Easy Beignet Recipe: 3 Tips for Making Pillowy Beignets

Beignets are a sweet (sometimes savory) fritter traditionally made from two varieties of dough: choux pastry, a combination of butter, flour, water, and eggs cooked on the stovetop, or a yeasted dough. Variations on the plain beignet may include ingredients such as potato, plantain, or banana.

Like Mardi Gras, and the infamous French Quarter, golden brown beignets—particularly those served under a snowy coat of confectioners’ sugar—are synonymous with New Orleans, where they are served year-round to residents and tourists alike.

Homemade beignets might seem daunting, but all they require is a good deep-frying thermometer and some patience.

1. 1. Use bread flour. Bread flour has more protein than all-purpose flour, which means more gluten. The more gluten produced during the bulk fermentation of the beignet dough, the more stretch and chew the finished product will have.
2. 2. Let the dough rise. Properly proofed dough makes beignets irresistibly bouncy and light. Proofing activates the yeast cells in the dough, which consume carbohydrates and expel the carbon dioxide gas that causes the dough to expand or rise when exposed to heat. Underproofing will lead to a dense beignet.
3. 3. Deep-fry in batches. It may be tempting to save time by cramming as many pieces of dough into the hot oil as you can while deep-frying, but this will lower the overall temperature and result in soggy, oil-soaked beignets that never achieve a crispy exterior. Fry two or three at a time, depending on your fryer size. Monitor the temperature, which should hover around 350–360°F.

Though they both highlight the endless appeal of fried dough, French or New Orleans-style beignets differ from doughnuts in two distinct ways:

• Ingredients: Doughnuts contain more eggs than beignets, resulting in larger air pockets and a denser texture.
• Shape: Beignets are cut into squares or rectangles before frying, while doughnuts are traditionally round.
• Toppings: Beignets arrive with their signature coat of powdered sugar, while doughnuts are glazed with various sweet icings and decorations like sprinkles.