Easy Beignet Recipe! (Fried Dough)

I make classic New Orleans beignets using simple ingredients like evaporated milk, eggs, flour and a packet of active dry yeast. These Homemade Fried Dough pieces are finished with a generous dusting of powdered sugar. Curious how such iconic treats come together? Keep reading for the full recipe.

I’ve been obsessed with these beignets lately, they’re the kind that make you stop whatever you’re doing and go for another one. This Easy Beignet Recipe is basically Homemade Fried Dough taken to its best level, using simple pantry basics like 1 cup warm water (about 110°F / 43°C), 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast, 1/2 cup evaporated milk and 2 large eggs to get that light, slightly chewy interior.

I fold in about 3 1/2 to 4 cups all purpose flour, let the dough rise, then fry in neutral oil until they puff and blisters form. The final trick is a blizzard of powdered sugar for that classic New Orleans bite.

There’s room to play, you can try stuffed beignets later or even a Beignets Without Yeast hack if you’re impatient, but trust me you’ll want to master this version first. It’s quick, messy and totally worth it.

Why I Like this Recipe

1) I love how pillowy and soft the beignets get, they melt in my mouth and I always want more.
2) The powdered sugar on top makes them feel special, like a treat even on a normal day.
3) I like that the dough is simple and forgiving, you can chill it for better flavor or just fry right away.
4) Frying small batches is quick and fun, plus I get to test the oil and sneak a warm one every time.

Ingredients

• Flour: Mostly carbs, some protein, creates structure, low fiber, makes dough kinda chewy.
• Yeast: Live fungus, ferments sugars to make it rise, tiny protein, adds yeasty flavor.
• Eggs: Give protein and fat, add moisture and richness, help bind and brown them.
• Evaporated milk: Concentrated milk, adds creaminess, extra calories and some protein, not very sweet though.
• Granulated sugar: Simple carbs, sweetens dough and feeds yeast during proofing, raises calorie count.
• Unsalted butter: Adds fat and flavor, tenderizes crumb, some saturated fat so eat moderately.
• Neutral frying oil: Mostly fat and calories, needed to fry for crisp and golden color.

Ingredient Quantities

• • 1 cup warm water (about 110°F / 43°C), not too hot or it’ll kill the yeast

• • 1/4 cup granulated sugar

• • 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast (1 packet)

• • 1/2 cup evaporated milk, room temperature

• • 2 large eggs, room temperature

• • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, optional

• • 3 1/2 to 4 cups all purpose flour, plus extra for dusting

• • 1 teaspoon fine salt

• • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled

• • About 4 cups neutral oil for frying, like vegetable, canola or peanut (use enough for 2 to 3 inches depth)

• • Powdered sugar for generous dusting, about 1 to 2 cups

How to Make this

1. Stir the sugar and yeast into the warm water (about 110°F or 43°C), let sit 5 to 10 minutes until foamy; if it never foams the yeast is dead, get new yeast.

2. In a large bowl or mixer bowl whisk the foamy yeast, evaporated milk, eggs, vanilla if using and the cooled melted butter until combined.

3. Add 3 1/2 cups of the flour and the salt, mix to a shaggy dough; add more flour up to 4 cups as needed so the dough is soft and slightly sticky but pulls away from the bowl.

4. Knead by hand about 5 to 8 minutes or with a dough hook about 4 to 5 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic; add a little flour only if it feels way too sticky.

5. Lightly grease a bowl, put the dough in, cover with plastic wrap or a towel and let rise in a warm spot 1 to 2 hours until doubled. For better flavor you can chill it in the fridge after the first rise for 4 hours to overnight.

6. Turn the dough onto a floured surface, gently roll or pat to about 1/2 inch thickness and cut into roughly 2 inch squares with a knife or pizza cutter, or just pull into pieces if you like rustic beignets.

7. Heat about 4 cups of neutral oil in a heavy pot to 360 to 375°F (182 to 190°C) keeping 2 to 3 inches of oil depth; if you dont have a thermometer fry a small scrap of dough to test it should sizzle and puff slowly.

8. Fry the beignets in small batches 2 to 3 minutes total, turning once, until puffed and golden on both sides; dont overcrowd the pot or the oil temp will drop.

9. Drain on a wire rack set over paper towels for a minute, then while still warm toss and coat generously in powdered sugar, flipping them to cover both sides; double dusting makes them extra dreamy.

10. Serve immediately for the best pillowy texture, or keep warm in a 200°F oven for a short while; leftover beignets reheat briefly in a hot oven to crisp up before re-sugaring.

Equipment Needed

1. Large mixing bowl (or mixer bowl if using a stand mixer)
2. Small bowl or measuring cup for proofing the yeast
3. Stand mixer with dough hook (optional) or a wooden spoon for mixing and kneading by hand
4. Measuring cups and measuring spoons
5. Liquid measuring cup for the warm water and oil measurements
6. Whisk for combining wet ingredients
7. Rubber spatula or wooden spoon for scraping the bowl
8. Bench scraper or sharp knife or pizza cutter to cut the dough
9. Rolling pin or your hands to pat/roll dough to 1/2 inch thickness
10. Heavy deep pot or Dutch oven for frying, large enough for 2 to 3 inches oil depth
11. Frying or candy thermometer to monitor oil temperature (360 to 375°F / 182 to 190°C)
12. Slotted spoon, skimmer, or metal spider for turning and removing beignets from the oil
13. Wire cooling rack set over a baking sheet or pan and paper towels underneath for draining
14. Large bowl or shallow container for tossing in powdered sugar, plus a fine mesh sieve if you want extra even dusting
15. Small microwave safe bowl or small saucepan to melt butter, plus a spoon for stirring
16. Baking sheet and foil or parchment for holding beignets if keeping warm in a 200°F oven

FAQ

Easy Beignet Recipe! (Fried Dough) Substitutions and Variations

• Evaporated milk
  • Whole milk + powdered milk: for 1/2 cup evaporated milk use 1/2 cup whole milk plus 1 tablespoon dry milk powder, stir till smooth. Closest texture and richness.
  • Half and half: swap 1:1, it’s a bit richer but works fine.
  • Canned full fat coconut milk: use 1:1 for a dairy free option, expect a mild coconut flavor.
• Eggs
  • Flax egg: 1 tablespoon ground flax + 3 tablespoons water per egg, let sit 5 minutes. Gives structure, dough will be a bit denser.
  • Unsweetened applesauce or plain yogurt: 1/4 cup per egg, makes softer beignets and is simple if you’re out of eggs.
  • Silken tofu (blended): 1/4 cup per egg, neutral and good for frying batters.
• Active dry yeast
  • Instant (rapid rise) yeast: use about 25% less, so ~2 teaspoons instead of 2 1/4 teaspoons. You can add it straight to the flour no proofing needed.
  • Fresh cake yeast: use roughly double the weight of active dry yeast, crumble and dissolve in the warm liquid before adding.
• All purpose flour
  • Bread flour: 1:1 swap for chewier, more elastic beignets because of higher protein.
  • Pastry flour: 1:1 for a lighter, more tender crumb, might feel a bit slack so dust with a little extra flour when shaping.
  • Store bought 1:1 gluten free flour blend: use per package instructions, dough will be stickier and need gentle handling.
• Neutral frying oil
  • Peanut oil: excellent high smoke point and classic frying flavor, use 1:1.
  • Sunflower or safflower oil: neutral and high smoke point, swap 1:1.
  • Lard or tallow: traditional and flavorful, melt and use same volume but expect a different taste.

Pro Tips

1) Proof the yeast properly. Use water about 105 to 110°F, stir in the sugar and wait 5 to 10 minutes till foamy. if it never foams toss the packet and try fresh yeast, no point forcing it. also make sure your eggs and evaporated milk are room temp so the dough comes together faster.

2) Dont over-flour the dough. You want it slightly tacky not dry, that tackiness = pillowy beignets. Add flour only a tablespoon at a time while kneading and stop when the dough pulls away from the bowl but still feels soft. If the dough is hard to handle chill it after the first rise for 4 hours or overnight, it firms up and is way easier to roll or cut.

3) Keep your oil steady and fry in small batches. 360 to 375°F is the sweet spot, use a thermometer if you got one, and let the oil come back up between batches so they puff evenly. If you dont have a therm use a small scrap of dough to test it should sizzle and puff slowly not brown instantly. Use a spider or slotted spoon to flip and remove them, and never overcrowd the pot or the temp will crash.

4) Sugar and serve tricks. Dust while the beignets are still warm so the powdered sugar sticks, then toss a second time for extra clouds of sugar. Dont stack them while sugared or theyll clump together. If you need to hold them briefly use a 200°F oven to keep warm, re-crisp in a hot oven for a minute before re-sugaring if they go limp.