Vanilla French Beignets (Print)

Light, pillowy vanilla French beignets with powdered sugar — perfect for breakfast or dessert.

# Ingredient list:

→ Dough

01 - 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1/4 cup granulated sugar
03 - 2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast (1 packet)
04 - 1/2 tsp salt
05 - 3/4 cup whole milk, lukewarm
06 - 1/4 cup warm water
07 - 2 large eggs, room temperature
08 - 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
09 - 2 tsp pure vanilla extract

→ For Frying

10 - 4 cups vegetable oil for deep frying

→ Finishing

11 - 1 cup powdered sugar for dusting

# Directions:

01 - Combine warm water and yeast in a small bowl. Let stand for 5 minutes until foamy.
02 - In a stand mixer bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, and salt.
03 - Add the yeast mixture, lukewarm milk, eggs, melted butter, and vanilla extract to the flour mixture. Mix with a dough hook on medium speed for 5–7 minutes until a smooth, slightly sticky dough forms.
04 - Transfer dough to a lightly oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let rise in a warm place for 1–1.5 hours, or until doubled in size.
05 - Punch down the dough and turn it onto a floured surface. Roll out to about 1/2 inch thickness. Cut into 2-inch squares using a sharp knife or pastry cutter.
06 - Place the squares on a parchment-lined baking sheet, cover lightly, and let rise another 30 minutes.
07 - In a large, heavy-bottomed pot, heat vegetable oil to 350°F.
08 - Fry beignets in batches for 1–2 minutes per side, until golden brown and puffed. Do not overcrowd the pot.
09 - Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. While still warm, generously dust beignets with powdered sugar.
10 - Serve immediately for best texture and flavor.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • These beignets achieve that perfect cloud-like interior that makes café du Monde famous, but with a subtle vanilla warmth that feels homemade
  • The dough comes together in minutes and the frying process is surprisingly forgiving for first-timers
  • Nothing beats the experience of warm beignets on a lazy morning, especially when you realize you made them yourself
02 -
  • Let your oil come back to temperature between batches, otherwise the beignets will absorb too much oil and become greasy
  • The dough should be slightly sticky after mixing, resist the urge to add more flour or theyll be tough instead of tender
  • Work in small batches when frying, 3 or 4 beignets at most, so the oil temperature stays consistent
03 -
  • Use a kitchen thermometer for the oil, guessing the temperature almost always leads to disappointing results
  • Let the cut squares rest on parchment paper instead of floured towels to prevent them from drying out
  • If you want extra-fluffy beignets, let the second rise go a little longer than you think you should

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