Homemade Beignets recipe is from Paula Deen and like all her recipes, it is slap your mama good!
It is best to make the dough a day ahead of time so plan ahead. Also, this recipe makes a huge amount of beignets, so you may want to cut it in half if you don’t plan on feeding half the neighborhood.
Be sure to go heavy on the powdered sugar. 🙂
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Watch the short video below to see how easy it is to make Homemade Beignets.
Homemade Beignets
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups lukewarm water
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 envelope active dry yeast
- 2 eggs, slightly beaten
- 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
- 1 cup evaporated milk
- 7 cups bread flour
- 1/4 cup shortening
- Vegetable oil
- 3 cups confectioners' sugar
Instructions
- Mix water, sugar, and yeast in a large bowl and let sit 10 minutes.
- In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs, salt, and evaporated milk together.
- Add egg mixture to yeast mixture and mix.
- Stir in 3 cups of bread flour. (A wooden spoon is good for stirring.)
- Add shortening and stir it in. Stir in remaining flour.Note: The video above shows melted shortening being used, but there is no need to melt the shortening. It will mix in just fine in solid form.
- Place dough on a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth.
- Coat a large bowl with oil, place dough in bowl and cover with plastic wrap.
- Let rise at least 2 hours or place in refrigerator overnight.
- Pour about 3 inches of oil in a Dutch oven and heat to 350 degrees.
- Roll dough to 1/4-inch thickness and cut 2-inch squares. (This is easy to do with a pizza cutter.)
- Working about 4 at a time, place in oil and fry, flipping continuously until they are golden brown.
- Test one to make sure it is cooked through. Drain on paper towels and coat with powdered sugar.
Nutrition
Recipe Source: slightly adapted from Paula Deen
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Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links.
Can you use an air fryer
Can I use a deep fryer or is it required I heat the oil on the stove top?
Yes, you can use a deep fryer. I
Hi there! Looking forward to trying this recipe. If I remake the dough ahead of time to keep on the fridge, do I need to plan for the dough to sit 2hours+ to rise before frying? Or do I let it rise first and then set it in the fridge until I’m ready to use it?
Quick ??? Do you have to use a dutch oven? Will a deep fryer suffice?
I am certain they are more tasty warm, but what if I am going to a jack and jill. Can I make these ahead of time?
Made these today…absolutely delicious and just like New Orleans. How long does the dough keep in the fridge? Also, can you make other things with this dough?
The dough should keep for a good 3 days or so. I haven’t thought about making anything else with it. You could make a creamy filling and use a pastry bag to fill the middle once they are fried.
How long do they keep?
They should be eaten right away. You can kkep the dough in the fridge and not fry it all at the ame time though.
When stirring in the flour, do I mix by hand or use a electric or stand mixer?
It’s easier using your hands because I tried to mix by hand and it started to get harder and harder to so you can just flour a surface and knead the dough until it’s soft and put it in a bowl covered with plastic wrap to let it rise.
When stir in flour, do you do this by hand or using a electric or stand mixture?
What kind of shortening do you use? Butter? Margarine?
Crisco solid vegetable shortening.
I cannot tell you how pleased I am to get the Beignets recipe. They are wonderful. Just like I remembered. Thank you.
So glad you like them!
Can you freeze the extra dough
Not really sure. I haven’t tried freezing it.
I have frozen dough before. I actually find that they turn out better when not made right away. Leave the dough in the refrigerator overnight (even a couple of days ahead) or make dough ahead and freeze. Just do not save beignets once you have fried them. They are not good unless fresh and hot. 🔥😋
Do you use all purpose or self rise flour?
Regular bread flour. I don’t think there is such a thing as self-rising bread flour.
so, all purpose?
All-purpose flour is different than bread flour. Here is a link to bread flour- https://www.walmart.com/ip/Pilsbury-Bread-Flour-5-lbs/10308169?wmlspartner=wlpa&adid=22222222227010201924&wl0=&wl1=g&wl2=c&wl3=66579217232&wl4=pla-130448822192&wl5=9011146&wl6=&wl7=&wl8=&wl9=pla&wl10=8175035&wl11=online&wl12=10308169&wl13=&veh=sem
Yeah, there is. Make beerbread with it. Found in grocery stores in pacufic northwest.
Dont forget to blow the person across from you in the face with the powdered sugar !!!!!!!!!!! That’s Cafe De Monte style !!!!!!!
Question: What oil do you use for frying? I know that can make a difference in taste. Thx!
I usually use Vegetable oil.
Just getting my ingredients together and was wondering if the shortening has to be softened or melted? They look delicious, can’t wait to try them 😊
I just use room temperature shortening.
Unfortunately I do gain weight, every time I just look at a picture of a cake. However Have I tried some recepiess and they were a succes.
Yummy! It’s been a few years since i’ve been down to New Orleans and sometimes I catch myself just day dreaming about beignets! I cannot wait to try these! Thank you so much for sharing Christin!
Well, it dies say 142 calories so that must mean for all of the ones you eat.
I visited New Orleans 3 times. Not a day went by that I didn’t buy a bag of hot, fresh beignets. They are so deeee-licious! I’m very excited to try this recipe. Christin, I too want to dive head first into the pile of beignets. Thank you for sharing this recipe.
Slap your mama good is pretty darn good! haha I was able to make beignets at cooking school and it was so fun, and you’re right — it wasn’t hard! That is quite the pile, Christin, and I wish I could’ve been there to help you eat them. As if you needed it. 🙂
They look so wonderful. They remind of the last time I visited New Orleans. Finally I can make some at home, or at least try to.
A tower of puffy, golden, icing sugar coated beignets is all I am craving right now. These look so wonderful Christin!
That is a beautiful mound of beignets! I totally want to dive right in head first! They look perfect 🙂
I am going to be in New Orleans this summer and I can’t wait to try some of these!
You will have the best time! Eat some for me 🙂
I am salivating!! I actually love that you need to make it a day ahead…I like being able to spread the ‘work’ and then have fresh beignets in the morning for breakfast!
Looks delicious! Nothing quite like beignets! So tasty. 😀
Oh wow – loving how fluffy these look! I attempted beignets once and they were a tad more brown than golden and “chewy” than fluffy!
Oh, gosh. These are pure perfection! I am just drooling here, Christin! Gorgeous photos!
Irresistible.. 🙂 deep fried.. 😀 I would like it
Oh man, I would have NO self control around that mound!
Drooling!
These beignets are picture perfect, Christin! I’d be inhaling that entire plate of them in minutes. 😀
These look amazing! Never tried making these at home but will have to give them a try. Thanks for sharing!
Oh, my gosh, I want these so much! I adored having these when we visited New Orleans when I was 10. It’s been too long. Maybe my mom and I can make them next time I go home, because I sure don’t need an entire recipe all by myself!! (Although, not saying I couldn’t eat an entire recipe by myself. I just don’t need an entire recipe.) 😉
Yum! I have not had beignet for a long time…and never attempted to make this treat at home…yours look fabulous Christin…and yes, I love them with lots of powdered sugar on it…beautiful texture.
Hope you are having a great week 🙂
Made these and they came out great! Added some cinnamon to the dough, personal preference. Recipe makes Plenty to share with neighbors and friends A keeper. Thanks for sharing!