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?
What Are Beignets?
Beignets are pieces of yeast dough that has been cut into squares, deep-fried until golden and covered with powdered sugar. They are ownderful paired with a cafe au lait. Beignets were brought to New Orleans by 18th century French Colonists and they have become one of New Orleans most iconic foods.
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. 🙂
I think you will find these are some of the best beignets you have eaten. Even better than Cafe du Monde.
If you’re looking for a quick and easy beignet recipe, try these Biscuit Beignets.
Keep Dough For 3 Days
The dough needs to be made a day in advance and will keep for 3 days in the refrigerator. That’s 3 days you can have fresh beignets!
How To Store
Beignets unfortunately do not keep well. It’s best to fry up just the amount you want to eat right away. Leave the rest of the dough in the refrigerator where it will keep for 3 days.
Cook’s Note
Be careful when you eat beignets that you don’t inhale the powdered sugar. It is easy to do!
More New Orleans Favorites
- Mardi Gras Monkey Bread
- Mardi Gras Pound Cake
- Bananas Foster Coffee Cake
- Pecan Praline Cheesecake
- King Cake Cracker Candy
- Cinnamon-Pecan King Cake
- Bananas Foster Cake
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Watch the short video below to see how easy it is to make Homemade Beignets.
Homemade Beignets
Equipment
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.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Recipe Source: slightly adapted from Paula Deen
Originally posted February 4, 2015.
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links.
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!