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New Orleans-Style Beignets

Name: New Orleans-Style Beignets
Total time: 150 s
Yield: 1
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: All purpose flour; Salt; Sugar; Whole milk; Active dry yeast; Egg; Butter; Vegetable oil; Confectioner's sugar

10 Apr 2026

Fine Dining Lovers

Editorial Staff

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Difficulty

Medium

Total Time

2H 30MIN

Cuisine

American

Ingredients

All purpose flour: 15 oz

Salt: 1 tsp

Sugar: 3 tbsp

Whole milk: 8 oz, warmed

Active dry yeast: 2 tsp

Egg: 1

Butter: 3 tbsp, melted

Vegetable oil: 64 oz

Confectioner's sugar: 13 oz

New Orleans-style beignets are soft, pillowy, and light and a must-try when visiting this city. Find our top beignets recipe below

Serves 8

01.

Mix the all-purpose flour, salt, and 2 tbsp sugar in a mixing bowl. In a medium bowl combine the warm whole milk, remaining sugar, and active dry yeast. Let sit for 5 minutes, until foamy.

02.

Beat the egg into the yeast mixture. Add to the flour bowl. Mix for 90 seconds until a sticky dough forms with dry bits remaining. Using a stand mixer and dough hook, add the melted butter to the mixing bowl and set to medium speed until the butter is fully incorporated.

03.

Turn the mixer speed to high and knead for 5 minutes, until the dough is tacky. Shape into a ball using hands and transfer to a greased bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise until doubled in size, for 2 hours.

04.

While the dough is rising, fill a saucepan with the vegetable oil. Place a cooling rack over a baking sheet. Sift the confectioners’ sugar into a mixing bowl and set aside.

05.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and roll into a rectangular shape. Cut the dough into 16 squares. Heat the oil to 350°F and fry the beignets in batches until golden, for 1 minute on each side. Remove from the oil using a slotted spoon and transfer to the cooling rack.

06.

After 1 minute of cooling, drop the beignets into the confectioners’ sugar while still hot and use tongs to turn to coat. Repeat with the remaining batches until all covered and serve warm.

Tips & Tricks

For New Orleans beignets make sure you use warm liquid for the yeast mixture. Either warm milk or water will work. The liquid needs to be at 100°F as too high a temperature will kill the yeast off. Getting this mixture just right helps create the signature fluffy exterior of beignets. Traditional beignets are also cut into squares, as suggested in this recipe. Roll the dough to around a quarter inch thickness and cut into three inch squares for a classic look.

Frying the beignets at the right temperature is also a critical step in the recipe to achieve the right texture for this sweet treat. The oil should be at 350°F and frying in batches will help to maintain the temperature of the oil. If too cool, the beignets will absorb the oil and become greasy, whereas too hot the outside of the beignets will burn before the inside has a chance to cook.

For more deep-fried food inspiration, take a look at our round-up of 17 easy recipes to try at home, including churros and dumplings.

The Origins of Beignets

If you’re wondering what a beignet is, it’s a French-style, deep-fried pastry that's puffy, golden-brown, and served with a generous helping of confectioners’ sugar. Though now deeply associated with New Orleans culture, the recipe has roots in medieval France, where cooks made fried dough treats similar to the modern French beignets we know today. The beignet pronunciation is typically French, spoken as “bay.nyay.”

In the 1700s, beignets reached North America with the French colonists who settled in Louisiana. This recipe later evolved into the square fried dough beignets commonly found today as staple treats in New Orleans bakeries. In 1862 the now world-famous Café du Monde opened, which popularized the New Orleans-style beignets, served with a side of café au lait. Once you’ve sampled an iconic beignet, take a look at our latest guide of where to eat in New Orleans for all the local food inspiration you’ll need.

How to Serve Beignets

Beignets are served hot, generously coated in confectioners’ sugar, often with a coffee or café au lait on the side. Modern recipes will sometimes include dipping sauces, such as chocolate or caramel sauce, for added indulgence.

For more indulgent dessert inspiration have a read of our article featuring eight delicious gourmet dessert ideas or try baking a savory dessert twist, with a maple bacon cupcake and rosemary cookies.