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Vanilla French Beignets Recipe

Ingredients

• ○ 1 ½ cups (around 360ml) of warm water, like bath water, not hot tub water!
• ○ ½ cup (100 g) of sugar in granules
• ○ 1 package (2 ¼ teaspoons) of dried yeast that is active. I normally use the regular sort, like Red Star or Fleischmann’s. If you only have instant, use the same amount. You might not require the first proofing step to last as long.
• ○ One big egg
• ○ ½ cup (115g) of evaporated milk (Yes, evaporated! They have a good chew to them. But regular milk works in a pinch!
• ○ 1 tsp. salt
• ○ 7 cups of all-purpose flour (approximately 875g to 1kg, depending on the type of flour you use). Don’t push it down when you measure! Spoon and level are your friends here.
• ○ 2 teaspoons of pure vanilla essence and 2 tablespoons (30g) of unsalted butter that has been softened. If you can, use the good stuff. It definitely makes a difference in these vanilla French beignets.
• ○ a couple cups of vegetable oil or canola oil to cook the food. This will make the oil about 1 to 2 inches thick in your saucepan.
• ○ A lot of powdered sugar for dusting. A lot, really a lot.

Preparation Steps

1. Get an extremely huge bowl, like a really big one. Or the bowl of your stand mixer, which I highly recommend because it saves your arms. Mix the sugar, yeast, and warm water together. Wait approximately 5 to 10 minutes, or until it looks all frothy and cheerful. This signifies that your yeast is still alive! Throw it out and get new yeast if it doesn’t foam.
2. After it gets foamy, add the egg, evaporated milk, salt, softened butter, and vanilla essence.
3. Now, add the flour a cup at a time. Use the dough hook if you’re using a stand mixer. If you’re doing it by hand, start with a strong spoon or spatula. When it gets too stiff, turn it out onto a floured surface.
4. Mix until the dough is shaggy. Next, knead! Let it mix on medium speed for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the dough is smooth and stretchy. With your hands? Get ready to work out your arms for about 10 to 12 minutes. It should be a little sticky, but shouldn’t glue itself permanently to your hands or the counter.
5. Put some oil on the huge bowl you used before (or a clean one). Put the dough in, turn it to coat, then cover the bowl with plastic wrap.
6. Let it rise in a warm location until it’s doubled in size. This normally takes around an hour to an hour and a half, depending on how warm your kitchen is. My kitchen is normally cold so I sometimes stick it in a somewhat warm (turned off!) oven. This is where I generally sneak off to make a cup of tea or binge watch something dumb for a bit. Oh, did I tell you about the time my cat decided the rising dough bowl was the best napping spot? Had to start over, awful!
7. Once it’s doubled, punch the dough down. Just literally punch it. It’s surprisingly satisfying.
8. Put the dough on a surface that has been lightly floured. Make it about a quarter of an inch thick. If it’s not a perfect rectangle, don’t worry. Mine never is.
9. Cut the dough into squares that are about 2 to 3 inches across with a knife or pizza cutter. Doesn’t have to be accurate!
10. Pour your oil into a big pot or Dutch oven. Heat it over medium-high heat until it reaches 350°F (175°C). If you don’t have a thermometer, you can test by dropping a little piece of dough in; it should bubble immediately but not burn instantly.
11. Carefully slip a few beignet squares into the boiling oil. Don’t crowd the pot! They need space to blow up.
12. Fry for about 1-2 minutes per side, until they’re golden brown and fluffy. Use tongs or a spider strainer to flip them and take them out.
13. Transfer the fried beignets to a dish lined with paper towels to drain for just a sec.
14. Immediately, and I mean IMMEDIATELY, put them to a dish or tray with a TON of powdered sugar. Dump additional sugar on top. Like, make it snow.
15. Repeat with the remaining dough squares. Keep that oil temperature consistent!
16. Serve hot! Like, burn-your-tongue-a-little-but-worth-it hot.

Tips for Success

• Oil Temp is Key: If it’s too low, they’ll be greasy. Too high, they’ll burn before they cook inside. Get a thermometer if you can, it helps lots.
• Powdered Sugar Situation: Do this while they’re hot! The sugar sticks best that way. Don’t be shy. Prepare for a mess. Wear black at your own risk.
• Handling the Dough: It’s a soft dough. Don’t add too much extra flour while rolling, just enough so it doesn’t stick.

I’ve toyed around a bit! Adding a touch of nutmeg to the dough is great. Sometimes I’ll add a little lemon zest too, which is a great touch. I tried filling them once with a chocolate ganache before frying… that did NOT work out. Exploded everywhere. Don’t do that. Stick to dusting or maybe a dipping sauce instead!

Big mixing bowl (or stand mixer), measuring cups and spoons, whisk, rolling pin, knife or pizza cutter, large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven, thermometer (useful!), tongs or spider strainer, plate coated with paper towels, plate or tray for sugaring.

If you don’t have a rolling pin, a wine bottle or even a stout can would serve in an emergency! I’ve used a beer bottle before, gotta improvise, right?

Storage & Serving Suggestions

Okay, so technically you can store these in an airtight jar at room temp for a day or two. You may even warm them up slightly in the oven or microwave, and add more powdered sugar, of course. But honestly, in my house? These vanilla French beignets never, ever last more than an hour, maybe two tops. Storage stuff is basically theoretical here!

Hot, fresh, and with a strong cup of coffee or chicory coffee, New Orleans style. My kids prefer dipping them in chocolate sauce, which is very good too, I’ll admit.

I once tried hurrying the rising step because I was impatient, and the beignets were flat and sad. Don’t do it! Let the dough take its time. Also, don’t overcrowd your pot when cooking. It decreases the oil temperature too much and you wind up with oily, sad beignets instead of puffy, magnificent ones. Fry in batches!

FAQs

Q: Can I make the dough ahead of time?

A: Yeah, absolutely! You can create the dough, let it do its initial rise, punch it down, and then stick it in the fridge for up to 24 hours. Just let it lie on the counter for 30-60 mins to warm up a bit before rolling and cutting.

Q: What if I don’t have evaporated milk?

A: Regular whole milk will work, the texture might be somewhat different, maybe a tiny bit less chewy, but they’ll still be great! Don’t let it stop you!

Q: How much oil do I need?

A: Enough so your beignets can float without touching the bottom. Maybe 4-6 cups, depending on your pot size? Just make sure you have enough depth.

Q: Can I use bread flour?

A: I haven’t personally tested it for this recipe, but bread flour has more gluten so it might make them a bit firmer. I keep to all-purpose for that classic light and airy, but still slightly chewy feel.

Classic Vanilla French Beignets Recipe Summary

yield: 12-15 beignets

prep: 30 mins  |  cook: 15 mins  |  total: 50 mins

Indulge in the iconic taste of New Orleans with these light and fluffy French beignets, laced with a hint of sweet vanilla and coated liberally with powdered sugar. Perfect for breakfast or dessert!

Ingredients

• ○ 1 cup warm milk (105-115°F)
• ○ 1/4 ounce active dry yeast (approximately 2 1/4 tablespoons)
• ○ 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• ○ 1 big egg
• ○ 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ○ 1/2 teaspoon salt
• ○ 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
• ○ 3 1/2 to 4 cups all-purpose flour
• ○ Vegetable oil, for cooking
• ○ Powdered sugar, for sprinkling

Instructions

1. In a large dish, add warm milk, yeast, and a pinch of sugar. Let stand for 5-10 minutes until frothy.
2. Whisk in the remaining granulated sugar, egg, vanilla extract, salt, and melted butter into the yeast mixture.
3. Gradually add the flour, mixing until a soft dough forms. Knead on a lightly floured surface for 5-7 minutes until smooth and elastic.
4. Location the dough in an oiled bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm location for 1 to 1.5 hours, or until doubled in size.
5. Punch down the dough, then roll it out on a lightly floured board to about 1/4 inch thickness. Cut into 2-3 inch squares or rectangles.
6. Heat vegetable oil in a deep fryer or large saucepan to 350°F (175°C). Fry beignets a couple at a time for 1-2 minutes per side, until golden brown and puffy.
7. Remove beignets with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Dust generously with powdered sugar before serving warm.

CLICK FOR NUTRITION INFO↑

Approximate Nutritional Information per Serving

Nutrition Disclaimers

• The number of servings provided is an estimate. The actual number of servings will depend on how big you want them to be.
• The nutritional values indicated are just basic guidelines and are based on one serving made with the specified ingredients, not any optional ones. Depending on the brand and type of ingredients used, the actual macros may be a little different.
• Follow the recipe to find out how much one serving weighs. Weigh the final recipe, then divide that weight (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the number of servings you want. The answer will be how much one serving weighs.

★★★★★ 4.60 from 88 ratings

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