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.

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.

Your cooking oil should be at 370 degrees Fahrenheit. We use cottonseed oil at the Cafe Du Monde, and we recommend you use cottonseed oil. However you may use any vegetable oil you wish. Remember that the temperature of the oil will drop when you add the beignet dough to the oil.

If you don't have a deep fryer, you can use a large, deep saucepan, a Dutch oven, or a heavy-bottomed pot with tall sides. These options will provide enough space for the beignets to fry properly. How do I know when the oil is hot enough? To check if the oil is hot enough for frying, you can use a kitchen thermometer.

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).

Fried dough, on the other hand, is typically made with flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar. It is then mixed with water or milk and fried in hot oil until golden brown.

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.

Tips for MAKING Your Fluffy Beignets:

Really coat that countertop and rolling pin with flour- you do NOT want these babies to stick and they really, REALLY want to. Be sure that you oil is NIICCE and hot. We had our oil even 20 degrees hotter than the box called for and this really seemed to help the dough puff.

If you want to prepare the dough ahead of time, you can do a slow rise in the refrigerator overnight. Then you can roll it out and cut the beignets. Since the dough will be cold, let the cut beignets come to room temp for about 30 minutes before frying.

Very good beignets have a hollow center, or pocket of air (see the photos below), while donuts do not.

Can I use crisco to fry donuts? ›

timeless ❤️ Pro tip: frying with Crisco All-Vegetable. Shortening ensures your doughnuts will have a crispy. outside, and a fluffy inside!

Heat 3/4” of oil to 360°F in a 10” electric frying pan, or 10” skillet set over a burner. An instant-read thermometer is a help, as you watch the oil slowly, then more quickly reach frying temperature. The dough will rise just a bit as you wait for the oil to heat.

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.

Variations of fried dough can be found across cuisines internationally; however, the origin of the term beignet is specifically French.

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.

Fried dough of various types is ubiquitous nationwide (as well as around the world), whether made at home or acquired at one of countless county fairs.