Description
Delicious and fluffy Beignets, classic French-style fried dough pastries dusted with powdered sugar. Perfect as a sweet snack or dessert, these golden treats are made from a yeast dough that rises to light, airy perfection before being fried to crispy, golden brown. Easy to make at home and guaranteed to disappear quickly!
Ingredients
Scale
Wet Ingredients
- ¾ cup water (lukewarm)
- 1 large egg
- ½ cup milk
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter (softened)
Dry Ingredients
- 2¼ teaspoons active dry yeast (or 1 envelope)
- ¼ cup sugar
- 3½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
For Frying and Serving
- vegetable oil (for frying)
- powdered sugar (for sprinkling, optional)
Instructions
- Activate Yeast: In a small bowl, combine the lukewarm water, active dry yeast, and sugar. Whisk gently and let it sit for 5 to 10 minutes until the yeast dissolves and becomes frothy.
- Add Wet Ingredients: Once the yeast mixture is frothy, add the egg and milk and whisk to combine thoroughly.
- Mix Dough: In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the flour and salt. Pour in the yeast mixture and add the softened butter. Using the dough hook attachment, mix until a smooth dough forms and pulls cleanly from the sides of the bowl.
- First Rise: Remove the dough from the mixer and place it in a lightly oiled bowl. Cover with a damp towel or plastic wrap and let it rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 to 2 hours.
- Shape Dough: After rising, roll out the dough on a floured surface into a long rectangle about ¾ of an inch thick. Cut the dough into long strips, then cut strips into squares to form beignets.
- Heat Oil: In a deep frying pan or Dutch oven, add about 3 inches of vegetable oil. Heat the oil to 350°F (177°C) before frying to ensure crisp, golden beignets.
- Fry Beignets: Fry 5 to 6 beignets at a time, turning them to cook evenly on both sides until golden brown, about 2 to 3 minutes total.
- Drain and Serve: Remove beignets with a slotted spoon and place on paper towels to drain excess oil. Sprinkle generously with powdered sugar and serve warm.
Notes
- This recipe yields about 32 beignets, depending on cut size.
- Instant or rapid-rise yeast can be substituted; mix it directly into the dough without proofing.
- To speed rising, place dough in a warm oven at 200°F (93°C) then turn oven off, keeping the door closed.
- Keep oil at 350°F for proper frying; test by frying one beignet first.
- For large gatherings, double the recipe as these are sure to disappear quickly!
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 beignet
- Calories: 150 kcal
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 90 mg
- Fat: 6 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2.5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 20 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 30 mg
