Beignets are an absolute staple in New Orleans and this recipe for New Orleans-style beignets will likely become a staple in your kitchen! They’re fried to golden & crisp perfection, showered with confectioner’s sugar and every bite reveals the softest and most tender pastry. These New Orleans treats are so irresistible it’ll be hard not to indulge in the whole batch!

new orleans style beignets on a rack dusted with confectioner's sugar

Save this recipe for later!

I'll email this post to you, so you can come back to it whenever you like!

“What even is a beignet,” you ask? Its’ a classic French pastry that seems unassuming enough but is packed with incredible flavor! This recipe uses a vanilla (I suggest a high quality extract or vanilla bean paste) and a small hint of orange zest for a subtle floral, but sweet, flavor!Although the French version of the pastry uses a choux pastry, the New Orleans version tends to use an easier method – employing a yeasted dough. What’s even better is that the this beignet recipe only requires one rise (similar to these cinnamon rolls) so it’s perfect for anyone a little but anxious about delving into yeasted doughs!

Beignets are perfect on their own but are also famously enjoyed with or dunked in coffee or hot chocolate – dealer’s choice!

Key Ingredients & Tools

All-purpose flour. Yields a more tender beignet than bread flour would and extends the time that the beignets can sit out before they become dense/chewy
Granulated sugar. Primarily used to feed the yeast – a process that makes the dough rise.
Whole milk. Used to activate the yeast and add richness.
Egg. Acts as a binging agent providing structure while adding richness to the beignets
Unsalted butter. Makes the the beignets soft while enhancing the flavor as it melts
Yeast. Used as a leavening agent
Orange zest. Adds a subtle floral sweetness to the beignets so that the flavor isn’t one note.
Vanilla. Adds flavor and balances any sharpness from orange zest
Confectioner’s sugar. Needed for the must-have classic dusting!
Thermometer. Needed to maintain the perfect frying temperature for perfect beignets

ingredients for New Orleans-style beignets - all-purpose flour, salt, whole milk, egg, orange zest, unsalted butter, dried active yeast, vanilla, granulated sugar & confectioners sugar

Pile of New Orleans-style beignets on a cake plate with a bite taken out one

Tips for the Best New Orleans Beignets

Monitor your dough during proofing. Under-proofing results in a dough with less flavor an rise while over-proofing will cause an excess of air bubbles that soak up oil during frying.
For a slow proofing process, allow the dough to rise in the refrigerator. This takes 2-4 hours but is perfect for the newbie or the busy baker since it lengthens the window of a perfectly proofed dough.
If you’re trying to speed up the process proof the dough in an oven (switched off) with a pan of hot water on the rack below. Your dough will be perfectly proofed in about 45 minutes!

Ensure that your saucepan/fryer is filled at least a third of the way with oil. This allows space for the dough to float in the oil freely without sticking to the bottom. At the same time, make sure you leave at least a few inches at the top of the pot to avoid oil boiling over once the dough is added.

Maintain the frying oil’s temperature between 360-380°F. This is the sweet spot for even & thorough frying and allows the beignets rise while cooking.
Too high a temperature results in beignets that are golden on the outside but still raw on the inside.
Too low a temperature and the dough won’t rise during frying and will soak up some oil resulting in an oil-drenched and dense beignet.
To maintain the optimal temperature make sure not to crowd the pan and to check the oil with a thermometer in between adding fresh pieces of dough. I use this infrared thermometer for ease!

frequently asked questions

Can I make these New Orleans-style beignets in advance? These beignets are best served fresh out of the fryer. Although using all-purpose flour helps extend the time these beignets can sit out before they become chewy/dense, as they sit out moisture slowly evaporates eventually resulting in a drier and tougher texture.

Why is this recipe in grams? Beignets . Grams are a smaller unit of measurement than ounces so it’s more precise plus since beignets can be finicky having exact measurements helps to queue you up for success every time!

What’s the difference between instant and regular (or active) dry yeast? Active yeast needs to be activated first by dissolving in warm liquid (in this case, milk). On the other hand, instant yeast doesn’t need to be activated and can be added directly into the dry ingredients. Instant yeast also works faster so you run a greater risk of over-proofing the dough. If swapping active yeast for instant, start checking on the dough at the 30-minute mark to avoid over-proofing.

Can these beignets be filled? Technically, yes – this dough is soft but stable enough to hold fillings like jelly, ganache or pastry cream but traditionally beignets are not filled and beignet purists would say that a filled beignet is just a donut.

How to Make New Orleans-style Beignets

Step 1. Heat the milk to 100-110°F then add in your dried yeast to activate it. Set aside.
If using instant yeast activating it isn’t necessary and you can add it directly into your dry ingredients with room temperature milk.

Step 2. Add the sugar and orange zest to a small bowl & rub the zest into the sugar. The friction will release the oils that hold the orange flavor so you could get more while using less.

orange zest rubbed into granulated sugar to make new orleans style beignets

Step 3. Add all the ingredients – all-purpose flour, milk/yeast mixture, orange sugar, butter, egg, vanilla & salt to the bowl a stand mixer affixed with a dough hook. Knead for 3-5 minutes at medium speed or until the dough is smooth and clings mostly to the dough hook. The dough will be sticky and slightly loose. This is normal.

Proofing the Beignet Dough

Step 4. Once the dough is smooth transfer it to an oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap or a clean, damp kitchen towel. Allow the dough to proof for 45 minutes to an hour.
Once completely proofed the dough should have at least doubled in size and spring back slowly when lightly pressed. If it springs back immediately when lightly pressed it is under-proofed and needs more time to rise. If it doesn’t spring back at all when pressed that means your dough is over-proofed.

yeasted dough before proofing to make New Orleans-style beignets

yeasted dough after proofing to make New Orleans-style beignets

Step 5. Once your dough has proofed punch it down to release excess gas and large air bubbles then turn it out onto a floured surface. Roll the dough out to a ½-inch thickness and cut into 3 to 4-inch squares/rectangles for the beignets.
The cuts don’t have to be perfectly equal – this way you can minimize waste and not have to fuss about rolling out the dough in a perfect square.

rolling out dough for New Orleans-style beignets

cutting dough for New Orleans-style beignets

Step 6. Add a neutral-flavored & high-heat oil to a saucepan or deep fryer and bring the temperature up to 360-380°F. Fry each beignet for 45-60 seconds on both sides until golden brown. Once removed from the fryer allow the beignets to rest on a grated surface or rack so that any excess oil drips away keeping the outside crisp.

frying dough for New Orleans-style beignets

Step 7. Using a sieve, generously dust the top of the beignets with confectioner’s sugar and serve while warm! Enjoy your freshly-made New Orleans-style beignets on their own or with a hot cup of coffee!