New Orleans beignets are one of the great street foods of the American South - pillowy, deep-fried squares of yeasted dough that puff dramatically in hot oil into golden, hollow cushions, dusted immediately and generously with a blizzard of icing sugar that gets everywhere and that is entirely the point. They are the signature dish of Café Du Monde on Jackson Square in New Orleans, eaten with café au lait at any hour of the day or night, and they are one of the most joyful things you can eat.
Despite their Creole association, beignets have French roots - the word simply means "fritter" in French, and the dish arrived in Louisiana with French colonial settlers in the 18th century. The New Orleans version is made from a yeasted dough enriched with eggs, evaporated milk, and a little butter, which gives the finished beignet its characteristic richness and chew. The dough is rolled thin, cut into squares, and deep-fried at a high temperature until they puff and hollow out - the result is a light, airy interior encased in a thin, golden, slightly crisp shell.
This recipe uses evaporated milk - the authentic choice for New Orleans beignets, available in the baking aisle at all major UK supermarkets. The dough can be made the night before and left to prove slowly in the fridge, making it a manageable weekend breakfast or brunch project. Serve immediately - beignets are at their best within minutes of coming out of the fryer, dusted so generously with icing sugar that your shirt is a write-off before the first bite. All ingredients are available at any UK supermarket.
Ingredients
For the dough
- 350 g Strong White Bread Flour , plus extra for dusting
- 7 g Fast-action Dried Yeast , (1 sachet = 7g)
- 50 g Caster Sugar
- 0.5 tsp Fine Salt
- 170 ml Evaporated Milk , (half a standard 410g tin - refrigerate the rest)
- 60 ml Warm Water , (around 40°C)
- 1 Medium Egg , lightly beaten
- 30 g Unsalted Butter , softened
For frying
- 1.5 litre Sunflower or Vegetable Oil
To finish
- 100 g Icing Sugar , sifted (be generous - this is not optional)
Method
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In a large bowl, combine the flour, yeast, sugar, and salt. In a separate jug, mix together the evaporated milk, warm water, and beaten egg. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix with a wooden spoon until a rough dough forms.
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Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 8–10 mins until smooth and elastic - the dough will be slightly tacky but should not stick excessively. Add the softened butter in small pieces during the last 2 mins of kneading, incorporating each piece fully before adding the next. Alternatively use a stand mixer with a dough hook on medium speed for 7–8 mins.
Tip: Adding the butter at the end of kneading rather than at the beginning is an enriched dough technique - it gives the gluten time to develop first, which produces a better structure. The dough will look messy as you add each piece of butter but will come together smoothly with continued kneading. -
Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with cling film, and prove in a warm spot for 1 hour until doubled in size. Alternatively, refrigerate overnight for a slow prove - this develops a more complex flavour and makes the dough easier to roll.
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Once proved, tip the dough onto a well-floured surface and roll out to approximately 5mm thick - no thicker, or the beignets won't hollow out properly during frying. Using a sharp knife or pizza cutter, cut into roughly 6-7cm squares. Don't worry about perfect uniformity - slightly irregular squares are entirely authentic.
Tip: 5mm is the critical thickness for beignets that puff and hollow properly. Thicker dough produces a dense, bready fritter rather than the characteristic light, hollow cushion. Use a ruler if needed the first time. -
Heat the oil in a large, deep saucepan to 180°C. If you don't have a thermometer, drop a small piece of dough into the oil - it should sink briefly, then rise to the surface and sizzle actively within 5 seconds. Line a tray with kitchen paper.
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Fry the beignets in batches of 4–5, leaving plenty of space in the pan. They will sink initially, then rise to the surface and puff dramatically within 30–45 seconds. Fry for 1–2 mins per side, turning once with a slotted spoon, until deep golden all over. The whole frying time per beignet should be no more than 3–4 mins total.
Tip: Don't overcrowd the pan - adding too many beignets at once drops the oil temperature and produces greasy, dense results rather than the light, puffed beignets you're after. Maintain the oil temperature between batches, allowing it to return to 180°C before frying the next batch. -
Remove with a slotted spoon and drain briefly on kitchen paper - no more than 10–15 seconds. Transfer immediately to a plate and dust with a completely unreasonable quantity of icing sugar. Serve within minutes.
Tip: Beignets must be served immediately - they deflate and lose their lightness within 10–15 mins of coming out of the fryer. Have the icing sugar ready and guests seated before you start frying.
Air Fryer Method
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Preheat the air fryer to 180°C for 3–5 mins. Cut a piece of baking paper to fit the basket.
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Place the cut dough squares on the baking paper with space between each - cook in batches of 4–5. Brush the tops lightly with melted butter or a spray of oil.
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Cook for 6–8 mins until puffed and golden, turning carefully halfway through.
Tip: Air fryer beignets won't hollow out and puff quite as dramatically as deep-fried ones - the result is more like a light, golden fried dough square than the classic hollow cushion. They're still delicious and significantly lower in fat. Dust immediately and generously with icing sugar and serve straight away.
Alternatives & Variations
Bake instead of fry - arrange the cut squares on a lined baking tray, brush with melted butter, and bake at 190°C fan for 10–12 mins until golden; they won't hollow out and puff in the same way as deep-fried beignets but the flavour is still good and the calorie count drops significantly
Reduce the caster sugar in the dough to 30g - the icing sugar dusting provides plenty of sweetness; a less sweet dough is more versatile and barely noticeable in the finished beignet
Use the air fryer method (see below) - produces a good result with a fraction of the oil used in deep frying
This recipe is not naturally gluten free as it relies on strong white bread flour for both structure and the gluten development needed to produce the characteristic puff. Gluten free beignets are very difficult to replicate authentically at home - the stretch and structure provided by gluten is what allows the dough to puff and hollow in hot oil. A gluten free choux pastry fritter is a closer achievable alternative, though it produces a different texture.
FAQs
Around 40 mins of active prep and frying, plus 1 hour of proving time - or overnight in the fridge for a slow prove. The frying itself takes around 20 mins for the full batch. Plan for around 1 hr 45 mins from start to table for the same-day version.
Rated Intermediate. The yeasted dough is straightforward but requires kneading and proving time, and deep frying requires attention to oil temperature and batch size. The main things to get right are rolling the dough to the correct 5mm thickness and maintaining the oil at 180°C throughout frying.
The two most common causes are dough that was rolled too thick (over 5mm prevents the hollow from forming), and oil that wasn't hot enough (below 175°C produces a dense, oily fritter rather than a puffed one). Check the oil temperature carefully before each batch and roll the dough consistently thin.
Yes - in fact the overnight fridge prove is recommended. Make the dough, place in an oiled bowl, cover tightly with cling film, and refrigerate overnight. Remove 30 mins before rolling to bring it back to room temperature. The slow prove develops a more complex flavour and the cold dough is significantly easier to roll.
Yes - freeze the proved dough in an airtight container or zip-lock bag for up to 1 month. Defrost overnight in the fridge, bring to room temperature for 30 mins, then roll and fry as directed. Cooked beignets do not freeze well - they must be eaten fresh.
The authentic New Orleans accompaniment is café au lait - strong coffee with warm, steamed milk in equal parts. Hot chocolate is an equally good alternative. Beignets are a breakfast and brunch dish traditionally eaten at Café Du Monde in New Orleans at any hour, alongside nothing more than coffee and good company.
Yes, with the caveat that air fryer beignets won't puff and hollow quite as dramatically as the deep-fried version - the oil is what creates the characteristic hollow cushion. That said, the air fryer produces a very good light, golden, fluffy beignet at a fraction of the fat content. Preheat to 180°C, brush with butter, and cook for 6–8 mins, turning halfway. Dust generously with icing sugar and serve immediately.
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