Easy Beignet Recipe! (Fried dough) (2024)

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You are in for a treat with this classic Beignet recipe. Beignets are like an easy version of donuts. They are pillowy, deep fried, dusted with powdered sugar, and to die for!

Easy Beignet Recipe! (Fried dough) (1)

Beignets originate from France and can be translated in English to mean fritter. They are extremely popular in New Orleans. When you make these delicious treats at home it’s just like being transported to the French Quarter.

Classic beignets are best served warm. You can refrigerate the dough for up to 2 days and bring the dough back to room temperature when you are ready to fry them up. If I’m baking for a crowd I like to double this recipe because they disappear fast!

Table Of Contents
  • Why You'll Love This Recipe
  • Recipe Ingredients
  • How To Make Beignets
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Expert Tips
  • 📖 Recipe
  • 💬 Reviews
Easy Beignet Recipe! (Fried dough) (2)

Why You'll Love This Recipe

  • Easy these are to make. I think they are much easier to make than donuts and faster too.
  • While traditional beignets are sweet, they can be adapted to include various fillings or toppings, appealing to a wide range of tastes and preferences.
  • They are light, airy and taste delicious
Easy Beignet Recipe! (Fried dough) (3)

Recipe Ingredients

  1. Instant or Rapid-Rise Yeast: Speeds up bread making, no proofing needed.
  2. Sugar: Sweetens and aids in browning.
  3. Eggs: Add structure and richness.
  4. Vegetable Oil (in dough): Moistens and tenderizes dough.
  5. Flour: Provides structure and elasticity.
  6. Salt: Enhances flavor, controls yeast.
  7. Confectioners’ Sugar: For dusting, adds sweetness.
  8. Vegetable Oil (for frying): Used for deep-frying, creates crispiness.

How To Make Beignets

Easy Beignet Recipe! (Fried dough) (4)
  1. Combine water, yeast, and sugar; wait until foamy (5 mins).
  2. Add eggs and oil; mix in flour and salt to form dough.
  3. Cover and refrigerate dough to rise (1 hour).
  4. Prepare baking sheet with wire rack and paper towels.
  5. Heat oil in Dutch oven to 350℉.
  6. Roll dough, cut into squares, and fry until golden.
  7. Drain on paper towels, transfer to rack.
  8. Dust with confectioners’ sugar and serve.

Frequently Asked Questions

What’s the Difference Between a Beignet and a Doughnut?

They are both similar actually. Both donuts and beignets are made from yeast and deep fried producing a delicious treat. They differ in shape and by a few ingredients. Beignets are a lot lighter than a donut as they are hollow in the middle.

What do you eat with beignets?

You can pair beignets with your favorite hot drink, add some fruit on the side, or just eat it as dessert. Dipped in chocolate sauce would also be delicious. You really just can’t go wrong.

How do you pronounce beignets?

Beignet is a French word. The proper pronunciation is ben-yay.

What do beignets taste like?

Beignets taste like a light, airy fried bread dough, they don't actually have a ton of flavor on their own. The powered sugar adds just the right amount of sweetness that you need.

Easy Beignet Recipe! (Fried dough) (5)

Do I need a deep fryer to make this beignet recipe?

You can make beignets in a deep frying pan like dutch oven or even a deep pot. No one likes hot oil splashing on them, so the deeper the better.You'll need 2-3 inches of oil in the bottom of your pan.

Expert Tips

  • Don't let a little frying scare you! It's so fun to know how to make things like this even if the cooking method might be new to you. A heavy bottomed pan, a thermometer, and a spider strainer (to get the food out of the hot oil) will make all the difference.
  • Don't be stingy on the powdered sugar and consider serving them with a shaker of powdered sugar on the side so folks can add more as they like while eating. That's how they are served in New Orleans.
Easy Beignet Recipe! (Fried dough) (6)
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📖 Recipe

Easy Beignet Recipe! (Fried dough) (11)

Easy Authentic Beignets

Melissa Griffiths

You are in for a treat with this classic New Orleans beignet recipe. Beignets are pillowy, deep fried dough, dusted with powdered sugar, and to die for!

5 from 3 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 10 minutes mins

Rising Time 1 hour hr

Total Time 1 hour hr 40 minutes mins

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 24 Beignets

Calories 98 kcal

Equipment

  • Thermometer

  • Spider Strainer

  • Heavy Bottomed Pan

Ingredients

  • 1 cup warm water, 110℉
  • 1 tablespoon instant or rapid-rise yeast
  • 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • ¾ teaspoon salt
  • Confectioners’ sugar, at least 1 cup
  • Additional 2 quarts of vegetable oil for frying

Instructions

  • In a large bowl, combine the water, yeast, and sugar. Let sit until foamy, about 5 minutes.

  • Whisk in the eggs and 2 tablespoons of oil into yeast mixture.

  • Add the flour, salt and stir together until well combined. The dough will be a bit sticky, that's ok.

  • Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap (sometimes lightly wetting the edge of the bowl helps the plastic wrap to stick on tightly). Refrigerate dough for about an hour, until it has nearly doubled in size.

  • Prepare for frying the beignets by setting a wire rack into a rimmed baking sheet. Line a second baking sheet with a double layer of paper towels.

  • Pour the 2 quarts of oil into a heavy bottomed Dutch oven or large skillet, it should fill the bottom of the pot 2-3 inches. Heat over medium to medium-high heat.

  • Transfer dough onto a floured counter and cut in half. With one half of the dough, pat into a rectangular shape with floured hands, flipping to coat with flour. Roll dough out into ¼-inch-thick rectangle (about 12 by 9 inch).

  • Using a pizza cutter, cut dough into twelve 3-inch squares.

  • Repeat this process with the second piece of dough.

  • When the oil is 350℉ (using a thermometer is the easiest way to gauge this), add a few beignets at a time (don't over crowd the pan). Fry until golden brown, about 3 minutes total, flipping halfway through frying.

  • Transfer beignets to the pan with the paper towels. Repeat with remaining dough.

  • When they are cool enough to touch but still hot place them on the rack set inside the pan. Dust heavily with confectioners’ sugar and serve warm.

Notes

  • Don't let a little frying scare you! It's so fun to know how to make things like this even if the cooking method might be new to you. A heavy
  • bottomed pan, a thermometer, and a spider strainer (to get the food out of the hot oil) will make all the difference.
  • Don't be stingy on the powdered sugar and consider serving them with a shaker of powdered sugar on the side so folks can add more as they like while eating. That's how they are served in New Orleans.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 BeignetCalories: 98kcalCarbohydrates: 19gProtein: 2gFat: 2gSaturated Fat: 0.3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.4gTrans Fat: 0.01gCholesterol: 14mgSodium: 78mgPotassium: 24mgFiber: 0.5gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 20IUCalcium: 5mgIron: 1mg

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Easy Beignet Recipe! (Fried dough) (12)

About Melissa

Melissa is dedicated to helping parents figure out the nightly questions, "What's for Dinner?!" with her no-fuss approach to cooking. Read more...

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Reader Interactions

Comments

    Comments are temporarily closed for a few days while we perform some updates on the site.

  1. Scott

    Easy Beignet Recipe! (Fried dough) (17)
    My 15 year old son decided he wanted to make beignets yesterday. For some reason I will probably never understand, and since we have never made or even tasted one we went on the search for a recipe. We found yours and tried it this morning. Those were the best thing we have tried in a while. It was so easy to make and tasted delicious. We will definitely keep this recipe on hand.

    • Melissa

      He sounds like my kids and that's awesome he just whipped them up! Thank you for letting me know!!

  2. Cathy

    The only problem I have with this recipe is the fact that it is so easy and good. They are a snap to throw together and put in the fridge overnight, ready to fry up in the morning. Great recipe!!

  3. Jessica

    Easy Beignet Recipe! (Fried dough) (18)
    These were great! I let the dough rise in the fridge over night, then they were quick to fry up the next morning. I love to dip them in chocolate or caramel!

  4. deb c

    I'd be tempted to fill it and top it like an eclair!

Easy Beignet Recipe! (Fried dough) (2024)

FAQs

Are beignets the same as fried dough? ›

A beignet is a sweet fried dough with origins in the fine pastry capital of the world: France. It's also common to find these in areas with heavy French influence, like New Orleans, where they are ubiquitous.

What kind of dough are beignets made of? ›

A beignet is a yeast-risen dough that is rolled out, cut into square shapes, and deep-fried until golden brown. A hollow pocket forms in the center of the beignet when frying. Right when the beignets come out of the frying oil, they are rolled in copious amounts of powdered sugar.

Why won't my beignets puff up? ›

Do not add too many pieces to the oil or else the oil temperature will drop and your beignets will be fry up flat. They will not puff up. The only other reason the dough does not puff up would be if you rolled the beignet dough too flat. Try rolling the dough a little thicker.

What is the English name for beignet? ›

noun,plural bei·gnets [ben-yeyz; French be-nye]. a fritter or doughnut. French Cooking.

Is fried dough a New England thing? ›

Fried dough is a popular treat all over the United States, but it is especially popular in New England. It is often sold at fairs, carnivals, and amusem*nt parks in the region. It is also a popular menu item at many seafood restaurants and clam shacks in New England.

Where to buy beignets in London? ›

  • Medlar. (1,087) Open Now. French, European££££ Menu. ...
  • Clarette. (291) Open Now. French, European££ - £££ ...
  • Le Bab Covent Garden. (360) Open Now. Middle Eastern££ - £££ ...
  • Blanchette. (632) Open Now. French, European££ - £££ ...
  • Noble Rot. (405) Open Now. ...
  • Fortitude Bakehouse. (63) Closed Today. ...
  • Chicama. (323) Open Now. ...
  • Plaquemine Lock.

Why are my beignets raw on the inside? ›

Why are my beignets raw in the middle? Oil that's too hot will quickly brown the beignets before the centers have a chance to cook. Make sure to check your oil temperature, and reduce the heat if your beignets are browning too quickly.

What is fried dough called? ›

Fried dough is also known as fry dough, fry bread (bannock), fried bread, doughboys, elephant ears, beaver tails, scones, pizza fritte, frying saucers, and buñuelos (in the case of smaller pieces).

Why are beignets chewy? ›

Beignets are different than doughnuts in a few ways. First, the dough is made with a single rise. This creates a chewy texture rather than a fluffy one. Because of this, the doughnuts taste best hot from the fryer.

What makes beignets puff up? ›

You can also allow the dough to rise overnight in the fridge. The rising time is important because it helps create a beignet that is light, puffy, and pillowy once fried.

Should beignet dough be sticky? ›

The dough is enriched and sticky but if it seems too wet you can add an additional 1/4 cup of flour. Because the dough is very rich it takes a little time to rise but don't be discouraged it's worth the wait. If you're not using the dough right away you can store it in the fridge for up to 48 hours.

Are beignets the same as puff puff? ›

In former French colonial empire in West Africa, a beignet is a small ball of fried dough, in Senegal sometimes made with millet flour rather than wheat, equivalent to a Puff-puff.

Why are my beignets hollow? ›

What I eventually found out was that when I fried my dough in lower heat, the longer time allowed the dough to expand more, which resulted in bigger, puffy, hollow beignets.

Can you save beignet dough? ›

And if you're not going to eat all 30 in one day, you can freeze half of the dough squares after you cut them. Place them between wax paper sheets in zip-top freezer bags. They can thaw overnight in the refrigerator when you're ready for another batch.

What is another name for fried dough? ›

Fried dough is also known as fry dough, fry bread (bannock), fried bread, doughboys, elephant ears, beaver tails, scones, pizza fritte, frying saucers, and buñuelos (in the case of smaller pieces).

What is the French word for fried dough? ›

Beignet (/ˈbɛnjeɪ/ BEN-yay, also US: /beɪnˈjeɪ, bɛnˈjeɪ/ bayn-YAY, ben-YAY, French: [bɛɲɛ]; lit. 'bump') is a type of fritter, or deep-fried pastry, made from pâte à choux, but may also be made from other types of dough, including yeast dough.

Are donuts just fried dough? ›

Donuts (also spelled doughnuts) are deep-fried pastries made from dough. Donut-like fried pastries appear in many forms the world over, both savory and sweet. However, in the United States, donuts are most often sweet treats commonly enjoyed at breakfast.

What is similar to beignet? ›

Faworki are cousins to beignets—fried pillows of soft, yeasted dough, served alongside chicory coffee at New Orleans' famous Café du Monde. Beignets are the siblings of doughnuts. Which are related to zeppole.

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